Physiology of Eating - L1

1. Physiological Mechanisms of energy balance regulation are well conserved

2. Methodology/Ethics

3. Control of variables like environment, genetic variation, placebo effects

4. Repeatability

5. cost

1. Mice are not rats and not humans 

2. moslty male animals are used 

1. WHR

2. BMI 

- widely used

- does not take the body composition into account -> great disadvantage

- however, correlations are still seen between BMI & health risks 

1. Energy intake & energy expenditure 

2. Genetics & Environment 

Brown Adipose tissue -> UPC1 (uncouples ATP to produce heath without using muscular activity) 

-> NO convincing evidence yet that BAT as viable pharmacological target for BW loss (activation through pharmacological might even lead to increased heart rate and systolic blood pressure) 

Beta-2 Adrenoceptor = main target for pharmaceuticals to target BAT 

NO! No evolutionary reason why such a mechanism should have been developed -> unnecessary energy waste 

- cold environment & eating increase thyroid hormone secretion (they increase the metabolism in general) 

. Specifially increase heat production through an uncoupling effect: "endogenous uncouplers" 

NO! Polygenic: independent & interacting effects of genetics, epigenetics & the environment 

(monogenic diseases in relation to bodyweight are mostly related to leptin deficiency - but only makes up 5% of obesity cases)