Human motivation

In Focus : Eating and Motivation

Eating is very important as it sustains one 's existence . People eat for survival , and this activity is meant to nourish the body , producing the energy needed for daily activities and body processes . Moreover , growth and development are furnished through eating , the nutrients and vitamins from food consumed supplies the body with its needs thereby bringing forth growth and development . Thinking is the foremost activity that humans do where eating is important , enabling them to think clearly and positively (Wansink , 2006 Brand-Miller et .al (2005 , p

. 198 ) had written in simple terms that people eat because they are hungry , and stop eating as they are satisfied . The human stomach in particular stretches when it is full of food . Hunger is a specific feeling of emptiness in the stomach . These stomach signals the production of a lasting feeling of fullness , which tends to make us stop eating . As food is taken , hormones are released telling the hypothalamus (i .e . a brain structure ) to take charge of eating . In addition , it is this brain structure which tells us which foods is appealing or not depending on one 's preferences . If damage has been done , this affects one 's emotional state causing an individual to eat more than usual The brain controls the eating process , releasing chemicals , nutrients and hormones that determine hunger and satiety . Glucose is an important nutrient which affects the eating levels of an individual . Insulin is actually called the "hunger hormone " because it has the capacity to increase the hunger felt by an individual , and as a result , he will eat more than usual without noticing it . Often , people condition themselves to eat whether one is physiologically hungry or not . This is not important since the brain has conditioned the individual to eat regardless of his emotions or physiological state (Brain-Miller et .al 2005 ,

. 200 In the past , eating serves the purposes of survival and growth and development . Of late , its purpose has evovlved into being merely for satisfaction . Moreover , it is done for social purposes . Eating is a form of bonding among friends and forms part of traditional practices of a group or religious sect . Each particular group has their particular food preferences . Muslims , for instance , do not have pork as part of their diet . There are also some minority groups in Asia where eating or drinking dairy products is not acceptable on the basis of religious laws . The differences in food preferences stir up disgust which can be a determinant of eating habits (Wansink , 2006 ,

. 135 In the past , people prefer to eat vegetables and fruits because these were easier to gather and prepare . Today , pork and beef have become their favorites in addition to other ingredients that make it more appealing to the taste . Moreover , food decorations have become important in eating usually , eaters prefer colorful food , since these are appealing to the eyes . The appeal of food is not only restricted to color and taste , the smell of...