Appetite regulation - does it exist?

Abstract

Appetite regulation and feeding behaviour are critical for survival. Through appetite regulation the proper amounts of fat, carbohydrate and protein are provided through specific signals, as has been demonstrated both in rodents and in man. Although feeding is necessary to provide energy, it also leads to severe perturbations in the homeostasis of the body. To help the body to maintain homeostasis various pre-meal events occur, such as the cephalic phase secretion of pancreatic juice, the production of satiety signals and the production of heat. The latter probably involves the action of uncoupling proteins present in the intestine. The diet-induced thermogenesis is hence important for achieving energy balance in the body. The increasing prevalence of obesity in the Western world is suggested to be a consequence of the overflow of tasty high-fat and sweet food items, which after ingestion override the original rules that we were once constructed for. Keywords: diet-induced thermogenesis, leptin, NPX opiates, uncouling protein