Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-t5pn6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T13:31:09.063Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The reproducibility of subjective appetite scores

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Anne Raben ,
ANNA TAGLIABUE  and
Arne Astrup
Anne Raben
Affiliation:
Research Department of Human Nutrition, Centre for Food Research, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark
ANNA TAGLIABUE
Affiliation:
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Pavia, Italy
Arne Astrup
Affiliation:
Research Department of Human Nutrition, Centre for Food Research, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Although subjective appetite scores are widely used, studies on the reproducibility of this method are scarce. In the present study nine healthy, normal weight, young men recorded their subjective appetite sensations before and during 5 h after two different test meals A and B. The subjects tested each meal twice and in randomized order. Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, 10 cm in length, were used to assess hunger, satiety, fullness, prospective food consumption and palatability of the meals. Plasma glucose and lactate concentrations were determined concomitantly. The repeatability was investigated for fasting values, Δ-mean 5 h and mean 5 h values, Δ-peak/nadir and peak/nadir values. Although the profiles of the postprandial responses were similar, the coefficients of repeatability (CR = 2SD) on the mean differences were large, ranging from 2·86 to 5.24 cm for fasting scores, 1·36 to 1·88 cm for mean scores, 2·98 to 5·42 cm for Δ-mean scores, and 3·16 to 6·44 cm for peak and Δ-peak scores. For palatability ratings the CK values varied more, ranging from 2·38 (taste) to 8·70 cm (aftertaste). Part of the difference in satiety ratings could be explained by the differences in palatability ratings. However, the low reproducibility may also be caused by a conditioned satiation or hunger due to the subjects' prior experience of the meals and therefore not just be a reflection of random noise. It is likely, however, that the variation in appetite ratings is due both to methodological day-to-day variation and to biological day-to-day variation in subjective appetite sensations.

Keywords

AppetiteHungerSatietyVisual analogue scale
Type
Dietary assessment and body composition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 73 , Issue 4 , April 1995 , pp. 517 - 530
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1995

References

Astrup, A. & Raben, A. (1992) Obesity: an inherited metabolic deficiency in the control of macronutrient balance? European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 46, 611–620.Google ScholarPubMed
Bergmayer, H. V. (editor) (1974) Methods of Enzymatic Analysis. New York: Academic PressGoogle Scholar
Bland, J. M. & Altman, D. G. (1986) Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet i, 307–310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blundell, J. E. (1979) Hunger, appetite and satiety - constructs in search of identities. In Nutrition and Lifestyles, pp. 21–42 [Turner, M., editor]. London: Applied Science PublishersGoogle Scholar
Blundell, J. E. (1990) Appetite disturbance and the problems of overweight. Drugs 39, Suppl.3, 1–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blundell, J. E. & Burley, V. J. (1990) Evaluation of the satiating power of dietary fat in man. In Progress in Obesity Research 1990, pp. 453–457 [Oomura, Y., Tarui, S., Inoue, S. and Shimazu, T., editors]. London: John Libbey.Google Scholar
Blundell, J. E. & Hill, J. J. (1988) On the mechanism of action of dexfenfluramin: effect on alliesthesia and appetite motivation in lean and obese subjects. Clinical Neuropharmacology 11, S121–S134.Google Scholar
Bolton, R. P., Heaton, K. W. & Burroughs, L. F. (1981) The role of dietary fiber in satiety, glucose, and insulin: studies with fruit and fruit juice. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 34, 211–217.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
British Standards Institution (1979) Precision of Test Methods. I. Guide for the Determination and Reproducibility for a Standard Test Method (BS 5497, part 1). London: BSI.Google Scholar
Burley, V. J., Paul, A. W. & Blundell, J. E. (1993) Sustained post-ingestive action of dietary fibre: effects of a sugar-beet-fibre-supplemented breakfast on satiety. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 6, 43–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costill, D. L. (1988) Carbohydrates for exercise: dietary demands for optimal performance. International Journal of Sports Medicine 9, 1–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deurenberg, P., van der Kooy, K., Leenen, R., Westrate, J. A. & Seidell, J. C. (1991) Sex and age specific prediction formulas for estimating body composition from bioelectrical impedance: a cross-validation study. International Journal of Obesity 15, 17–25.Google ScholarPubMed
Dixon, J. S. & Bird, H. A. (1981) Reproducibility along a 10 cm vertical visual analogue scale. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 40, 87–89CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Englyst, H. N. & Cummings, J. H. (1988) An improved method for the measurement of dietary fibre as non-starch polysaccharides in plant foods. Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 71, 808–814.Google ScholarPubMed
Englyst, H. N., Kingman, S. M. & Cummings, J. H. (1992) Classification and measurement of nutritionally important starch fractions. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 46, Suppl.2, S33–S50.Google ScholarPubMed
Flatt, J. P. (1987) Dietary fat, carbohydrate balance, and weight maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 45, 296–306.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization/United Nations University (1985) Energy and Protein Requirements. Report of a Joint FAO/ WHO/ UNU Expert Consultation. Technical Report Series no 74. Geneva: World Health Organization.Google Scholar
Forbes, J. M. (1992) Metabolic aspects of satiety. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 51, 13–19CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haber, G. B., Heaton, K. W., Murphy, D. & Burroughs, L. F. (1977) Depletion and disruption of dietary fibre: effects on satiety, plasma-glucose, and serum-insulin. Lancet ii, 679–682.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, A. J., Magson, L. D. & Blundell, J. E. (1984) Hunger and palatability: tracking ratings of subjective experience before, during and after the consumption of preferred and less preferred food. Appetite 5, 361–371.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Joyce, C. R., Zutshi, D. W., Hrubes, V. & Mason, R. M. (1975) Comparison of fixed interval and visual analogue scales for rating chronic pain. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 8, 415–420.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lahuerta, D. R., Campbell, J. & Dewqshi, F. (1983) Muscular ischemic pain. Effect of ‘training’ after repeated performance of an experimental test. Revista de Medicina de la Universidad de Navarra 27, 41–45Google Scholar
Lappalainen, R., Mennen, L., van Weert, L. & Mykkänen, H. (1993) Drinking water with a meal: a simple method of coping with feelings of hunger, satiety and desire to eat. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 47, 815–819Google Scholar
Leathwood, P. & Pollet, P. (1988) Effects of slow release carbohydrates in the form of bean flakes on the evolution of hunger and satiety in man. Appetite 10, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Loiseau, A., Dubreuil, C. & Pujet, J. C. (1990) A visual analog scale of exercise dyspnoea. Revue des Maladies Respiratoires 7, 39–44.Google Scholar
Mathers, J. C. (1991) Digestion of non-starch polysaccharides by non-ruminant omnivores. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 50, 161–172.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mattes, R. (1990) Hunger ratings are not a valid proxy measure of reported food intake in humans. Appetite 15, 103–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ohnhaus, E. E. & Adler, R. (1975) Methodological problems in the measurement of pain: a comparison between the verbal rating scale and the visual analogue scale. Pain 1, 379–384.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pi-Sunyer, X., Kissileff, H. R., Thornton, J. & Smith, G. P. (1982) C-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin decreases food intake in obese men. Physiology and Behavior 29, 627–630.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Raben, A., Andersen, H. B., Christensen, N. J., Madsen, J., Hoist, J. J. & Astrup, A. (1994 a) Evidence for an abnormal postprandial response to a high-fat meal in women predisposed to obesity. American Journal of Physiology 267, 549–559.Google ScholarPubMed
Raben, A., Christensen, N. J., Madsen, J., Hoist, J. J. & Astrup, A. (1994 b) Decreased post-prandial thermogenesis and fat oxidation, but increased fullness after a high-fiber meal compared to a low-fiber meal. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59, 1386–1394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raben, A., Tagliabue, A., Christensen, N. J., Madsen, J., Hoist, J. J. & Astrup, A. (1994 c) Resistant starch: the effect on postprandial glycemia, hormonal response and satiety. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60, 544–551.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rogers, P. J., Carlyle, J., Hill, A. J. & Blundell, J. E. (1988) Uncoupling sweet taste and calories: comparison of the effects of glucose and three intense sweeteners on hunger and food intake. Physiology and Behavior 43, 547–552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rolls, B. J., Hetherington, M. & Laster, L. J. (1988) Comparison of the effects of aspartame and sucrose on appetite and food intake. Appetite 11, 62–67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Silverstone, T. & Goodall, E. (1986) Measurement of hunger and food intake. In Disorders of Eating Behaviour, a Psychoneuroendrocrine Approach, pp. 129–134 [Ferrari, E., editor]. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Silverstone, T. & Stunkard, A. J. (1968) The anorectic effect of dexamphetamine sulphate. British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy 33, 513–522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spiegel, T. A., Stunkard, A. J., Shrager, E. E., O'Brian, C. P., Morrison, M. F. & Stellar, E. (1987) Effect of naltrexone on food intake, hunger and satiety in obese men. Physiology and Behavior 40, 135–141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tagliabue, A., Raben, A., Heijnen, M.-L., Deurenberg, P., Pasquali, E. & Astrup, A. (1995) The effect of resistant starch on energy expenditure and substrate oxidation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (In the Press).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tremblay, A., Lavallée, N., Almeras, N., Allard, L., Després, J.-P. & Bouchard, C. (1991) Nutritional determinants of the increase in energy intake associated with a high-fat diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 53, 1134–1137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van Amelsvoort, J. M. M., van Stratum, P., Kraal, J. F., Lussenburg, R. N. & Dubbelman, G. P. (1990) Minor difference in postprandial responses of men between starch and sugar when replacing fat in a normal meal. British Journal of Nutrition 63, 37–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar