Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats
Published on: June 27, 2014
Mechanisms of metabolic fuel selection: modeling human metabolism and body-weight change
1Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12A South Drive, Room 4007, Bethesda, MD 20892-5621, USA. kevinh@niddk.nih.gov
Abstract:
Casual observation of any magazine rack or browsing the diet section of any bookshop provides convincing evidence that weight loss is of great interest to the U.S. population. Americans spend more than US$30 billion/year on weight-loss products, and the health cost of obesity was recently estimated to be as high as US$147 billion/year. Understanding the development of obesity and how excess weight can be lost requires knowledge of the physiological mechanisms by which the body uses food to provide fuel for metabolism and how the body copes with imbalances between fuel delivery and utilization.
Related Concept Videos
Pharmacokinetic Models: Comparison and Selection Criterion
Physiological models take a detailed approach by considering specific molecular processes. They can predict drug distribution, metabolism, and elimination changes, providing a comprehensive understanding of how drugs interact with the body.
Mechanistic Models: Overview of Compartment Models
Introduction to Metabolism
Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
Mechanistic Models: Compartment Models in Individual and Population Analysis
Overview of Metabolism
Plant Metabolism
Sunlight, the primary source of energy in plants, is first absorbed by the chlorophyll pigments present in their leaves. Plants then use this energy to carry out photosynthesis, where water is oxidized into oxygen and carbon dioxide...

