Effect of bite size and oral processing time of a semisolid food on satiation
Zijlstra, N.; De Wijk, R.A.; Mars, M.; Stafleu, A.; De Graaf, C.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 90, 269 – 75
The texture of food plays an important role in food intake regulation. In previous studies we showed a clear effect of viscosity on ad libitum food intake and found indications that eating rate, bite size and oral processing time (OPT) could play a role. Therefore, our objective of the current study was to determine the effect of bite size and OPT of a food on satiation / ad libitum food intake. A total of 22 healthy subjects participated in all 7 conditions of the study. Bite sizes were free or fixed to small bite sizes (approximately 5 gram) or large bite sizes (approximately 15 gram). OPT was free or fixed to 3 or 9 seconds. Subjects consumed a commercially available chocolate custard through a tube, which was connected to a peristaltic pump to control bite sizes. Sound signals indicated duration of OPT. Subjects consumed significantly more when bite sizes were large compared to small (bite size effect p<0.0001) and when oral processing time was 9 sec compared to 3 sec (oral processing time effect p=0.008). In the small bite size conditions, ad libitum intakes were 381±197 gram (3sec OPT) and 313±170 gram (9sec OPT). In the large bite size conditions, ad libitum intakes were much higher, 476±176 (3sec OPT) and 432±163 (9sec OPT) gram. Mean overall bite size in the “free bite size” conditions was 10.3 ± 4.0 gram when OPT was free, 9.9 ± 4.8 gram when OPT was 3 sec and 10.2 ± 4.7 when OPT was 9 sec. Intakes in those conditions were respectively 462 ± 211, 455 ± 197 and 443 ± 202 gram. In conclusion, the results of our study demonstrate that more oral exposure to a product, by eating with large bite sizes compared to small bite sizes and increasing oral processing time, significantly increases food intake.
