Resilience to the Effects of Advertising in Children (REACH)
Researchers at Penn State University are partnering with parents of children ages 7-9 to learn about how commercials affect children's relationship with food. Join our compensated study today!
Fast Facts
generally healthy children
7-9 years old
Compensation Provided
Conducted in central PA
Study Background
In our modern world, children are exposed to more advertising than ever before. We want to know whether food commercials could have an indirect effect on children’s health – for example, by causing them to want to eat more or different foods. The REACH study is a behavioral and brain imaging study that will examine how food commercials affect the way a child eats and responds to food.
Children enrolled in the study will complete 5 in-lab sessions that include eating meals and snacks, watching TV, and playing computer games. For one of these sessions, children will complete an fMRI scan. On the first and last visit to the lab, children will receive a DXA scan to assess their body composition.
Your participation in this study may help researchers learn more about the effects of advertising on children. Advance research today and join our compensated study!
Study Background
In our modern world, children are exposed to more advertising than ever before. We want to know whether food commercials could have an indirect effect on children’s health – for example, by causing them to want to eat more or different foods. The REACH study is a behavioral and brain imaging study that will examine how food commercials affect the way a child eats and responds to food.
Children enrolled in the study will complete 5 in-lab sessions that include eating meals and snacks, watching TV, and playing computer games. For one of these sessions, children will complete an fMRI scan. On the first and last visit to the lab, children will receive a DXA scan to assess their body composition.
Your participation in this study may help researchers learn more about the effects of advertising on children. Advance research today and join our compensated study!
Additional Information
Your child may qualify for this study if they meet the following criteria.
Key Criteria:
- 7-9 years old
- No digestive disorders
- No cognitive disorders (such as autism or ADHD)
- No learning differences
- Fluent in English
- No claustrophobia
- No allergies to study foods
Your child’s biological mother must also participate in the study. The child’s other parent can bring the child in for study visits, but must be able to accurately report biological mother’s height and weight.
This study involves 5 visits that include eating meals and snacks, watching TV, and playing computer games.
- Visit 1: 2 hours, DXA (body composition scan), meal, cognitive computer games
- Visit 2 (~one week later): 2.5 hours, fMRI brain scan
- Visit 3 (~one week later): 2 hours, meal, cognitive computer games
- Visit 4 (~one week later): 2 hours, meal, questionnaires, IQ test
- Visit 5 (~one year later): 2.5 hours, DXA (body composition scan), exercise test, meal, cognitive computer games
