In December 2019 researchers from Canada published the results of their study to assess whether dairy products reduced appetite and improved the postprandial glycaemic response in either young or older adults. A total of 30 healthy young adults (average age 23.5 years) and 30 healthy/overweight older adults (average age 65 years) were involved in the study. Each individual consumed one serving of skimmed milk, whole milk, plain Greek yoghurt, cheddar cheese and water after a 12 hour fast. Subjective appetite was assessed every 15-30 minutes over a 3 hour period whilst blood glucose levels were measured at the start of the study and every 15-30 minutes over a 2 hour period. Results showed that each dairy serving reduced the appetite by between 8-17% more than water. Greek yoghurt reduced appetite by an additional 9% than skimmed milk and by 7% for whole milk. The blood glucose level 2 hours after each dairy serving was 42% lower in young adults when compared to older adults. It was also 52-78% lower following a serving of cheese when compared to the servings of both milks and yoghurt. The researchers concluded that single servings of dairy have a different effect on postprandial satiety and glycaemia which should be taken into consideration when managing the metabolic syndrome (symptoms of the metabolic syndrome include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels and together can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes type 2).
Vien S et al. Role of single serving form of dairy on satiety and postprandial glycaemia in young and older healthy adults. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2019 Dec;44(12):1289-1296