Eating behavior in humans, characterized by cumulative food intake curves - a review

Cumulative food intake curves have been obtained by monitoring eating from a plate, placed on a scale built into a table, and connected to a digital c omputer. They describe and integrate parameters of consumption of an ad Lib single course meal, i.e, meal size, meal duration, eating rate, change in eating rate, bite size and bite frequency. It is concluded that they are an adequate tool for analyzing dietary and clinical interventions on meal siz e, because the cumulative food intake curve parameters: are stable and cons istent within subjects; show a clear relationship with the subject characte ristics dietary restraint and obesity; show a clear relationship with the p hysiological parameters satiation, diet-induced thermogenesis and body-temp erature near the liver, and with the cognitive parameter: estimating forthc oming ingestion: are sensitive to instructions, clinical and dietary interv entions (preloads, palatability, energy density, macronutrient composition) , and to a state of negative energy balance. Because of possible compensato ry post-prandial effects, it is suggested that assessment of meal size shou ld be part of a 24 h appetite profile and food intake observation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.