Thursday, September 12, 2013

Are You Giving Your Kids Filling Snacks?

Another great little study by Brian Wansink and crew - this one looking at children's snacking, calorie consumption and satiety depending on the type of snacks they were offered.

201 3rd-6th graders were randomly assigned to receive one of four different snacks: 1. Potato chips. 2. Cheese. 3. Vegetables. 4. Cheese and vegetables. Simulating many homes, the kids were allowed to eat as much of their assigned snack while watching a 45 minute television program. Perceived fullness was measured before, midway through and after the 45 minutes.

While not at all surprising, the findings were dramatic enough that I felt they'd be worth sharing. Kids who ate the veggies and cheese consumed 72% fewer calories than those consuming the potato chips and kids who had overweight or obesity to begin with - 76% less.

Personally I'm all for kids snacking - but as this study dramatically demonstrates, the type of snack you're offering matters a great deal.

Here's Dr. Wansink