Type of Snack Influences Satiety Responses in Adult Women

JOURNAL: Appetite 54 (2010); 564-569.

AUTHORS: Furchner-Evanson Al, Petrisko Y, Howarth L, Memoseck T, and Kern M.

This study assessed the effect of different snack foods on satiety, plasma glucose and hormone responses in 19 adult overweight women. The test snacks included dried plums, low-fat cookies, white bread and water only on separate days. With the exception of water, the snacks provided 238 kcal and were similar in macronutrient content but differed in fiber and sugar content.  Subjects rated feeling of hunger using satiety index scales at 15-minute time points for 2 hours following initiation of intake. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at 15,30, 45,60, 90 and 120 minutes following intake. At the end of the 2-hour test period, subjects were presented with a meal to be consumed until satisfied.

The satiety index AUC was greater for the dried plum trial versus the low-fat cooking trial (p<0.05). There was no difference in post-snack intake between the dried plum and cookie trials.  The dried plum trial elicited lower plasma glucose and insulin AUC than the low-fat cookie trial (p<0.05) and tended to promote a greater plasma ghrelin AOC. Results suggest that eating dried plums as a snack suppresses hunger relative to a low-fat cookie as evidenced by lower glucose and/or satiety-regulating hormone concentrations.