Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Food Intake01:30

Regulation of Food Intake

3.1K
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
3.1K
Energy Balance01:19

Energy Balance

1.4K
The human body gets energy from the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Energy is released when the chemical bonds in the organic compounds present in the food are broken down. The energy content of food is measured in kilocalories (kcal), defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This value is determined by measuring the temperature change of the water surrounding a calorimeter after the complete...
1.4K
Primary Motives: Hunger and Thirst01:25

Primary Motives: Hunger and Thirst

1.6K
Hunger and thirst are fundamental physiological drives crucial for maintaining homeostasis and ensuring the survival of both humans and animals. These drives are regulated through complex interactions between the brain, hormones, and sensory receptors.
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus...
1.6K
Energy Budgets00:51

Energy Budgets

11.1K
Organisms must balance energy intake with the energy required for growth, maintenance and reproduction. These trade-offs result in a variety of survivorship and reproductive strategies, including semelparity and iteroparity. Semelparous species, like annual plants, have only one reproductive episode in their lifetimes and consequently have short lifespans. Iteroparous species, by contrast, have many reproductive events during their lifetimes but have relatively few offspring. These two...
11.1K
Regulation of Metabolism01:19

Regulation of Metabolism

12.1K
Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...
12.1K
Metabolic States of the Body: The Absorptive State01:25

Metabolic States of the Body: The Absorptive State

2.0K
During the absorptive state, which lasts approximately four hours after a meal, the body absorbs nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract. The carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids we consume are broken down into monosaccharides, amino acids, and free fatty acids for absorption. While carbohydrates and proteins are absorbed as-is, lipids are absorbed in their broken-down forms and then re-esterified into triglycerides within enterocytes before being packaged into chylomicrons. These absorbed...
2.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Estimating the UK population prevalence of eating in response to exercise, and exploring what factors are associated with eating in response to exercise.

Appetite·2026
Same author

How Micronutrient Status May Affect Eating Behavior-Hypothesis and Perspectives.

Nutrients·2026
Same author

Consuming an unprocessed diet reduces energy intake: a post-hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial reveals a role for human nutritional intelligence.

The American journal of clinical nutrition·2025
Same author

Exploring trait- and state-based dietary restraint using ecological momentary assessment.

Appetite·2025
Same author

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial With Open-Label Extension of Sirona, a Hydrogel for Weight Loss.

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)·2025
Same author

Key action areas for transforming the UK food system: insights from the Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) Programme project portfolio.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
04:48

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System

Published on: May 8, 2018

11.7K

Appetite and energy balancing.

Peter J Rogers1, Jeffrey M Brunstrom1

  • 1Nutrition and Behaviour Unit, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

Physiology & Behavior
|April 10, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Eating is driven by gut signals and food reward, not just energy depletion. Understanding this biological reality can help manage weight and combat obesity risks in modern food environments.

Keywords:
AppetiteEnergy balanceFood energy densityFood rewardHungerObesity

More Related Videos

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood
11:36

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood

Published on: April 28, 2016

9.9K
A Do-it-yourself System for Scheduled Feeding of Laboratory Rodents in Their Home Cage
04:49

A Do-it-yourself System for Scheduled Feeding of Laboratory Rodents in Their Home Cage

Published on: June 6, 2025

1.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
04:48

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System

Published on: May 8, 2018

11.7K
A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood
11:36

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood

Published on: April 28, 2016

9.9K
A Do-it-yourself System for Scheduled Feeding of Laboratory Rodents in Their Home Cage
04:49

A Do-it-yourself System for Scheduled Feeding of Laboratory Rodents in Their Home Cage

Published on: June 6, 2025

1.1K

Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • The common belief that eating is primarily driven by 'hunger' due to energy depletion is prevalent in public and scientific understanding of eating behavior.
  • Metabolic regulation is sophisticated in maintaining energy supply, yet it is loosely coupled with the control of energy intake, suggesting other factors are more dominant.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To challenge the prevailing notion that eating is mainly motivated by short-term energy depletion.
  • To propose an alternative model where eating is primarily controlled by gut capacity, food reward, and sensory properties, rather than immediate energy deficits.
  • To explore the implications of this model for understanding obesity risk and developing effective weight management strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a conceptual model comparing body energy stores to a bathtub and food in the gut to a saucepan, illustrating processing delays and feedback mechanisms.
  • Analyzed observations on appetite regulation, including acute responses to energy intake and expenditure, and chronic feedback related to body fatness.
  • Examined data on energy intake and weight gain dynamics in rat dietary obesity models.

Main Results:

  • Appetite is acutely reduced by energy intake (filling the 'saucepan'/gut) but not increased by acute energy expenditure (emptying the 'bathtub'/body).
  • Chronic, weak negative feedback on appetite is proportional to body fatness, as observed in rat obesity studies.
  • Energy-dense foods promote intake due to higher attractiveness and lower satiating capacity per kilojoule.

Conclusions:

  • Eating behavior is largely independent of short-term energy depletion, with gut capacity and food reward being primary drivers.
  • The accessibility and palatability of food, influenced by gut emptiness and sensory qualities, are key motivators for food intake.
  • Misconceptions about energy balancing may hinder weight control efforts; aligning beliefs with biological reality is crucial for effective weight management.