Effect of a 5-day Adaptation and Deadaptation Periods to a High-fat Diet Supplemented With Specific Fatty Acids on Gastrointestinal Transit, Appetite and Substrate Utilisation

High-fat (HF) diets of as little as three days have been shown to accelerate GI transit. This study aimed to assess if 5-day HF supplemented diet varying in fatty acid composition were sufficient to accelerate GI transit, appetite responses and substrate utilisation and whether a 5-day deadaptation period to a HF diet would reverse the responses induced by adaptation to a HFD.

The study will be conducted in a randomized, single-blinded manner in 24 healthy subjects. Three 5-day interventions will each followed by a test trial. In the first intervention period (CON), normal diet was supplemented with low-fat (LF) milkshakes (272 kcal, 6 g fat). The second and third interventions will involve repeating previous diet along with HF (1082 kcal, 96 g fat) or LF milkshakes respectively. The three high-fat supplement groups that subjects will be randomized to are as follows: (1) olive oil (90 g oil), (2) olive oil + n-3 EPA/DHA fish powder blend or (3) olive oil + macadamia oil blend.

The effect of 5-day HF diet (daily milkshake supplement: 1082 kcal, 96 g fat) on gastric emptying and mouth to caecum transit time of a high-fat test will be measured using the 13C octanoic acid breath test and H2 inulin breath test respectively for six hours postprandially. During this time course, measurements of subjective appetite sensations by visual analogue scale and substrate utilization by indirect calorimetry were also collected. Subsequently, food intake will be measured using an ad libitum buffet meal.