Biochemical Mechanisms Involved in the Regulation of Appetite and Weight

The overwhelming increase in the prevalence of
overweight and obesity in recent years represents one
of the greatest threats to the health of the developed
world and part of the developing world. Among
current treatments, gastrointestinal (GI) surgery
remains the only approach capable of achieving
significant weight loss results with long-term
sustainability. As the obesity prevalence approaches
epidemic proportions, the necessity to unravel the
mechanisms regulating appetite and weight gain
have garnered significant attention. It is well known
that physical activity and food intake regulation are
the two most important factors involved in body
weight control. To regulate food intake, the brain
must alter appetite. With this realization has come
increased effort to understand the intricate interplay
between enzymes, gut hormones (such as ghrelin,
leptin, cholecystokinin, neuropeptide Y, glucagon-like
peptide 1 etc.) and the central nervous system, and
their roles in food intake regulation through appetite
modulation. This review discusses the biochemical
mechanisms involved in the regulation of appetite
and body weight, and explores a suite of well
characterized and intensely investigated enzymes,
anorexigenic and orexigenic gut hormones, and their
appetite-regulating capabilities. Indeed, some
enzymes (such as fructose–1,6–bisphosphase and
protease inhibitor), gut hormones and brain are
involved in the perturbation of appetite and body
weight.