Weaning-food viscosity and energy density: their effects on ad libitum consumption and energy intakes in Jamaican children

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Abstract
The effects of weaning-food viscosity and energy density on consumption and energy intake were determined in 15 non-breast-fed Jamaican children aged 7–15 mo under standardized conditions. We tested whether feeding thick, energy-dense porridge four times daily resulted in increased energy intakes and whether amylase treatment to reduce viscosity offered any advantage. When a traditional liquid, low-density porridge (2.15 kJ/g) was fed, the mean (±SD) daily consumption was 139 ± 25 g/kg and the mean daily energy intake was 296 ± 54 kJ/kg. When a semisolid high-density porridge (4.09 kJ/g) was fed, consumption was significantly lower (98 ± 21 g/kg) but the daily energy intake was significantly higher—402 ± 85 kJ/ kg (P < 0.001). Amylase treatment of the thick energy-dense porridge did not increase intakes further. Meal duration for the thick porridge (12.9 ± 4.0 min) was significantly longer than that for the low-density (7.4 ± 2.6 min) or amylase-treated (6.4 ± 1.8 min) porridges.