Short-term impact of sugar consumption on hunger and ad libitum food intake in young women

The hypothesis of this study was that greater sugar consumption at breakfast promotes a stronger sensation of hunger and a later increase in energy consumption. The objective was to assess the relation between sugar consumption in a meal and the subsequent sensations of hunger and ad libitum food consumption. Sixteen women consumed a breakfast accompanied by 2 drinks sweetened ad libitum with sugar. After 3 h, a lunch was offered to evaluate ad libitum food consumption. During the period from breakfast to lunch, hunger sensations were evaluated at 30 min intervals. Women were divided according to the median amount of sugar used to sweeten the breakfast drinks (20 g). The group who consumed sugar above the median showed a greater hunger sensation in the preprandial period, and a greater ad libitum intake at lunch (390 ± 130 g × 256 ± 67 g, P = 0.002), compared to the group who had a lower sugar consumption. The amount of sugar consumed at breakfast was correlated positively with the sensation of preprandial hunger and food intake at lunch. We concluded that foods with a high glycemic index can modulate the appetite within a short period of time.