Control of Food Intake in the Obese

Abstract

BLUNDELL, JOHN E., AND ANGELA GILLETT. Control of food intake in the obese. Obes Res. 2001;9: 263S-270S. Food intake (eating) is a form of behavior that is subject to conscious control. In practice, many obese and weightgaining individuals claim that their eating is out of (their) control. Mechanistic models describe the interplay of biological and environmental forces that control food intake. However, because human food intake is characterized by individuals intervening to adjust their own patterns of behavior, food intake should reflect interactions among biology, environment, and attempted self-imposed control of behavior. In general, humans display a system of weight regulation that is asymmetrical-a reduction in body weight is strongly defended but weight gain is not. The body seems to tolerate a positive energy balance. There is no mechanism that can detect a positive energy balance per se or that can implement a sufficiently strong correction to behavior to maintain body weight in an environment that promotes consumption. The evolutionary process has favored biological traits associated with preferences for high energy density (sweet and/or fatty) energy-yielding foods. The control of food intake in obese or weight-gaining individuals may display various risk factors that favor an increase in energy. These include the preference for high energy-dense over low energy-dense foods, weak postprandial inhibitory signaling, strong hunger traits associated with low leptin levels after weight loss, and the consumption of fatty foods. In addition, many individuals (up to 47% of some samples) display binge eating patterns, whereas ϳ16% show either night eating or nocturnal eating. Because energy expenditure is only loosely coupled to energy intake, sedentariness does not down-regulate food intake.

The effect of a medium-term activity- and diet-induced energy deficit on subjective appetite sensations in obese children

“…Some obese individuals anecdotally report not experiencing fluctuations in appetite sensations. 38 Our data shows that obese children do experience oscillations in subjective appetite sensations within a day, and that they are sensitive to medium-term reductions in EI and activity-induced increases in EE.…”

Modelling the associations between fat-free mass, resting metabolic rate and energy intake in the context of total energy balance

“…These 267 data suggest a fundamental (and robust) associations between RMR and the energy acquired 268 through food, and add to previous research indicating that the energy needs of the body may 269 well play an important role in day-to-day food intake (19)(20)(21)(22)24). 270 arising from adipose tissue and gastrointestinal peptides modulate a constant excitatory drive 273 to eat (34). However, the source of this excitatory drive has been poorly defined, with current 274 models of appetite control better able to account for the inhibition rather than initiation of 275 feeding (35).…”

Night eating and weight change in middle-aged men and women

“…1,2 One group of behavioural traits that may generate imbalance in the energy regulation by increasing energy intake, and hence possibly relate to obesity and weight gain, are abnormal eating patterns such as restrained eating, binge eating and night eating. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] The night-eating syndrome was described in 1955 as a condition characterised by morning anorexia (minimal or no calorie intake at breakfast), evening hyperphagia (at least 50% of daily calorie intake after the evening meal) and insomnia, and it has later been broadened to include night time awakenings with food intake.…”