Food structure-mediated stomach-brain neural signaling controls gastric emptying

Obesity and diabetes pose a major threat to public health and brings huge economic and social burdens. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) plays a crucial role in the occurrence of the metabolic disorder by sending key information to the brain through nervous system to control food intake. Understanding the underlying mechanisms on how the food structure mediates the brain-stomach neutrally regulating digestion process, especially gastric emptying, is thus paramount for precisely designing food structure and for effectively controlling appetite and reducing diet-related disease. This review discusses the role of gastric emptying in the whole digestion process and the regulatory mechanisms of the nervous system in gastric emptying. Emphasis is placed on the impact of food microstructure and dietary structure on gastric emptying. We then consider how Western and Oriental diet structure influence on gastric emptying in different historical periods.