Blog 3: The End Of Overeating

    This blog is about a passage I read called "The End of overeating" by David A. Kessler, MD.  In chapter 6 Sugar, Fat, and Salt  Are Reinforcing, I was awakened by the startling fact that food places target consumers by highlighting what our body's desire and make their foods based on that. Our body's naturally like sugar, fat, and salt depending on an individual's tolerance for these ingredients.  According to the passage, studies have shown that we work harder for what we desire more than what we need.  These food places reinforce, or make people want even more, the consumption of these ingredients by first establishing a strong sense of desire for these foods.  The feeling we get during and after consumption of these foods cause the illusion of reward to our emotions, when in reality our body's don;t receive the reward where health is concerned at all. As I read more, Kessler discusses further discusses how these addictive ingredients then tend to attach to our emotions, preferably feelings of happiness and associate the setting with the food that initially caused this feeling.  This is another crafty way food companies target for the consumption of salty, sugary , and fatty goods. "Cues associated with the pleasure response demand our attention, motivate our behavior, and stimulate the urge we call "wanting"(pg.32, "The End of overeating"). If we immediately associate happiness and joy with a certain location which we have consumed something of fat and sugar, it becomes a desirable place to go because of previous experiences at the location. In the end, an example of what the finished product of a fast food joint like McDonald's works like this: When child is rewarded with a juicy, fatty burger with a sugary Coca-cola or see a McDonald's Ronald McDonald advertisement, the emotion of happiness cues them to have the urge of wanting this particular food again.  They know it will be heading back to Mickey D's with mom for more reward of happiness like before.