People on a high-protein diet usually pick one meal a week to eat whatever they want — and when they do, they eat more that day but don’t feel any hungrier or fuller than usual.

Scientific Claim

In adults on a long-term high-protein ad-libitum feeding study, self-selected meals are consumed once per week on average and are associated with transient increases in daily energy intake without sustained changes in appetite.

Original Statement

“During the ad libitum portion of a 16 weeks research high-protein feeding study, 19 participants were allowed to eat up to one self-selected meal (SSM) a week instead of an intervention diet meal.”

From study:Self-selected meal composition alters the relationship between same-day caloric intake and appetite scores in humans during a long-term ad-libitum feeding study

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

This is a factual description of the study protocol and observed frequency, not an inference. No causal language is implied.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Self-selected meal composition alters the relationship between same-day caloric intake and appetite scores in humans during a long-term ad-libitum feeding study

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2023 Mar

People eating high-protein diets and allowed one cheat meal a week ate more calories that day but didn’t feel hungrier or fuller than usual, and their appetite returned to normal the next day.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Self-selected meal composition alters the relationship between same-day caloric intake and appetite scores in humans during a long-term ad-libitum feeding study

Score: 51

DOI: 10.1007/s00394-022-03040-5

Similar Assertions

Eating a meal you choose yourself makes you eat more that day and a little less the next day — but then you go back to normal.

92%

When people on a high-protein diet eat a meal they choose themselves, their total calories go up — but they don’t feel any different in hunger or fullness.

89%

Eating a meal with less protein makes you eat more calories — but not because you’re hungrier. Something else about the meal is making you eat more.

88%

Even when people eat more or less than usual because they chose a different meal, they don’t feel hungrier or fuller than normal.

85%

What you eat in one meal matters more for how many calories you eat that day than how hungry or full you feel.

85%