Why tackling appetite could hold the key to preventing childhood obesity

A heartier appetite is linked to more rapid infant growth and to genetic predisposition to obesity, according to two new papers. The studies investigated how weight gain is linked to two key aspects of appetite, namely lower satiety responsiveness (a reduced urge to eat in response to internal 'fullness' signals) and higher food responsiveness (an increased urge to eat in response to the sight or smell of nice food). The research suggests that satiety sensitivity could be targeted for pharmacological and behavioural interventions, to prevent or treat obesity, the authors state.

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