Experimentally Manipulated Low Social Status and Food Insecurity Alter Eating Behavior Among Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Published in: Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Md.), 2020-11, Vol.28 (11), p.2010-2019
• Main Authors: Cardel, Michelle I., Pavela, Greg, Janicke, David, Huo, Tianyao, Miller, Darci, Lee, Alexandra M., Gurka, Matthew J., Dhurandhar, Emily, Peters, John C., Caldwell, Ann E., Krause, Eric, Fernandez, Alicia, Allison, David B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child development; Children & youth; Eating behavior; Energy; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; Food Insecurity; Food security; Gender differences; Hispanic Americans; History, 21st Century; Humans; Hypotheses; Male; Males; Metabolism; Obesity; Psychological Distance; Questionnaires; Social mobility; Teenagers; Upward mobility; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1930-7381; 1930-739X
• DOI: 10.1002/oby.23002

Objective This randomized trial experimentally manipulated social status to assess effects on acute eating behavior and 24‐hour energy balance. Methods Participants (n = 133 Hispanics; age 15‐21 years; 60.2% females) were randomized to low social status (“LOW”) or high social status (“HIGH”) conditions in a rigged game of Monopoly (Hasbro, Inc.). Acute energy intake in a lunchtime meal was measured by food scales. Twenty‐four‐hour energy balance was assessed via summation of resting metabolic rate (metabolic cart), physical activity energy expenditure (accelerometer), thermic effect of food, and subtraction of twenty‐four‐hour energy intake (food diary). Results In the total sample, no significant differences were observed by study condition at lunchtime. LOW females consumed a greater percent of lunchtime daily energy needs (37.5%) relative to HIGH females (34.3%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.291). In males, however, LOW consumed significantly less (36.5%) of their daily energy needs relative to HIGH males (45.8%; P = 0.001). For 24‐hour energy balance, sex differences were nearly significant (P = 0.057; LOW females: surplus +200 kcal; HIGH males: surplus +445 kcal). Food‐insecure individuals consumed a nearly significant greater lunchtime percent daily energy than those with food security (40.7% vs. 36.3%; P = 0.0797). Conclusions The data demonstrate differential acute and 24‐hour eating behavior responses between Hispanic male and female adolescents in experimentally manipulated conditions of low social status.