The reason you can't stop eating potato chips, even when you're full

Stressed much? Feeling under-appreciated? Those feelings just might be supporting your binges. Those trusty ladies and gents in the white coats (a.k.a. scientists) have been studying rhesus monkeys and found that those monkeys with lower social status were more likely to eat yummy banana chips beyond the feeling of fullness. From the New York Times:

"One possibility is that the fatty foods help block the monkeys' stress responses. Studies with rodents have shown that high-calorie foods cause a metabolic change that tamps the release of stress hormones like cortisol.

Another possible explanation, the one favored by the Yerkes researchers, is that the snacks activated the reward pathways in the brain. They may have provided the same sort of dopamine reward as cocaine, which was studied in a previous experiment with monkeys by researchers at Wake Forest University."

Of course, we're not monkeys, and monkeys don't have to answer to societal demands for weight and beauty (or their Wii Fit) but still enough to make you wonder. Is that why being rich and being thin seem to go hand in hand? Is this the underlying physiological mechanism that explains the link between socio-economic status and higher BMIs? Or are they just a bunch of dirty apes? Can binge-eating disorder be countered through aromatherapy, yoga and old Bob Ross episodes?

The comments are digging into a quart of Chubby Hubby.

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Comments 1-4 of 4

Posted by Diana B Wed May 21, 2008 8:12pm PDT

Eating when you're full doesn't just stop with potato chips. I think it's with all foods, although you don't see many people overdosing on carrots and broccoli.
I don't know if it's due to conditioning, lack of portion control, stress, or all of the above. I do remember reading somewhere that there's something about fatty foods and especially, the smoothness of the fat going down one's throat that makes them highly palatable. Ice cream would be a good example.
Heh, if instead of eating when we are stressed, we would go run 2 miles, there would be no such thing as overweight people. :)

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Posted by Rita Thu May 22, 2008 8:42am PDT

If only yoga stopped me from binge eating. It helps in the moment and you feel fantastic afterwards but the second I get home and back to my daily stressors, I get back to eating like it's my last meal! Sorry...but things like exercise only seem to be a temporary fix.

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Posted by godsown Thu May 22, 2008 10:10pm PDT

eating has a lot to with the time and activities you have on hand ! how come you don't think about eating when you have ahectic day at work.you eat more because there is nothing more to do!!!!

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Posted by mel m Fri May 23, 2008 5:42am PDT

Lol its plain and simple people...if something TASTES good why wouldnt you eat too much of it?? Just like Diana B said you dont see anyone binge eating things that are healthy for you (veggies, fruits) it just sucks that most things you CRAVE are really bad for you :(

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