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

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 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 (ñSD) daily consumption was 139 ñ 25 g/kg and the mean daily energy intake was 296 ñ 54 kJ/kg. When a semisolid high-density porridge (4.09 kJ/g) was fed, consumption was significantly lower (98 ñ 21g/kg) but the daily energy intake was significantly higher - 402 ñ 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 ñ 4.0 min) was significantly longer than that for the low-density (7.4 ñ 2.6 min) or amylase-treated (6.4 ñ 1.8 min) porridges (AU)