How Hunger & Appetite Are Controlled & Expressed in The Body

How Hunger & Appetite Are Controlled & Expressed in The Body

There are various mechanisms by which hunger and appetite are controlled and expressed in the body. These mechanisms include the release of hormones, the activity of the digestive system, and the activity of the nervous system. Releasing hormones is one of the main mechanisms by which hunger and appetite are controlled. Hunger is regulated by the hormones leptin and ghrelin. Ghrelin is a stomach hormone that stimulates hunger. Leptin is secreted by the fat cells and decreases appetite. Appetite is also regulated by the hormones cholecystokinin and peptide YY (Yeung & Tadi, 2020). Cholecystokinin is secreted by the small intestine and decreases appetite. Peptide YY is secreted by the large intestine and also decreases appetite. The activity of the digestive system is another mechanism by which hunger and appetite are controlled. The digestive system produces various hormones that regulate appetite. The hormone cholecystokinin is secreted by the small intestine and decreases appetite. The hormone peptide YY is secreted by the large intestine and also decreases appetite. The nervous system’s activity is also a mechanism by which hunger and appetite are controlled. The nervous system produces various hormones that regulate appetite (Grannell et al., 2019). For example, the hormone ghrelin is secreted by the stomach and increases appetite. The hormone leptin is secreted by the fat cells and decreases appetite.

Many different factors contribute to eating disorders. Digestion is one factor that can contribute to eating disorders. Food is broken down into nutrients that the body may utilize for energy, development, and repair throughout the digestive process. Food selection is another factor that can contribute to eating disorders. The type of food a person eats can impact how the body digests and metabolizes the food. The brain is also involved in eating disorders (Santonicola et al., 2019). The brain regulates hunger and satiety signals that can impact how much a person eats. There can also be a variance in homeostatic mechanism inputs that can create eating disorders.

References

Grannell, A., De Vito, G., Murphy, J. C., & le Roux, C. W. (2019). The influence of skeletal muscle on appetite regulation. Expert review of endocrinology & metabolism, 14(4), 267-282.

Santonicola, A., Gagliardi, M., Guarino, M. P. L., Siniscalchi, M., Ciacci, C., & Iovino, P. (2019). Eating disorders and gastrointestinal diseases. Nutrients, 11(12), 3038.

Yeung, A. Y., & Tadi, P. (2020). Physiology, obesity neurohormonal appetite and satiety control.