Swimsuit season is almost upon us. For most of us, the countdown has
begun to lazy days lounging by the pool and relaxing on the beach.
However, for some of us, the focus is not so much on sunglasses and
beach balls, but how to quickly shed those final five or ten pounds in
order to look good poolside. It is no secret that dieting can be
challenging and food cravings can make it even more difficult. Why do we
get intense desires to eat certain foods? Although food cravings are a
common experience, researchers have only recently begun studying how
food cravings emerge. Psychological scientists Eva Kemps and Marika
Tiggemann of Flinders University, Australia, review the latest research
on food cravings and how they may be controlled in the current issue of Current
Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association
for Psychological Science.
We've all experienced hunger (where eating anything will suffice), but what makes food cravings different from hunger is how specific they are. We don't just want to eat something; instead, we want barbecue potato chips or cookie dough ice cream. Many of us experience food cravings from time to time, but for certain individuals, these cravings can pose serious health risks. For example, food cravings have been shown to elicit binge-eating episodes, which can lead to obesity and eating disorders. In addition, giving in to food cravings can trigger feelings of guilt and shame.
To read the full, original article click on this link: The psychology of food cravings | ScienceBlog.com
Author: Eva Kemps
