Objective: A high-protein diet may decrease food intake through regulating satiety and appetite hormones and can be an effective strategy for weight loss. Few studies exist on obese Chinese adolescents.
Methods and materials: 156 obese Chinese adolescents were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of two isoenergetic breakfasts, either with egg or steamed bread. Subsequent lunchtime food intake was recorded 4 h later. Appetite was assessed with a visual analog scale. Anorexigenic hormones peptide YY (PYY), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and orexigenic hormone ghrelin were determined with radioimmunoassay at 0, 30, and 180 min. Body weight was recorded. The tests were repeated 3 months later. Analysis was performed between two tests and then two groups. Pearson's correlation was used for association analysis.
Results: Subsequent lunchtime food intake and body weight were decreased while satiety was increased in subjects on an egg breakfast, which is associated with an increase of serum PYY and GLP-1 (p < 0.001, respectively). There were strong correlations between weight loss, appetite, subsequent food intake and changes of appetite hormones.
Conclusion: A high-protein breakfast promotes weight loss in obese Chinese adolescents, possibly through its regulation of satiety, subsequent food intake and appetite hormones.
© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.