Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26546790›Full record

ArticleFood & nutrition research2015

Anticipatory and consummatory effects of (hedonic) chocolate intake are associated with increased circulating levels of the orexigenic peptide ghrelin and endocannabinoids in obese adults.

Antonello E Rigamonti, Fabiana Piscitelli, Teresa Aveta, Fiorenza Agosti, Alessandra De Col, Silvia Bini, Silvano G Cella, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Alessandro Sartorio

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Food & nutrition research, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
21citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

21 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. Review
  5. The gut and heart's role in reward processing.Frontiers in integrative neuroscience · 2025
    Review
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  8. A nexus of lipid andFrontiers in endocrinology · 2022
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Antonello E RigamontiDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; antonello.rigamonti@guest.unimi.it.
Fabiana PiscitelliEndocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pozzuoli, Italy.
Teresa AvetaEndocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pozzuoli, Italy.
Fiorenza AgostiIstituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-endocrinological Research, Milan and Verbania, Italy.
Alessandra De ColIstituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-endocrinological Research, Milan and Verbania, Italy.
Silvia BiniDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Silvano G CellaDepartment of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Vincenzo Di MarzoEndocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pozzuoli, Italy.
Alessandro SartorioIstituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-endocrinological Research, Milan and Verbania, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHedonic hunger refers to consumption of food just for pleasure and not to maintain energy homeostasis. Recently, consumption of food for pleasure was reported to be associated with increased circulating levels of both the orexigenic peptide ghrelin and the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) in normal-weight subjects. To date, the effects of hedonic hunger, and in particular of chocolate craving, on these mediators in obese subjects are still unknown.

methodsTo explore the role of some gastrointestinal orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides and endocannabinoids (and some related congeners) in chocolate consumption, we measured changes in circulating levels of ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), anandamide (AEA), 2-AG, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and oleoylethanolamide (OEA) in 10 satiated severely obese subjects after consumption of chocolate and, on a separate day, of a non-palatable isocaloric food with the same bromatologic composition. Evaluation of hunger and satiety was also performed by visual analogic scale.

resultsThe anticipatory phase and the consumption of food for pleasure were associated with increased circulating levels of ghrelin, AEA, 2-AG, and OEA. In contrast, the levels of GLP-1, PYY, and PEA did not differ before and after the exposure/ingestion of either chocolate or non-palatable foods. Hunger and satiety were higher and lower, respectively, in the hedonic session than in the non-palatable one.

conclusionsWhen motivation to eat is generated by exposure to, and consumption of, chocolate a peripheral activation of specific endogenous rewarding chemical signals, including ghrelin, AEA, and 2-AG, is observed in obese subjects. Although preliminary, these findings predict the effectiveness of ghrelin and endocannabinoid antagonists in the treatment of obesity.

Indexed as

endocannabinoidsghrelinGLP-1hungerobesitypalatable foodPYYsatiety

Identifiers

PMID26546790
PMCPMC4636866

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.