Relationship between the perceived fillingness and actual intake of snack foods

Authors: Green, S.M. and Blundell, J.E.

Journal: Appetite

Volume: 24

Issue: 3

Pages: 278

ISSN: 0195-6663

Abstract:

What is the relationship between the subjective feeling of how filling a food will be and the amount of that food actually consumed? This study investigated the effect of certain sensory and macronutrient combinations on subjective ratings (filling, sweet, salty and pleasant) and objective indices of consumption. Ratings were grouped according to snack type: savoury high fat, savoury high carbohydrate, sweet high fat, sweet high carbohydrate. Some snack types were rated as more filling (p<0.01), saltier (p0.001) and sweeter (p<0.001) than others. Pleasantness did not differ. The effects of the snack types offered ad libitum on satiation and satiety were then compared. ANOVA revealed that the sensory (p<0.001) and macronutrient (p<0.001) dimensions influenced energy intake of the different snack types. There was a sensory by macronutrient interaction effect (p<0.01). There was a poor relationship between the subjective (rated fillingness) and objective (energy consumed) measures of the snack types. This may have implications for the capacity of people to predict how much of a food they are likely to eat. Supported by a grant from The Sugar Bureau (UK).

Source: Scopus