Carbonated Soft Drinks May Alter Appetite Sensation and Appetite-Regulating Hormone Level and Lead to Increased Energy Intake.

Compared to solid foods, the nutritional energy of drinks may bypass the appetite regulation leading to obesity development. Although drinks sweetened with aspartame are available the anticipated positive effect of these drinks on obesity development has not been convincing. However, the mechanisms linking drinks intake to obesity are yet to be clarified.

The investigators aim is to investigate the short-term effects of soft drinks (sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened (aspartame)), milk and water on the concentration of circulating appetite-regulating hormones, the subjective sensations of hunger and satiety (measured by visual analogue scales) and energy intake. The study is a crossover, intervention trial with 24 overweight, healthy volunteers. The subjects will be tested on four separate days for four hours. Each test day a preload drink (sugar-sweetened soft drink, aspartame-sweetened soft drink, semi-skimmed milk or water) is served.

The investigators expect to clarify the mechanisms linking drinking habits to obesity development and provide scientifically based nutritional guidelines.