The Role of Functional Lipids in Appetite Regulation and Weight Management

102 The satiating properties of fat emulsions are poorly understood. An innovative vegetable oil-in-water emulsion was studied extensively in human interventions trials, in terms of its short-term effect on energy intake, longer term appetite suppressant action and its effects on weight control parameters. The objective of this paper is to review current evidence of a vegetable emulsion in weight management. Dose-response studies with 2, 4 and 6 grams of vegetable fat (FabulessTM) (at the expense of milk fat) demonstrated sustained, but disproportional, reductions in energy intake which coincided with an appetite suppressive effect. Discrepancy however exists in the data of short-term studies with several studies also showing smaller and neutral effects. Given the variability in outcome of short-term studies on satiety and food intake, long-term studies were conducted to evaluate and confirm whether in the long-term consistent changes in body weight and or body composition would be found with this fat emulsion. Overweight women followed a weight loss regime and subsequently returned to free living conditions resulting in statistically significant weight regain. However, the vegetable fat emulsion (FabulessTM) prevented the women from regaining significant weight and also reduced waist circumference. In addition, hunger feelings were reduced, as compared to the placebo (p<0.05). To conclude, short and long-term placebo-controlled clinical studies in which dairy fat is replaced by the functional vegetable fat emulsion show effects on appetite regulation, reduction of energy intake at the next meal, and body weight maintenance after a weight loss regime. Summary