SIR Social Sciences Investigation Abstract

EFFECT OF TELEVISION VIEWING ON SENSORY-SPECIFIC SATIETY

Presenters:

Amanda Hayes, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Angela Kao, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

John Li, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Advisor:

Dr. Alan Hirsch, Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, Ltd.

Abstract:

Sensory-Specific satiety may help to regulate food intake. Distraction through watching a TV game show enhanced food intake in males by fifteen percent compared to the non-distracted condition. To assess the degree of distraction that correlates with allesthesia and amount consumed, 45 subjects (33 males, 12 females) enrolled in this IRB approved study. All subjects were normosmic on up sit. Subjects had an average BMI of 21.9, (range of 15.2 to 28.8). Ninety-one percent viewed hedonics of potato chips and chocolate positively, nine percent negatively. All subjects were blinded and provided a false objective to the nature of the study. Serving as their own control individually over three separate weeks, subjects were presented with potato chips for consumption ad lib for five-minute epochs. They were instructed to pay special attention to the sensory qualities of the potato chips. Sessions were randomly presented while viewing a five-minute television monologue of Jay Leno, David Letterman or no TV. The average number of chips consumed was highest in Letterman, (avg. 43.7 grams, range 9g to 97g), compared to Leno, (avg. 43g, range 1g to 97g), and a quiet room, (avg. 30.3g, range 7g to 52g). It is probable that the distraction from Letterman and Leno acted to refocus haptic attention and decreased sensory-specific satiety. This inhibition of allesthesia led to increase in potato chip consumption. In a naturalistic setting, these results suggest that eating while watching interesting television would be more obesogenic than consuming similar foods with the television off. The attentional component for food consumption is worthy of being explored as a potential mechanism of facilitating weight loss.