Relation between body weight and the gastric and intestinal handling of an oral caloric load

The gastric and intestinal handling of a standard liquid 300-ml meal (0.89 kcal/ml) was examined in 10 healthy, non-obese subjects by a quantitative multiple-indicator dilution technique. Such a meal contains about one-tenth of the daily energy requirements. The heavier the subject the more energy was transferred from the stomach to the intestine during the first 80 minutes after taking the meal. A high body weight was also associated with a rapid transit through the proximal 70 cm of intestine and the passing of a substantial part of the meal calories to the lower intestine. These circumstances favour a fast incorporation of fed calories. In subjects with lower body weights eneryg was delivered more slowly from the stomach. The absorbed an equal amount of energy in the proximal intestine as did the heavier subjects, but during the longer transit times. The percentage absorption in the investigated segment was therefore higher.