Knowra Appetite Appetite Appetite is the desire to eat, shaped by bodily signals, sensory cues, learning, and context. It can arise independently of the body's immediate energy needs.
Hunger : A bodily state that motivates eating, commonly associated with energy need and physiological signals. Appetite can include hunger, but also arise without a strong bodily need for food.
Energy homeostasis : The regulation of energy intake and expenditure to maintain a relatively stable internal energy state. Appetite is one route by which the body adjusts energy intake.
Anorexia nervosa : An eating disorder marked by persistent restriction of energy intake, intense fear of weight gain, and disturbed body image. Its restrictive eating cannot be explained as a simple absence of appetite.
Taste : The sensory experience produced when substances stimulate receptors in the mouth. Taste qualities help determine which foods attract appetite.
Ghrelin : A hormone produced mainly by the stomach that promotes food intake and signals energy need to the brain. Its levels often rise before meals, linking bodily state to appetite.
Food craving : A strong desire for a particular food, often involving thoughts about its taste or reward. Cravings are specific forms of appetite, not simply general hunger.
Cachexia : A wasting syndrome involving loss of muscle and fat, often associated with chronic disease and inflammation. Disease-related appetite loss can contribute to cachexia, alongside metabolic changes.
Olfaction : The sense of smell, produced by detecting airborne chemical molecules. Food odors can trigger appetite before food is eaten.
Leptin : A hormone produced primarily by fat cells that signals energy stores and influences food intake. Leptin helps regulate appetite over longer timescales by reporting stored energy.
Satiation : The processes that bring a meal to an end by reducing the motivation to keep eating. Satiation limits eating within a meal, whereas appetite can return later.
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