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Category: Project

Description: ABSTRACT Objective Hyper-palatable foods (HPF) are designed with combinations of nutrients that serve to maximize their rewarding effects during consumption. Due to their artificially rewarding properties, HPF are hypothesized to lead to greater energy intake within a meal. However, this premise has not been tested in free living conditions. The current study examined the effects of HPF on 1) measured energy intake and 2) self-reported overeating, assessed within eating occasions using smartphone-based food photography methodology. Method A total of 29 participants reported food intake and eating experiences (N = 372) in real-time for 4 days using smartphone-based food photography methodology. HPF were identified using a standardized definition. Bayesian multilevel modeling was conducted to investigate the within-person effects of proportional calorie intake from HPF (%kcal HPF) on total energy intake and subjective overeating within eating occasions. Pre-meal hunger and proportional energy intake from high energy dense foods were included as covariates in the models. Results Results from Bayesian multi-level modeling revealed that when participants consumed more %kcal HPF during eating occasions relative to their average, they consumed greater total energy (median β = 0.09, 95% HDI [0.02, 0.16], pd = 99.62%). There was a >99% probability of positive association between %kcal HPF and total energy intake within an eating occasion. Additionally, the results suggested that when participants consumed more %kcal HPF during eating occasions relative to their average, participants endorsed higher eating more than planned (median β = 0.11, 95% HDI [-0.02, 0.25], pd = 95.74%) and eating despite feeling full (median β = 0.09, 95% HDI [-0.04, 0.23], pd = 91.02%). Conclusions The findings supported the premise that HPF themselves may yield greater energy intake and eating despite satiety, measured in real-time and free living conditions.