Hunger might be just a trick of the mind

A recent study suggests that sensations of hunger and fullness may be associated with individual expectations and perceptions about the meal, and not with how much food is on the plate.

How hungry we feel may depend on how much we think we’ve eaten, not on how much was actually on the plate, researchers suggest.

Several new studies have explored the link between the mind, perception, and various aspects of health. Medical News Today have, for example, covered research that tied physical fitness to the perception of one’s own activity levels and a study suggesting that feelings of pain may often have more to do with the mind than the body.

A new study led by Dr. Steven Brown, of Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom, now explores the way in which the mind may influence our states of hunger and fullness.