An investigation of satiety in ageing, dementia, and hyperphagia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate satiety in young, middle-aged, and elderly healthy adults, and in nonhyperphagic and hyperphagic elderly people with dementia. Previous work suggested hyperphagia in dementia was due to increased hunger and absence of satiation.


METHODS
The primary measure of satiety was the amount of food eaten in an ad libitum meal, given 1 hr after a fixed preload. Three types of preload were used, high- and low-energy milkshakes and water. The effect of age was investigated by comparing the three groups of healthy adults. The effect of dementia was investigated by comparing the two demented groups with healthy elderly.


RESULTS
Measurements suggested that accuracy of compensation for preload energy differences decreased with age and was absent in people with dementia.


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of compensatory response in the elderly, particularly those with dementia, indicates the need for monitoring food intake to prevent over- or undereating.
Keene
J
J
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, United Kingdom.
Hope
T
T
Rogers
P J
PJ
Elliman
N A
NA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012527:Satiation