NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF APPETITE CONTROL

The concept of the satiety cascade implies that the effect of any given food will depend on its own unique nutrient composition. This poses a number of questions;

• how do the different nutrients in food contribute to satiation and satiety by suppressing hunger?

• will the suppression of hunger reduce energy intake or cause a compensatory increase at meals eaten later?

• do different nutrients affect fat loss or gain?

Keep in mind that many of our ideas about the nutritional aspects of appetite control come from studies on laboratory rats. These can be far removed from the real world of takeaway pizza, so we need to be cautious when extrapolating these animal findings to humans.

Unlike excess dietary fat intake, which has a clearer relationship to gains in body fat, the various factors that influence appetite may vary greatly between individuals. Let’s look at the evidence for different nutrients.

Myth-information. Meal replacement biscuits are generally high in energy and fat. They would only work if they could control the intake of food later in the day—and they don’t!

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