Expected satiation is correlated with amplitude of intake but does not fit well with actual consumption of desserts
Résumé
Expected satiation was reported to be a predictor of food intake. Yet data lack to judge the extent to which actual intake values match with those announced during expected satiation measure. Our study sought to explore this relationship in detail, in a situation of real-life consumption, using desserts. A panel of 8 commercially available spoonable desserts (57 participants) was used. Liking and expected satiation of study products were measured. Participants’ individual ratings were used to assign two desserts to each participant: the most satiating product, and the least satiating product. Participants followed three randomised sessions during which they consumed a standardized meal followed by one of the individually assigned desserts. The least satiating product was given twice. Ad libitum dessert consumption was measured. Expected satiation, liking and food restraint score appeared as significant predictors of dessert intake. However, differences between expected and actual dessert intake were observed. Thus, caloric intake of two desserts did not differ significantly (χ2(1) = 0.32, p>0.05) as participants increased intake of the most satiating dessert (χ2(1) = 24.60, P < 0.001), and decreased intake of the least satiating dessert (χ2(1) = 14.03, P < 0.001) compared to what was expected. The importance of expected satiation as a predictor of subsequent food intake was confirmed, but its capacity to serve as a quantitative predictor seems limited. Studying individual consumption is necessary to fully understand how expected satiation is translated into eating behaviour.