Satiety quotient linked to food intake and changes in anthropometry during menopause: a MONET Study

It is unknown whether the satiety quotient (SQ) differs across the menopausal transition, and whether changes in SQ are related to changes in anthropometric/body composition variables. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in SQ and its association with energy intake and changes in anthropometric/body composition variables across the menopausal transition.

At baseline, 102 premenopausal women (aged 49.9 ± 1.9 years, body mass index 23.3 ± 2.2 kg/m(2)) took part in a 5-year observational, longitudinal study. Body composition (DXA), appetite (visual analog scales), energy and macronutrient intakes (ad libitum lunch and 7-day food diary) were assessed annually. The SQ (mm/100 kcal) was calculated at 60 and 180 min post-breakfast consumption.

Overall, the SQ increased at years 3 and 4 (p = 0.01-0.0001), despite no significant differences between menopausal status groups. Lower fullness, prospective food consumption and mean SQ values predicted overall increases in lunch energy and macronutrient intakes (p = 0.04-0.01), whereas only prospective food consumption and fullness SQ predicted energy intake and carbohydrate intake, respectively, when assessed with food diaries (p = 0.01). Delta SQs were negatively correlated with changes in waist circumference (p = 0.03-0.02), whereas delta SQs were positively (p = 0.04) and negatively (p = 0.02) associated with delta fat mass between years 1 and 5, and years 4 and 5, respectively.

These results suggest that variations in SQ across the menopausal transition are related to energy and macronutrient intakes and coincide with changes in body composition and waist circumference.