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Background A person's daily nutrient intake and overall nutritional status are determined by a complex interplay of the types and amounts of foods ingested in combination with the timing and frequency of eating. Objectives The aim was to summarize frequency of eating occasion data examined by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, the macronutrient contributions they provide, and meal frequency relative to dietary quality among the US population (≥2 y), with a focus on sex, age, race/Hispanic origin, and income. Methods Demographic and 24-h recall data from the 2013–2016 NHANES were examined. An eating occasion was defined as "any ingestive event (e.g. solid food, beverage, water) that is either energy yielding or non-energy yielding"; all eating occasions were further divided into discrete meals and snacks. Frequency of meals and snacks was defined as "the number of daily EOs [eating occasions]," respectively. Diet quality was assessed via the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)–2015. Results Most Americans consume 2 (28%) to 3 (64%) meals on a given day and >90% consume 2 to 3 snacks on that day. Adult, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic Black and lower-income (<131% family poverty-to-income ratio) Americans had a lower frequency of eating than children or adolescents, non-Hispanic White, and non-Hispanic Asian Americans and higher-income Americans, respectively. Americans who reported 3 meals on a given day consumed a diet higher in dietary quality than Americans who consumed 2 meals on a given day (HEI-2015: 61.0 vs. 55.0), regardless of population subgroup. Conclusions The frequency of the types of eating occasions differs according to age, race and Hispanic origin, and income. Dietary quality is associated with the number of meals consumed. Healthy dietary patterns can be constructed in a variety of ways to suit different life stages, cultural practices, and income levels; improved diet quality and careful consideration of nutrient density when planning meals are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) provide sweetness with little or no energy. However, each LCS's unique chemical structure has potential to elicit different sensory, physiological, and behavioral responses that affect body weight. Objective The purpose of this trial was to compare the effects of consumption of 4 LCSs and sucrose on body weight, ingestive behaviors, and glucose tolerance over a 12-wk intervention in adults (18–60 y old) with overweight or obesity (body mass index 25–40 kg/m2). Methods In a parallel-arm design, 154 participants were randomly assigned to consume 1.25–1.75 L of beverage sweetened with sucrose (n  = 39), aspartame (n  = 30), saccharin (n  = 29), sucralose (n  = 28), or rebaudioside A (rebA) (n  = 28) daily for 12 wk. The beverages contained 400–560 kcal/d (sucrose treatments) or <5 kcal/d (LCS treatments). Anthropometric indexes, energy intake, energy expenditure, appetite, and glucose tolerance were measured at baseline. Body weight was measured every 2 wk with energy intake, expenditure, and appetite assessed every 4 wk. Twenty-four-hour urine collections were completed every 4 wk to determine study compliance via para-aminobenzoic acid excretion. Results Of the participants enrolled in the trial, 123 completed the 12-wk intervention. Sucrose and saccharin consumption led to increased body weight across the 12-wk intervention (Δweight = +1.85 ± 0.36 kg and +1.18 ± 0.36 kg, respectively; P  ≤ 0.02) and did not differ from each other. There was no significant change in body weight with consumption of the other LCS treatments compared with baseline, but change in body weight for sucralose was negative and significantly lower compared with all other LCSs at week 12 (weight difference ≥ 1.37 ± 0.52 kg, P  ≤ 0.008). Energy intake decreased with sucralose consumption (P  = 0.02) and ingestive frequency was lower for sucralose than for saccharin (P  = 0.045). Glucose tolerance was not significantly affected by any of the sweetener treatments. Conclusions Sucrose and saccharin consumption significantly increase body weight compared with aspartame, rebA, and sucralose, whereas weight change was directionally negative and lower for sucralose compared with saccharin, aspartame, and rebA consumption. LCSs should be categorized as distinct entities because of their differing effects on body weight. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02928653. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snacking, like any dietary behavior, can be practiced in a manner that is healthful or not. The case presented in this critical review of the literature is that snacking is problematic, primarily due to its contribution to positive energy balance and promotion of overweight/obesity. There is strong evidence that snacking is associated with greater energy intake. How this translates to body weight is less clear, largely due to limitations of experimental measurement tools and research designs. Correction for these shortcomings reveals evidence implicating snacking in the high prevalence of overweight/obesity supported by multiple plausible mechanisms. Given the popularity of snacking and its potential to positively contribute to diet quality, it is recommended that efforts be made to better understand and harness snacking to a better purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low-calorie sweeteners are often used to moderate energy intake and postprandial glycemia, but some evidence indicates that they may exacerbate these aims.Objective: The trial's primary aim was to assess the effect of daily aspartame ingestion for 12 wk on glycemia. Effects on appetite and body weight were secondary aims.Methods: One hundred lean [body mass index (kg/m2): 18-25] adults aged 18-60 y were randomly assigned to consume 0, 350, or 1050 mg aspartame/d (ASP groups) in a beverage for 12 wk in a parallel-arm design. At baseline, body weight and composition were determined, a 240-min oral-glucose-tolerance test (OGTT) was administered, and measurements were made of appetite and selected hormones. Participants also collected a 24-h urine sample. During the intervention, the 0-mg/d ASP group consumed capsules containing 680 mg dextrose and 80 mg para-amino benzoic acid. For the 350-mg/d ASP group, the beverage contained 350 mg aspartame and the 1050-mg/d ASP group consumed the same beverage plus capsules containing 680 mg dextrose and 700 mg aspartame. Body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and waist circumference were measured weekly. At weeks 4, 8, and 12, participants collected 24-h urine samples and kept appetite logs. Baseline measurements were repeated at week 12.Results: With the exception of the baseline OGTT glucose concentration at 60 min (and resulting area under the curve value), there were no group differences for glucose, insulin, resting leptin, glucagon-like peptide 1, or gastric inhibitory peptide at baseline or week 12. There also were no effects of aspartame ingestion on appetite, body weight, or body composition. Compliance with the beverage intervention was ∼95%.Conclusions: Aspartame ingested at 2 doses for 12 wk had no effect on glycemia, appetite, or body weight among healthy, lean adults. These data do not support the view that aspartame is problematic for the management of glycemia, appetite, or body weight. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02999321. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The inclusion of almonds in an energy-restricted diet has been reported both to enhance or to have no effect on weight loss. Their effects specifically on visceral body fat stores during energy restriction have not been widely examined. In addition, almond consumption has been associated with reduced blood pressure (BP), but whether this is linked to or independent of changes in body composition has to our knowledge not been examined.Objective: We evaluated the effects of consuming almonds as part of an energy-restricted diet on body composition, specifically visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and BP, compared to a nut-free energy-restricted diet.Methods: A randomized controlled 12-wk clinical trial of 86 healthy adults [body mass index (in kg/m2): 25-40] was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 energy-restricted (500-kcal deficit/d) diets: an almond-enriched diet (AED) (15% energy from almonds) or a nut-free diet (NFD). A linear mixed-model analysis on primary outcomes such as body weight, body fat, VAT, and BP was performed on all participants [intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis] and compliant participants (complier analysis).Results: Body weight, truncal and total fat percentage, VAT, and systolic BP decreased after 12 wk of energy restriction in both the ITT and complier analyses (P < 0.05). The complier analysis (but not the ITT analysis) indicated a greater mean ± SEM reduction in truncal fat (AED: -1.21% ± 0.26%; NFD: -0.48% ± 0.24%; P = 0.025), total fat (AED: -1.79% ± 0.36%; NFD: -0.74% ± 0.33%; P = 0.035), and diastolic BP (AED: -2.71 ± 1.2 mm Hg; NFD: 0.815 ± 1.1 mm Hg; P = 0.029), and a greater tendency for VAT loss (AED: -8.19 ± 1.8 cm2; NFD: -3.99 ± 1.7 cm2; P = 0.09) over time in the AED group than the NFD group.Conclusions: Moderate almond consumption by compliant overweight and obese individuals during energy restriction results in greater proportional reductions of truncal and total body fat as well as diastolic BP and hence may help to reduce metabolic disease risk in obesity. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02360787. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses a study by E. Robinson and I. Kersbergen on the effect of food portion size and later food intake. Topics include background on interest in physiologic control of portion size to manage energy balance, hypotheses related to cognitive and learning effects, and factors needed in the prevention or treatment of eating-related disorders.

The authors offers their perspectives on the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Health and Human Services (HHS) department have issued on December 29, 2020. Topics covered include the presence of a strong agreement between the new DGA and 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) report, and the failure of the DGA to adopt reductions in limits on added sugar and alcohol put forth by the 2020 DGAC.

Over the past 20 y, higher-protein diets have been touted as a successful strategy to prevent or treat obesity through improvements in body weight management. These improvements are thought to be due, in part, to modulations in energy metabolism, appetite, and energy intake. Recent evidence also supports higher-protein diets for improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors. This article provides an overview of the literature that explores the mechanisms of action after acute protein consumption and the clinical health outcomes after consumption of long-term, higher-protein diets. Several meta-analyses of shorter-term, tightly controlled feeding studies showed greater weight loss, fat mass loss, and preservation of lean mass after higher-protein energy-restriction diets than after lower-protein energy-restriction diets. Reductions in triglycerides, blood pressure, and waist circumference were also reported. In addition, a review of the acute feeding trials confirms a modest satiety effect, including greater perceived fullness and elevated satiety hormones after higher-protein meals but does not support an effect on energy intake at the next eating occasion. Although shorter-term, tightly controlled feeding studies consistently identified benefits with increased protein consumption, longer-term studies produced limited and conflicting findings; nevertheless, a recent meta-analysis showed persistent benefits of a higher-protein weight-loss diet on body weight and fat mass. Dietary compliance appears to be the primary contributor to the discrepant findings because improvements in weight management were detected in those who adhered to the prescribed higher-protein regimen, whereas those who did not adhere to the diet had no marked improvements. Collectively, these data suggest that higher-protein diets that contain between 1.2 and 1.6 g protein ・ kg-1 ・ d-1 and potentially include meal-specific protein quantities of at least ~25-30 g protein/meal provide improvements in appetite, body weight management, cardiometabolic risk factors, or all of these health outcomes; however, further strategies to increase dietary compliance with long-term dietary interventions are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy-yielding beverages reportedly contribute to positive energy balance uniquely. They are highly consumed and evoke weaker satiety signaling and dietary energy compensation than solid foods of the same energy content. This study measured the contribution of learning to appetitive sensations and adjustments of energy intake for preloads varying in energy content and food form in lean and obese adults. One-hundred seven participants received four preload trials before and after a dietary intervention in this randomized cross-over trial with the stipulation that lean and obese individuals were evenly assigned to each intervention. The study entailed monitoring appetitive sensations and daily energy intake after consumption of low and high energy beverage and solid food loads on weekly visit days. Preload testing was conducted at baseline, followed by daily ingestion of one load for 14 days and then retesting responses to the four treatments. Lean individuals compensated precisely for the high energy beverage and solid loads from the onset of the study, whereas the obese did not alter eating patterns after consuming the higher energy beverage load. The learning intervention did not have an effect on the responses to the preloads, as responses in both lean and obese participants did not differ from baseline values. Responses to personality and eating behavior questionnaires revealed differences between the lean and obese groups and weakly, but significantly, predicted challenge meal and total daily energy intake. These data suggest that lean and obese individuals respond to energy in beverage form differently, and this is not altered by purposeful daily exposure to loads varying in physical form and energy content for two weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A common dietary recommendation for weight loss, especially in lay public outlets, is to eat more fruit and vegetables (F/Vs). Without a compensatory reduction in total energy intake, significant weight loss would be unlikely. Objective: We aimed to synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of the general recommendation to eat more F/Vs for weight loss or the prevention of weight gain. Design: We searched multiple databases for human randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of increased F/V intake on body weight. Inclusion criteria were as follows: ≥15 subjects/treatment arm, ≥8-wk intervention, a stated primary or secondary outcome of body weight, the stated goal of the intervention was weight or fat loss or the prevention of weight or fat gain, and food intake provided or prescribed was of a variety of F/Vs that remained minimally processed. Results: Two studies met all criteria; 5 other studies met all criteria but one. The primary analysis indicated an effect size of weight change (outcome of interest) from baseline [standardized mean difference (SMD) for studies that met all criteria] of -0.16 (95% CI: -0.78, 0.46) (P = 0.60). The SMD for 7 studies that met all or most criteria was 0.04 (95% CI: -0.10, 0.17) (P = 0.62). Conclusions: Studies to date do not support the proposition that recommendations to increase F/V intake or the home delivery or provision of F/Vs will cause weight loss. On the basis of the current evidence, recommending increased F/V consumption to treat or prevent obesity without explicitly combining this approach with efforts to reduce intake of other energy sources is unwarranted. This systematic review and meta-analysis was registered at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ as CRD42013004688 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree nuts and peanuts are good sources of many nutrients and antioxidants, but they are also energy dense. The latter often limits intake because of concerns about their possible contribution to positive energy balance. However, evidence to date suggests that nuts are not associated with predicted weight gain. This is largely due to their high satiety value, leading to strong compensatory dietary responses, inefficiency in absorption of the energy they contain, a possible increment in resting energy expenditure, and an augmentation of fat oxidation. Preliminary evidence suggests that these properties are especially evident when they are consumed as snacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The protein leverage hypothesis requires specific evidence that protein intake is regulated more strongly than energy intake. Objective: The objective was to determine ad libitum energy intake, body weight changes, appetite profile, and nitrogen balance in response to 3 diets with different protein-to-carbohydrate + fat ratios over 12 consecutive days, with beef as a source of protein. Design: A 3-arm, 12-d randomized crossover study was performed in 30 men and 28 women [mean ± SD age: 33 ± 16 y; body mass index (in kg/m²): 24.4 ± 4.0] with the use of diets containing 5%, 15%, and 30% of energy (En%) from protein, predominantly from beef. Results: Energy intake was significantly lower in the 30En%-protein condition (8.73 ± 1.93 MJ/d) than in the 5En%-protein (9.48 ± 1.67 MJ/d) and 15En%-protein (9.30 ± 1.62 MJ/d) conditions (P = 0.001), stemming largely from lower energy intake during meals (P = 0.001). Hunger (P = 0.001) and desire to eat (P = 0.001) ratings were higher and fullness ratings were lower (P = 0.001) in the 5En%-protein condition than in the 15En%-protein and 30En%-protein conditions. Nitrogen excretion was lower in the 5En%-protein condition (4.7 ± 1.5 g/24 h; P = 0.001) and was higher in the 30En%-protein condition (15.3 ± 8.7 g/24 h; P = 0.001) compared with the 15En%-protein condition (10.0 ± 5.2 g/24 h). Nitrogen balance was maintained in the 5En%-protein condition and was positive in the 15En%- and 30En%-protein conditions (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Complete protein leverage did not occur because subjects did not consume to a common protein amount at the expense of energy balance. Individuals did underconsume relative to energy requirements from high-protein diets. The lack of support for protein leverage effects on a low-protein diet may stem from the fact that protein intake was sufficient to maintain nitrogen balance over the 12-d trial. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01646749. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensory properties of foods promote and guide consumption in hunger states, whereas satiation should dampen the sensory activation of ingestive behaviors. Such activation may be disordered in obese individuals. Objective: Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we studied regional brain responses to food odor stimulation in the sated state in obese and normal-weight individuals targeting ventral frontal regions known to be involved in coding for stimulus reward value. Design: Forty-eight women (25 normal weight; 23 obese) participated in a 2-day (fed compared with fasting) fMRI study while smelling odors of 2 foods and an inedible, nonfood object. Analyses were conducted to permit an examination of both general and sensory-specific satiation (satiation effects specific to a given food). Results: Normal-weight subjects showed significant blood oxygen level-dependent responses in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) to food aromas compared with responses induced by the odor of an inedible object. Normal-weight subjects also showed general (but not sensory-specific) satiation effects in both the vmPFC and orbitofrontal cortex. Obese subjects showed no differential response to the aromas of food and the inedible object when fasting. Within- and between-group differences in satiation were driven largely by changes in the response to the odor of the inedible stimulus. Responses to food aromas in the obese correlated with trait negative urgency, the tendency toward negative affect-provoked impulsivity. Conclusions: Ventral frontal signaling of reward value may be disordered in obesity, with negative urgency heightening responses to food aromas. The observed nature of responses to food and nonfood stimuli suggests that future research should independently quantify each to fully understand brain reward signaling in obesity. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02041039. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic peanut consumption is associated with health benefits. To encourage consumption, peanuts are marketed with various flavorings, but questions have been raised as to whether seasonings offset the benefits of peanuts alone. Objective: This study sought to determine whether flavorings on peanuts affect health benefits over 12 wk. Design: In a randomized, parallel-group trial, 151 participants received 42 g peanuts/d as 14-g servings of 3 different flavors (n = 50) or a single flavor (n = 25-26/group). Anthropometric indexes, blood pressure, and heart rate were measured biweekly. Cardiovascular disease risk factors (serum lipids, insulin, glucose, and cortisol) were assessed monthly. Results: No single added flavor differentially altered body weight, body fat, body mass index, heart rate, or blood indexes in the total sample. Participants at greater risk of cardiovascular disease had significantly greater mean (±SE) reductions in diastolic blood pressure (-5.0 ± 1.7 mm Hg compared with -0.7 ± 0.6 mm Hg), cholesterol (-12.1 ± 8.5 mg/dL compared with +5.6 ± 2.0 mg/dL), and triglycerides (-31.7 ± 15.8 mg/dL compared with +2.3 ± 3.0 mg/dL) (n = 27, 24, and 15, respectively; P < 0.01) than did those at lower risk, who did not have significantly different cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations. Consumption of a variety of flavors led to greater weight gain (0.9 ± 0.3 kg) compared with individual flavors alone (0.5 ± 0.2 kg) (P < 0.05), but increases in fat and lean masses were not significant. Conclusions: Regardless of flavoring, peanut consumption offered significant benefits to participants with elevated serum lipids and blood pressure. Sensory variety led to a small, but significant, increase in body weight in comparison with ingestion of a single flavor but no change in fat mass. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01886326. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) are reportedly detectable through taste mechanisms in the human oral cavity. However, wide variability has been observed in NEFA taste sensitivity between and within subjects as well as across research groups. Some of this variability may be due to the hydrophobic nature of the NEFA and the methods used to make stimuli emulsions. As NEFA are poorly soluble in water, emulsification is necessary for delivery of stimuli to taste receptors. However, properties of emulsions may also be detected by somatosensory cues complicating attribution of sensory findings to taste. Additionally, learning (improved test performance) has been observed when using traditional tests for measuring sensitivity to NEFA, which may contribute greatly to within-subject variability if not standardized. Factors such as sex, diet, and BMI have been proposed to affect NEFA taste sensitivity, but the degree to which these individual factors influence NEFA detection thresholds remains to be fully established. Improved knowledge of stimulus properties and individual sensory capabilities will be needed to further evaluate the posited taste component to human oral fat detection. Progress in this area should facilitate the translation of findings on how NEFA taste may contribute to or reflect food choice and chronic disease risk. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A non-systemic, superabsorbent hydrogel device safely promotes weight loss. • Use of the hydrogel does not impact appetite, energy intake, or fecal excretion. • Prescribed diet increases appetitive sensations and cravings. As the obesity epidemic continues, there is a great need for safe and effective weight loss aids. A superabsorbent hydrogel device administered as a capsule demonstrates potential for weight loss, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. The present study's goal was to determine the mechanisms of action of the hydrogel through the investigation of its effects on appetitive sensations, eating behavior, energy intake, and fecal excretion of energy. Overweight and obese adults (n = 18) participated in a double-blind, randomized, crossover-design study in which they were provided all meals for a week in a supervised setting (i.e., controlled-feeding) and were required to either consume the hydrogel or a placebo with 16-oz of water 20 min before lunch and dinner. No differences in appetite (all, p > 0.05), total fecal nitrogen excretion (p = 0.74), total fecal fat excretion (p = 0.54), or total fecal energy excretion (p = 0.76) were identified when comparing the hydrogel to a placebo. Affect towards food (i.e., mood, emotions) was more positive in the hydrogel group compared with the placebo group. A subset of the controlled-feeding group (n = 10) then participated in another double-blind, randomized, crossover-design study in which they provided their own food for a week (i.e., free-feeding) and were required to either consume the hydrogel or a placebo with 16-oz of water 20 min before lunch and dinner. No differences in appetite (all, p > 0.05), energy intake (p = 0.95), diet quality (all, p > 0.05), or eating behavior (all, p > 0.05) were determined when comparing the hydrogel to the placebo. Future studies with greater statistical power should confirm these findings and investigate other potential mechanisms of action of the hydrogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chewing reportedly contributes to satiation and satiety signals. Attempts to document and quantify this have led to small and inconsistent effects. The present trial manipulated oral processing effort though required chewing of gums of different hardness and measured appetitive sensations, energy intake, gastric emptying, GI transit time, and concentrations of glucose, insulin, GLP-1, ghrelin and pancreatic polypeptide. Sixty adults classified by sex and BMI (15 each of lean females, obese females, lean males and obese males) were tested in a randomized, controlled, cross-over trial with three arms. They chewed nothing, soft gum or hard gum for 15min while sipping grape juice (10% of individual energy needs) containing acetaminophen and lactulose on one day each separated by 7days. Electromyographic recordings and self-reports were obtained during and after chewing to quantify oral processing effort. Blood was sampled through an indwelling catheter and appetite ratings were obtained at baseline and at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240min after chewing initiation. Breath samples were collected at 10min intervals for the first 2h and at 30min intervals for the next 2h. No effects of chewing were observed for appetitive sensations or gut peptide concentrations. Energy intake tended to decline in lean and increase in obese participants so that daily energy intake differed significantly between the two groups when chewing either gum, while no difference was observed on the non-chewing day. Serum glucose and insulin were significantly lower at selected time points 90–240min after chewing compared to baseline and the non-chewing day. These data indicate chewing effort does not affect appetitive sensations or gut peptide secretion, but may exert a small differential effect on acute energy intake in lean and obese individuals and lead to greater post-prandial declines of serum glucose and insulin. The efficacy of gum chewing as a substitute for eating for weight management remains uncertain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Laboratory studies suggest that food form (beverages compared with solid foods) evokes behavioral and physiologic responses that modify short-term appetite and food intake. Beverage energy may be less satiating and poorly compensated, which leads to higher energy intake. Objective: We examined associations between 24-h energy consumed in beverages and a variety of meal and dietary attributes to quantify the contribution of beverage consumption to the energy content of diets in free-living individuals consuming their self- selected diets. Design: We used dietary recall data for adults (n = 13,704) in NHANES 2003-2008 to examine the multiple covariate-adjusted associations between 24-h energy from beverages and nonbeverages and associations between beverage intake, eating behaviors, and the energy density of beverage and nonbeverage foods. Results: In the highest tertile of 24-h beverage energy intake, beverages provided >30% of energy. Total 24-h energy and non- beverage energy consumption and energy density (kcal/g) of both beverage and nonbeverage foods increased with increasing energy from beverages (P < 0.0001). With increasing 24-h beverage energy consumption, the reported frequency of all, snack, and beverage-only ingestive episodes and length of the ingestive period increased, whereas the percentage of energy from main meals decreased (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Higher 24-h beverage energy intake was related to higher energy intake from nonbeverage foods, quality of food selections, and distribution of 24-h energy into main meal and snack episodes. Moderation of beverage-only ingestive episodes and curtailing the length of the ingestion period may hold potential to lower uncompensated beverage energy consumption in the US population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The sensory properties of foods and beverages are primary determinants of food choice. Some flavor components have an inherent hedonic valence that influences ingestive behavior. However, these hedonic impressions may be modified and others newly formed through their association with the post-ingestive consequences of food and beverage consumption. Flavor-active compounds, including spices, also modify digestive, absorptive and metabolic processes through direct activation of signaling pathways or via neurally-mediated cephalic phase responses. These may modify energy balance through effects on food digestion, energy absorption and metabolism. Thus, collectively, flavor has the potential to modify energy balance. Attempts to purposefully augment energy and nutrient intake have largely focused on the aging population where flavor fortification is posited to correct for diminishing sensory function. Evidence of efficacy is not strong, possibly due to methodological issues such as low statistical power and failure to match documented sensory limitations with the nature of the intervention. More rigorous testing should determine the viability of this therapeutic application of food flavors. The use of flavor compounds for weight reduction has yielded mixed results. Most trials have delivered the compounds via capsule precluding assessment of flavor to outcomes. Work with red pepper suggests there is an independent, albeit subtle, sensory effect on substrate oxidation coupled with a more general reduction of appetite and enhancement of energy expenditure. Flavor active compounds hold some promise for being more a part of the solution than the problem of disordered eating and unhealthy weight. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Beverage consumption is implicated in the overweight/ obesity epidemic through the weaker energy compensation response it elicits compared with solid food forms. However, plausible mechanisms are not documented. Objective: This study assessed the cognitive and sensory contributions of differential postingestive responses to energy- and macronutrient- matched liquid (in beverage form) and solid food forms and identifies physiologic processes that may account for them. Design: Fifty-two healthy adults [mean ± SD age: 24.7 ± 5.5 y; BMI (in kg/m2): 26.3 ± 6.3] completed this randomized, 4-arm crossover study. Participants consumed oral liquid and solid preloads that they perceived, through cognitive manipulation, to be liquid or solid in their stomach (ie, oral liquid/perceived gastric liquid, oral liquid/perceived gastric solid, oral solid/perceived gastric liquid, or oral solid/perceived gastric solid). However, all preloads were designed to present a liquid gastric challenge. Appetite, gastric-emptying and orocecal transit times, and selected endocrine responses were monitored for the following 4 h; total energy intake was also recorded. Results: Oral-liquid and perceived gastric-liquid preloads elicited greater postprandial hunger and lower fullness sensations, more rapid gastric-emptying and orocecal transit times, attenuated insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 release, and lower ghrelin suppression than did responses after oral-solid and perceived gastric-solid treatments (all P < 0.05). Faster gastric-emptying times were significantly associated with greater energy intake after consumption of perceived gastric-liquid preloads (P < 0.05). Energy intake was greater on days when perceived gastric-liquid preloads were consumed than when perceived gastric solids were consumed (2311 ± 95 compared with 1897 ± 72 kcal, P = 0.007). Conclusions: These data document sensory and cognitive effects of food form on ingestive behavior and identify physical and endocrine variables that may account for the low satiety value of beverages. They are consistent with findings that clear, energy-yielding beverages pose a particular risk for positive energy balance. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCTO1070199. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is increasing recognition that specialized processes once thought to be relatively isolated to the oral cavity (e.g., taste) and intestine (e.g., nutrient absorption) are better characterized as common and continuous. This is exemplified by accumulating evidence linking oral detection of dietary fats to their intestinal processing. This review first summarizes this literature focusing on purported gustatory signaling by free fatty acid stimulation and enterocyte lipid storage and mobilization in humans. It then willfully speculates on the possible functions of this integrated system. It is proposed that it may aid absorption of fat soluble nutrients, enhance acute energy intake, sustain intestinal function during long inter-meal intervals, modulate appetite and/or detoxify ingested compounds including free fatty acids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The requisite criteria for what constitutes a taste primary have not been established. Recent advances in understanding of the mechanisms and functions of taste have prompted suggestions for an expanded list of unique taste sensations, including fat, or more specifically, free fatty acids (FFA). A set of criteria are proposed here and the data related to FFA are reviewed on each point. It is concluded that the data are moderate to strong that there are: A) adaptive advantages to FFA detection in the oral cavity; B) adequate concentrations of FFA to serve as taste stimuli; C) multiple complimentary putative FFA receptors on taste cells; D) signals generated by FFA that are conveyed by gustatory nerves; E) sensations generated by FFA that can be detected and scaled by psychophysical methods in humans when non-gustatory cues are masked; and F) physiological responses to oral fat/FFA exposure. On no point is there strong evidence challenging these observations. The reviewed findings are suggestive, albeit not definitive, that there is a taste component for FFA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous studies suggest consumption of red pepper (RP) promotes negative energy balance. However, the RP dose provided in these studies (up to 10g/meal) usually exceeded the amount preferred by the general population in the United States (mean=~1g/meal). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of hedonically acceptable RP doses served at a single meal in healthy, lean individuals on thermogenesis and appetite. Twenty-five men and women (aged 23.0±0.5years, BMI 22.6±0.3kg/m2, 13 spicy food users and 12 non-users) participated in a randomized crossover trial during which they consumed a standardized quantity (1g); their preferred quantity (regular spicy food users 1.8±0.3g/meal, non-users 0.3±0.1g/meal); or no RP. Energy expenditure, core body and skin temperature, and appetite were measured. Postprandial energy expenditure and core body temperature were greater, and skin temperature was lower, after test loads with 1g RP than no RP. Respiratory quotient was lower after the preferred RP dose was ingested orally, compared to in capsule form. These findings suggest that RP''s effects on energy balance stem from a combination of metabolic and sensory inputs, and that oral exposure is necessary to achieve RP''s maximum benefits. Energy intake was lower after test loads with 1g RP than no RP in non-users, but not in users. Preoccupation with food, and the desire to consume fatty, salty, and sweet foods were decreased more (or tended to be decreased more) in non-users than users after a 1g RP test load, but did not vary after a test load with no RP. This suggests that individuals may become desensitized to the effects of RP with long-term spicy food intake. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background & Aims: Given the importance of postprandial hyperlipidemia to increase risk for atherosclerosis, in the present study, stable isotope-labeled meals were fed to healthy subjects (7 males and 3 females) to investigate the kinetics chylomicron synthesis and the effect of sensory exposure to lipid on metabolism. Methods: Subjects performed two, 24-hour inpatient studies that entailed consumption of a liquid formula evening meal containing 30 g of oil (+ 13C2 triolein) on day 1. Breakfast (day 2) consisted of triacylglycerols (TAGs) fed as capsules (30 g oil + 13C7 triolein) to avoid activation of mouth taste receptors. Next, modified sham feeding of cream cheese occurred over 2 hours. In the 2 trials, the stimulus was either higher fat (HF) or lower fat (LF) cream cheese. A liquid meal was consumed at lunch. Blood sampling occurred intermittently, and chylomicron particles Sf >400 TAGs were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: 13C2-Label was found in fasting-state lipoproteins, and persons with higher body fat percentages showed greater dilution of meal TAGs from endogenous sources. For both trials, 13% ± 4% of lipoprotein TAGs oleic acid was derived from the previous evening meal. Incremental area under the curve for TAGs during HF was ∼2.5 times higher than after LF exposure (46 ± 15 vs 17 ± 5 μmol/L/h; P = .04). The greater HF morning lipemia occurred with elevated glucose, insulin, and nonesterified fatty acids peak after lunch. Conclusions: These data support a connection between enteral lipid metabolism and oral fat exposure, resulting in elevated postprandial lipemia. The results suggest that the intestine may participate in a mechanism coordinating oral fat signaling with control of subsequent macronutrient disposal in the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Associations between hunger and eating and between thirst and drinking are generally weak. This stems, in part, from limitations in the measurement of these sensations which generally rely on temporal, motivational, metabolic and/or self-reported descriptive indices. Each is critically reviewed. Also problematic is the fact that the deterministic depletion–repletion concept of ingestive behavior fails to account for influences of a multitude of contravening cognitive, social, sensory and logistical factors. Although hunger and thirst serve some parallel purposes, sharp distinctions are also present with health implications. Of particular note are the observations that thirst ratings are higher and more stable over the day compared to hunger and thirst may be more motivating to drink than hunger is to eat. Coupling these observations with evidence that beverages have limited satiety value, they pose particular challenges and opportunities. Beverages can facilitate the delivery of nutrients to those desiring or requiring them, but also to those where they are not desired or required. The benefits and risks are a function of their use rather than their inherent properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: Overweight and obesity have been attributed to increased eating frequency and the size of eating events. This study explored the influence of the timing of eating events and food form on appetite and daily energy intake. Design: Crossover, clinical intervention where participants consumed 300-kcal loads of a solid (apple), semisolid (apple sauce), and beverage (apple juice) at a meal or 2 hours later (snack). Subjects: Twenty normal-weight (body mass index 22.6±1.8) and 20 obese (body mass index 32.3±1.5) adults. There were 10 men and 10 women within each body mass index group. Measurements: On six occasions, participants reported to the laboratory at their customary midday mealtime. Appetite questionnaires and motor skills tests were completed upon arrival and at 30-minute intervals for the 2 hours participants were in the laboratory and at 30-minute intervals for 4 hours after leaving the laboratory. Diet recalls were collected the next day. Data were collected between January 2006 and March 2007. Results: Whether consumed with a meal or alone as a snack, the beverage elicited the weakest appetitive response, the solid food form elicited the strongest appetitive response and the semisolid response was intermediate. The appetite shift was greatest for the solid food when consumed as a snack. The interval between test food consumption and the first spontaneous eating event >100 kcal was shortest for the beverage. No significant treatment effects were observed for test day energy intake or between lean individuals and individuals with obesity. Conclusions: Based on the appetitive findings, consumption of an energy-yielding beverage either with a meal or as a snack poses a greater risk for promoting positive energy than macronutrient-matched semisolid or solid foods consumed at these times. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nuts (ground and tree) are rich sources of multiple nutrients and their consumption is associated with health benefits, including reduced cardiovascular disease risk. This has prompted recommendations to increase their consumption. However, they are also high in fat (albeit largely unsaturated) and are energy dense. The associations between these properties, positive energy balance, and body weight raise questions about such recommendations. This issue is addressed through a review of the literature pertaining to the association between nut consumption and energy balance. Epidemiological studies document an inverse association between the frequency of nut consumption and BMI. Clinical trials reveal little or no weight change with inclusion of various types of nuts in the diet over 1-6 mo. Mechanistic studies indicate this is largely attributable to the high satiety property of nuts, leading to compensatory responses that account for 65-75% of the energy they provide. Limited data suggest chronic consumption is associated with elevated resting energy expenditure resulting in dissipation of another portion of the energy they provide. Additionally, due to poor bioaccessibility, there is limited efficiency of energy absorption from nuts. Collectively, these mechanisms offset much of the energy provided by nuts. The few trials contrasting weight loss through regimens that include or exclude nuts indicate improved compliance and greater weight loss when nuts are permitted. This consistent literature suggests nuts may be included in the diet, in moderation, to enhance palatability and nutrient quality without posing a threat for weight gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity, with its comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases, is a major public health concern. To address this problem, it is imperative to identify treatment interventions that target a variety of short- and long-term mechanisms. Although any dietary or lifestyle change must be personalized, controlled energy intake in association with a moderately elevated protein intake may represent an effective and practical weight-loss strategy. Potential beneficial outcomes associated with protein ingestion include the following: 1) increased satiety-protein generally increases satiety to a greater extent than carbohydrate or fat andmayfacilitate a reduction in energy consumption under ad libitum dietary conditions;2) increased thermogenesis-higher-protein diets are associated with increased thermogenesis, which also influences satiety and augments energy expenditure (in the longer term, increased thermogenesis contributes to the relatively low-energy efficiency of protein); and 3) maintenance or accretion of fat-free mass-in some individuals, a moderately higher protein diet may provide a stimulatory effect on muscle protein anabolism, favoring the retention of lean muscle mass while improving metabolic profile. Nevertheless, any potential benefits associated with a moderately elevated protein intake must be evaluated in the light of customary dietary practices and individual variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many older people experience changes in appetite and consume marginal or inadequate dietary protein. This study was designed to examine the appetitive responses to habitual protein intakes that span the range of adequacy in younger and older men. Twenty-two men (12 younger, aged 21-43 y and 10 older, aged 63-79 y) completed, in random order, three 18-d trials that involved consumption of individualized, isoenergetic menus providing 1.00, 0.75, and 0.50 g protein . kg BW(-1). d(-1), which were 125% (trial P125), 94% (trial P94), and 63% (trial P63) of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein. Near the end of each trial, the subjects recorded appetitive sensations hourly throughout one day using a visual analogue scale. Independent of age, ratings of hunger were lower for P125 (1.3 +/- 0.5 cm) than P94 (1.8 +/- 0.8 cm) and P63 (1.8 +/- 0.6 cm) (P = 0.037), and desire to eat was lower during the P125 trial (1.4 +/- 0.5 cm), compared with the P63 trial (2.1 +/- 0.7 cm) (P = 0.003), and P94 (1.8 +/- 0.7 cm) was not different when compared with P63 and P125. Protein intake did not influence fullness. These results show that younger and older men who consume inadequate protein experience appetite changes that may promote increased food intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Appetite management may aid energy balance through moderation of the size (satiation) and/or frequency (satiety) of eating occasions. This double-blind, randomized, cross-over design study explored the effects of the addition of alginate and guar gum to a breakfast bar on appetite and food intake. Following baseline evaluations of health, appetite and diet, participants were randomized to receive the fiber containing bar or control bar. They reported to the laboratory after an overnight fast, rated their appetite and consumed the relevant 55 g bar within 10 min in place of their normal breakfast meal. Appetite ratings were again made immediately after consuming the bar and at 30 minute intervals for 5 h. This was repeated for 5 consecutive days (Monday–Friday) followed by a 9-day washout period and a similar 5-day treatment period with the alternate bar. Gastrointestinal tolerance was rated daily. Sensory ratings of the bars were obtained on the first and fifth study days. Twenty-four-hour diet recalls were conducted on three random days during baseline and each intervention period. No significant treatment effects were observed in self-reported appetitive sensations over each 5-hour post-loading period. There also was no evidence of a cumulative effect over the five treatment days. Daily energy intake was not different on the two treatments. Although these data do not support the efficacy of including guar and an alginate fiber combination in a solid food matrix for moderation of appetite and acute food intake, further testing of the concept under different conditions and with different forms of guar and alginate may prove worthwhile. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Dietary and body fat are essential for life. Fatty acids modulate fat detection, ingestion, digestion, absorption and elimination. Though direct effects occur throughout the body, much of this regulation stems from signals originating in the oral cavity. The predominant orosensory cue for dietary fat is textural, but accumulating electrophysiological, behavioral and clinical evidence supports olfactory and gustatory components. Orosensory stimulation with long-chain unsaturated, but possibly also saturated, fatty acids elicits an array of cephalic phase responses including release of gastric lipase, secretion of pancreatic digestive enzymes, mobilization of lipid stored in the intestine from the prior meal, pancreatic endocrine secretion and, probably indirectly, altered lipoprotein lipase activity. Combined, these processes influence postprandial lipemia. There is preliminary evidence of marked individual variability in fat “taste” with uncertain health implications. The possibility that fat taste sensitivity reflects systemic reactivity to fat warrants further evaluation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Humans appear to have a genotype that permits, or even encourages, an energy intake that is greater than energy expenditure when food is available. This was functional throughout most of human evolution but is less so in the current environment of inexpensive, palatable, and readily available foods. To achieve dietary goals of weight loss or maintenance, attempts have been made to influence appetitive sensations through the manipulation of the physical properties of foods, their composition, or their pattern of consumption. This has led to limited success, in part, because measurement of appetitive sensations is difficult but, more fundamentally, because the association between appetite and food choice or intake is not robust. This article critically reviews the most common methods for assessment of appetite and the effects of selected food constituents on appetitive sensations. Translation of current knowledge to dietetic practice must be made cautiously. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Oral exposure to dietary fat (through modified sham feeding, which entails mastication and expectoration of foods) augments the postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration, in part, though augmented lipid absorption. This study was designed to characterize early events in this process. At 2200 h, 25 healthy adults (13 men, 12 women) consumed 80 g of almonds (high oleic acid content) and fasted until approximately 0700 h. After placement of a catheter in a hand vein and 4 blood draws at 10-min intervals, 50 1-g safflower oil (high linoleic acid content) capsules were consumed. After another blood draw, modified sham feeding was initiated with a cracker only or cracker with cream cheese in random order with 1 wk between trials. Oral exposures occurred at 5-min intervals for 60 min then at 15-min intervals from min 60 to 120. Additional blood draws occurred at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360 and 480 min. Oral stimulation, especially by fat, prompted the rapid (mean approximately 23 min) release of lipid stored from the previous meal (almonds) in all participants. This resulted in multimodal postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) peaks generally occurring at 0-30 min, 60-120 min and 240-480 min after loading and initiation of oral stimulation. TAG magnitudes during these times were correlated (r = 0.40-0.89, P < 0.001-P = 0.053). It is proposed that the sensory-enhanced release of lipid from the residual pool initiates an early TAG rise, which augments the peak attributable to absorption of meal lipid; this in turn supplements a later peak associated with release of endogenously synthesized TAG because lipid from all three sources competed for a common clearance mechanism. If substantiated, additional understanding of the behavioral factors (e.g., eating patterns) that initiate this cascade will be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintenance of reduced body weight following intentional weight loss is often unsuccessful. Identification of behaviors associated with sustained reductions should aid in dietary weight management. This survey assessed associations between an array of appetitive indices and weight loss outcomes in a sample of 80 adults participating in an open-labeled, unsupervised weight management program over a 64-month period. Participants were divided into maintainers (weight loss >5 kg at Year 1, sustained reduction >75% at Month 64), rebounders (weight loss >5 kg at Year 1, <75% reduction at Month 64), and nonresponders (weight loss <5 kg at Year 1). Nonresponders spent significantly more time shopping for food weekly, tended to have the highest total exposure time to food and to eat with fewer people than the other groups. Maintainers reported higher mean hunger over the course of a day, tended to spend more time preparing food and consumed less energy from fat and foods that they rated as predominantly bitter. Rebounders had significantly lower dietary restraint scores and tended to have less control over the purchase and preparation of foods in their diet. Individuals with different long-term weight loss outcomes possess distinct feeding-related attributes that may provide a basis for improved intervention strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study assessed the effects of orosensory stimulation by equipalatable stimuli that differed in macronutrient content (lipid and carbohydrate) on postprandial thermogenesis. Sixteen healthy, normal-weight adults (eight males, eight females) participated in six test sessions conducted weekly. The test sessions were administered randomly after overnight fasts and included: ingestion of 50 g of butter in capsules (to avoid oral stimulation with lipids) and 500 ml of water in 15 min followed by no oral stimulation or oral stimulation with a cracker or one of the following foods on a cracker—butter, unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) margarine, jelly, UFA margarine+jelly. Sensory stimulation entailed masticating and expectorating ∼5.0 g samples of each stimulus every 3 min for 110 min. Blood was drawn immediately after preload ingestion and at minutes 35, 85, 200, 320, and 440 postloading and was analyzed for insulin, glucagon, and glucose. No significant treatment differences were observed for thermogenesis or oxidation of carbohydrate or lipid. Insulin, glucagon, and glucose concentrations were not different between treatments. These data suggest that orosensory stimulation with stimuli differing in lipid and carbohydrate content, but rated similarly in palatability, does not elicit an increased or differential diet-induced thermogenic response. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Oral exposure to dietary fat augments the postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration. We investigated the TAG response after oral exposure to butter and selected fat replacers. At 2200 h, 17 healthy adults consumed 80 g of almonds and fasted until 0700 h. Safflower oil (50 g in 1-g capsules) was then consumed. Oral stimulation was provided periodically for 2 h as potatoes, potatoes containing butter or one of three fat replacers or no oral stimulation in random order at weekly intervals. Blood was collected at stipulated intervals for 8 h. Oral exposure to butter led to a significantly longer postprandial TAG elevation than the other treatments. The results could not be explained by differential stimulus ingestion, palatability or perceived fat content. There was no significant treatment effect on concentrations of serum oleic acid, apolipoprotein (apo)B-48 or apoB-100, suggesting any oral exposure influence on release of dietary lipid stored in the lacteals or chylomicron and VLDL particle number contributed little to the postprandial TAG rise. In summary, oral exposure to butter elicited a greater postprandial TAG elevation than the tested fat replacers, possibly due to reduced TAG clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with the importance to dietetics practitioners of reading original research articles. Reasons for the need to read original articles; How type I and type II errors occur in research; Issues that call on professional interpretation of research results.

Provides information on the issue of fat replacers in the contents of foods being implemented by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Information on ADA's dietary recommendations; Indepth look at the roles of dietary fat; Detailed information on fat replacers; Conclusion reached on this issue.

Examines the nutritional implications of the physiologic responses to sensory stimulation by food. Nature of the response and potential mechanisms; Influence of cephalic phase gastric response to nutritional status and health; Pancreatic exocrine response; Functional role for the cephalic phase pancreatic endocrine response.

Presents a study assessing the diet of patients with chemosensory disorders. Methodology used; Characterization of chemosensory disorders; Results of the study; Recommendations based on the results.

Examines appeal of salt to human taste. Lack of documentation for a sodium-specific appetite in humans; Lack of clear association between early exposure to salt and various hedonic responses to salt later in life; Lack of evidence supporting relationship between either taste sensitivity or hedonic responses to salt and blood pressure.

Studies the effects of oral exposure to dietary fat on postprandial plasma triacylglycerol (triglyceride) concentrations in healthy men and women. Stimulation elicits an array of responses; Protocol of the research; Data used in the research; Statistical analysis of the results; Discussions on the results gathered from the research; Conclusions derived based on the results.

The nature and mechanisms of altered food acceptability during adherence to a reduced-fat diet have not been characterized. These issues were assessed in healthy adults assigned to a reduced-fat diet excluding discretionary fat sources (n = 9), a similar diet permitting fat-modified products (n = 9) or no dietary modification (n = 9). Sensory responses to foods, body composition, and dietary intake were determined at baseline, monthly during 12 wk of diet adherence, and 12 follow-up wk. Marked and comparable reductions of fat intake were achieved in the experimental groups. Hedonic (ie, pleasantness) ratings for high-fat foods and preferred fat content of selected foods declined, but only in the group deprived of sensory exposure to fats. Thus, the frequency of sensory exposure to fats exerts a stronger influence on hedonic ratings of foods containing fat than total fat intake. The hedonic shift may promote long-term compliance with a reduced-fat diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]