Role of single serving form of dairy on satiety and postprandial glycaemia in young and older healthy adults

Dairy proteins reduce appetite and improve postprandial glycaemic response in adults. However, there are no reports of dairy in amounts usually consumed on satiety and postprandial glycaemia in either young or older adults. In a randomized crossover design, 30 healthy young adults (age: 23.5 ± 0.5 years; body mass index (BMI): 21.8 ± 0.4 kg/m²) and 30 healthy/ overweight older adults (age: 65.2 ± 0.5 years; BMI: 24.7 ± 0.6 kg/m² ) consumed 1 serving (according to manufacturers’ labels) of skim milk (0.1% milk fat (MF)), whole milk (3.25% MF), plain Greek yogurt (2% MF), cheddar cheese (31% MF), and water (energy-free control) after a 12-h fast. Subjective appetite was measured every 15–30 min over 3 h. Blood glucose and insulin were measured at baseline and every 15–30 min over 2 h. All dairy treatments reduced post-treatment subjective appetite area under the curve (AUC) over 3 h by 8%–17% more than water. Greek yogurt reduced appetite 3-h AUC more than skim and whole milk by 9% and 7%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Post-treatment blood glucose 2-h AUC was 42% lower in young compared with older adults (p = 0.003). It was also 52%–78% lower after cheese compared with milks and yogurt (p < 0.0001). Post-treatment insulin AUC after cheese was only 10%–15% of that after milks and Greek yogurt (p < 0.0001). We conclude that single servings of dairy differ in effect on postprandial satiety and glycaemia and merit consideration in management of metabolic syndrome.