Effect of increasing the caloric/osmotic content of the liquid component of a mixed solid and liquid meal on gastric emptying in obese subjects.

A dual isotope scintigraphic technique was used to assess the effect of increasing the caloric content of the liquid component of a mixed solid and liquid meal on gastric emptying in control and obese subjects. For the two test meals used gastric emptying of solid was significantly slower in the obese subjects compared to the control subjects. In both obese and control subjects the substitution of 25 per cent dextrose for water as the liquid component of the meal resulted in a significant delay of both solid and liquid emptying. The magnitude of this change was similar in obese and control subjects. The results suggest that the duodenal receptor mechanisms which slow gastric emptying are not defective in obesity.