Malian Thick Porridges (tô) of Pearl Millet Are Made Thinner in Urban Than Rural Areas and Decrease Satiety

Background: Changes in preparation, preference, and consumption of traditional staple foods between rural and urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa may be associated with the nutrition transition. Objective: Millet porridge thickness and postprandial hunger were investigated in Mali with the aim of understanding consumer preference and satiety properties. Methods: Rural and urban residents from 3 regions (N = 60) were surveyed regarding their porridge consumption frequency and thickness preference. Influence of millet porridge thickness on satiety was investigated. Ten participants consumed 4 porridges of different thicknesses (3 of millet and 1 thin porridge of rice) and rated their subjective hunger on 4 different days. Results: Thicker porridges were consumed more frequently in rural areas than in urban (P <.05). For the satiety study, thicker porridges induced higher satiety than thinner ones at 2 and 4 hours postconsumption (P <.05; Visual Analog Scale rating). A greater amount of flour, but not volume, was consumed for the thicker porridges (P <.05). Conclusions: Urban participants preferred and consumed porridges that are less satiating, potentially contributing to higher food consumption related to the nutrition transition in Africa.