6533b820fe1ef96bd12797aa

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Appréciation d'un aliment nouveau et contrôle de la prise énergétique chez l'enfant : Impact de l'apprentissage

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In a context of high rate of obesity, understanding early formation of child eating behaviour, in qualitative and quantitative terms, is crucial. This work shows that new vegetable acceptance is positively associated with the introduction of variety since the beginning of the complementary feeding, and would be more difficult in 2 year old children. Moreover, the liking of a new food (vegetable or beverage) increases after familiarisation by repeated exposure. A transitional association between the new food and calories induces more stable liking than repeated exposure. However, a high energy density could limit intake of the new food by learned satiation. This result supports an ability of food intake control in children. Nevertheless, as early as 3 years of age, this ability may be altered. Indeed, the caloric compensation during a meal following a preload is partial and deteriorates when children grew up. After repeated exposure to the preload, the caloric compensation is improved but is still partial. Besides, most children, boys in particular, ate in the absence of hunger. This eating behaviour is stable, even if, in girls it is influenced by their mother’s eating behaviour. This work highlights the impact of learning of sensory properties and energy density of new food on its liking and on the control of food intake in children. It also shows that maternal feeding practices, children’s age, and to a lesser extent children’s gender, modulate this impact.