Khaberni - A new medical report published by "The Guardian" reveals the fundamental differences between the concepts of "hunger" and "appetite", shedding light on the neural complexities that explain why many fail to resist unhealthy foods, and confirming that the contemporary food environment has "kidnapped" human biological systems.
Professor Giles Yeo, an expert in neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge, explained that the process of eating is controlled by three separate areas in the brain; where the "hypothalamic region" monitors energy and blood sugar levels to send signals of true hunger, while the "hindbrain" monitors stomach expansion to give a feeling of fullness.
The third driver is the "reward system" associated with dopamine, which is responsible for the desire to eat certain foods for pleasure only, even when fully satiated.
The experts in the report warned of the phenomenon of "hedonic hunger", where senses such as smell and sight, and even sounds like the "crunch" of food, can stimulate reward centers independently of the body's actual energy needs.
The report also pointed out the disruptive role of stress and mental strain, which weaken the frontal cortex's ability to control impulses, pushing the brain to crave foods rich in sugars and fats as a quick and easy fuel.
In related context, nutritional neuroscientist Timothy Frye pointed out that food companies exploit these biological vulnerabilities by engineering "hyper-palatable" foods that weaken over time the hormone receptors responsible for energy balance, such as "leptin".
The report called for adopting a strategy of "mindful eating" by pausing momentarily before eating to discern the true motive behind the desire, with an emphasis on the need for governmental policy interventions to improve the general food environment to combat diseases associated with poor nutrition.
