Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

food cravings 295
means of controlling how much they eat, though
this is a counterproductive effort because when
they eat they are so hungry that they eat too
much and often less than nutritious foods. Other
people may eat full meals at breakfast, lunch, and
supper because it is the pattern of eating they
have always followed. Snacking between meals
and eating on the go are habits that often result in
overeating as well as high-fat, high-carbohydrate
consumption.
Establishing and Maintaining
Health-Oriented Eating Habits
Planning for meals often instills a sense of calm
around the process of eating because the planning
helps take away the pressure of figuring out what
to eat and how to make the meal happen. Household
members can take turns being responsible for
meals, sharing both the responsibility and the
pleasure of the meal. Most people do better nutritionally
when they eat five smaller meals spread
throughout the day, though personal schedules
may make such an approach impractical, or three
meals a day with nutritious snacks between.
See also DIET AND HEALTH; FOOD CRAVINGS; NUTRI-
TIONAL NEEDS; WEIGHT LOSS AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT.
“fat burners” Products—foods, drinks, supplements,
devices, and other items—that proclaim to
reduce body fat without exercise or changes in
diet. Such products are not effective in this manner;
the only method for “burning” fat is for a person
to expend more energy through activity than
he or she consumes through eating. Some “fatburner”
products contain diuretics (substances
that draw fluid from the body to increase URINE
output). Some “fat burners” claim to spot-reduce,
or eliminate fat in a targeted fashion. For the most
part such claims are at best inaccurate and more
often deceptive. The body does not draw fat from
one location any more than another during
weight loss efforts. Rather the body draws fat from
fat stores throughout the body. Fat accumulates in
larger amounts in certain parts of the body
because these areas have more fat cells to accept
lipid storage. These areas tend to be the abdomen,
hips, buttocks, thighs, and upper arms. When
weight loss occurs, correspondingly more fat
leaves these areas. As well, fat loss in these areas is
more apparent because the fat collects in layers
just underneath the SKIN. Fat loss from the cheeks
and neck also appears noticeable early in the
weight loss process.
See also DIET AIDS; DIETING; WEIGHT LOSS AND
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT.
food cravings The desire to eat particular foods,
typically without correlation to HUNGER or APPETITE.
Some people speculate that food cravings suggest
certain substances are missing from the diet or
from consumption, such as salt when a person
craves salty foods. Others believe food cravings
originate as signals the BRAIN sends to satisfy its
pleasure centers. Changes in HORMONE levels in the
body, such as occur during PREGNANCY, appear to
initiate cravings for foods in sometimes unusual
combinations. Food aversions are also common in
pregnancy. Pica is the condition of craving nonfood
substances such as dirt or paper and may
indicate an iron deficiency.
Other food cravings appear emotionally driven,
such as those for comfort foods during times of
emotional distress. For the most part, however,
there are no clear scientific explanations for food
cravings, and everyone experiences them at some
time. As long as a person continues to eat an overall
nutritious diet, succumbing occasional food
cravings has no detrimental effect on health.
However, uncontrolled response to food cravings
may result in nutritional imbalances and often is a
key factor in overeating, overweight, and OBESITY.
It may also signal underlying emotional or psychological
disturbances.
Controlling food cravings is challenging and
highly personalized. Methods that are effective for
some people include
• diversionary activities that make succumbing to
the craving difficult (such as taking a walk or
bicycle ride)
• eating healthful alternatives to the desired food
(such as fresh fruit instead of candy or lemon
instead of salt for seasoning)
• HYPNOSIS to fortify the resolve to resist the craving