The Effect of Snack Consumption on Energy Intake in Preschoolers

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Energy Intake Children, Preschool Snacks

Age range

3 year–5 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory

Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, United States

About this study

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:

Energy consumed from food and beverages will be greatest during the TM+S session, followed by M+S, and then TM.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

3 -to- 5 years of age
enrolled at the Early Learning Center for the full day program
have guardian consent to participate
like the foods served

Exclusion criteria

have allergies or intolerances to the foods being served
not able to use a spoon
did not attend all feeding sessions

Treatment and study plan

Snacking

Behavioral

Snacks will be provided to preschoolers, either as part of total caloric needs or above total caloric needs

No Snacking

Behavioral

Caloric needs will be provided to preschoolers within three meals

Primary outcomes

Total calories of the food and beverages consumed.

Time frame: 3 weeks

Total calories of food and beverage consumed by participants over the 3-week study (with 1 day of food and beverage per week) period will be determined by subtracting pre- and post-consumption weight of the food and beverage provided and multiplied by the energy density of each respective food and beverage.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2014
Primary completion: 2018
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Aug 1, 2014
Registry last updated: Jun 9, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed