Effects of dietary viscosity and energy density on total daily energy consumption by young Peruvian children

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Abstract
Background: Results of prior studies of the effect of viscosity reduction of high-energy-density, starch-containing diets on young children’s energy intakes are inconsistent, possibly because of differences in the characteristics of the unmodified diets with which the low-viscosity diets were compared. Objective: Our objective was to determine the effects of dietary viscosity and energy density on total daily energy consumption by young, non-breast-fed children. Design: We measured the amount of food consumed and the duration of meals during 3 substudies, in each of which 3 study diets were offered for 4 consecutive days each in random sequence: high energy density, high viscosity (HD-HV); high energy density, low viscosity (HD-LV); and low energy density, low viscosity (LD-LV). The viscosity and energy density of the unmodified starch-containing HD-HV diet were varied across substudies to determine whether the effect of amylase liquefaction was related to the initial characteristics of the HD-HV diet. The viscosity of the HV diets ranged from 79000 to 568000 mPa· s; energy density of the HD diets ranged from ≈4.18 to 4.93 kJ (1.00–1.18 kcal)/g. Viscosity of the LV diets was ≈3000 mPa· s and the energy density of the LD diets was ≈2.47 kJ (0.6 kcal)/g. Results: In each substudy, children consumed more of the LD-LV diet (g·kg body wt−1·d−1) than of the other diets and more of the HD-LV diet than of the HD-HV diet (P < 0.001). Energy consumption from the HD-LV diet was greater than from the other diets (P < 0.001), but the energy intakes from the latter diets were not significantly different. Conclusion: Amylase liquefaction of HD-HV porridges resulted in increased energy consumption by young children.

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