Oral supplements differing in fat and carbohydrate content: effect on the appetite and food intake of undernourished elderly patients.
OBJECTIVE
Since fat, relative to other macronutrients, has low satiety and high energy density, it may have therapeutic application for supplementing energy intake. This study compared the effect of isoenergetic (1050 kJ) high fat or high carbohydrate oral supplements, given at breakfast, on the short-term appetite and energy intake in undernourished elderly subjects.


METHODS
Sixteen hospitalised, undernourished (body mass index: 20 +/- 3 kg/m2), elderly (77 +/- 8 yr) people were randomly allocated to a control or 1 of 2 supplement groups [fat: carbohydrate: protein (% energy) was 70:25:5 or 25:70:5]. In each group, energy intake (24-h food consumption) and appetite (visual analogue scales) were assessed over 3 consecutive days.


RESULTS
Mean energy intake significantly (P = 0.0035) increased following supplementation: high fat 6973 kJ/d, high carbohydrate 6906 kJ/d vs. control 6079 kJ/d but mean voluntary 24-h energy intake remained unaffected. Compared to controls, supplemented subjects experienced reduced hunger (P = 0.07) between breakfast and lunch, but showed no difference over the whole day (P = 0.55).


CONCLUSIONS
Under these study conditions a 1050 kJ oral supplement, irrespective of macronutrient composition, does not cause voluntary short-term energy intake compensation in undernourished elderly people.
INSERM EMI-U 00.18, France.
Miriam
M
Ryan
Agnes
A
Salle
Anne-Marie
AM
Favreau
Gilles
G
Simard
Jean-Francois
JF
Dumas
Yves
Y
Malthiery
Gilles
G
Berrut
Patrick
P
Ritz
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009753:Nutritive Value; D013997:Time Factors
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats