Milk and its Components in the Regulation of Short-term Appetite, Food Intake and Glycemia in Young Adults

• Main Author: Panahi, Shirin
• Other Authors: Anderson, G. Harvey
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: 0570
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/65712

The hypothesis that milk consumption decreases short-term appetite and food intake and improves glycemic control compared with other caloric beverages in healthy young adults was explored in four experiments. The first two experiments compared isovolumetric amounts (500 ml) of milk (2% M.F.), chocolate milk (1% M.F.), a soy beverage, infant formula, orange juice and water on satiety and food intake and blood glucose before and after a meal provided at 30 min (Experiment 1) and 120 min (Experiment 2). Pre-meal ingestion of chocolate milk and infant formula (highest in calories) reduced food intake at 30 min, but not 2 h. Only milk reduced post-meal blood glucose in both experiments suggesting that its macronutrient composition is a factor in blood glucose control. Experiment 3 compared the effects of ad libitum consumption of milk (1% M.F.), regular cola, diet cola, orange juice and water at a pizza meal on fluid and ad libitum food intake and post-meal appetite and glycemia. Fluid volume consumed was similar, but all caloric beverages added to total meal-time energy intake. However, milk lowered post-meal blood glucose and appetite score. In Experiment 4, the effect of isovolumetric (500 ml) beverages of whole milk (3.25% M.F.) and each of its macronutrient components, protein (16 g), lactose (24 g), and fat (16 g) on glycemic control and gastrointestinal hormonal responses were examined. The reduction in post-prandial glycemia was mediated by interactions between its macronutrient components and associated with hormonal responses that slow stomach emptying and increase glucose disposal. Thus, the results of this research do not support the hypothesis that milk consumption decreases short-term appetite and food intake compared with other beverages; however, milk improves glycemic control by insulin-dependent and independent mechanisms.