The gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is the main hormone of the incretin type acting on the entero-insular axis. It is released after fat, glucose or meal ingestion. The variations of this secretion are described in obesity and in some pancreatic and gastrointestinal diseases: it is increased in maturity onset diabetes mellitus, obesity or duodenal ulcer, variable according to the food taken and the severity of the pancreatic lesion in chronic pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis, normal in insulinoma and decreased in celiac disease. The impaired absorption of the food-stuffs and the defective feed-back regulation of GIP secretion by insulin are the major causes of these variations. To a lesser degree, gastric acid secretion, gastric emptying and vagal control may also influence GIP secretion.