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Is obesity an eating disorder?
1Dept of Human Nutrition, Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, U.K.
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Obesity results from a long-term imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Research suggests obesity stems from a failure in long-term appetite regulation, influenced by cognitive factors.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic disorders
- Human physiology
- Appetite regulation
Background:
- Obesity is a complex condition where energy intake consistently surpasses energy expenditure.
- Excess body weight, approximately 7000 kcal/kg, accumulates due to this energy imbalance.
- Theoretically, obesity can result from reduced energy expenditure or increased energy intake.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying regulatory mechanisms of energy balance in obesity.
- To explore potential defects in short-term and long-term regulation of energy intake.
- To identify the role of cognitive factors in the development of obesity.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing studies on energy expenditure and intake in obese individuals.
- Analysis of data on short-term regulation of energy intake.
- Hypothesis formulation based on current physiological and psychological understanding of appetite control.
Main Results:
- Obese individuals, on average, expend more energy than normal-weight individuals.
- Despite claims of lower intake, obese individuals require higher energy intake to maintain their weight.
- No significant defects in the short-term regulation of energy intake were found in obese subjects.
Conclusions:
- Obesity is likely a disorder of long-term energy intake regulation, not solely short-term control.
- Cognitive factors appear to play a crucial role in the failure of long-term appetite regulation in obesity.
- Further research into the interplay of physiological and cognitive mechanisms is warranted.