The Influence of Ingested Dietary Fat and Its Affects on the Gut and Brain

Obesity and overeating affect many functions of the body including increasing amounts of certain hormones and the storage of fat. Digestive processes influence the digestion and absorption of fats in the gut and these functions can be altered when overeating occurs or a person is obese. The type of fat and the length of a fatty acid chain also contribute to a person’s ability to digest and store fat appropriately. Physiological responses to fatty acids, the release of insulin and regulation of glucose levels are different in obese people. There are also specific receptors that, when activated or inhibited, can alter physiological responses as well. Many areas of the brain have been shown to be involved in feeding behaviors and to regulate the amount of food ingested during a meal. The hypothalamus, nucleus of the solitary tract, area postrema, and paraventricular nucleus are a few of the important areas of the brain that can be modified by obesity and overeating. Peptides, neurotransmitters, and lesions are able to reverse or excite the functions of the brain that regulate food ingestion. Research is being conducted to try to understand the importance of how dietary fat influences digestive behavior. This paper reviews each of these aspects of the above influences on that ingestion of fat.