Better understanding of feeding behaviour will be vital in reducing obesity and metabolic syndrome, but we lack a standard model that captures
the complexity of feeding behaviour. We construct an accurate stochastic
model of rodent feeding at the bout level in order to perform quantitative
behavioural analysis. Analysing the different effects on feeding behaviour of
PYY3-36, lithium chloride, GLP-1 and leptin shows the precise behavioural
changes caused by each anorectic agent. Our analysis demonstrates that the
changes in feeding behaviour evoked by the anorectic agents investigated do
not mimic the behaviour of well-fed animals, and that the intermeal interval
is influenced by fullness. We show how robust homeostatic control of feeding
thwarts attempts to reduce food intake, and how this might be overcome. In
silico experiments suggest that introducing a minimum intermeal interval or
modulating upper gut emptying can be as effective as anorectic drug administration.