Welcome to 2011! A new year brings promise and hope, resolutions to change and improve ourselves and the world around us, and reflection on events that have occurred during the past year. One of my new year’s resolutions is to prepare more meals in my home. This resolution stems in part from a variety of scientific studies that were recently summaried by Jonah Leher, who is a contributing editor at Wired.
Basically, these studies point to three potential factors that encourage overeating.
1) The Ikea Effect - the idea that you tend to value something that you made yourself more than something that you did not make. Applied to food, you might have greater appreciation, satisfaction, and enjoyment for meals that you have prepared yourself.
2) The Rise of the Fry - before World War II, Americans consumed few French fries, at least in part because their preparation (peeling, cutting, cooking) required a fair amount of time and effort. However, with the increasing number of fast food venues selling French fries quickly and at low prices, our ability to consume them is much easier. According to Leher’s article, total potato consumption increased by about 30 percent from 1977 to 1995 and that increase was almost exclusively due to increased consumption of French fries and potato chips (as opposed to the baked, bolied, or mashed potatoes largely consumed prior to WWII).
3) Can’t Get No (at least as much) Satisfaction - Studies have shown that compulsive eating and obese individuals have reduced signalling in the “reward centers” of the brain - including in response to tasty treats like a chocolate milkshake. These studies have suggested that overeating is a result of a lack of satisfaction or feeling satiated after eating.
So, what do we take away from this? First, I’m gonna prepare more meals myself, even if every meal is not Top Chef material. Second, I’m going to try resist the temptation to consume less healthy foods that do not align with my long-term goals just because they are easier or cheaper. And third, I’m going to make sure to enjoy the fruits of my labor and savor all of the meals (homemade or not) that I do consume.
Happy New Year,
Larry