AUTHOR=Wallisch Anna , Little Lauren M. , Bruce Amanda S. , Salley Brenda TITLE=Oral Sensory Sensitivity Influences Attentional Bias to Food Logo Images in Children: A Preliminary Investigation JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.895516 DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.895516 ISSN=1664-1078 ABSTRACT=Background

Children’s sensory processing patterns are linked with their eating habits; children with increased sensory sensitivity are often picky eaters. Research suggests that children’s eating habits are also partially influenced by attention to food and beverage advertising. However, the extent to which sensory processing influences children’s attention to food cues remains unknown. Therefore, we examined the attentional bias patterns to food vs. non-food logos among children 4–12 years with and without increased oral sensory sensitivity.

Design

Children were categorized into high (n = 8) vs. typical (n = 36) oral sensory sensitivity by the Sensory Profile-2. We used eye-tracking to examine orientation and attentional bias to food vs. non-food logos among children with high vs. typical oral sensory sensitivity. We used a mixed model regression to test the influence of oral sensory sensitivity to attentional biases to food vs. non-food logos among children.

Results

Results showed that children with high oral sensory sensitivity showed attentional biases toward non-food logos; specifically, children with high oral sensory sensitivity oriented more quickly to non-food logos as compared to food logos (p < 0.05), as well as spent more time looking at non-food logos as compared to food logos (p < 0.05). Findings were in the opposite direction for children with typical oral sensory sensitivity.

Conclusion

Sensory sensitivity may be an individual characteristic that serves as a protective mechanism against susceptibility to food and beverage advertising in young children.