Hunger Myth Debunked: Study Says Appetite Not Linked To Calorie Intake

These days, the market has become full of prepackaged meals aiming to suppress consumers' appetite and keep them feeling full for long hours. While such products are becoming popular among numerous people, a new study has found that preventing hunger does not actually affect one's overall calorie intake.

According to Medical News Today, University of Sheffield researchers reviewed more than 460 studies and found little evidence that links a person's hunger and the amount of calories he or she consumes. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition published the results.

Huge numbers of people around the world are considered overweight or obese. In the United States alone, nearly one-third of children and more than two out of three adults suffer from excess weight. Known to many, energy imbalance is the main cause of such condition. Having energy imbalance means the amount of calories the body consumes is greater than the amount it uses. In connection to this, sticking to the daily recommended calorie intake is among the considered effective ways to lose and maintain weight.

While many believe that opting for prepackaged meals aid in weight loss by lessening the need to eat unhealthy snacks, the new study suggests that food manufacturers may want to rethink their claims. The Economic Times reported that only six percent of the studies made a direct comparison between hunger or appetite and calorie intake. Moreover, only half of these studies found the correlation between the two. In hindsight, the research team says that food manufacturers should consider the findings suggesting that how hungry a person feels does not affect his or her calorie consumption.

As of writing, study leader Dr. Bernard Corfe said identifying the exact factor that affects calorie intake needs further studies. He also stressed the importance of truly understanding obesity, the reasons for its occurrence, and the effective ways to prevent it.