The specificity of satiety: The influence of foods of different macronutrient content on the development of satiety

The effects of consuming equicaloric preloads with different macronutrient contents on the development of satiety were investigated. Ten normal-weight, nondieting women fasted overnight and then rated hunger, fullness, and food preferences, and the pleasantness of the taste of food samples before and after five different preloads. The greatest changes in the pleasantness of the taste of the food occurred for the eaten food relative to the uneaten food. Macronutrient content of the preloads did not significantly influence the magnitude of these changes or the pleasantness of foods with similar nutrient contents. Therefore, no evidence of nutrient-specificity was obtained. Nutrient composition had a differential effect on hunger, fullness and food intake. Ratings of hunger decreased and fullness increased following the high starch and high protein preloads to a greater extent than after the high fat, high sucrose and mixed content preloads. When a self-selection meal was offered 2 hours after the preloads energy intake and preference for high carbohydrate and high fat food items were significantly decreased by the high protein and high starch preloads. However, no specific reduction in macronutrient intake was observed. In conclusion, differential effects of the preloads were observed in subjective ratings of hunger, fullness, preferences and subsequent food intake, but there was no indication that satiety was macronutrient-specific.