Prebiotic Fiber as a Modifier of Satiety Hormones and Body Weight in Overweight and Obese Adults

Obesity is a primary health concern for many western countries as it is linked to several chronic diseases as well as, large health care costs. Although obesity is a multifactorial disease, it is known that levels of satiety hormones including glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY) are reduced in obesity. The ability of prebiotic fiber to promote weight loss through the production of satiety hormones has been tested previously using rodents. Here it was found that prebiotic supplementation resulted in a decreased energy intake, higher GLP-1 levels in the plasma and increased proglucagon mRNA levels in the gut. This study will address the important question of whether prebiotic fiber supplementation is effective in reducing body weight in overweight or obese human subjects.

Inclusion criteria

• overweight or class I obese individuals with BMI between 25 kg/m2 and 34.9 kg/m2
• stable body weight in previous 3 months

Exclusion criteria

• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• clinically significant cardiovascular abnormalities
• liver or pancreas disease
• major gastrointestinal surgeries
• are pregnant or lactating
• exhibit alcohol or drug dependence
• on drugs influencing appetite
• are following a diet or exercise regime designed for weight loss
• have a body mass greater than 350lb
• chronic use of antacids or bulk laxatives