When it comes to how we eat, including what foods appeal to us, the foods we end up choosing, how we gauge our hunger, and what we think we need to consume at any given time, it can be a struggle to know what our body and brain are telling us. In fact, it is impossible to do so. Much of what is going on in our brains and bodies when we choose what and when to eat is hidden from our conscious awareness.
One of the ways that food can confound us is that it brings us pleasure. We cannot just decide one day to start liking broccoli instead of ice cream.
Many of the hidden byways involved in food consumption have been spelled out by neuroscientist David J. Linden in his book, The Compass of Pleasure (2011).
Studies on humans, rats, and primates have shown that we all share a preference for sugar and fat, and often salt. It doesn’t stop there. Humans will veer off the straight and narrow when faced with foods that have an interesting combination of contrasting tastes and textures.
Linden also points out that we can get lazy about chewing. Fast food isn’t just about being able to pick it up in a flash. Often food is processed to take away the chore of chewing. Food is designed to dissolve in the mouth quickly. This is a slippery slope for many reasons. Food that slides down encourages overeating because it takes less time to consume. The pleasurable experience of eating may be bypassed, prompting individuals to look around for more food in order to get satisfaction.
No discussion about pleasure would be complete without mentioning the neurotransmitter dopamine and its relationship with the hormone leptin. It is a very complicated system but, essentially, eating stimulates the production of dopamine, known as the pleasure molecule.
Blocking or downregulating dopamine receptors will cause an increase in appetite. Leptin, which is secreted by fat molecules, is meant to diminish the perception of food reward, which partially signals satiety. However, carrying around an excess of fat cells will increase the amount of circulating leptin. This can flood the system, resulting in a downregulation of the dopamine response. The end result is that individuals may consume more food in an attempt to get a good dopamine (reward) response.
We know that our senses of smell and taste add quite a bit to our perception of what we are tasting and eating. The perception of smell and taste can vary greatly between individuals.
For example, greater sensitivity to the smell and taste of fat has been linked to a lower consumption of fat when making food choices. Conversely, a lower perception of fat can cause individuals not to register fat content and, thus, to eat more of it. Studies (2012, 2014) have indicated that lower perception of fat is linked to higher BMI and waist circumference.
A recent systematic review (2024) of genetic determinants of food preferences showed associations between certain genetic variants and desire for sweet and fatty foods. Other findings indicated that certain gene variants can affect preferences for food groups. That includes broad food groups like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, or even preferences for more specific tastes like vodka and white wine.
We are becoming more and more aware of the addictive qualities of ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods are designed to make us want to eat more of them by creating flavors and textures that wake up our reward center. These items are so palatable that they can induce impulsive consumption, including the inability to stop that consumption. At the same time, most of the nutrition is lost through processing, making the item a lost cause in terms of creating satiety or, of course, good health.
These are just a few examples of what is hidden from us when we are making food choices. These examples do not include other influences like culture, family, environment, socio-economic status, or other genetic factors.
Many of us have been frustrated when trying to lose a few pounds or make some changes to our eating habits that will contribute to better health. A meta-analysis from several years ago (2017) found that, worldwide, about 43 percent of adults had tried to control their weight in the past year. Of those individuals, counting calories, using diet products, following a specific diet, using meal replacements, or tracking food intake and exercise were common strategies.
And, yet, according to statistics from the University of Pennsylvania, 65 percent of dieters return to their pre-diet weight within three years. Other keepers of statistics indicate that the number is higher than that.
This tells us that we may try to tame our habits by using willpower or by following directions, but that will almost invariably fail. We are not just the sum of our habits (although they certainly play a part). We cannot simply attack the problem by trying to change some of our habits in a draconian manner, trying to impose a new regime on our bodies and our wills.
There are many reasons why we choose to eat the way we do, and many of those reasons are hidden from us. We may not be able to control our appetites or change our preferences. Little wonder that so many of us continue to struggle to do so.
Awareness of the issues can bring huge relief to guilt-ridden dieters. It also can help steer those wishing to change to healthier habits and achieve some weight loss to an approach that does not rely on dieting and willpower. Selecting a series of changes to make, slowly, over time that are based on each person’s unique circumstances and preferences is the way to work with the vast and complex hidden parts that often drive us.
References
Linden, D.J. (2011). The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, and Gambling Feel So Good. Penguin Group, New York, NY.
Haryano, R.Y., Sprajcer, M.A., Keast, R.S. (2014). Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans. J Vis Exp. (88).
Liang, L.C.H., et al. (2012). Fat discrimination: A phenotype with potential implications for studying fat intake behaviors and obesity. Physiology and Behavior. (105) 2, 470–475.
Hejazi, J., Roksaneh, A., Nozarian, S., Tavasolian, R., Rahimlou, M. (2024). Genetic determinants of food preferences: a systematic review of observational studies. BMC Nutrition. 10:24.
Santos, I., Sniehotta, F.F., Marques, M.M., Carraca, E.V., Teixeira, P.J. (2017). Prevalence of personal weight control attempts in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews. (18), 32–50.
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