The ischymetric control of feeding

The physiological mechanism of the control of feeding is analyzed in the light of the ischymetric hypothesis which proposes that feeding is controlled by the intensity of the metabolism free from the energetic cost of muscular effort. This part of the metabolism was designated métabolisme de fond. To measure métabolisme de fond in relation to feeding a specific metabolic device has been developed. It was shown that métabolisme de fond decreased before meals, either spontaneously or experimentally induced. Métabolisme de fond reached its zenith when the meal ended; i.e. métabolisme de fond is an excellent predictor of feeding responses. On the contrary, the respiratory quotient, which reflects the ratio of glucose to fat utilization did not exhibit any specific change in favor of a glucostatic or lipostatic mechanism. Therefore, it is proposed that the ischymetric model of feeding expresses the physiological mechanism of the control of feeding better than the various moleculostatic hypotheses, and particularly the glucostatic hypothesis.