Page 3 - Nutrinsight-1

1 The regulation of appetite is a vital component of general health – both physical and psychological.
Editorial
Professor John Blundell
Director of the Institute of Psychological Sciences University of Leeds, UK
The regulation of appetite is a vital component of general health – both physical and psychological.
Food itself plays a role in maintaining energy balance, providing pleasure and sensory satisfaction and forming part of socio-cultural life.
The pattern of eating, selection of foods consumed and the enjoyment of food allow a person to fit harmoniously into the culture in which they live. Moreover, from a psychological point of view, eating should be a volitional act, free of stress, in which people experience a feeling of control and pleasure over the selection of foods and the amount eaten.
The society of many developed countries is often described as «obesigenic». This means that the environment stimulates the purchase of foods and encourages their overconsumption. In this type of environment, it is very difficult for many people to avoid overeating and therefore straying into positive energy balance; particularly if energy expenditure is rather low. Under these circumstances it is very important to understand the processes involved in the control of appetite, food preference and selection.
The foods selected for eating – either within meals or between meals – can exert subtle control over the pattern of eating and significant control over the total amount of energy consumed.
In this situation specific foods will be ‘functional’ and can help people to limit the amount consumed at mealtimes, and to manage hunger between meals. Used strategically the selection of appropriate foods could empower people to protect themselves against overconsumption whilst maintaining eating as a pleasurable act.
About the value
of controlling appetite
10 TH European Nutrition Conference Paris, 10-13 July 2007
[ It is very important
to understand
the processes involved in the control of appetite.]
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