Investigating the impact of sedentariness on appetite control: A multilevel platform linking energy intake and energy expenditure.

We have investigated appetite control within an energy balance framework and examined the impact of variations in physical activity on the appetite response for a number of years. These studies (and other research) have demonstrated reciprocal relationships between energy intake and energy expenditure as Edholm (1955) predicted more than 50years ago. Changing the level of physical activity influences the control of appetite, and adjusting food consumption influences activity energy expenditure. These investigations have been extended to examine the impact of sedentariness on appetite control recognising that under conditions of low energy expenditure the homeostatic control of food intake is weakened. These studies are incorporated within DAPHNE (data-as-a-service-platform-for-healthy-lifestyle-and-preventive-medicine) an EU framework 7 project under the ICT programme. This project is designed to establish quantitative relationships between sedentary behaviours and markers of poor health. These data will be generated using advanced sensors and the information will be made available through cloud-computing technology to permit the development of healthcare programmes based on behaviour change. The body of experimental work will use the Leeds multi-level platform which monitors daily profiles of sedentary and active behaviour, with the measurement of body composition, satiety physiology (gut peptides) and homeostatic and hedonic processes of appetite control. This ongoing programme of research (together with the EU Framework 7 SATIN project) provides opportunities for industry and academia to examine the impact of foods on appetite control under varying levels of sedentariness and activity. Using Sensewear Armband (Bodymedia) and tri-axial accelerometers (ActigraphGT3X) we will examine how large variations in daily activity (sitting to very vigorous) are related to the homeostatic control of satiety.