The Impact of Snacks Which Vary Nutritionally in Their Satiating Potential on Measures of Appetite Control

The current study will examine the effect of almond consumption (0.9g/kg dose) compared to an energy and weight matched comparator food or no food on measures of appetite control including appetite sensations, energy intake and food hedonics.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hyperphagia; Lack of Satiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Almonds; Other: Cheese Savouries

Detailed Description

Some individuals exhibit a weak satiety response to food and may be susceptible to overconsumption. Snack foods can be substantial contributors to daily energy intake, with different types of snacks exerting potentially different effects on satiety per calorie consumed. The current study will compare the effect of consuming different snack foods on measures of appetite control including appetite sensations, energy intake and food hedonics in women with a weak satiety response.

In a crossover design, female participants will consume three different mid-morning snacks: raw almonds, savoury crackers or water. Appetite sensations, energy intake, food reward and craving will be assessed under controlled laboratory conditions. Satiety responsiveness will be determined using the satiety quotient (SQ).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 55 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants who have provided written informed consent.
• Healthy female participants aged 18-55 years.
• BMI of 18.5 - 30.0 kg/m2.
• Regular breakfast eaters.
• Not currently dieting to lose, gain or maintain weight.
• Non-smokers.
• Liking/acceptance of the study foods (≥4 on 7-point Likert scale).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Taking medication known to affect appetite within past month and/or during the study.
• Any known food allergies or food intolerances.
• Participants who do not regularly eat breakfast.
• Participants with low liking or acceptance of the study foods.
• Participants currently dieting to lose, gain or maintain weight.
• Reported history of or present eating disorder.
• BMI <18.5 kg/m2 or >30 kg/m2.
• Vegetarians.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

6

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Almond, then No Food, then Cheese Savouries; Participants first received a mid-morning snack of almonds (0.9g/kg). After a washout period of 5 days, they then received no food. Finally, after another washout period participants received a mid-morning snack of cheese savouries (0.9g/kg).	Other: Almonds; Whole raw almonds provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g\kg; Other: Cheese Savouries; Cheese savoury crackers provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g/kg
Experimental: Cheese Savouries then Almond, then No Food; Participants first received a mid-morning snack of cheese savouries (0.9g/kg). After a washout period of 5 days, they then received a mid-morning snack of almonds (0.9g/kg). Finally, after another washout period participants received no food.	Other: Almonds; Whole raw almonds provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g\kg; Other: Cheese Savouries; Cheese savoury crackers provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g/kg
Experimental: No Food, then Cheese Savouries, then Almond; Participants first received no food. After a washout period of 5 days, they then received a mid-morning snack of cheese savouries (0.9g/kg). Finally, after another washout period participants received a mid-morning snack of almonds (0.9g/kg).	Other: Almonds; Whole raw almonds provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g\kg; Other: Cheese Savouries; Cheese savoury crackers provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g/kg
Experimental: Cheese Savouries, then No Food, then Almond; Participants first received a mid-morning snack of cheese savouries (0.9g\kg). After a washout period of 5 days, they then received no food. Finally, after another washout period participants received a mid-morning snack of almonds (0.9g\kg).	Other: Almonds; Whole raw almonds provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g\kg; Other: Cheese Savouries; Cheese savoury crackers provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g/kg
Experimental: Almond, then Cheese Savouries, then No Food; Participants first received a mid-morning snack of almonds (0.9g\kg). After a washout period of 5 days, they then received a mid-morning snack of cheese savouries (0.9g\kg). Finally, after another washout period participants received no food.	Other: Almonds; Whole raw almonds provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g\kg; Other: Cheese Savouries; Cheese savoury crackers provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g/kg
Experimental: No Food, then Almond, then Cheese Savouries; Participants first received no food. After a washout period of 5 days, they then received a mid-morning snack of almonds (0.9g/kg). Finally, after another washout period participants received a mid-morning snack of cheese savouries (0.9g\kg).	Other: Almonds; Whole raw almonds provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g\kg; Other: Cheese Savouries; Cheese savoury crackers provided as a mid-morning snack - 0.9g/kg

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Test Meal Energy Intake	Measured reductions in ad-libitum energy intake following consumption of almonds as a mid-morning snack compared to control and comparator. Food will be weighed pre- and post-consumption to the nearest 0.1g to determine energy intake. Test meal energy intake will be measured on three occasions, on average a week apart.	3 Weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Food Preference	Measured changes in wanting for high fat food food following consumption of almonds as a mid-morning snack compared to control and comparator. Food preference will be measured once during each intervention condition using the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire (LFPQ: Finlayson, King & Blundell, 2008). 8 high fat foods and 8 low fat foods are presented on a computer and participants rate the extent to which they want each food (How much do you want this food now?). The food images are presented individually, in a randomised order and participants make their ratings using a 100-mm VAS. Low fat scores are subtracted from high fat scores to provide a relative preference score. Scale range: -100 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater wanting for high fat foods which is interpreted as a worse outcome.	3 Weeks
Appetite Sensations (Hunger)	Measured differences in hunger following consumption of almonds as a mid-morning snack compared to control and comparator. Appetite sensations will be measured during the three intervention conditions at regular time intervals from the morning to the evening (21 in total) using 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Scale range = 0-100 mm, with higher values indicating greater hunger. Total Area Under the Curve will be calculated from the VAS profiles using the trapeziodal method. Time points at which data were collected to calculate AUC - -5, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 135, 180, 230, 240, 270, 280, 300, 360, 420, 480, 510, 540, 600; -5 to 8 hours post intervention. Higher AUC scores on hunger are interpreted as a worse outcome.	3 Weeks
24 Hour Energy Intake	Measured reductions in total within-day energy intake following consumption of almonds as a mid-morning snack compared to control and comparator. Food will be weighed pre- and post-consumption to the nearest 0.1g, at every test meal, to determine energy intake. Total energy intake will then be calculated. 24 hour energy intake will be measured on three occasions, on average a week apart.	3 Weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Leeds
• Collaborators: Almond Board of California
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Graham Finlayson, PhD, University of Leeds

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Gibbons C, Caudwell P, Finlayson G, King N, Blundell J. Validation of a new hand-held electronic data capture method for continuous monitoring of subjective appetite sensations. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011 Jun 8;8:57. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-8-57.
• Finlayson G, King N, Blundell J. The role of implicit wanting in relation to explicit liking and wanting for food: implications for appetite control. Appetite. 2008 Jan;50(1):120-7. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.06.007. Epub 2007 Jun 28.
• Hollingworth S, Dalton M, Blundell JE, Finlayson G. Evaluation of the Influence of Raw Almonds on Appetite Control: Satiation, Satiety, Hedonics and Consumer Perceptions. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 30;11(9):2030. doi: 10.3390/nu11092030.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: June 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 4, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 23, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): June 24, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 15, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 25, 2017
• Last Verified: January 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Hyperphagia
• Other Study ID Numbers: LDS-2015-ABC; RG.PSYC.102933 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Almond Board of California)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes
• IPD Plan Description: Results to be written up for submission to peer-review scientific journal.