Fish oil supplements decrease hunger in obese individuals when dieting

June 30, 2008
     Researchers recruited 232 overweight and obese volunteers with an average age of 31 and randomly assigned them to an energy restricted balanced diet and supplemented with either low (260 mg per day) or high dose (1300 mg per day) omega-3 fatty acids fro fish oils for eight weeks. The appetite measurements were taken during the last two weeks of the study. Consumption of the weight loss diet and the high-dose omega-3 led to fewer hunger sensations immediately after the test meals, as well as two hours later.
     Blood sample analysis also showed that a higher omega-3 concentration, and an improved omega-3 to omega-6 ratio were associated with higher satiety, reported the researchers. "The most important finding of this study is that subjects who eat a dinner rich in long chain omega-3 fatty acids feel less hunger and more full directly after and 2 hours after then their counterparts fed with the low long chain omega-3 fatty acids diet," wrote the authors. In other words taking fish oil supplements with meals while dieting decreases hunger. The study is published online ahead of print in the June 14th, 2008 edition of the journal Appetite.