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Apr 14

How the diet industry uses and misuses knowledge of hunger and satiety – The Independent

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There are plenty of adverts and websites that promise to share secrets on how to suppress appetite, or which foods will keep hunger at bay. Protein drinks are frequently sold with the promise of meeting these expectations.

Foods are often developed with the aim of increasing satiety or satiation, but what exactly is meant by these terms? Appetite is our desire to eat. And while hunger is a cue from our body, appetite is a cue from our brain. Satiety and satiation are often used interchangeably in relation to appetite but actually have different meanings.

Satiation is the process that leads us to stop eating, whereas satiety is the feeling of fullness that persists after eating. The latter has thepotential tosuppressfurther energy intake until hunger returns. In simple terms, what makes us put down our knife and fork is satiation, and what keeps us from starting our next snack or meal is satiety.

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Despite sophisticated mechanisms in the body to control food intake, people often still eat when they feel satiated or resist eating when hungry. There are many other factors that influence eating behaviour as well as the bodys satiety signals, such as portion size, tastiness and emotional state.

Worldwide data reveals that around 42 per centof adults have tried to lose weight. In terms of New Years resolutions, 44 per centof Britons set weight loss as their goal for 2020. This inevitably opens the floodgates for fad dieting and the marketing of appetite-suppressing products.

Currently, there is limited evidence to support the effect of satiating foods in obtaining a healthy body weight. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) does not consider a reduction in appetite to be a beneficial physiological effect in maintaining healthy weight and no health claims can be made or placed on food products with regards to appetite.

But many food and supplement brands still appear to advertise these benefits, regardless of health claim regulations particularly outside the EU. A prime example is the Flat Tummy Cos appetite-suppressing lollipops which claim to contain Satiereal, a clinically proven safe active ingredient extracted from natural plants.

The product is marketed to maximise satiety but in terms of evidence, there is no robust science to support these claims. This is because there is insufficient evidence characterising appetite and weight, with most studies focusing on one or two days effects. But other claims can be made on foods such as high in fibre or high in protein. These credentials are recognised by consumers as contributing to satiety and can be used without the need for an appetite health claim.

The combination of flexible and vegetarian. This diet is all about adding things to your diet, not taking them away. By adding more tofu, beans, fruits, veggies, eggs, whole grains and seeds to your diet you should feel full on fewer calories.

Flickr / Brian

Ranked at number one, the DASH diet was developed to prevent and lower high blood pressure by reducing salt intake.

Flickr / Dubravko Sori

Created to cut high cholesterol and endorsed by the American Heart Association.

Focuses on everything you were told to eat as a child: whole grains, fruit and vegetables.

Flickr / Rochelle

Eat as the Mediterranean people do: A diet low in red meat, sugar and saturated fats but high in produce and nuts. And lots of olives.

Flickr / Meal Makeover Moms

Works with a points system where healthy foods have fewer points. Group meetings offer emotional support and encouragement, meaning it has been a successful program since 1963.

Flickr / Mike Mozart

Works on the idea that people eat roughly the same amount every day, regardless of the calories. So this diet is all about the approach to eating rather than a structured diet. It divides food into four groups depending on their energy density. For example, more veggies on top of pasta instead of cheese.

Flickr / Jennifer

For encouragement, on this diet you get a meal plan and a counselling session every week with a consultant. You get three meals a day, including French toast, but unfortunately you cant really go out for meals.

Flickr / Dennis Wilkinson

Eat regular meals with whole grains, fruit, vegetables and lean protein, get more exercise and keep a food journal. Fairly simple.

Flickr / Pete Thomas

Developed by Dean Ornish in his 2007 book The Spectrum. He categorizes food in to five groups from most (1) to least (5) healthy. He pinpoints emotional support as a powerful tool for weight loss.

Flickr / kris krg

The combination of flexible and vegetarian. This diet is all about adding things to your diet, not taking them away. By adding more tofu, beans, fruits, veggies, eggs, whole grains and seeds to your diet you should feel full on fewer calories.

Flickr / Brian

Ranked at number one, the DASH diet was developed to prevent and lower high blood pressure by reducing salt intake.

Flickr / Dubravko Sori

Created to cut high cholesterol and endorsed by the American Heart Association.

Focuses on everything you were told to eat as a child: whole grains, fruit and vegetables.

Flickr / Rochelle

Eat as the Mediterranean people do: A diet low in red meat, sugar and saturated fats but high in produce and nuts. And lots of olives.

Flickr / Meal Makeover Moms

Works with a points system where healthy foods have fewer points. Group meetings offer emotional support and encouragement, meaning it has been a successful program since 1963.

Flickr / Mike Mozart

Works on the idea that people eat roughly the same amount every day, regardless of the calories. So this diet is all about the approach to eating rather than a structured diet. It divides food into four groups depending on their energy density. For example, more veggies on top of pasta instead of cheese.

Flickr / Jennifer

For encouragement, on this diet you get a meal plan and a counselling session every week with a consultant. You get three meals a day, including French toast, but unfortunately you cant really go out for meals.

Flickr / Dennis Wilkinson

Eat regular meals with whole grains, fruit, vegetables and lean protein, get more exercise and keep a food journal. Fairly simple.

Flickr / Pete Thomas

Developed by Dean Ornish in his 2007 book The Spectrum. He categorizes food in to five groups from most (1) to least (5) healthy. He pinpoints emotional support as a powerful tool for weight loss.

Flickr / kris krg

Research from consumer surveys suggest that foods with enhanced satiety are bought not just for weight control but for managing hunger. One of the main reasons people stop dieting is because of hunger or being deprived of their favourite foods. Foods that suppress hunger may not cause people to lose weight but may help them adhere to their diet, which consequently will help them with weight loss.

A lot of focus goes into decreasing appetite, but appetite research is not only concerned with reducing food intake and making people feel fuller. In fact, often the opposite is true. For instance, many older people report having diminished appetite for a variety of reasons.

No hype, just the advice and analysis you need

These may include physical factors such as slower emptying of food from the stomach, and social factors such as bereavement, depression or isolation. Reduced physical function (which can make food preparation difficult), sight, smell and taste impairments, medication and dental problems can all influence appetite.

The elderly usually eat less than younger people. They experience fewer hunger pangs and satiation at meals is faster. Together these factors can result in a reduction in appetite and a reduced desire to buy and prepare food, which affects their nutritional health. In this group, foods that promote appetite and encourage increased food intake are required to prevent malnutrition.

Another challenge for older people is that the type of foods they require need to be good sources of protein. While it isconsidered to be the most satiating nutrient, proteincan increase mouth drying and, if it is meat-based, may require longer chewing. Much is still unknown about appetite responses in older people, and more research is needed to explore how appetite can be increased in this population.

At present, there is convincing evidence for the short-term satiating effects of some foods and nutrients, but much less evidence on the longer-term impact of these foods on weight control. More studies specifically designed to demonstrate a causal link, if any, between appetite and weight control are needed.

Research which focuses on helping those who have reduced appetite is also crucial, given our growing ageing population and risks associated with malnutrition.

Suzanne Zaremba is a lecturer in nutrition at theCentre for Public Health Nutrition Research at the University of Dundee. Miriam Clegg is a lecturer in nutritional sciences at the University of Reading. This article first appeared on The Conversation

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How the diet industry uses and misuses knowledge of hunger and satiety - The Independent

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