Intragastric pressure as a determinant of food intake

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2012 Jul;24(7):612-5, e267-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2012.01911.x. Epub 2012 Apr 22.

Abstract

Background: Different studies indicated a correlation between intragastric pressure (IGP) and satiation. Our aim was to investigate this correlation while artificially increasing the IGP.

Methods: In 12 fasted healthy volunteers an infusion catheter and a manometry probe were positioned intragastrically. Intragastric pressure was increased using a custom-made belt before or progressively during intragastric nutrient infusion. Nutrient drink (1.5 kcal mL(-1)) was intragastrically infused at 60 mL min(-1) . The subjects scored satiation using a 6-point Likert scale until maximum, when the infusion ended and the belt was released. Results are presented as mean ± S.E.M. and compared using a paired t-test.

Key results: When the belt was tightened before the nutrient infusion, fasting IGP was significantly increased (13.6 ± 1.3 vs 9.6 ± 0.9 mmHg; P < 0.05) but no differences in satiation could be observed. When progressively tightening the belt during nutrient infusion the IGP increased with 0.43 ± 0.04 mmHg per minute while in control experiments this was 0.28 ± 0.05 mmHg per minute (P < 0.01). During the latter experiment satiation linearly increased with 0.35 ± 0.03 and 0.29 ± 0.02 units per minute until maximal satiation (P < 0.01) while maximum volume consumed was 926 ± 66 and 1095 ± 82 mL when progressively increasing the IGP vs control respectively (P < 0.01).

Conclusions & inferences: These findings indicate that IGP per se does not affect satiation but that a gradual IGP increase during food intake is associated with decreased food intake, indicating that gastric accommodation is an important determinant of food intake.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Compliance / physiology*
  • Eating / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Manometry
  • Pressure
  • Satiation / physiology*
  • Stomach / physiology*