Physiology of Eating

Abstract

Introduction to the basic knowledge necessary for an understanding of the physiology and pathology of hunger, satiation, satiety, and body weight regulation, how this knowledge is generated, and how it helps improve nutritional advice for healthy people as well as nutritional guidelines for patients.

Objective

This course requires basic knowledge in physiology. The course covers psychological and physiological determinants of food selection and amount eaten. The aim is to introduce the students to (a) the basic knowledge necessary for an understanding of the physiology and pathology of hunger, satiation, satiety, and body weight regulation, (b) how new scientific knowledge in this area is generated, (c) how this basic knowledge helps improve nutritional advice for healthy people as well as nutritional guidelines for patients. Major topics are: Basic scientific concepts for the physiological study of eating in animals and humans; the psychopharmacology of reward; endocrine and metabolic controls of eating; the neural control of eating; psychological aspects of eating; eating behavior and energy balance; exercise, eating and body weight; popular diets and their critical evaluation; epidemiology, clinical features and the treatment of psychiatric eating disorders; epidemiology, clinical features and the treatment of obesity, including related aspects of non-insulin dependent diabetes; mechanisms of cachexia and anorexia during illness; exogenous factors that influence eating, including pharmaceutical drugs, alcohol, coffee, etc.

Resources