ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to explore how dietary macronutrient composition influences postprandial appetite hormone responses and subsequent energy intake.MethodsA total of 20 adults (mean [SEM], age 30 [1] years, BMI 27.8 [1.3] kg/m2, n = 8 with normal weight, n = 6 with overweight, n = 6 with obesity) consumed a low‐fat (LF) diet (10% fat, 75% carbohydrate) and a low‐carbohydrate (LC) diet (10% carbohydrate, 75% fat) for 2 weeks each in an inpatient randomized crossover design. At the end of each diet, participants consumed isocaloric macronutrient‐representative breakfast test meals, and 6‐h postprandial responses were measured. Ad libitum energy intake was measured for the rest of the day.ResultsThe LC meal resulted in greater mean postprandial plasma active glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1; LC: 6.44 [0.78] pg/mL, LF: 2.46 [0.26] pg/mL; p < 0.0001), total glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP; LC: 578 [60] pg/mL, LF: 319 [37] pg/mL; p = 0.0004), and peptide YY (PYY; LC: 65.6 [5.6] pg/mL, LF: 50.7 [3.8] pg/mL; p = 0.02), whereas total ghrelin (LC: 184 [25] pg/mL, LF: 261 [47] pg/mL; p = 0.0009), active ghrelin (LC: 91 [9] pg/mL, LF: 232 [28] pg/mL; p < 0.0001), and leptin (LC: 26.9 [6.5] ng/mL, LF: 35.2 [7.5] ng/mL; p = 0.01) were lower compared with LF. Participants ate more during LC at lunch (244 [85] kcal; p = 0.01) and dinner (193 [86] kcal; p = 0.04), increasing total subsequent energy intake for the day compared with LF (551 [103] kcal; p < 0.0001).ConclusionsIn the short term, endogenous gut‐derived appetite hormones do not necessarily determine ad libitum energy intake.image