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About the value of controlling appetite • NutrInsight
- distraction: the time spent watching TV programs increases the calorie intake, the frequency of meals, how long they last, the total lipid mass and the incidence of nibbling/snacking (155;156;157) something that is observed in children, teenagers and adults (158;159). The distraction produced by TV also has the effect of delaying satiation.
- the way the food is presented: just seeing food stimulates consumption by generating a sensation of «visual hunger» (152;160;161;162;163;164).
- the variety of dishes provided increases consumption (165;166;167).
To conclude, people are social beings subject to the complex influences of numerous factors linked to eating habits and environmental factors. However, two of these factors dominate eating habits: meal times and portion size.
Conclusion
The assessment of appetite, including hunger, satiation and satiety, is a complex task, as is its regulation. Thus, as soon as even a small fraction of the nutrients has been ingested, foods are already beginning to produce their satiating effect as a result of a series of anticipatory sensory, cognitive, pre-absorptive and post-absorptive processes. However, despite the precision of the regulatory system intended to maintain the energy balance, many parameters constantly disrupt this equilibrium: the foods themselves (for instance, palatability can lead to overconsumption), the physical and psychological characteristics of the eater or the environment are other factors that can interfere with the series of hormonal and nervous signals emitted by the body to produce this physiological regulation.
Thus, without overlooking the importance of the environment, of culture, etc. , it remains undeniable that the quality and quantity of the food ingested play a major role in controlling appetite and in satiation. In this sense, they are therefore the key factors that can be used to modulate eating.
The food industry can be an actor, in terms of public health and of the interests of the general population, to offer consumers foods that match their current needs. In the context of increasing obesity, the challenge for the food industry is to provide products which help the consumers to improve their appetite control.
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