2017 Honorable Mention – Arianna Carley
Scale
This work was inspired by my research into the impact of satiety and nutrient absorption on weight loss and type II diabetes. Rather than a single cause or system dictating the weight loss or the amount of HbA1C (glycated haemoglobin) it is the systems interaction as a whole unit that can cause statistically significant change.
In order to depict the full interaction I began by drawing the typical human figure, including major digestion components such as esophagus, stomach, intestines, etc. The components that have the greatest impact on satiety are the esophagus and stomach, where the food is ingested and initially processed. Due to the acids involved, I highlighted these in an almost acidic colour. The sensors in the stomach signal to the brain whether or not the food consumed is sufficient to cause a feeling of satiety. Satiety is simply influenced by sensors and the speed of gastric digestion.
From the stomach the food flows through the pylorus and into the duodenum, a key component in nutrient absorption. The duodenum is coloured yellow as the stomach and stretching down to attach to the second part of the small intestines, hidden in the drawing by the overlap of large intestines. As you can see, the three components of the small intestines are different colours, this was done to help emphasize the fact that while similar in function there are three differing components to the small intestine: duodenum, jejunum, and the ileum. The ileum is then connected to the large intestine to do the final component of nutrient absorption. This process also involves removing the liquid from the stool. As the large intestine is the final stage in the nutrient absorption process, it is the final component emphasized in the drawing.
Finally, I included bones and a bit of hair and skin in order to demonstrate some of the components that the nutrients absorbed go to maintaining. Artistically, the graphing overlay is done to overlay the feeling of a scientific drawing and the drawing is of a woman as in the United States more women suffer from extreme obesity than men.