Do kids mirror their Parents' snacking? study puts family meals under the microscope
NCT ID NCT07818382
First seen Sep 14, 2026 · Last updated Sep 15, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo are studying how parents' eating habits and feeding styles relate to how much children eat when they are not hungry. The study enrolls 70 parent-child pairs with children aged 5 to 11. Each pair shares a standardized meal, then separates for a taste test where researchers measure how many snacks each person eats. The goal is to understand whether parents' own eating in the absence of hunger and their use of controlling feeding practices are linked to the same behavior in their children.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Eating in Absence of Hunger (EAH) paradigm
- What this could lead to
- If researchers find links between how parents eat and feed their children and how much children eat when not hungry, this could inform guidance for families on mealtime habits.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single-visit observational study of 70 parent-child pairs, so it can show associations but not prove cause and effect. Findings may not apply to families with different routines or backgrounds.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 70 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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5 to 99 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Parent/ guardian: * Age \> 18 years old. * Have a child between the ages of 5 - 11. * Must be responsible for feeding their eligible child at least 50% of the time. * Willing and able to eat the meal and snacks provided. * Fluent in English. Children: * If parent/ guardian is eligible and participating in the study. * Child is aged 5 - 11 years. * Child is not currently diagnosed with a clinical eating disorder (ED). * Willing and able to eat the meal and snacks provided. * Child is not on any medications or has any condition that could influence the child's taste, appetite, or olfactory sensory responsiveness. Exclusion Criteria: Parent/ guardian: * Age is \>18 years old. * Their child is determined ineligible (based on age). * Is responsible for feeding their eligible child \< 50% of the time. * Not fluent in English. * On medication that could influence their eating or feeding behaviors. * If the parent/ guardian is pregnant * Allergic or unable to eat the study food presented. * History of choking (without gagging). Children: * Their parent/ guardian is not eligible nor participating in the study. * Below the age of 5 and above the age of 11. * Current diagnosis of a clinical eating disorder (ED). * Allergic or unable to eat the study food presented. * Medications or conditions that could influence the child's taste, appetite, or olfactory sensory responsiveness. * History of choking (without gagging).
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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State University of New York at Buffalo (South Campus)
RECRUITINGBuffalo, New York, 14214, United States