The hyperphagia/obesity syndrome produced by paraventricular hypothalamic (PVH) lesions and that produced by medial hypothalamic (MH) knife cuts were compared in adult female rats. Each treatment produced hyperphagia and overweight on a chow diet, although the PVH effect was less than the knife-cut effect. Each treatment also produced qualitatively similar ingestive responses to unpalatable quinine- and sucrose octaacetate-adulterated diets and to palatable dextrose and fat diets during the dynamic and static weight-gain phases. The PVH lesions and MH cuts disrupted day/night feeding patterns and elevated water intakes but not water/food intake ratios. However, PVH lesions, unlike MH cuts, did not increase emotional reactivity. The relation of the PVH syndrome to the classic hypothalamic hyperphagia syndrome is discussed. Also considered is the neuroanatomical substrate responsible for the PVH hyperphagic effect.