system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
If I am hungry does that mean I have spent more calories than consumed in the day?
gpt
Hunger is actually not directly dependant upon caloric need, although that is one influence. You can continue to desire food even though you may have already consumed over your caloric requirements. The hunger centre appears to be located in the part of the brain called the arcuate nucleus. A variety of inputs can influence it; hormones such as insulin will inhibit it, whilst a substance called ghrelin stimulates it.

Interestingly, when you are sick, inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines are produced as part of the body's response to illness. These also act on the hunger centre, inhibiting it, which explains why you lose your appetite when unwell.