What is Appetite Regulation?

Obesity is one of the great global health challenges that the World Health Organisation has classified obesity as an epidemic. Environmental and genetic factors are the contributors for the development of obesity. Several genes were found to be involved in the regulation of appetite. People who have mutations in these genes would have higher levels of hunger hormone in their blood that will stimulate hunger by sending signals to hypothalamus in brain. They will feel hungry again shortly after eating and tends to eat more.

How It Affects Your Body

Ghrelin is known as the hunger hormone which is mainly secreted by the stomach to stimulate appetite, increase food intake and promote fat storage. Meanwhile, eating reduces concentrations of ghrelin.

Levels of ghrelin will increase when fasting (in line with increased hunger) and are lower in individuals with higher body weight. This suggests that ghrelin could be involved in the long-term regulation of body weight.

If your body has an increased level of ghrelin, you are likely to have difficulties with maintaining a diet-induced weight loss. However, it is also believed that people with obesity are more sensitive to the hormone as compared to people with a leaner physique.