Metabolic and behavioral consequences of a snack consumed in a satiety state

Background: In view of the influence of dietary habits on obesity, human ea ting patterns merit study. Objective: We investigated the behavioral and biological consequences of co nsumption of a 1-MJ snack by subjects in a satiety state. Design: Eleven lean young men were deprived of time cues and subjected to c ontinuous blood withdrawal over each of 4 sessions scheduled 2 wk apart. Th e first session was a basal session designed to determine the following in each subject: 1) the amount eaten in an ad libitum lunch: 2) the temporal p atterns of plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, fatty acids, and tria cylglycerols between lunch and the spontaneous dinner request; and 3) the l atency of the dinner request. In the 3 other sessions, each subject ingeste d the same lunch as in the basal session and a nutritionally well-balanced snack either 5 min before his individual peak of hyperglycemia observed in the first session, 40 min after this peak, or 120 min before the time he ha d requested his dinner in the first session. Results: There was no significant difference in latency of the dinner reque st or the energy intake-at dinner between sessions. Insulin secretion incre ased but glucose profiles did not change significantly regardless of the ti me of snack intake. Conclusion: A snack consumed in a satiety stare fails to prolong the interm eal interval and would thus tend to favor storage.