Eating Disinhibition and Vagal Tone and the Postprandial Response to Glycaemic Load

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Hunger
• Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Glucose; Dietary Supplement: Sweetened water; Dietary Supplement: Isomaltulose

• Registration Number: NCT02827318
• Lead Sponsor: Swansea University

Brief Summary

Reducing the glycaemic load (GL) of the diet may benefit appetite control but its utility is complicated by psychological influences on eating. Disinhibited behaviour, a risk factor for overconsumption, is characterized by reduced prefrontal cortex activity, which in turn directly modulates vagal tone; a phenomenon inversely associated with blood glucose (BG) and insulin levels. This double blind randomised controlled trial explores the influence of disinhibited eating and vagal tone (heart rate variability) on the postprandial response to GL and hunger.

Detailed Description

There is growing recognition that lowering the glycaemic load of the diet might reduce a range of cardiovascular risk factors such as raised plasma triglycerides, HbA1c and C reactive protein and aid in body weight regulation. A proposed mechanism includes higher satiety and prolonged satiation by virtue of improved postprandial metabolic control, although, whether lower GL meals result in greater weight loss or increased satiety is still a matter of debate. One matter complicating the issue is that the desire to consume food may be driven by psychological factors; food reward centres in the brain may override hormonal regulation of food intake. Amongst psychological factors disinhibition has the largest and most consistent body of empirical data that associates it with weight gain although the mechanisms involved are unknown. This study will investigate whether, irrespective of BMI or habitual diet, disinhibited eaters have greater glycaemic excursions following a high glycaemic load drink and whether this predicts subsequent satiation.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-09
• Primary Completion: 2015-12
• Study Completion: 2015-12
• Study First Submitted: 2016-06-29
• Status Verified: 2016-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-07-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-07-05
• Study First Posted: 2016-07-11
• Last Update Posted: 2016-07-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 66

Inclusion Criteria

• Young healthy adults who scored either high or low on the Three factor eating questionnaire disinhibition subscale

Exclusion Criteria

Participants were excluded if they

• had a cardiovascular or metabolic disorder
• gastrointestinal problems
• were pregnant
• had a current diagnosis of a mood or eating disorder
• and/or were taking medications or herbal supplements to manage body weight or control appetite

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
75g glucose	Glucose	75g of glucose dissolved in 500ml provided in a clear plastic tumbler.
Sweetened water	Sweetened water	500ml water sweetened with sucralose provided in a clear plastic tumbler.
75g isomaltulose	Isomaltulose	75g of isomaltulose dissolved in 500ml provided in a clear plastic tumbler.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in blood glucose	from 30 to 150minutes	As above to assess the speed of decline.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hunger	30, 150 minutes	Participants were asked to respond to the question "how hungry are you feeling right now" on a single 100mm visual analogue scale anchored by "Not at all" and "Extremely".

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Swansea University; 🇬🇧 Swansea, West Glamorgan, United Kingdom