The effect of low-fat diets on appetite: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND

Adherence to low-fat (LF) diets may be inversely associated with appetite; however, findings from available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are conflicting. The present study aimed to systematically review RCTs assessing the effects of LF diets on appetite status in adult participants.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from the inception of the database to June 2, 2024, for RCTs that evaluated the effects of LF diets (≤ 30% total energy from fat), versus high-fat (HF, > 30% total energy from fat) diets on appetite status. No language restrictions were applied.

RESULTS

Initially, 2471 articles were identified, of which nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies examined the effect of LF diets on hunger response, three of which reported a significantly lower hunger response. LF diets did not exert an effect on satiety, desire to eat, and palatability. Only one study showed that the LF diet, compared to the HF diet, had greater decreases in their total appetite score over a 6-month period.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that there were little or no additional benefits in changes to appetite status following LF diets in adults. However, due to methodological factors, shortcomings among studies and small number of studies, the current evidence on the effect of LF diets on appetite regulation is poor. Further long-term trials are needed to investigate the effect of LF diets on appetite and appetite-regulating hormones.