Imprecise control of energy intake: absence of a reduction in food intake following overfeeding in young adults.
The objective was to examine the extent to which overfeeding reduces spontaneous food intake in humans. Twelve normal-weight adults participated in the three stage study. During the 14 day baseline period and 21 day recovery period, food intake was consumed ad libitum, beyond a minimum 5 MJ (1200 kcal) basal diet. During the 13 day period of overfeeding, each subject consumed 35% more energy than they consumed at baseline. Overfeeding resulted in a weight gain of 2.3+/-0.37 kg, (p<0.0001), approximately half the weight gain was determined to be fat (1.2+/-0.19 kg, p<0.0001) by underwater densitometry. Following overfeeding, mean daily caloric intake was not significantly suppressed returning immediately to baseline values. Despite normal energy intake, participants lost 1.3+/-0.24 kg of body weight (p<0.0001), of which 0.75+/-0.15 kg (p<0.0001) was fat. These results indicated that (1) the physiological control of eating behavior in humans is not the major mechanism responsible for the recovery of body weight following a period of overfeeding and (2) an increase in energy expenditure of 1.28 MJ (307 kcal)/day or about 14% was required to account for the weight loss following overfeeding.
Levitsky
David A
DA
Division of Nutritional Sciences, 112 Savage Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6301, USA. dal4@cornell.edu
Obarzanek
Eva
E
Mrdjenovic
Gordana
G
Strupp
Barbara J
BJ
D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology