Gender differences in the satiety effects of sugar-containing drinks

Abstract

Findings concerning the satiety effects of sugar-containing drinks are somewhat inconsistent, perhaps in part due to variations in study design and novelty of the drinks tested. In a parallel groups, preload-test meal study, healthy female (n = 54) and male (n = 54) participants (mean age 28 years, BMI 24 kg/m2 and DEBQ restraint 2.1) received 300 ml of either a blackcurrant drink sweetened with sucrose (670 kJ), the same amount of sucrose in water, or plain water. Twenty minutes later an ad libitum meal of sandwiches and creamy-yogurt dessert was served. Results showed a mean reduction (not significant) in meal energy intake following the blackcurrant drink versus water in men (−662 kJ), but not for women (+386 kJ) (preload by gender interaction, p = 0.07). Corresponding mean results for the sugar in water drink versus plain water were −431 and +441 kJ, respectively. Preferences for the test meal foods assessed before the study day, baseline (pre-drink) appetite ratings, BMI, dietary restraint, and eating disinhibition all failed to account significantly for variance in test meal intake. Although a parallel groups design avoids carry-over effects, because of large individual differences in meal energy intake this is not an efficient method for preload test-meal studies. The current findings of energy compensation in men but not women support previous studies that have shown gender differences in satiety following sugar-containing drinks and are worthy of further investigation. This research was partly funded by Sugar Nutrition UK.