The Effect of Fermentable Carbohydrates on Appetite- Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Effect of Short-term Dietary Supplementation of Fermentable Carbohydrates on Propionate Production and Appetite Measures: A Pilot Study
IRAS ID
146511
Contact name
Gary Frost
Contact email
Research summary
The aim of this study is to investigate whether the fermentable carbohydrate component of dietary fibre reduces appetite (i.e. how hungry or full you feel). This may be important in terms of controlling body weight and therefore preventing obesity.
This study is partly funded by the Medical Research Council and will be carried out in healthy men and women, aged 18-65 years old, who are normal weight or overweight. Participants will attend a health screening visit at the NIHR/Wellcome Trust Imperial Clinical Research Facility at Hammersmith Hospital to check their eligibility. Only eligible candidates will be enrolled.
There are two parts to this study. Part A and B both consist of 4 separate study visits.
Part A: On study days, participants will receive a standard breakfast containing 10g of one of four food supplements (B-glucan, inulin, cellulose or methyl cellulose) and two tracer molecules, which will be used in order to track the digestive process. A standard snack and meal will also be provided. Participants will complete questionnaires to measure appetite, and breath and blood samples will be collected.
Part B: Participants will be instructed to consume one of the four dietary supplements from Part A in a stepped dose for 7 days prior to each one of the four study visits. On study days, participants will consume a standard breakfast, which will contain 10g of the same dietary supplement that they have been consuming. A snack and buffet meal will also be provided. The following measurements will be collected: plasma propionate concentrations, appetite ratings using questionnaires, food intake at a buffet meal (where participants are instructed to eat until they feel comfortably full) and breath hydrogen samples.
REC name
London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0704
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jun 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion