Are we programmed to eat junk?
When people encounter stimuli that they have learned to associate with eating junk, they tend to choose it even when they know it is unhealthy.
Obesity is a major health problem due to the current “obesogenic” environment. Where unhealthy food is easy and cheap, it is much more accessible than healthier options. For this same situation, many government organizations promote healthy eating habits by providing information on healthy diets. Even with this effort, when people encounter stimuli that they have learned to associate with eating junk, they tend to choose it even when they know it is unhealthy. This is the finding of research carried out by psychologists Aukje Verhoeven, Poppy Watson and Sanne de Wit from the University of Amsterdam.
More about the research
The effects of health warnings on food choices were investigated. They did so in the presence or absence of stimuli associated with food. This includes all types of stimuli and associations. Including ads that stimulate cravings, sights, or smells of food. “Nutrition warnings and information generally make people want healthier foods. However, many end up choosing unhealthy products,” says Verhoeven. “We suspect that this could be due in part to the fact that people learn to associate specific cues in their environment with certain foods. For example, eating a hamburger regularly happens in the presence of a large M logo. This triggers a strong association between the stimulus (the logo) and the rewarding experience of eating a hamburger. Simply seeing an M eventually manages to make us crave a hamburger. It triggers a learned behavior to head to a fast food restaurant. Therefore, the associations automatically activate the craving unhealthy options. Making health warnings, which focus on conscious choices, ineffective.” To test their hypothesis, the researchers used a specific computer program. In a controlled environment. To simulate the learning processes between certain (food) choices and environmental stimuli in the subjects. “Health warnings for healthy food choices only appear to be effective in an environment where there are no other food stimuli. Whenever stimuli are present that people associate with certain foods, they choose the accompanying food product, even when they know it is unhealthy or they do not really want that product. It did not matter whether we alerted subjects before or after they learned the associations with food cues.”
The possible solution
How could we ensure that people not only intend to buy healthier products, but actually do so? Researchers suggest decreasing the level of stimuli associated with foods that people and children in particular are exposed to. One way to do this, for example, would be to reduce the amount of advertising for unhealthy foods. Furthermore, the results suggest that these processes could, in turn, stimulate the choice of healthy products. “It pays to expose people to healthy food products along with certain environmental cues more often. For example, by showing more ads for healthy products. The environment can also be set up so that healthy options are the easiest to get, for example, by placing healthy products up front in dining rooms or replacing chocolate bars with apples and healthy snacks at the register.” Given that many of the associations involved belong to corporate monsters, it will be difficult for the situation to change. But it is very important to warn our patients of this programming so that they are aware.
