The impact of distraction, masticatory performance and sex on food intake of school children from public and private schools: a randomized trial

• Published in: Physiology & behavior 2025-01, Vol.288, p.114754, Article 114754
• Main Authors: de Souza, Adelucas, Alves, Álvaro Eduardo, Oliveira, Fabiana Freitas Faria, Lima, Karen Rodrigues, Menezes, Tathiana Tavares, Andrade, Eric Francelino, Castelo, Paula Midori, van der Bilt, Andries, Pereira, Luciano José
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attention - physiology; Body Mass Index; Child; Child behavior; Eating - physiology; Eating behavior; Energy Intake - physiology; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Mastication; Mastication - physiology; Schools; Sex Characteristics; Smartphone; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114754

•Primary factors affecting food/caloric ingestion were sex, school type, and masticatory parameters.•The absence of distractor reduced meal duration.•Uncontrolled eating behavior and body mass index influenced the total and high-energy-dense amount of ingested food. Recent research highlights the influence of distraction on caloric intake in adults. This study investigated the impact of smartphone use and reading comic book on food intake of schoolchildren aged 10 to 12 years. One hundred and twenty students from public and private schools participated in experimental meal sessions. Individual parameters such as sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and eating preferences were assessed during the first session. In subsequent appointments, participants consumed standardized meals without distraction, while using a smartphone, or reading comic books in a random order. Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (CTFEQr-21) was administered to assess eating behavior, and total caloric intake (kcal), total amount (g) and medium/high-energy-dense amount (g) were measured in each session. No significant difference was observed in food intake among the three experimental meals (without distractor, using smartphone and reading comic book). Masticatory performance, number of chewing cycles, and time until swallow were similar between sexes and school types (p>0.05). Regression models showed that meal duration was dependent on school type, number of teeth, time until swallow and absence of distractor, while total caloric intake was dependent on school type (public), sex (male), time until swallow, and number of cycles. Besides, total amount ingested, and medium/high-energy-dense amount were dependent on school type (public), sex (male), age, size of the particles and time until swallowing, uncontrolled eating and body mass index (p