APPETITE

Appetite

Appetite is the desire to eat food, felt as hunger. Appetite exists in all higher life-forms, and serves to regulate adequate energy intake to maintain metabolic needs. It is regulated by a close interplay between the digestive tract, adipose tissue and the brain. Appetite has a relationship with every individual's behavior. Appetitive and consummatory behaviours are the only processes that involve energy intake, whereas all other behaviours affect the release of energy. When stressed, appetite levels may increase and result in an increase of food intake. Decreased desire to eat is termed anorexia, while polyphagia is increased eating. Dysregulation of appetite ...

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appetite

Noun

  1. Desire for, or relish of, food or drink; hunger.
  2. Any strong desire; an eagerness or longing.
  3. The desire for some personal gratification, either of the body or of the mind.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: appetite
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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