The Food Intake Phenotype: Assessing Eating Behavior and Food Preferences as Risk Factors for Obesity

The prevalence of obesity in the United States has reached alarming proportions with 33% of adults over the age of 20 being overweight. In some populations, obesity is even more prevalent. Although there have been a number of advances in our understanding of the genetics of obesity, the environmental influences on the genetic expression of obesity requires further investigation.

In an effort to understand some of the influences on the high prevalence of obesity, the present study was designed to investigate what drives how much people eat. More specifically, we will try to understand what drives food intake utilizing 1) questionnaires that assess eating behavior, 2) measurements in blood, urine or fat tissue, and 3) genotypic associations to investigate the various factors that control what and how much people eat. As food intake influences appetite-regulating hormones and vice versa, we also plan to assess the effect of short-term overfeeding on ad libitum intake and the appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin. Also, as the body's metabolism of carbohydrates may influence food intake, we propose to look at the effects of isocaloric high fat and high carbohydrate diets on short-term ad libitum intake. We will make these evaluations by assessing eating behavior, food preferences including usual fat intake and preferences for high fat foods, body image perceptions, and energy expenditure. It is hoped that the data gathered from this study will elucidate some of the risk factors for the development of obesity.