Dr Nick Read

The intestinal regulation of eating behaviour

Having shown that intestinal infusion of lipid will delay gastric emptying, probably by the release of CCK, we were interested to find out whether it would inhibit eating behaviour. The discovery that it did and was more potent than isoenergetic quantities of carbohydrate initiated a new area of research. Further studies revealed that the intestinal mechanisms regulating eating behaviour by lipid could be blunted by high fat diets, suggesting that physiological toleration of fat could contribute to obesity. Psychological needs could, however, override physiological control.

1. Welch, I.McL., Saunders, K. and Read, N.W. The effect of ileal and intravenous infusions of fat emulsions on feeding and satiety in human volunteers. Gastroenterology.1985; 89: 1293-1297.
2. Welch, McL.I., Sepple, C., Read, N.W. Comparisons of the effects on satiety and eating behaviour of infusion of lipid into the different regions of the small intestine. Gut. 1988; 29: 306-311.
3. Sepple, C.P., Read, N.W. Gastrointestinal correlates of the development of hunger in man. Appetite 1989; 13: 183-191.
4. French, S.J., Murray, B., Rumsey, R.D.E., Sepple, C.P., Read, N.W. Preliminary studies on the gastrointestinal responses to fatty meals in obese people. Int. J. Obesity 1993; 17: 295-300.
5. Read, N.W., French, S.F., Cunningham, K. The role of the gut in regulating food intake in man. Nutrition Reviews 1994; 52(1): 1-10.
6. French, S.J., Bergin, A., Sepple, C.P., Read, N.W., Rovati, L. The effects of loxiglumide on food intake in normal weight volunteers. Int. J. Obesity 1994; 18: 738-741.
7. French S.J., Murray B, Rumsey, R.D.E., Fadzlin, R., Sepple, C.P., Read NW. Adaptation to high fat diets: effects on food intake and plasma cholecystokinin. Brit. J. Nutr. 1995; 73: 179-189.
8. Cecil JE, Castiglione K, French SJ, Francis J, Read NW. Effects of intragastric infusions of fat and carbohydrate on appetite ratings and food intake from a test meal. Appetite. 1998; 30: 65-77.
9. Cecil JE, Francis J, Read NW. Relative contributions of intestinal, gastric, orosensory and informational influences to changes in appetite induced by the same liquid meal. Appetite. l998; 3l (3): 377-390.