Why do we decide to eat?

Simply put, we eat for two reasons. Homeostatic eating: We eat to get the energy our body needs, and to keep our biological system balanced (aka homeostasis). Hedonic eating: We eat for pleasure (aka hedonism), or to manage our emotions. Most meals are a mix of homeostatic and hedonic eating.

We do know that ghrelin, the “hunger hormone”, stimulates our appetite. It peaks just before meals, and falls during and immediately after eating. Yet ghrelin is not the only factor in hunger or the decision to eat. For example, research shows that mice without ghrelin still eat regularly, just like mice with ghrelin.hy do we decide to eat?

Simply put, we eat for two reasons. Homeostatic eating: We eat to get the energy our body needs, and to keep our biological system balanced (aka homeostasis). Hedonic eating: We eat for pleasure (aka hedonism), or to manage our emotions. Most meals are a mix of homeostatic and hedonic eating.

We do know that ghrelin, the “hunger hormone”, stimulates our appetite. It peaks just before meals, and falls during and immediately after eating. Yet ghrelin is not the only factor in hunger or the decision to eat. For example, research shows that mice without ghrelin still eat regularly, just like mice with ghrelin.

Although taking in nutrients is as old as biology, we still don’t know why and how humans get hungry and decide to start eating. Hunger and eating are shaped by many factors, including:

• Our genes – biological determinants such as hunger, appetite, and taste
• Social determinants such as culture, family, peers and meal patterns.
• Economic determinants such as cost, income, availability.
• Physical determinants such as access, education, skills (e.g. cooking) and time.
• Circadian rhythm, our natural body clock, is synchronized with your external environment through cues like exposure to light and the timing of your meals.
• Our hormones, Ghrelin is a hormone that increases appetite, and also plays a role in body weight.
• Psychological determinants such as mood, stress, and guilt.
• Attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge about food.