Hunger changes our eating habits: New study shakes up nutrition!

Hunger changes our eating habits: New study shakes up nutrition!

A current study by the University of Hamburg examines the connections between hunger and dietary choices. Under the direction of Jennifer March and Prof. Dr. Sebastian Gluth researched how hunger affects perception and cognitive decisions when choosing food in 70 adults from Hamburg.

Published in the specialist magazine “eLife”, the participants went through two test loops: once hungry and once full. When choosing between healthy and unhealthy foods, the Nutri-Score was displayed, while eye tracking was used to measure the subjects' attention. The results show that hungry people increasingly choose foods that taste good and pay less attention to nutritional information. These decisions were also made more quickly.

Results and implications of the study

The findings suggest that nutritional labels such as Nutri-Score alone are not enough to encourage healthy choices. Future interventions should focus more attention on healthy aspects, for example by using visual highlighting. These findings address the question of the extent to which the current nutritional labeling system actually improves consumers' actual diets.

The argument is supported by further developments in nutritional research and policy. This is how they support Consumer advice center Suggestions to adjust the Nutri-Score to better respond to consumer needs. A planned market check shows the necessity of these adjustments. Particularly noteworthy is the proposal to adjust the reference value for sugar content in the Nutri-Score from 90 to 50 grams per day. This proposal is closer to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Cultural influences on eating behavior

The context of nutrition is also confirmed by cultural ideas. An article by Christoph Klotter shows that eating habits are strongly influenced by cultural influences. Different cultures have different nutritional traditions that influence people's behavior and way of thinking. In modern affluent society, food intake is often restrictively controlled, which raises questions about self-control and discipline.

In addition, it should be noted that eating behavior is learned in the family of origin, which increases the influence of social classes on eating habits. In order to bring about long-term changes in eating behavior, mere knowledge of healthy eating alone is not enough. Professional advice from ecotrophologists or psychotherapists may be required.

The discussion about the effectiveness of the Nutri-Score and similar labeling systems is becoming increasingly complex because it depends heavily on individual and cultural aspects of nutrition. A society-wide effort to promote healthy eating habits, for example through the creation of green spaces and playgrounds, is considered necessary in order to improve the health situation of the population in the long term.

In summary, the combination of cognitive factors, cultural influences and evidence-based nutritional approaches requires a broader approach to combat nutrition-related diseases, such as Medical Journal describes.