Effect of Commercially Available Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on Subjective Appetite and Short-Term Food Intake in Boys

Abstract

It is unclear whether sugar sweetened beverages bypass regulatory controls of food intake (FI) in boys. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of isovolumetric preloads (350 mL) of a fruit-flavoured drink (154 kcal), cola (158 kcal), 1% M.F. chocolate milk (224 kcal), and water (0 kcal) on subjective appetite and FI in boys aged 9–14 years. On four separate mornings, boys consumed one of the preloads in a random order; subjective appetite was measured at 15 min intervals, and FI was measured via an ad libitum pizza lunch at 60 min post-beverage consumption. In the 32 boys (age: 11.8 ± 0.3 years), FI was reduced (p < 0.001) after cola (940 ± 46 kcal) and chocolate milk (878 ± 41 kcal) compared with the water control (1048 ± 35 kcal) and after chocolate milk compared to the fruit drink (1005 ± 44 kcal). Cumulative FI after the fruit drink was greater than the water control (1159 ± 44 vs. 1048 ± 35 kcal; p = 0.03). Average appetite was not affected by the treatment, but the cola treatment resulted in greater fullness (p = 0.04) and lower prospective food consumption (p = 0.004) compared with the fruit drink. In conclusion, chocolate milk and cola suppressed next-meal FI at 60 min, while fruit drink increased cumulative FI (beverage + next meal) over 60 min in boys. Results from this study suggest that beverage composition is an important determinant of FI suppression in boys.