The Candy Study | Penn State College of Health and Human Development

Exploring Alternatives to Restriction:

A randomized intervention trial aimed at promoting children’s intake of candy in moderation

National Confectioners Association
PI: Dr. Jennifer Savage Williams, CCOR
CO-PI: Brandi Y. Rollins, CCOR

Despite children’s heightened preference for sweet foods and parental concerns for child diet quality, few if any experimental studies have identified efficient and effective behavioral strategies that encourage children to consume and enjoy candy in moderation. This project uses a multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) research design to develop and evaluate the feasibility of a home-based parent and child intervention aimed at promoting children’s consumption of candy in moderation. The insight gained from this research will help identify parenting and child self-regulation components that effectively limit children’s intake of palatable, energy-dense foods and facilitate the development of self-regulation in childhood, in turn, reducing obesity risk.