Why do we get hungry and when do we feel full?
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- Hunger is a complex process involving multiple brain regions, primarily the hypothalamus, which integrates signals from the stomach, gut, blood nutrients, and hormones.
- Factors like habits, moods, and social environment, alongside internal rhythms influenced by daily cycles, hormones, and seasons, affect hunger perception.
- Stomach growling is a common indicator but not a reliable measure of hunger; it's a byproduct of digestive tract movement. Satiety is also complex, involving stretch receptors, gut hormones, nutrients, taste, smell, and expectations.
Hunger is not a simple signal but a complex interplay of physiological and psychological factors, according to Marjan Slak Rupnik from the Medical University of Vienna's Institute of Physiology.
Hunger doesn't work like the battery indicator on your phone that tells you when to recharge.
"Hunger doesn't work like the battery indicator on your phone that tells you when to recharge," Rupnik explains. The sensation of hunger originates in various brain regions, with the hypothalamus playing a key role. It synthesizes nerve signals from the stomach and intestines, information about blood nutrient levels, and hormones like insulin to create a comprehensive picture of the body's energy status.
Beyond these internal signals, our perception of hunger is significantly influenced by external and internal rhythms. Habits, moods, and social contexts play a role, as do daily cycles, hormonal fluctuations, and even seasonal changes. "Internal rhythms are involved," Rupnik notes. "Hunger changes throughout the day, can be affected by hormonal cycles, and shows seasonal differences in some people. Sleep, work hours, or light can override these rhythms."
Internal rhythms are involved. Hunger changes throughout the day, can be affected by hormonal cycles, and shows seasonal differences in some people. Sleep, work hours, or light can override these rhythms.
While many associate stomach growling with hunger, Rupnik clarifies that it's merely a byproduct of the digestive tract's continuous movement. "In the abdomen, we primarily perceive accompanying symptoms. Even when fasting, the movement of the gastrointestinal tract doesn't completely stop. Muscle contractions keep the digestive system ready for the next meal and can be heard and felt as growling when the stomach is empty, but they are not a reliable measure of hunger."
In the abdomen, we primarily perceive accompanying symptoms. Even when fasting, the movement of the gastrointestinal tract doesn't completely stop. Muscle contractions keep the digestive system ready for the next meal and can be heard and felt as growling when the stomach is empty, but they are not a reliable measure of hunger.
Similarly, satiety is a multifaceted experience. It involves stretch receptors in the stomach detecting fullness, along with gut hormones, nutrient intake, and even sensory inputs like taste and smell. Expectations and the palatability of food can also influence how full we feel, demonstrating that our eating behavior is far from a purely mechanical process.
Objective physiological measurements cannot be clearly transferred to subjective perception.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Die Presse in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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