Obesity and Food Satisfaction

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Snoek H, Huntjens L, van Gemert L, et al.: Sensory-specific satiety in obese and normal-weight women. Am J Clin Nutr 80:823-831, 2004.

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

Obese people are at greater risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. The number of obese people is growing. Researchers in many studies have tried to figure out what makes people obese and how to prevent it.

The researchers wanted to know if obese people have a bigger appetite than people with a normal weight or if they liked the taste of food more than other people.

Who was studied?

A total of 21 obese and 23 normal weight women, all living near Zeist, Netherlands, were studied.

Researchers wanted to see if obese people preferred high-fat foods (like french fries and chips) or high-sweet foods (like cookies and cakes) more than normal weight people. Doctors also wanted to see if obese people were as satisfied as normal weight people after eating the same way.

How was the study done?

The participants had lunch together four times during a five- week period. The study had two phases: Participants in the first phase ate sandwiches; in the second phase, they ate snacks.

Researchers noted the age of the women, if they smoked, and how much they exercised. Some women were given as much food as they wanted and some were given only a certain amount. The doctors studied how much food they ate, how hungry they were, and how well they liked the food. The food differed in the amount of fat contained and how it tasted. The women ate a different food each week until they had tried them all.

What were the results?

No differences were seen between the obese and normal weight women in the types of food they liked or the amounts they ate.

All the women preferred food that was sweet or savory, rather than food that was high in fats. The obese and normal weight women showed the same amount of hunger before lunch. All the women were less hungry after lunch, but the obese women still wanted another meal or snack.

What were the limitations of this study?

Men were not included in the study. Being able to study men could have affected the results.

What are the conclusions?

Obese and normal weight women are the same in how food satisfies them. The researchers decided that the amount of fat in food does not affect how well people like food. When it comes to feeling satisfied, flavorful foods are preferred over high-fat foods.