Food intake responses to upper gastrointestinal lipid infusions in humans

Previous studies in humans and animals have shown that the presence of lipid in the small intestine can reduce food intake. Studies that have combined intraduodenal lipid infusions with gastric distension produced a greater reduction in food intake than when these two stimuli were separated. In this study, subjects received duodenal lipid (Intralipid 20%) infusions for varying periods before and during the consumption of a liquid test meal. The aim of this procedure was to maximise the interaction between intestinal nutrient stimulation and gastric distension. A dose-dependent decrease in food intake was observed that corresponded to the duration of infusion; 90- (180 kcal) and 45-min (90 kcal) infusions but not 15-min (30 kcal) infusions significantly reduced intake compared to saline. These results show that concomitant intestinal nutrient stimulation and gastric distension is an effective test for the measurement of suppression of food intake by intestinal nutrients.