The Effect of Snack Consumption on Energy Intake in Preschoolers

Providing snacks to children is widely recommended for appetite regulation and assisting with meeting nutritional guidelines.1 Currently, snacks contribute a larger portion of dietary intake in children than in previous years.2,3 Additionally, observational research has found that self-reported, low-nutrient-dense snack consumption, has increased among preschoolers (ages 2-to-6 years) over the past 20 years, leading to an increase of total daily energy intake.3 However, no experimental studies examining the influence of snack intake on energy consumption in children have been conducted.2 Therefore, at this time it is not clear how snacks impact appetite regulation or energy intake, especially in young children. Thus, the purpose of this pilot study will be to examine the influence of providing snacks on consumption of overall energy intake in children aged 2-5 years in the Early Learning Center (ELC) at the University of Tennessee. Children will be provided with 3-to-5 ad libitum eating occasions over the course of a day for three sessions. To test the effects of providing snacks to preschoolers on consumption of food throughout the day, the food will be provided in three ways in the three different sessions: 1) children will be provided three meals (TM); 2) children will be provided three meals and two snacks, with total amount of food provided in the day the same as TM (M+S); and 3) children will be provided three meals and two snacks with total amount provided in the meals equal to TM and total amount provided in the snacks equal to M+S (TM+S). Primary Hypothesis: 1\) Energy consumed from food and beverages will be greatest during the TM+S session, followed by M+S, and then TM.