Browsing by Author "Hume, Megan"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    The Effects of Prebiotic Fibre Intake on Appetite and Body Mass Index z-score in Overweight and Obese Children.
    (2015-09-18) Hume, Megan; Reimer, Raylene
    The aim of this thesis was to determine the effects of prebiotic fibre intake on appetite control and BMI z-score in 42 overweight and obese, male and female children ages 7 to 12 years old. Participants were randomly assigned to the: a) prebiotic fibre group (8 g/d of oligofructose-enriched inulin) or b) placebo group (3.3 g/d of maltodextrin) for 16 weeks. Visual analogue scales indicate that the prebiotic fibre group reported lower prospective food consumption and experienced greater feelings of fullness following meal consumption. Prebiotic supplementation significantly reduced energy intake at an ad libitum breakfast buffet in 11 and 12 year olds and increased fasting ghrelin concentrations. The prebiotic fibre group also showed a trend towards a greater reduction in BMI z-scores. This study demonstrates that the simple addition of prebiotic fibre to the diet of overweight and obese children improves aspects of appetite regulation.