The role of macronutrient selection in determining patterns of food intake in obese and non-obese women
Westerterp-Plantenga, M.S.; IJedema, M.J.; Wijckmans-Duijsens, N.E.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 50(9): 580-591
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0954-3007 PMID: 8880037 Document Number: 457632
Objective: Examination of the role of macronutrient selection in determining patterns of food intake in obese and non-obese women. Design: Inventory: food intake diaries of two weekdays and one weekendday; Experiment randomized. Setting: Inventory: in daily life. Experiment: department of Human Biology, University of Limburg. Subjects: 68 subjects: 34 obese and 34 non-obese, age 20-50 years, selected based on accurate completion of food intake diaries ( lt 10% underreporting); a sub-sample of 32 (16 obese and 16 nonobese) was assigned to the experiment. Interventions: An ample choice of food items consisting of mainly one macronutrient each were offered 4 and 6 times per day, with different macronutrient compositions per day, ranging from 177 en% fat, 3-45 en% protein, and 19-96 en% carbohydrate. Results: Selection, namely food choice that differs from random consumption, took place at breakfast in favour of carbohydrate, and at dinner in favour of fat. Habituation, namely a decreased response on the same stimulus, occurred after the fourth exposure to a single macronutrient buffet. For protein this was expressed as a significantly increased satiety score per kJ ingested; for fat as a significant drop in hedonic value; for carbohydrate as a significantly increased desire for a different taste, all (P lt 0.05). Compensation, ie a correction afterwards for an earlier unusual macronutrient composition, resulting in a close to usual macronutrient composition of 24 h food intake, occurred at dinner, for a previous unusually low fat and high carbohydrate intake. Conclusions: A pattern of macronutrient intake was achieved by selection and compensation. Habituation occurred at the fourth exposure of a single macronutrient.