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Eating BehaviorESPANCT05019872

Al Dente or Well Done? The Eating Rate of a Pasta Meal Modified by Texture

A study testing (Components of) pasta meal in people with Eating Behavior, run by Wageningen University at 1 site in Netherlands.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Rationale: The world-wide rising obesity rates are a major health problem. Therefore, people should moderate food intake. A lower eating rate will decrease the energy intake. The eating rate of foods can be modified by changing the texture without affecting their acceptability. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 55 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Eating Behavior
What is being tested?
(Components of) pasta meal
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
54 participants
Where
1 siteNetherlands
Study dates
14 Sep 2021to 9 Dec 2021
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 55 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Between 18-55 years old at the day of inclusion
  • European nationality
  • Able to understand and speak English fluently or without difficulty (self-report)
  • BMI 18.5-30 kg/m2 (self-report)
  • Good general health and appetite (self-report)
  • Regular consumers of pasta with tomato sauce (commonly once or more per month)

Who cannot join

  • Pregnant or lactating women
  • Smoking
  • Braces (not including a dental wire) or oral piercing
  • Difficulties with swallowing, chewing and/or eating in general
  • Suffering from an endocrine or eating disorder, gastrointestinal illness or illness of the thyroid gland, respiratory disease, or diabetes
  • Having taste or smell disorders (self-report)
Show all 16Show fewer
  • Use of medication that may influence study outcomes (self-report)
  • Consuming on average more than 21 glasses of alcohol per week
  • Not willing to stop using drugs during the study period (from inclusion till last test session)
  • Intensive exercising more than eight hours per week
  • Allergies or intolerance to any ingredient of the test meals
  • Don't like pasta with tomato sauce or its ingredients (<five on a nine point Likert scale)
  • Men having facial hair such as a beard as facial movements cannot be analyzed
  • Signed up for participating in another research study
  • Employee of Human Nutrition department of Wageningen university
  • Employee, thesis student or intern at the chair group of Sensory Science and Eating Behaviour Human Nutrition or Food Quality and Design (WUR)

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Netherlands1 site
  • Wageningen University, Human Nutrition Department

    Wageningen, Gelderland, 6708 WE

Other trials in Netherlands

About this study

Rationale: The world-wide rising obesity rates are a major health problem. Therefore, people should moderate food intake. A lower eating rate will decrease the energy intake. The eating rate of foods can be modified by changing the texture without affecting their acceptability. Harder, chunkier, more viscous, and more voluminous foods will decrease the eating rate and thus energy intake. However, the impact of texture on oral processing has mostly been studied as a model or single food system, whereas a diet consists of many different food products often consumed in combination. Little has been researched on the effect of food texture on eating rate within the context of realistic meals. It is not known if the eating rate of a meal is determined by the eating rate component with the lowest eating rate or if there is an additive effect of the eating rates of all components of the meal.

Objective: The aim of the ESPA study is to determine how the eating rate of a pasta meal can be changed by manipulating the hardness of the ingredients and to investigate if the eating rate of a meal is determined by the eating rate of the component with the lowest eating rate or if there is an additive effect of the eating rates of all components of the meal.

Read more

Study design: The study is a randomized crossover trial. All participants receive all pasta samples.

Study population: Healthy adults (n=50) between 18-55 years old with European nationality, and a BMI between 18.5-30 kg/m2.

Intervention: Participants will attend three test sessions during lunch in which in total twelve pasta samples will be consumed. The pasta samples will consists of individual or combined pasta noodles, vegetables, and sauce differing in hardness. The order of the samples will be randomized. After the consumption of the test samples, the participants will rate their appetite and the sensory characteristics of the samples. During the test sessions, participants will be video recorded to determine their eating behavior.

Main study parameters/endpoints: The main study outcome is the eating rate (g/min). Secondary outcomes are the oral processing characteristics assessed with the video recordings (meal duration [min], bite duration [min], number of bites, number of chews, average bite size [g], average amount of chews per bite, and oral sensory exposure time [min]) and sensory characteristics rated on a visual analogue scale (liking [flavor, texture, and overall], flavor intensity, sweetness, saltiness, sourness, hardness, and chewiness).

Read the detailed description

The study has a randomized crossover design with three test sessions. All participants receive twelve pasta samples (four per test session) and are their own control (within subject effects).

Participants attend three test sessions during which they eat four pasta samples. The pasta samples will have a fixed amount and differ in pasta noodle and vegetable hardness. Eight pasta samples will consist out of only penne or carrots with or without sauce. Four pasta samples will consist out of penne, carrots, and sauce. The sample order will be randomized, but in each test session only one or two of sample 9 to 12 will be served. The samples will be served on a plate together with a fork.

Procedure of the study:

Throughout study period :

  • No use of drugs
  • Medication use + illness should be reported

Evening preceding test day:

  • Not allowed to eat or drink after 22.00 except for water

Morning of test day:

  • Do not perform intensive exercise
  • Eat the same breakfast at the same time each test day
  • If wanted, eat the same morning snack at the same time each test day
  • Not allowed to eat or drink two hours prior the study session except for water
  • Have a negative corona test

Lunch

  • Give instructions (eat as you normally would do, eat the whole sample without taking breaks or sips of water in between, you can take a new bite before you swallowed the previous one)
  • Seated at sensory booth with fork, knife, spoon, 200 mL of water and three pieces of a plain cracker
  • Question about food consumption that morning
  • Appetite questionnaire
  • Eat the pasta sample (one of twelve conditions) while recording eating behavior
  • Sensory questionnaire
  • Appetite questionnaire
  • Taste neutralization by waiting for two minutes, taking sip of water and bite of cracker
  • Repeat * ... * until four pasta samples are consumed
  • Appetite questionnaire

Participants will be recruited from Wageningen and surroundings using an e-mailing list, social media, and flyers. Healthy (self-report), normal weight (18.5-30 kg/m2) men and women between 18-55 years old will be included. Participants need to have European nationality, and have to be able to understand and speak English (self-report), because of the sensory questionnaire and appetite questionnaire which will be in English and have difficult direct translations to Dutch. As 90% of the people that show interest in the study are university students this should not be a problem. The BMI range is based on the average BMI in the Netherlands, which is 25 kg/m2 but around 50% of the Dutch population is overweight. To be able to include sufficient subjects it was therefore chosen to widen the BMI range and include people up to a BMI of 30 kg/m2. Due to the within subject design this will not influence the outcome of the study, but results will be more generalizable to people with an average weight.

Conditions
Eating Behavior
Being tested
(Components of) pasta meal
Keywords
Eating rate, Pasta, Oral Processing, Eating Behaviour, Texture, Hardness
Medical subject headings
Feeding Behavior

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • (Components of) pasta mealBehavioural

    Samples will be provided one by one in cups labeled with an unique code.

Study groups in NCT05019872
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Penne hardActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 7 minutes
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Penne softActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 20 minutes
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Carrot hardActive comparator50 g diced carrot cooked for 2 minutes
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Carrot softActive comparator50 g diced carrot cooked for 20 minutes
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Penne hard + sauceActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 7 minutes + 10 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Penne soft + sauceActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 20 minutes + 10 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Carrot hard + sauceActive comparator50 g diced carrot cooked for 2 minutes + 10 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Carrot soft + sauceActive comparator50 g diced carrot cooked for 20 minutes + 10 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Penne hard + carrot hard + sauceActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 7 minutes + 50 g diced carrot cooked for 2 minutes + 20 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Penne hard + carrot soft + sauceActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 7 minutes + 50 g diced carrot cooked for 20 minutes + 20 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Penne soft + carrot hard + sauceActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 20 minutes + 50 g diced carrot cooked for 2 minutes + 20 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal
Penne soft + carrot soft + sauceActive comparator20 g penne cooked for 20 minutes + 50 g diced carrot cooked for 20 minutes + 20 g tomato sauce
Receives: Behavioral: (Components of) pasta meal

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Eating rate (g/min)

    Amount of the sample divided by the consumption time of the sample, measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

Secondary outcomes (15)
  1. Meal duration (min)

    Time to consume one sample, measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  2. Bite duration (min)

    Measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  3. Number of bites

    Measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  4. Number of chews

    Measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  5. Average bite size (g)

    Measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  6. Chews per bite

    Measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  7. Oro-sensory exposure time (min)

    Measured with video recording.

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  8. Liking flavour

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  9. Liking texture

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  10. Liking overall

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  11. Sweetness

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  12. Saltiness

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  13. Sourness

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  14. Hardness

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

  15. Chewiness

    Measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 'not at all' (0) to 'extremely' (100) with anchors at the beginning and end of the line

    Measured: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted25 Aug 2021
  2. Study start14 Sep 2021
  3. Primary completion9 Dec 2021
  4. Study completion9 Dec 2021

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
All participants receive twelve pasta samples differing in the hardness of carrots and penne, and the addition of sauce
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
54 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05019872
Sponsor's protocol ID
SEC WUR 2021
Acronym
ESPA
Status last verified
Dec 2021
First submitted
19 Jul 2021
Last updated
13 Dec 2021
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing (Components of) pasta meal in people with Eating Behavior, run by Wageningen University at 1 site in Netherlands.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 16 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Dec 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Netherlands. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Eating rate (g/min) (time frame: 1 sample, up to 30 minutes). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Dec 2021.

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