Oatmeal Proves Superior to Ready-to-Eat Cereal in Satisfying Hunger

by | Jan 16, 2014 | 2013, Digestive Health, Fiber, Weight Control

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In a study with 48 healthy adults, consuming oatmeal caused a 62.5 % decreased desire to eat after 4 hours.

The 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that over 66% of Americans are overweight or obese and 32% of Americans are obese. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines overweight as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2, and obese as having a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 (1).

Obesity causes an estimated 365,000 deaths per year (2) at a cost of $75 billion (3). It is a risk factor for heart disease (4) ($448 billion per year in healthcare costs (5)), Type 2 diabetes (6) ($174 billion in healthcare costs (7)), and even dementia (8) ($100 billion in healthcare costs per year (9)). Now a new study (10) suggests that oatmeal may be an effective hunger prevention strategy to help maintain a healthy weight.

In the study, 48 healthy subjects between the ages of 18 and 75 (average age of 34) and an average body mass index of 26.1 kg/m2 were fed one of two different breakfasts on consecutive days (Honey Nut Cheerios or Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal) that both provided 363 calories, with 250 calories from the solid food and 113 from lactose-free, fat-free milk.  The patients provided data on their feelings of fullness and hunger over the subsequent 4 hours.

The researchers found the oatmeal to be superior to ready-to-eat cereal in a number of categories. Grading their perceptions on a visual analog scale from 1 to 100, 4 hours after consumption, those in the oatmeal group experienced:

–        A 60% greater sensation of fullness (32 vs. 20, p = 0.0102),

–        A 94% greater perception of how full their stomach felt (35 vs. 18, p = 0.0005), and

–        A 62.5% decreased desire to eat after 4 hours (-26 vs. -16, p = 0.022 (graded from 0 (greatest desire) to -100 (least desire to eat)).

When attempting to explain the results, the researchers suggested that both the 47% greater level of fiber (6.68 vs. 4.54 grams per serving), and specifically the 52% greater level of beta glucan fiber (2.63 vs. 1.73 grams per serving) in the oatmeal was most responsible for the decreased hunger and increased feelings of fullness. Beta glucan increases the bulk of a food serving, thereby increasing feelings of fullness (11, 12).

For the researchers, “Oatmeal improves appetite control and increases satiety. The effects may be attributed to the viscosity and hydration properties of its beta-glucan content” and that “oatmeal as a satiety-enhancing food can have immense value in prolonging the interval between meals.”

Source: Rebello, Candida J., et al. “Acute effect of oatmeal on subjective measures of appetite and satiety compared to a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal: a randomized crossover trial.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition 32.4 (2013): 272-279.

Copyright © American College of Nutrition

Posted January 16, 2014.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

References:

  1. “Defining Overweight and Obesity” posted on the CDC Website.
  2. Goldfarb B. CDC Casts Obesity-Related Death Toll in New Light DOC News June 2005; 2(1): 1.
  3. “Obesity: Increases Medical Costs and Death” posted on the North Dakota State University website.
  4. “Risk Factors And Coronary Heart Disease” posted on the American Heart Association website.
  5. “Cardiovascular Disease Cost” posted on the American Heart Association website.
  6. Goran MI. Obesity and risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003 Apr;88(4):1417-27.
  7. “Direct and Indirect Cost of Diabetes In The United States” posted on the American Diabetes Association website.
  8. Craft S. The Role of Metabolic Disorders in Alzheimer Disease and Vascular Dementia: Two Roads Converged. Arch Neurol. 2009;66(3):300-305.
  9. Ernst, RL; Hay, JW. “The U.S. Economic and Social Costs of Alzheimer’s Disease Revisited.” American Journal of Public Health 1994; 84(8): 1261 – 1264.
  10. Rebello CJ.  Acute Effect of Oatmeal on Subjective Measures of Appetite and Satiety Compared to a Ready-to-Eat Breakfast Cereal: A Randomized Crossover Trial.  Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2013; 32(4)272–279.
  11. Malkki Y, Virtanen E: Gastrointestinal effects of oat bran and oat gum: a review. Lebensm-Wiss Technol 34:337–347, 2001.
  12. Wood PJ: Cereal beta-glucans in diet and health. J Cereal Sci 46:230–238, 2007