Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats are hyperphagic relative to control, non-mutant Long Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats. This study sought to assess whether OLETF overeating is associated with changes in gastric emptying rates or detection of gastric volume. We performed experiments in both 12 wk and 29 wk old OLETF and LETO rats. Gastric emptying of 5g chow was not significantly different between strains at either 1, 2, or 4 hrs post meal. When tested with ad libitum access to chow, there were no significant differences in gastric emptying between strains despite OLETF consuming significantly more chow than LETO. Five min gastric emptying of 5 ml isosmotic and hyperosmotic saline or glucose load was not significantly different between strains. When the stomach was distended with a 15 ml semi-solid chow load there was no significance difference in emptying at either 1 or 2 hrs. No significant differences in gastric emptying were detected between 12 and 29 wk old rats, under any conditions. Both young and old OLETF, however, reduced sham intake significantly less compared to LETO during a brief period of gastric distension by 5 ml or 10 ml balloon inflation. Finally, OLETF showed decreased Fos expression in the nucleus of the solitary tract relative to LETO following 8 ml gastric distension. These findings demonstrate that OLETF rats do not express deficits in controlling gastric emptying rates, however, they exhibit decreased behavioral and vagal responsiveness to gastric distension that may contribute to increased meal size in these animals.