AN INVESTIGATION OF SATIETY IN AGING, DEMENTIA, AND HYPERPHAGIA

Objective: To investigate satiety in young, middle-aged, and elderly h ealthy adults, and in nonhyperphagic and hyperphagic elderly people wi th dementia. Previous work suggested hyperphagia in dementia was due t o increased hunger and absence of satiation. Methods: The primary meas ure of satiety was the amount of food eaten in an ad libitum meal, giv en 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 dement ia was investigated by comparing the two demented groups with healthy elderly. Results: A measurements suggested that accuracy of compensati on for preload energy differences decreased with age and was absent in people with dementia. Discussion: Lack of compensatory response in th e elderly, particularly those with dementia, indicates the need for mo nitoring food intake to prevent over-or undereating. (C) 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.