EFFECTS OF CARBOHYDRATES IN THE FORM OF PASTA AND BREAD ON FOOD-INTAKE AND SATIETY IN MAN

Two meals, made of the same raw material but with different structure (pasta versus bread) and different in their insulin and glucose respon se profiles where studied with respect to their effect on satiety meas urements. Sixteen normal weight elderly men were served a pasta breakf ast (PAS) and a bread breakfast (BRD) in a repeated measures design. T hree hours after breakfast their nd libitum lunch meal intake was meas ured by VIKTOR a universal eating monitor. Subjective motivation to ea t was measured repeatedly on Visual Analogue Scales from before breakf ast to after lunch. Blood for glucose and insulin determinations was s ampled simultaneously. The large differences in postprandial glucose a nd insulin responses previously reported after the same pasta and brea d meals were verified in this study. Pasta produced a low and stable g lucose and insulin response while the responses to bread were signific antly different, with a higher initial postprandial phase and a drop b elow fasting blood glucose level in the late phase. Despite this, no d ifferences were noted between the breakfast meals in any of the variou s measures to evaluate hunger/satiety. There were no differences in ea ting behaviour at the intake of a subsequent defined ad libitum lunch. However, the pasta breakfast induced a lower insulin response after l unch consumed 3 hours later. This beneficial second meal effect could be one long term mechanism whereby lente diets improve metabolic contr ol.