Effect of energy density on liking and on caloric adjustment conditioning after sweet beverage exposure in children aged 8-11 y

The contribution of sweet beverages to weight gain in children and adolescents is controversial. The present study was conducted to study, in 8-11 year-old children, the influence of energy conditioning on liking and on caloric adjustment after sweet beverages exposure. We also studied the stability of the conditioning effects after a period without exposure and an extinction period. Children (n = 44) were exposed to 2 flavored sweetened beverages: a high energy version (HE: 150kcal) and a no energy version (NE: 0kcal). During a 4-wk conditioning period, children were exposed either 2 or 7 times to each beverage. During a 3-wk stability period children were not exposed to any beverage. Duri…