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We will start on our project with our friends in India at Aditi and the International School of Bangalore by reading and summarizing articles which relate psychology and food. The global studies class will be looking at some of the international issues in food policy while we will look at some aspects of psychology and food here in America.

Link to Global Studies Food Diaries.

Link to Global Studies Food Crisis Wiki.


 * Psychology and Food Article Summaries**

The psychology class stared our discussion of the relationship between food and psychology by reading a variety of articles on the topic. Students summarized the articles and gave a short presentation to the class. The summaries are below.

Lindsey W  Psychologists and researchers alike at Cornell University in New York have teamed up and made a connection between human emotions and levels of food consumption. They’ve uncovered that people in a sad or depressed emotional state consume more hedonic foods, foods that stimulate our hunger hormone in the brain and are more desirable. Some examples of hedonic foods would be popcorn, chocolate, ice cream, or //M&Ms//. On the contrary, people in a happier state chose healthier foods that were less hedonic such as fruit, raisins, or nuts. The researchers and psychologists at Cornell University conducted multiple studies on people at random. They let the subjects view two movie genres, a sad movie and a happy film, and distributed buckets of popcorn to the subjects. At the end of the study they noticed that participants consumed 28% more popcorn while watching the sad film than the happier one. The researchers and psychologists at Cornell University performed tests similar to this one and receive compatible results with their previous studies and hypothesis. Work Cited “Our Moods Affect Our Food Consumption and Nutritional Information and Product Type Attenuate this Effect.” __Food Psychology__. 2006. Cornell University []

Many Americans, especially now, have become obsessed with food consumption and obesity and have tried to be more cautious of the amount of food that they accumulate in one day by exercising, counting calories, or dieting. Some have gone to more extreme levels of losing weight, like purging, binging, or anorexia. Psychologists have found yet another breakthrough between the brain, bits, and bites. They’ve connected the bridge between psychology and eating and discovered causes or visual relations for why people excessively eat. Below are some examples:  1)  People are more likely to over eat and find more pleasure in eating foods with fancy names with long descriptions i.e. “chocolate cake vs. Belgian extra dark chocolate mousse layer velvet cake” -  This is more appealing to the ear, arouses the senses, and sounds more delectable and more desirable  2)  Club stores lead to excessive over eating. Products that comes in bulk leads to the quicker consummation rate by the consumers  3)   Visual Illusions deceive the public into thinking that they aren’t consuming as much as they really are. For example, a short glass half full looks less than a tall glass half full would. - The same can be said in merchandising and sales Work Cited Kiume, Sandra. “Food Psychology”__World of Psychology__. 2006, December 30. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2006/12/30/food-psychology/> 

Hannah T The article I read was about Binge eating. Binge eating is when a person overeats, picks up a bag of chips but can’t stop eating them, eats to where they feel depressed or has major indigestion. Binge eating is when someone can’t put down food and has to keep on eating. Binge eating is very popular and many Americans have it. When someone has binge eating what is going through there mind is over obsessive thoughts, a force to keep wanting more, and after blame. New discoveries are coming out to fix the brain from not wanting so much and heal the disorder. Work Cited Toby Goldsmith, Sue Craven and John M. Grohol. “Eating Disorders (Including Anorexia and Bulimia.” //Psych Central.// Dr. John Grohol. 25 August 2009. Web. 25 August 2009. 

Big Mac://

Food and Psychology Studies are showing that what you eat can affect your mood. Fatty foods may be linked to depression and an increase of stress. Fat isn’t necessarily bad, a person just has to eat the right kind of fat, such as Omega 3, a fat found in fish. Choline, a B vitamin found in eggs, helps increase alertness. Its suggested to help increase memory and minimize fatigue. Sugar- can make a person sharper and carbs can be mentally soothing.

Marando, Hara Estroff. “What Is Good Brain Food?” //PyschologyToday.com.// Sussex Publishers, LLC., 2003 October 1. Web. 2009 August 25. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200310/what-is-good-brain-food>.

Mattie C. //** Food Psychology **// Obesity is a huge problem in the U.S. today, and many doctors have tried to cut down this number. Studies show that there may be more to the obesity problem than most realize. When people go out to eat, they are more likely to order the dish with the longer name/description. This is a subconscious action, but marketers have picked up on this trick. Along with this, the size of a small drink has increased over the years. Therefore, this allows you to consume more which leads to obesity. At grocery store more and more products are sold in bulk, which then leads to having more in your house, and leads to more consumption. One last point: when pouring a drink into a wide, short glass people tend to pour more, compared to a tall, thing glass. Food really does play with your mind, and psychology obviously plays a role in what you chose to eat/drink.

Work Cited Kiume, Sandra. “Food Psychology.” //PsychCentral.// John M. Grohol, Psy. D., 25 August 2009. Web. 25 August 2009. <[]>.

Olivia W: // This article headlines, “Does Eating Salmon Lower Murder Rates?” Studies have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids in seafood’s like salmon, have decreased the amount of violence (like assaults), anti-social behavior versus the group of prisoners who only obtained placebos. Omega-3’s help the neurons on the frontal cortex that reduce impulsive behavior. The article anticipates that some people may try to use this to excuse their actions, but replies that good nutrition isn’t nearly as radical as using prescriptions to control moods.

Works Cited [|Mihm, Steven. "Does Eating Salmon Lower the Murder Rate?" //New York Times//. Web.]

Leslie K:

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">“The All-You-Can-Eat Chinese Buffet: Beware…Scientists Are Watching You!”

Behavioral scientist Brian Wansink conducted a study of the relationship between people’s BMIs (Body Mass Index) and the behavior they exhibited while eating at a Chinese Buffet. The results of his study showed that people who ate at the buffet with higher BMIs generally used larger plates instead of smaller plates, used forks rather than chopsticks, faced the food on the buffet instead of walking alongside it, were more likely to dive right into the buffet rather than browsing first, and were even less likely to put a napkin in their laps. The study also showed that people with lower BMIs left more food on their plates and chewed their food longer than people with higher BMIs. //

<span style="color: #262a2c; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Saad, Gad. "The All-You-Can-Eat Chinese Buffet: Beware…Scientists Are Watching You!" //Psychology Today//. 3 Aug. 2009. Web. 25 Aug.2009. [].

Katherine C:

//This article, “This Is Your Brain on Food”, written by Hara Estroff Marano, is about the brain and its relationship to craving foods. It also touches on how difficult it is in our society to hide from the tempters. In the human brain, there is a certain area that is related to drug addiction and cravings; it is called the orbitofrontal cortex. Studies show that when subjects see or smell foods they like, brain cell metabolism jump-starts and the orbitofrontal cortex region of the brain dramatically lights up. It increases hunger and desire for food. After just a glance at a favorite treat, food is literally on the brain. A problem in our culture is that food stimulation is literally everywhere. In airports, malls, on every street, in every media form, there is a reminder of food.pleasure. This article leaves the reader with one question; how do we control or manage this part of our brain that goes off at the mere display or smell of food?

Marano, Hara Estroff. “This is your Brain on Food.” Psychology Today.// 1 May 2004. Web. 25 August 2009. [|<http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200405/is-your-brain-food.>]

Lindsey B. In this article written by Hara Estroff Marano, she explains how your diet can influence your body and your mind. Foods affect effect your brain health and a diet of food containing high levels of fat increase depression and aggression. If you eat more fish, the fat (omega-3) contained in that meat can increase intelligence. This type of fat can help nerve cells move throughout the brain. Many people use polyunsaturated oils in cooking such as corn and sunflower oils thinking it is healthier, but the type of fat (omega-6) found in these oils unbalances your intake, canola oil would be a healthier substitute. Choline is an important B-vitamin. This vitamin increases your alertness and stress resistance by helping the brain’s neurotransmitters. Choline can be found mainly in eggs and develops the memory in humans and animals. This vitamin also helps you to be more energetic throughout the day. An unknown but specific amount of sugar can make you more intelligent while carbohydrates are relaxing, especially when lacking protein or fat. Marano, Hara Estroff. “What is Good Brain Food?” //Psychology Today //. 07 February 2007. 25 August 2009. <[]>

Kinsey S. In the article Brain: Playing with Your Food, Robert Lovett discusses the connections between the amount we eat and psychology. America is known to serve obnoxious portions of food at one time. Most Americans gain one to two pounds a year, which means 10 to 20 calories more each day. Lovett also discusses that the reasons for why we eat the amount we eat are more psychological than to feed our hunger. Studies have shown that you drink double the amount when drinking form a short and wide glass then you would from a tall and skinny glass. Also people prefer deserts with long fancy names than what it actually is. Another example of why we eat more than we need is Wansik’s study using jelly beans. Wansik set out four bowls of jelly beans, and in each bowl was one particular color. Wansik then set out a bowl with all six colored jelly beans. Although the jelly beans were all the same flavor, those who ate jelly beans out of the four bowls ate 40% less jelly beans that Wansik set the variety bowl for. Lovett reasons that it is the variety that led people to eating more. Work Cited "Brain: Playing with Your Food | Psychology Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness Find a Therapist. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. [].

Evon O.After reading “What Is Good Brain Food?” about certain foods that are good for the brain I have determined that all of the different foods we eat affect the mind and body. Certain foods that are eaten can enhance mental capabilities; these foods are certain foods that are rich in the right kinds of fatty acids such as omega 6. If you eat these foods like eggs and fish they can help you concentrate, diffuse stress, and help to keep you motivated. While if you eat foods with bad fats such as saturated fats which can be found in candy and ice creams they can cause weight gain, and they have no help whatsoever with enhancing mental capabilities.

Work Cited Marano, Hara Estroff. “What is Good Brain Food.” //Psychology Today//. 1 October 2003. Web. 25 August 2009. <[]>.

Sarah C Food Psychology

Food and psychology are actually very closely related topics. There have been many studies conducted to examine the correlation of psychological process with the consumption of food. For example, it has been determined that one of the reasons people excessively eat in times of stress is because eating “comfort foods” allows people to remember happier childhood memories. In adolescence, children often help cope with emotional difficulties by eating comfort foods such as cookies, cake or mashed potatoes. People continue to do this in adulthood. The “pleasant mental association of lingering childhood memories” is one reason why people lash on to these comfort foods in times of distress. Work Cited: Young, Jessica. "Comfort Foods." //Articles.DirectoryM.net//. Web. 26 Aug 2009. <http://articles.directorym.net/Comfort_Foods-a944897.html>. <span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontsize: 15.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofontkerning: 18.0pt; msohansifontfamily: Calibri; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;"> Debby P. Obesity and overeating are definite problems in the United States, and recent research could help explain why. Research with rats indicates that environmental factors related to eating can activate brain chemicals similar to those produced by cocaine and nicotine. The experiment was conducted by Derrick Choi and a team from the <span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati. His team gave rats Hersey’s milk chocolate in a distinctive setting. When placed in the same setting, the expectation of the chocolate activated the particular brain chemicals involved with the “brain reward system.” These chemicals are part of the hypothalamic orexin system. The findings make clear that overeating can be triggered by environmental factors and brain chemicals. This may indicate that a drug treatment for overeating might be possible.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msobidifontsize: 15.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofontkerning: 18.0pt; msohansifontfamily: Calibri; msohansithemefont: minor-latin;">Just Expecting A Tasty Food Activates Brain Reward Systems **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. "Just Expecting A Tasty Food Activates Brain Reward Systems." __ScienceDaily__ 31 July 2009. Web. 25 August 2009 [/releases/2009/07/090727102026.htm|http://www.sciencedaily.com­] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 1pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">/releases/2009/07/090727102026.htm.

Hannah S.

Most people believe that eating healthy and reading labels promotes a healthy lifestyle and results in good behavior. Although this is true, for some it becomes obsessive, which can result in a new eating disorder called orthorexic. This disorder is when a person becomes obsessed and devoted to eating healthy. Not all but some vegetarians, vegans and people who obsessively check food labels are the ones that are most likely to develop orthorexia. Some might wonder what the difference between eating healthy and having a problem is. When you may have a problem like an eating disorder eating healthy completely takes over your life to where it’s all you think about. This can even cause certain social disorders or depression because some might let their eating habits keep them from going out to restaurants or even out to parties in fear that there will be unhealthy foods.

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/04/13/overly-preoccupied-with-health-food-you-might-have-a-disorder/

Margaret W.

Come on, get happy...with chocolate's help!

Researchers have found that people tend to crave chocolate (mostly women) during stressful or hard times because it makes you happy. There is a chemical in chocolate that actually increases the amount of endorphins (aka the chemicals in your brain that alter your mood) in your brain. The article shows the connection between chocolate and the drug marijuana. Although chocolate doesn’t give you nearly the same feeling of a “high” that marijuana does, it still has some of the same effects. People crave chocolate, due to stress from their environment and use chocolate to feel better.

URL: []

Brooke R.

Comfort Food In recent studies it is reported that 1,005 men and women’s favorite comfort food is ice cream. This study said that the craving for ice cream may be because ice cream gives the affect of childhood memories of running after ice cream cars. This brings about the idea that memories affect what foods we crave and happiness may come from childhood memories. This means the foods you enjoy as a child may be the foods that make you most happy later in life. Another way to look at the foods we crave can be due to personality traits. Women enjoy sweets and chocolate where men enjoy meat and steak which could do with a macho personality. The comfort foods we chose may reflect the personality or memories we have.

URL []

Merrill S.

Mood Influences Eating Behavior

Comfort food is the food one eats when they’re feeling down in the dumps and need a little lift. Typically when thinking of comfort foods, cake, chips and cookies come to mind. But are we really more likely to eat bad food when we’re feeling sad? Researchers from Cornell University would argue that the answer is yes. At the university, the researches conducted numerous studies in attempts to prove this. One of them was to have one individual watch a sad movie and another watch a happy movie, while offering them the same food choice of buttery popcorn and grapes. The study shows that those watching the sad movie consumed 36% more popcorn than those watching the happy movie. Study Director, Brian Wansink, says that “Those watching ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ [the happy movie] ate popcorn and popped grapes, but they spent much more time popping grapes as they laughed through the movie than they did eating popcorn.” Wansink’s reasoning behind this is that those who are looking for a quick lift aren’t thinking about the long turn affects of their diet. Later studies also showed that knowing the nutritional value of the food ones eating might help some to stay away from fatty comfort food. In the study, the sad group of people cut the amount of their consumption in half after learning the nutritional value of the popcorn.

URL: []

Carroll G.

Food displays, food colors affect how much people eat

What makes humans drawn to certain foods? What makes us continue eating when it is not a question of hunger? These questions were answered by Brian Wansink, a marketing and nutritional science teacher at the University of Illinois with his research. He concluded from the results of his studies that humans are attracted to a range of color and choices in their food. In one study, some test subjects were given jelly beans with a variety of six colors while the others were given the jelly beans separately grouped in their respective colors. Those given the colorful set of jelly beans ate 69% more than the others. In a similar study, people given M&Ms of ten different colors ate 43% more than those given M&Ms of seven different colors. According to these results, humans are attracted to assortment and diversity in the colors of their foods. So, if someone is looking to lose a few pounds it may be helpful to limit the clutter on their plates and include only a few choices of foods at one time. Alternatively, those who want others to eat their food should put a variety of colorful foods on display; it makes people drawn to the different choices.

"People eat with their eyes, and their eyes trick their stomachs," –Wansink

Work Cited: “Food displays, food colors affect how much people eat.” Psych Central. n.p. 21 February 2009. Web. 25 August 2009. <[]>.

tatum c. Being obese comes with a lot of risks like type II diabetes, heart attack, etc. Recent studies conducted by Paul Thompson professor of neurology at UCLA have shown that obesity is linked to memory loss, and can cause diseases like Alzheimer’s later in life. They compared the brains of normal, overweight, and obese weight people, and found out that obese people have 8% less brain tissue than normal weight people. Brain images showed that the brain tissue being loss was found in the frontal and temporal lobe; which is where long-term memories are found. Work Cited: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,fantasy;"> N <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,fantasy; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">auert, Rick. "Obesity Tied to Memory Loss" Psych Central. August 26, 2009. Web. August 26, 2009. <[] >