Usefulness of the satiety quotient in a clinical pediatric obesity context

While the satiety quotient (SQ) is increasingly used in pediatric populations, the present study assessed its reliability and reproducibility in adolescents with obesity.

Sixty-eight adolescents with obesity were enrolled. Anthropometric measurements and body composition (DXA) were assessed. They randomly completed two experimental sessions: (i) condition with a standardized breakfast used to calculate SQ (C1); (ii) condition with the same breakfast and ad libitum lunch and dinner buffet meals (C2). Appetite feelings were assessed at regular interval (visual analog scales).

SQ for hunger (SQH), satiety (SQS), prospective food consumption (SQP), and desire to eat (SQD) were calculated using the breakfast. SQH, SQD, and SQ mean did not differ between conditions (p = 0.41, 0.57, and 0.74, respectively) whereas SQS and SQP were significantly different between conditions (p = 0.007 and 0.005). None of the SQ was correlated with body weight (BW), BMI, or FM. There was no significant correlation between the SQ and the adolescent's ad libitum energy intake (lunch, dinner, and total). No differences were observed between adolescents with a low and high phenotype for BW, BMI, and FM% (p = 0.26, 0.30, and 0.83); total energy (p = 0.21); total protein intake (p = 0.28); total fat intake (p = 0.24) and total carbohydrate intake (p = 0.44). Thirty percent of the adolescents showed different satiety phenotype (low vs. high) between C1 and C2.

While the SQ is a reliable indicator in adults, it must be used with caution in adolescents with obesity due to its lack of association with anthropometric measurements, body composition, and energy and macronutrient intakes in this population.