PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS WHY YOU BINGE: HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY TO FOOD CUES

Contrary to popular belief, hunger is only related to our eating behavior in a small way. In fact, studies show that people who are overweight have a difficult time determining when they are really hungry. Because of your weight, dieting history, and bingeing, your eating has become less related to the internal sensations of hunger and more to external factors such as the availability and appearance of food.

Many years ago, Dr. Albert Stunkard, the weight-control expert mentioned earlier, asked volunteers— some overweight, some not—to swallow a gastric balloon attached to a tube that was fitted to a measuring device. When the balloon reached the stomach it was inflated with water. Whenever stomach contractions occurred, indicating physical hunger, the measuring device was activated. All volunteers had been without food for approximately 15 hours. Subjects were asked to let Dr. Stunkard know when they felt hungry.

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Weight loss

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