Effects of small-intestinal fat and carbohydrate infusions on appetite and food intake in obese and nonobese men

Abstract

To determine whether the satiating effects of nutrients in the small intestine are lower in obese than in nonobese people, 9 healthy, obese men [age: 18–33 y; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) 30.4–40.8] and 11 healthy, nonobese men (age: 18–33 y; BMI: 19.1–26.4) received an intraduodenal infusion of saline (control), lipid (11.97 kJ/min, or 2.86 kcal/min), or glucose (11.97 kJ/min) for 120 min on separate days. Fullness, hunger, and nausea were assessed by visual analogue scales. After the infusions, a meal was offered and food intake was quantified. There was no difference in appetite ratings between the obese and nonobese subjects during the infusions, in the amount or macronutrient composition of food eaten after the infusions, or in the time taken to eat the meals. Both the lipid and glucose infusions were associated with greater fullness than the control infusion. The energy content of the food eaten was less after the lipid infusion than after either the control or glucose infusion (P < 0.01); lipid infusion suppressed energy intake by 22% compared with the control infusion and by 15% compared with the glucose infusion. Suppression of energy intake after intraduodenal nutrient infusions was due to slower eating (P < 0.01). Intraduodenal infusions of fat suppressed appetite and food intake more than did equienergetic infusions of carbohydrate in both obese and nonobese young men, and the responses to intraduodenal fat and glucose were not affected by obesity. The latter observation suggests that established obesity is not associated with reduced small-intestinal responses to dietary fat or carbohydrate.