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. 2020 Apr 2;12(4):986. doi: 10.3390/nu12040986

Table 1.

Factors that influence the postprandial experience: previous studies.

Reference Design and Outcomes Aim Participants Interventions Main Results Conclusions
Malagelada et al., 2015 [12] Randomized, crossover trial Responses to test meal (a) sensations by scales (b) gastric tone by barostat Effect of digestive function on perception Healthy volunteers: 25 women 17 men Distortion of digestive function by gastric distention or duodenal lipids Experimental distortion of digestive function affects independently homeostatic and hedonic sensations after a meal The digestive function determines the postprandial experience; homeostatic and hedonic sensations are independent
Malagelada et al., 2016 [13] Open label study Responses to test meal (a) sensations by scales (b) metabolomic analysis Metabolomic biomarkers of postprandial sensations Healthy volunteers: 9 women 9 men Ingestion of a test meal at the rate of 50 mL/min at until maximum satiation (a) satiation correlated with increase in glucose and valine; (b) well-being and decrease in choice eating correlated with increase in triglycerides; (c) abdominal discomfort inversely correlated with increase in lipids Postprandial sensations correlate with changes in circulating metabolites
Pribic et al., 2017 [20] Open label study Responses to probe meal (a) sensations by scales (b) fMRI scans before and after probe meal Brain networks related to postprandial sensations 38 healthy males Probe meal on two days with and without fMRI (a) sensations were similar with and without fMRI; (b) Ingestion was associated with increase in thalamo-cortical connectivity and decrease in insular-cortical connectivity; (c) a larger decrease in insular-anterior cingulate cortex connectivity and was associated with higher satiety, fullness, and digestive well-being Postprandial sensations correlate with changes in brain connectivity functional networks
DuBose et al., 1980 [59] Open label study Identification of flavor of test foods Influence of food color on flavor perception Healthy volunteers Test foods with colorants and flavorants: (a) masking of color; (b) color-flavor incongruence (e.g., green colored -orange flavor). Color masking or distortion impaired flavor identification Flavor perception is influenced by color of food
Monrroy et al., 2019 [63] Randomized parallel trial. Sensations in response to comfort meal by scales Role of gender on the responses to a comfort meal Healthy volunteers: 10 women 10 men Comfort meal ingested stepwise until full satiation In women the meal loads required to achieve maximal satisfaction and full satiation were smaller than in men. Hence women enjoyed and tolerated smaller meal loads than men Gender is a constitutive factor that determines the meal experience
Pribic et al., 2018 [64] Randomized crossover trial. Sensations in response to test meals by scales Effect of palatability on postprandial sensations 22 healthy men 2 meals with identical composition and physical characteristics but different palatability: (a) conventional (potato cream followed by vanilla cream); (b) unconventional meal (mixture of both creams). The unconventional was found less palatable and meal produced more fullness and less satisfaction than the conventional meal Food palatability bears a direct relation to hedonic but inverse relation to homeostatic sensations.
Pribic et al., 2018 [65] Randomized crossover trial. Sensations in response to test meals by scales Influence of meal composition independently of palatability on postprandial sensations 12 healthy men 2 meals with the same physical and organoleptic characteristics (taste, smell, texture, color, and temperature) but different composition: (a) low-fat; (b) high-fat test meal While palatability was similar, the high-fat mal induced more satisfaction than the low-fat meal, without significant differences in homeostatic sensations Meal composition determines the postprandial experience independently of palatability.
Masihy et al., 2019 [66] Randomized parallel trial. Responses to probe meal: (a) sensations by scales (b) physiological measures Influence of eating schedule on postprandial responses: gender effects Healthy volunteers: 10 women 10 men Lunch-type meal eaten at: (a) habitual afternoon schedule; (b) unconventional morning schedule No schedule effect on physiological responses to probe meal in women and men were detected. However, in contrast to men, in women, the probe meal at unconventional time induced less satisfaction than at the conventional time Women are more susceptible to the influence of eating schedule on the postprandial experience than men.
Pribic et al., 2017 [67] Randomized cross over. Sensations in response to test meals by scales Influence of appetite on postprandial experience 12 healthy men Probe meal consumed two hours after: (a) low-calorie breakfast; (b) high-calorie breakfast As compared to the low-calorie breakfast, with the high-calorie breakfast subjects were less hungry before the probe meal and experienced more postprandial fullness and less satisfaction Appetite before the meal influences the postprandial experience
Pribic et al., 2018 [68] Randomized, parallel study. Sensations in response to probe meal by scales. Influence of education on postprandial experience Healthy men: 14 per group Administration of probe meal on 2 days without and with prior educational intervention. One group received a sensory-cognitive intervention and the other a sham intervention The sensory-cognitive intervention enhanced homeostatic and hedonic sensations after the probe meal, whereas the sham intervention had no effect The receptiveness of the subject and the postprandial experience can be conditioned by education