Always hungry? That may be in your blood
IF you’re someone who feels hungry all the time, there may be a simple explanation.
Scientists say some people’s blood sugar dips very quickly after meals, increasing their appetite and making it harder to wait for the next meal.
And that can result in them eating more calories, a study suggests.
Researchers used stick-on glucose monitors to track blood sugar levels of 1,050 people after a set breakfast.
Those whose blood sugar dipped lowest were 9% more hungry on average two to three hours after the breakfast, it was found.
Compared to people with the smallest blood sugar falls, they ate lunch almost half an hour earlier.
Over the day they ate more than 300 extra calories, which researchers believe could add up to a 20lb weight gain over a year.
They say more tests are needed, as a blood sugar dip after breakfast may have a relatively small impact on overall appetite. But experts suspect those who experience a larger dip may have less glucose reaching their brain, triggering the circuits which drive them to eat more.
Professor Ana Valdes, who led the study by the Nottingham University School of Medicine, said: ‘Many people struggle to lose weight and keep it off, and just a few hundred extra calories every day can add up to several pounds of weight gain over a year. Our discovery that the size of sugar dips after eating has such a big impact on hunger and appetite has great potential for helping people understand and control their weight and long-term health.’
The study, published in the journal Nature Metabolism, measured blood sugar behaviour for two weeks. Each day subjects were given one of five set breakfasts.
They could eat what they wanted after a three-hour fasting period, and were prompted to record how hungry they felt on their smartphones throughout the day. When the quarter with the largest dip in blood sugar after breakfast were compared to the quarter with the smallest dip, they ate lunch 24 minutes earlier on average, eating 75 extra calories within the three to four hours after breakfast, and 312 over the day.
The biggest dip in blood sugar was seen in people who had the most high-carb breakfast.
That could explain why people who have too many fizzy drinks tend to become overweight, if this triggers a blood sugar dip which makes them feel hungrier.
The study did not take into account activity levels, sleep or other meals and researchers found that the age of the subject did not affect the results.
Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said: ‘It is an interesting finding, but needs further research to determine if it changes dietary advice.’