Effects of Gum Chewing on Appetite and Digestion

Summary

One obvious property difference between energy-yielding beverages and solid foods is the oral mechanical processing required to prepare the two food forms for swallowing. Considerable human data are consistent with a contribution of mechanical stimulation to appetite suppression. However, no study has isolated this property and assessed its influence on ingestive behavior in humans. This is the aim of the present study. The null hypothesis is that food rheology will have no effect on these indices. The alternate hypothesis is that increased mechanical stimulation will result in stronger satiation/satiety and reduced energy intake. Further, it is hypothesized that the effects of mastication will be less evident in obese compared to lean individuals.

Conditions

• The Null Hypothesis is That Food Rheology Will Have no Effect on These Indices
• The Alternate Hypothesis is That Increased Mechanical Stimulation Will Result in Stronger Satiation/Satiety and Reduced Energy Intake
• It is Hypothesized That the Effects of Mastication Will be Less Evident in Obese Compared to Lean Individuals

Interventions

OTHER

soft gum

. Participants will either chew nothing or chew one of the two gum varieties (flavorless soft or hard) at a constant rate (determined by a metronome) for 15 minutes while sipping apple juice through a straw. Appetite will be measured continuously via a slide potentiometer attached to a 100mm gLMS scale. The juice will provide 10% of the participants estimated daily energy requirement (i.e., equal to 1-2 servings of most commercial snacks). It will also contain 10g of lactulose (a soluble, non-absorbable carbohydrate used to assess gastric transit time via analyses of breath hydrogen) and acetaminophen (a marker for gastric emptying).

OTHER

firm gum

. Participants will either chew nothing or chew one of the two gum varieties (flavorless soft or hard) at a constant rate (determined by a metronome) for 15 minutes while sipping apple juice through a straw. Appetite will be measured continuously via a slide potentiometer attached to a 100mm gLMS scale. The juice will provide 10% of the participants estimated daily energy requirement (i.e., equal to 1-2 servings of most commercial snacks). It will also contain 10g of lactulose (a soluble, non-absorbable carbohydrate used to assess gastric transit time via analyses of breath hydrogen) and acetaminophen (a marker for gastric emptying).

OTHER

no gum

. Participants will either chew nothing or chew one of the two gum varieties (flavorless soft or hard) at a constant rate (determined by a metronome) for 15 minutes while sipping apple juice through a straw. Appetite will be measured continuously via a slide potentiometer attached to a 100mm gLMS scale. The juice will provide 10% of the participants estimated daily energy requirement (i.e., equal to 1-2 servings of most commercial snacks). It will also contain 10g of lactulose (a soluble, non-absorbable carbohydrate used to assess gastric transit time via analyses of breath hydrogen) and acetaminophen (a marker for gastric emptying).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

  collaborator NIH

• Purdue University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

50 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2010-02-28

Primary Completion

2012-01-31

Completion

2012-01-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations