Food intake in dieters and nondieters after a liquid meal containing medium-chain triglycerides

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) may be of benefit in the control of body weight by reducing food intake but this has not been established in humans. The effect of three doses (100, 200, and 300 kcal) of preloads of two complete liquid diets containing either 30% long-chain triglycerides (LCT) or 24% MCT with 6% LCT on subsequent intake was tested in dieting and nondieting females. Thirty minutes after consuming these preloads, subjects were offered a varied self-selection lunch. The major finding was that in the nondieters MCT at all doses was followed by a significantly decreased caloric intake in the lunch. Dieters were unresponsive to the type of dietary fat and tended to eat the same number of calories regardless of the preload. Although MCT can reduce short-term food intake in some individuals, further experiments are required to establish the possible benefit of MCT in weight control.