Intestinal bypass surgery produces conditioned taste aversion in rats.

Intestinal bypass surgery reduced the body weight of obese humans and rats primarily by decreasing food consumption. The present study reports that jejunoileal bypass surgery in rats produces a strong and persistent conditioned taste aversion to a novel-flavored solution with which it is paired. This finding indicates that the jejunioleal bypass produces a long-lasting malaise, which may be an important factor in the anorexia and weight loss produced by the operation.