Food Can Hijack Your Well Meaning Brain
According to former FDA chief, David Kessler in his new book, The End of Overeating, millions share what he calls “conditioned hypereating” _ a willpower-sapping drive to eat high-fat, high-sugar foods even when they’re not hungry.
His book is being published next week and his research supports the disturbing conclusion of numerous brain studies: Some people really do have a harder time resisting bad foods. It’s a new way of looking at the obesity epidemic that could help spur fledgling movements to reveal calories on restaurant menus or rein in portion sizes.
Kessler told the Associated Press that ”The food industry has figured out what works. They know what drives people to keep on eating. It’s the next great public health campaign, of changing how we view food, and the food industry has to be part of it.”
Amen to that. It’s not that people with conditioned hyper eating can’t remain in control of their choices it’s just that it’s more difficult and for some people, especially for those under too much stress, feels impossible. It’s hard to argue with a hormonal response triggered by the scent of a warm chocolate chip cookie because the whole things happens without any input from you or me.
So will Dr. Kessler’s book change the way big business goes about the business of creating addictive foods? Maybe, maybe not but do you remember the energy he put in to getting the tobacco industry to admit that tobacco is addictive and causes cancer? Did you know that he’s the reason we have accurate and easy to understand nutrition labels on foods?
I think he will at least bring the conversation out into the open and shine a two ton high beam on the culpability of food manufacturers who use formulas intended to get people hooked on certain, highly profitable foods. You do know this is about money right?
Bravo Dr. Kessler, this is an important conversation whose time has come as 1 in 5 children in the US is overweight or obese. And more and more adults and children are succumbing to diabetes and heart disease.
2 Responses to “Food Can Hijack Your Well Meaning Brain”
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Bravo to Dr. Kessler and brava to you for bringing us this kind of information. I do think the food industry goes after us with all kinds of messages: visual, verbal, and especially emotional. Also, TV and films show tons of lithe, skinny actresses stuffing down loads of unhealthy food and they never gain a pound. Remember all those meals and martinis in “Sex and the City?”
You mean those were real martinis? I agree that the messages subtle and obvious-if you’re paying attention–that savvy marketers use are everywhere. And I guess it’s the job of good marketing to get to our pain and create desire. What bugs me here is this kind of issue where food companies knowingly concoct foods they have learned will create addictive behaviors hence more sales without making the public aware of it. Tobacco is safe ring a bell?