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Researcher hopes to redefine obesity disscussion
Chris Russell
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A research paper titled "Hedonic hunger: a new dimension of appetite?" attempts to shed light on the topic of why humans overeat and how we can be addicted to food.
The paper examines people's eating habits and has been co-authored by Dr. Michael Lowe, a professor of psychology at Drexel, and Dr. Meghan Butryn, an assistant research professor with the psychology department.
Lowe states that there are two types of hunger we experience. There is actual hunger felt after not eating for several hours and there is, what he calls, "hedonic hunger," which is a hunger that is driven by pleasure in the absence of physical need. The study sees this hedonic hunger as an evolutionary trait that "…goes back to the hunter-gatherer days…" During that time, he says, humans would live off of the land and eat enough to stave off hunger. Since the food was relatively bland (berries, small animals and foliage for example), overeating with this low palatable diet was not really an issue. The body adapted to the rare occasion of the consumption of better-tasting food by eating a lot of it. Having this inherent trigger in the brain, he says, makes it difficult to not want to eat constantly given our current food culture.
There is not one specific macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates or fat) that Lowe sees as the culprit for over-indulgence, seeing as different people will find different types of food more desirable. However, he makes it clear that fats lend food to be highly palatable. One reason fat-laden foods taste good is that their higher fat content contributes to a higher concentration of calories - a trait in food that allows us to feel satisfied.
From this research, Lowe hopes to start a new position on the discussion of obesity. Whether the food itself is addictive or not is still debatable, but this new information demonstrates how food can have an addiction-like response in people. Being aware of this preoccupation with food in the absence of any short or long term energy deficit allows for a different approach to studying obesity and eating habits in general. Lowe says that the age-old strategy of "willpower" to lose weight will not help everyone. Measures can be taken to control your own food environment such as dining and buying healthy foods; though he is conscious that any sweeping societal changes will be highly opposed by "powerful corporate entities."
Lowe, who specializes in psychobiology of eating and weight reduction, says that at least half the problem with America's obesity epidemic is a culture where inexpensive, highly palatable foods are readily available. With two-thirds of the population obese, he is passionate about his work and hopes it will continue the dialogue on weight issues and in the long run, contribute to an ever-growing awareness of eating patterns.
The paper examines people's eating habits and has been co-authored by Dr. Michael Lowe, a professor of psychology at Drexel, and Dr. Meghan Butryn, an assistant research professor with the psychology department.
Lowe states that there are two types of hunger we experience. There is actual hunger felt after not eating for several hours and there is, what he calls, "hedonic hunger," which is a hunger that is driven by pleasure in the absence of physical need. The study sees this hedonic hunger as an evolutionary trait that "…goes back to the hunter-gatherer days…" During that time, he says, humans would live off of the land and eat enough to stave off hunger. Since the food was relatively bland (berries, small animals and foliage for example), overeating with this low palatable diet was not really an issue. The body adapted to the rare occasion of the consumption of better-tasting food by eating a lot of it. Having this inherent trigger in the brain, he says, makes it difficult to not want to eat constantly given our current food culture.
There is not one specific macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates or fat) that Lowe sees as the culprit for over-indulgence, seeing as different people will find different types of food more desirable. However, he makes it clear that fats lend food to be highly palatable. One reason fat-laden foods taste good is that their higher fat content contributes to a higher concentration of calories - a trait in food that allows us to feel satisfied.
From this research, Lowe hopes to start a new position on the discussion of obesity. Whether the food itself is addictive or not is still debatable, but this new information demonstrates how food can have an addiction-like response in people. Being aware of this preoccupation with food in the absence of any short or long term energy deficit allows for a different approach to studying obesity and eating habits in general. Lowe says that the age-old strategy of "willpower" to lose weight will not help everyone. Measures can be taken to control your own food environment such as dining and buying healthy foods; though he is conscious that any sweeping societal changes will be highly opposed by "powerful corporate entities."
Lowe, who specializes in psychobiology of eating and weight reduction, says that at least half the problem with America's obesity epidemic is a culture where inexpensive, highly palatable foods are readily available. With two-thirds of the population obese, he is passionate about his work and hopes it will continue the dialogue on weight issues and in the long run, contribute to an ever-growing awareness of eating patterns.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Elson Silva,Ph. D.
posted 10/12/07 @ 5:03 PM EST
You need to see obesity as a simple consequence from man changing the environment and violating energetic balance in nutrition.
Humans were developed in a hard environment with scarce food and a constant need for body exercise to search food and run away from predators. (Continued…)
moudou
posted 10/18/07 @ 4:02 PM EST
Pleasure is part of the saiety response. Bland food is just as likely to promte lack of closure of the eating impulse as discouraging it, as the brain strives to achieve full satisfaction. (Continued…)
moudou
posted 10/18/07 @ 4:51 PM EST
There is too much of an obsession with the same tired themes 'overeating', what is that exactly? If a person eats 2500 calories a day and is 300 lbs, that's 'overeating' right? But what if another eats the same and is 150 lbs, is it 'overeating' then? No, whatever fat people eat is 'overeating', this doesn't merit the term definition. (Continued…)
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