In all vertebrates, food intake is a sophisticated complex of neurohumoral networks that convey signals between the brain and periphery, to modulate energy status. Gut hormones, such as peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, glucagon-like peptide-1, oxyntomodulin, and ghrelin, are modulated by acute food ingestion. In contrast, adiposity signals such as leptin and insulin are implicated in both short- and long-term energy homeostasis. The mechanisms of action of these substances are similar among vertebrates. Their regulation might vary with the feeding and reproductive state, and between different tissues and organs, and might also be affected by environmental parameters. The control of food intake is carried out by short-term and long-term regulation mechanisms. The short-term signals act primarily as determinants of satiety to limit the size of individual meals. Long-term signals communicate total energy stores, integrate over time, and interact with other systems that rely upon the energy status of the organism (e.g., growth, immune function, and reproduction). Both long- and short-term signals interact to influence the behavior and energy balance of the organism. We know that disrupted signaling in many of these systems leads to dramatic changes in feeding behavior and weight gain (or loss). However, fully understanding control of food intake will require knowledge of which peptides are involved, their expression patterns, their effects on food intake and metabolism, and how they interact with other effectors.

We invite investigators and experts in the field of food intake control to contribute original research and review articles, investigating the anatomical localization of the neuropeptides involved, their pathways, and their roles, including effects on food intake and metabolism, principle regulators of production and action, and interaction with other transmitters. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Evolutionary perspectives on food intake regulation
• Influence of different diets in the integrated control of energy homeostasis
• Central control of peripheral glucose and lipid metabolism
• Central control of energy expenditure
• Centrally and released peptides modulating reward in feeding
• Peripheral signals modulating reward in feeding

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal’s Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ije/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/ije/food/ according to the following timetable: