The effect of protein content and taste on satiety.

Rationale:

It has been posed that protein intake is tightly regulated in the human body. A high-protein meal produces a significantly greater reduction in liking for high-protein foods than for high-carbohydrate foods. And as products with a savory taste are in general higher in protein levels while food products with a sweet taste are more related with carbohydrates, a link between taste and macronutrient in control of intake seems to exist. This link, however, is far from clear.



Objective:

To determine the effect of protein content (low vs. high) and taste (sweet vs. savory) of a meal on satiety, measured by subsequent intake of 4 different food categories (low-protein sweet, low-protein savory, high-protein sweet, and high-protein savory).



Study design:

The study is a cross-over intervention study and has a 2x2 factorial design, the 2 factors being protein content (low and high) and taste (sweet and savory) of a meal, resulting in 4 different treatments.


Each subject participates in all 4 treatments whereby the order is randomized according to a Latin square. Subjects will be offered a (rice) meal (fixed preload), varying in protein content and taste. After finishing, subsequent intake of 4 different food categories (low-protein sweet, low-protein savory, high-protein sweet, and high-protein savory) at an ad libitum lunch buffet is measured.



Study population:

The study population will consist of 60 apparently healthy, non-smoking, unrestrained volunteers between the age of 18 and 35 with a normal weight.



Main study parameters/endpoints:

Our main outcome measure is the difference in intake (g) of the 4 food categories at an ad libitum lunch buffet between the 4 different treatments.

The protein content of a product has an influence on satiety, e.g. the higher the protein content, the lower the subsequent intake.

In addition, a sensory specific satiety effect is expected, meaning that after eating a preload with a certain taste, the intake of products with a congruent taste is less than of products with an incongruent taste.

Per individual 4 measuring time-points, between 18/01/2010 and 12/02/2010.

Lunchmeal, varying in protein content (high vs. low) and taste (sweet vs. savory).