Mere exposure and flavour–flavour learning increase 2–3 year-old children’s acceptance of a novel vegetable

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mere exposure and flavour–flavour learning increase 2–3 year-old children’s acceptance of a novel vegetable

AU - Hausner, Helene

AU - Olsen, Annemarie

AU - Møller, Per

PY - 2012/6

Y1 - 2012/6

N2 - Vegetable consumption is low among many children. This study compared the efficacy of the exposure learning strategies mere exposure, flavour-flavour and flavour-nutrient learning in changing children's intake of a novel vegetable. An unmodified artichoke purée was served at pre-testing. Hereafter children were exposed 10 times to unmodified purée (mere exposure, n= 32), a sweetened purée (flavour-flavour learning, n= 33) or an energy dense purée with added fat (flavour-nutrient learning, n= 39). Unmodified and sweet purée contained approximately 200. kJ/100. g; the energy dense purée 580. kJ/100. g. The unmodified purée was served again at post-testing, 3 and 6. months after last exposure to monitor long-term effects of learning. Intake of purée increased in the mere exposure and flavour-flavour condition, and was unchanged in the flavour-nutrient condition. Mere exposure changed children's intake by the 5th exposure, flavour-flavour learning by the 10th. Mere exposure led to the largest increase in intake of unmodified purée at post-test and over 6. months. Children following flavour-flavour learning consumed more of the sweet purée than of unmodified purée. About 30-40% of the children were resistant to acceptance changes. The results of this study imply that mere exposure and flavour-flavour learning are powerful strategies for changing children's acceptance of a novel vegetable, even though a substantial number of children are resistant to these types of exposure learning.

AB - Vegetable consumption is low among many children. This study compared the efficacy of the exposure learning strategies mere exposure, flavour-flavour and flavour-nutrient learning in changing children's intake of a novel vegetable. An unmodified artichoke purée was served at pre-testing. Hereafter children were exposed 10 times to unmodified purée (mere exposure, n= 32), a sweetened purée (flavour-flavour learning, n= 33) or an energy dense purée with added fat (flavour-nutrient learning, n= 39). Unmodified and sweet purée contained approximately 200. kJ/100. g; the energy dense purée 580. kJ/100. g. The unmodified purée was served again at post-testing, 3 and 6. months after last exposure to monitor long-term effects of learning. Intake of purée increased in the mere exposure and flavour-flavour condition, and was unchanged in the flavour-nutrient condition. Mere exposure changed children's intake by the 5th exposure, flavour-flavour learning by the 10th. Mere exposure led to the largest increase in intake of unmodified purée at post-test and over 6. months. Children following flavour-flavour learning consumed more of the sweet purée than of unmodified purée. About 30-40% of the children were resistant to acceptance changes. The results of this study imply that mere exposure and flavour-flavour learning are powerful strategies for changing children's acceptance of a novel vegetable, even though a substantial number of children are resistant to these types of exposure learning.

U2 - 10.1016/j.appet.2012.03.009

DO - 10.1016/j.appet.2012.03.009

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22425616

SN - 0195-6663

VL - 58

SP - 1152

EP - 1159

JO - Appetite

JF - Appetite

IS - 3

ER -