Exploring the effects of high protein versus high fat snacks on satiety, gut hormones and insulin secretion in women with overweight and obesity: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Nuts generally blunt the postprandial increases in glucose levels and increase satiety, while yogurt studies yield inconclusive results regarding post-meal hunger. This study investigated the effects of high-protein, and high-fat snacks, specifically Greek yogurt, and peanuts, on satiety, gut hormones, and insulin secretion in women with overweight and obesity. The hypothesis posited that peanuts would exhibit a more beneficial impact on satiety, gut hormones, and insulin levels compared to Greek yogurt. Methods: The two-arm parallel randomized trial involved fifty participants aged 30–40 years with a BMI between 25 and 35 kg/m2, randomly divided into peanut (n = 25) and Greek yogurt (n = 25) groups. After three days of adhering to 1200 Kcal diet, appetite sensations were gauged using a visual analog scale (VAS) upon arrival, and at 30- and 60-min post-snack. Pre- and post-snacking, plasma levels of cholecystokinin (CCK), Peptide Tyrosine-Tyrosine (PYY), Glucagon Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), Ghrelin (GHRL), and insulin were analyzed. Results: Revealed that Greek yogurt induced a statistically significant increase in satiety 30 min after consumption and markedly elevated postprandial insulin levels compared to peanuts. Moreover, notable intergroup differences in postprandial insulin concentrations were observed in the Greek yogurt group. The peanut group had no significant alterations in PYY, GLP-1, CCK or GHRL levels. Pre-snacking, GHRL levels exhibited a positive association with abdominal circumference, weight, and fat mass, while CCK levels displayed a negative association with abdominal circumference, weight, and fat mass. Conclusion: Greek yogurt may enhance satiety and thus has the potential to positively influence body weight in individuals with overweight and/or obesity. Further research is required to elucidate appetite control mechanisms. Trial registration: The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT 04518930).