Distention of the small intestine, satiety, and the control of food intake

The studies reported here investigated the role that filling of the small intestine plays in the control of ingestion. Adding mannitol, a nonabsorbable carbohydrate, to a palatable solution reduced meal size in rats in proportion to its concentration. Intake is suppressed for the duration of time that the small intestine remains full. If dietary fiber, which sequesters water and swells, fills the small intestine sufficiently, it may act to suppress meal size and prolong the length of intermeal intervals.