Food type, human physiology, and psychology factors affect food intake, perceived satiation, and satiety differently – an exploratory study

Numerous investigations have studied relationships between satiation, satiety, or food intake and single factors like food composition and resting metabolic rate. However, a comprehensive framework connecting food, physiological, and psychological factors together has not previously been reported. As an exploratory study with a trained panel consisting of nine participants, the contributions of twenty-eight variables (seven food, seven psychological, and fourteen physiological factors) to satiation, satiety, and food intake of a mid-morning snack were investigated. Both human factors and foods had contributions to perceived satiation and satiety, but with large differences in loadings, especially for metabolic factors. Food factors, including nutrient and energy contents, were major determinants of food intake, with only small contributions from human factors. Investigating diverse factors together provides a comprehensive approach linking appetite to both food and human factors. This study suggests the potential to guide manipulation of satiation, satiety, and food intake depending on individual psychological and physiological profiles.