Here are some reasons why people feel hungry, even after eating.
Eating ultra-processed foods
Research has shown that hunger is not the same for all foods. If you’re hungry, you probably crave high calorie foods — such as those that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, or fat. That could be why people rarely say they crave an apple. Instead, we tend to want tortilla chips, cookies, or pizza.
It sounds counterintuitive, but eating certain foods can also make you feel hungrier. carbohydrates do not suppress hunger hormones much like fat or protein. ultra-processed foods they appear to promote appetite, although scientists are still unclear why. And liquid sources of calories, like shakes, are less filling than solid ones.
High-calorie foods, at least in rodents, cause inflammation in the areas of the brain that regulate body weight, which increases the consumption of these foods. Eating as much as they can while food is enough makes sense to Bears about to hibernate, for example. But if the same inflammation occurs in the brain in humansyou could create a cycle of feeling hungry and opting for high-energy foods over and over again.
Your hunger could also simply be a matter of how life’s priorities affect energy needs. Think about your eating pattern: When are you hungry? After vigorous exercise? In the evening? People may feel less hungry immediately after exercise, but much longer hours or even days later.
You may be limiting your food intake during the day due to a busy schedule or efforts to control your weight, but then experience cravings or lack of satiety at night.
A common but often overlooked factor in your appetite is whether you’ve recently lost weight.
Body weight is a tightly regulated biological system. After weight loss, hormones in the blood signal to the brain that energy stores in the form of fat are running low. The availability of energy is essential for survival, so the brain acts to save energy and increases our desire to eat.
This happens regardless of what weight you started out with and even if you had health problems related to your weight.
The experts agree that the brain powerfully defends the level of body fat and that this can promote weight regain after weight loss. This accumulated research is why many scientists think we should consider obesity be a chronic disease and why treatment recommendations most often include medication and lifestyle changes, especially for those with serious health problems related to their weight.
In general, if you don’t meet your body’s total daily energy needs to maintain your weight, your brain will motivate you to eat. Skipping meals or going long periods of time without eating stimulates the appetite through hormonal and brain changes. You may experience this as a growling stomach, but also as cravings or urges.
It is also worth checking your medication list with your doctor. Some medicines for diabetes (glyburide, glipizide), neuropathy (gabapentin), and depression (mirtazapine) are associated with increased appetite and weight gain.
If your appetite has noticeably changed, especially if you have been gaining or losing weight, it is important to have it evaluated by a doctor. Loss of appetite can accompany serious illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, or depression. Increased appetite and weight gain are symptoms of hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome, and sleep disturbances.
If your hunger problems started as a child, when you were 5 years old or younger, rare genetic conditions could be the cause. Genes are another powerful influence: Studies have shown that the brain responds to food in a similar way in identical twins, who also have a similar initial appetite level. The hormonal changes of puberty, pregnancy, and PMS commonly affect appetite.
If you experience a sense of loss of control or feel numb and consume large amounts of food to the point of discomfort, or are purging after eating, then you should be evaluated for an eating disorder.
Stress, emotions and sleep
Stress levels, boredom, food cues, emotions, and lack of sleep can all trigger your desire to eat. In those cases, mindful or intuitive eating might be a good strategy to investigate, as well as address the underlying cause, such as ensuring you get good, quality sleep.
It can take time to resolve these issues, so be kind to yourself. Feelings around food, weight, and body image can be intense. Many people have experienced prejudice or discrimination because of weight stigmaincluding health professionals. So if you are blamed or shamed, seek medical help elsewhere. Everyone deserves to feel safe and supported when talking about weight and appetite issues.
Remember that there is a reason why the urge to eat is so powerful. Although our food system and diets have changed in modern times, our brains are still wired to survive. Even when we are not aware of it, this biological drive shapes our behavior.
