Why do people overeat?

Posted on Sun, 28 Oct 12

To answer this question a comprehensive analysis of the relation between lifestyle factors and increases in food intake was undertaken and 3 major reasons emerged.

Certain eating behaviors may explain why some people eat more than others and gain weight over time. To see which lifestyle factors have the strongest effect on acute food intake a research team filtered through the current science.

What the researchers found was that “the 3 most prominent lifestyle factors—television watching, alcohol intake, and sleep deprivation—had significant short-term effects on food intake, with alcohol being more significant than sleep deprivation and television watching.”

“Our results suggest that television watching, alcohol intake, and sleep deprivation are not merely correlated with obesity but likely contribute to it by encouraging excessive eating” they wrote.

The bottom line is that "prominent Western lifestyle factors, such as sleep deprivation, alcohol consumption, and television watching, promote increases in acute caloric consumption. These increases are likely related to a series of neurologic and endocrine adaptations, which result in an increased value for food reinforcers, predisposing an individual to food addiction, adiposity, and ultimately obesity. Fortunately, emerging evidence suggests that curtailing these lifestyles can reverse this trend."

So if you want to achieve or maintain a healthy weight by avoiding overeating; try limiting screen viewing time (television, computers, tablets, smart phones), getting a good nights sleep (7-8 hours) and avoiding alcohol.

Reference:

Chapman CD, Benedict C, Brooks SJ, Schiöth HB. Lifestyle determinants of the drive to eat: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Sep;96(3):492-7.