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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Digestion and Metabolism

Appetite

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

/ˈæpɪtaɪt/nounCore term

In nutrition & dietetics, appetite means: The natural wish or desire to eat. It is influenced by hunger, but also by emotions, habits, illness, medication and the sight or smell of food.

In Turkish: iştah

How it is used

Used by clinicians and clients alike. Patients may have a 'poor', 'reduced' or 'good' appetite, or 'lose their appetite'. The medical term for loss of appetite is 'anorexia', which is different from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. Medicines that increase appetite are called 'appetite stimulants'.

Example sentences

  1. His appetite has been poor since the operation, so we added two nourishing snacks a day.

  2. Some medications can increase appetite and lead to weight gain.

Common collocations

  • poor appetite
  • loss of appetite
  • lose your appetite
  • appetite control
  • spoil your appetite
  • satietyThe feeling of fullness after eating that stops a person from feeling hungry again for some time. Protein, fiber and volume in a meal tend to increase it.
  • malnutritionA condition caused by a diet that does not match the body's needs. It usually means undernutrition, but in global health it also covers overweight, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies.
  • snackA small amount of food eaten between main meals, or a type of food that people often eat in this way, such as fruit, nuts, yogurt or crackers.
  • eating habitsThe usual ways a person eats: what, when, where, how much and how fast they eat, together with the routines and feelings connected with food.

More terms: Digestion and Metabolism

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.