Ready Meal Consumption, Appetite and Food Intake in Females

The Effects of Ready Meal Consumption on Self-reported Appetite Ratings and Subsequent Food Intake in Females

Overweight and obesity are public health concerns and there is a forecast rise in the consumption of ready meals that are generally high in saturated fat and low in fibre. Slimming World, a commercial weight management organisation has designed a range of ready meals in line with their weight management programme, which advocates an unrestricted intake of low energy dense food in order to aid in weight loss. Hence, it is valuable to understand the satiating properties of ready meals in order to establish if specific ready meals can enhance satiety and contribute to reducing subsequent energy intake. This study aims to explore the effect of ready meals on short-term satiety and food intake among females with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Overweight
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Control ready meal; Other: Test ready meal

Detailed Description

A total of 26 female participants aged between 18-65 years attended Oxford Brookes Centre for Nutrition and Health for two separate testing days. The study aimed to investigate the effects of energy matched ready meals (calorie-matched but differing quantities of protein and fat) on appetite and subsequent energy and macronutrient intake. The ready meals (Control = supermarket brand and Test = Slimming World) differed in energy density and macronutrient composition, with satiety responses investigated in the studies. The participants consumed a standard breakfast and four hours later consumed either a test ready meal (lasagne, higher energy density) or the control ready meal (lower energy density). Four hours after lunch participants food intake was measured during an ad libitum buffet tea. Additionally, satiety measurements were recorded using visual analogue scales throughout and participants completed a weighed food diary for the remainder of the test day.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 26
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Oxford, United Kingdom, OX3 0BP
    • Oxford Brookes Centre for Nutrition and Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy, non-smoking females aged between 18-65 years with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2.

  • had no known food allergies to the study foods,
  • had no eating disorders,
  • were not following a special diet (e.g. vegetarian, halal),
  • were not taking any medication or supplements known to affect appetite or weight within the month prior to and/or during the study,
  • were not pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding,
  • had not significantly changed their physical activity in the 2-4 weeks prior to the study or who did not intend on changing them during the study,
  • were not receiving systemic or local treatment likely to interfere with the evaluation of the study parameters,

Exclusion Criteria:

• females aged below 18 and above 65 years
• BMI less than 25 kg/m2.

• smokers

  • had food allergies to the study foods,
  • had eating disorders,
  • were following a special diet (e.g. vegetarian, halal),
  • were taking any medication or supplements known to affect appetite or weight within the month prior to and/or during the study,
  • were pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding,
  • had significantly changed their physical activity in the 2-4 weeks prior to the study or who did not intend on changing them during the study,
  • were receiving systemic or local treatment likely to interfere with the evaluation of the study parameters,
  • had a gastric band/had undergone gastric bypass treatment
  • and/or females who worked in appetite or feeding related areas.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: CROSSOVER
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Control ready meal; Control supermarket brand ready meal with high energy density	Other: Control ready meal; Supermarket brand lasagne ready meal
EXPERIMENTAL: Test ready meal with low energy density; Slimming world test ready meal with low energy density	Other: Test ready meal; The Slimming World lasagne ready meal

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual Analogue Scale measurements for Hunger	Ratings were established prior to breakfast (fasted), then every 30 minutes from commencing breakfast (8 am) until lunch (12 pm). Visual Analogue Scale ratings continued every 15 minutes from commencing lunch until the buffet tea (4 pm), with the last rating being made after finishing the buffet tea. Minimum value 0 mm; maximum value 100 mm; A higher score means worse outcome.	9 hours
Visual Analogue Scale measurements for Fullness	Ratings were established prior to breakfast (fasted), then every 30 minutes from commencing breakfast (8 am) until lunch (12 pm). Visual Analogue Scale ratings continued every 15 minutes from commencing lunch until the buffet tea (4 pm), with the last rating being made after finishing the buffet tea. Minimum value 0 mm; maximum value 100 mm; A higher score means better outcome.	9 hours
Visual Analogue Scale measurements for Desire to Eat	Ratings were established prior to breakfast (fasted), then every 30 minutes from commencing breakfast (8 am) until lunch (12 pm). Visual Analogue Scale ratings continued every 15 minutes from commencing lunch until the buffet tea (4 pm), with the last rating being made after finishing the buffet tea. Minimum value 0 mm; maximum value 100 mm; A higher score means worse outcome.	9 hours
Visual Analogue Scale measurements for Prospective Food Consumption	Ratings were established prior to breakfast (fasted), then every 30 minutes from commencing breakfast (8 am) until lunch (12 pm). Visual Analogue Scale ratings continued every 15 minutes from commencing lunch until the buffet tea (4 pm), with the last rating being made after finishing the buffet tea. Minimum value 0 mm; maximum value 100 mm; A higher score means worse outcome.	9 hours
Energy intake after ad libitum buffet tea	Total energy consumed at the ad libitum tea given 4 hours after the control/test ready meal	4 hours
Macronutrient intake after ad libitum buffet tea	Total macronutrient amounts consumed at the ad libitum tea given 4 hours after the control/test ready meal	4 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual Analogue Scale measurements of thirst	Ratings were established prior to breakfast (fasted), then every 30 minutes from commencing breakfast (8 am) until lunch (12 pm). Visual Analogue Scale ratings continued every 15 minutes from commencing lunch until the buffet tea (4 pm), with the last rating being made after finishing the buffet tea. Minimum value 0 mm; maximum value 100 mm; A higher score means worse outcome.	9 hours
Visual Analogue Scale measurements of nausea	Ratings were established prior to breakfast (fasted), then every 30 minutes from commencing breakfast (8 am) until lunch (12 pm). Visual Analogue Scale ratings continued every 15 minutes from commencing lunch until the buffet tea (4 pm), with the last rating being made after finishing the buffet tea. Minimum value 0 mm; maximum value 100 mm; A higher score means worse outcome.	9 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Oxford Brookes University
• Investigators: Study Director: Sarah Hillier, PhD, Solent University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): February 8, 2019
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): November 30, 2019
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): December 23, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 30, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2021
• First Posted (ACTUAL): August 6, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): August 12, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2021
• Last Verified: August 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Body Weight; Overweight
• Other Study ID Numbers: 0119_44

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The data is confidential and owned by the Study Sponsor and Collaborator.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No