Test Yourself by taking a moment to answer each of these Learning Objective Questions (repeated here from within the module). Research suggests that trying to answer these questions on your own will improve your long-term memory of the concepts (McDaniel et al., 2009).
Question
30-1 What physiological factors produce hunger?
ANSWER: Hunger pangs correspond to stomach contractions, but hunger also has other causes. Neural areas in the brain, some within the hypothalamus, monitor blood chemistry (including level of glucose) and incoming information about the body's state. Appetite hormones include ghrelin (secreted by an empty stomach); insulin (controls blood glucose); leptin (secreted by fat cells); orexin (secreted by the hypothalamus); and PYY (secreted by the digestive tract). Basal metabolic rate is the body's resting rate of energy expenditure. The body may have a set point (a biologically fixed tendency to maintain an optimum weight) or a looser settling point (also influenced by the environment).
Question
30-2 What cultural and situational factors influence hunger?
ANSWER: Hunger also reflects our memory of when we last ate and our expectation of when we should eat again. Humans as a species prefer certain tastes (such as sweet and salty), but our individual preferences are also influenced by conditioning, culture, and situation. Some taste preferences, such as the avoidance of new foods, or of foods that have made us ill, have survival value.
Question
30-3 What factors predispose some people to become and remain obese?
ANSWER: Genes and environment interact to produce obesity. Obesity correlates with depression, especially among women. Twin and adoption studies indicate that body weight is also genetically influenced. Environmental influences include lack of exercise, an abundance of high-calorie food, and social influence. Those wishing to lose weight are advised to make a lifelong change in habits: Begin only if you feel motivated and self-disciplined; exercise and get enough sleep; minimize exposure to tempting food cues; limit variety and eat healthy foods; reduce portion sizes; space meals throughout the day; beware of the binge; plan eating to help monitor yourself during social events; forgive the occasional lapse; and connect to a support group.
Terms and Concepts to Remember
Test yourself on these terms.
Question
glucose (p. 379)
set point (p. 379)
basal metabolic rate (p. 380)
the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues. When its level is low, we feel hunger.
the body's resting rate of energy expenditure.
the point at which your "weight thermostat" is supposedly set. When your body falls below this weight, increased hunger and a lowered metabolic rate may combine to restore the lost weight.
Correct Matches:
Experience the Testing Effect
Page 386
Test yourself repeatedly throughout your studies. This will not only help you figure out what you know and don’t know; the testing itself will help you learn and remember the information more effectively thanks to the testing effect.
Question
10.9
1. Journalist Dorothy Dix once remarked, “Nobody wants to kiss when they are hungry.” How does Maslow's hierarchy of needs support her statement?
ANSWER: Maslow's hierarchy of needs supports this statement because it addresses the primacy of some motives over others. Once our basic physiological needs are met, safety concerns are addressed next, followed by belongingness and love needs (such as the desire to kiss).
Question
10.10
2. According to the concept of
, our body maintains itself at a particular weight level.
Question
10.11
3. Which of the following is a genetically predisposed response to food?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Question
10.12
4. The blood sugar
provides the body with energy. When it is
(low/high), we feel hungry.
Question
10.13
5. The rate at which your body expends energy while at rest is referred to as the
rate.
Question
10.14
6. Obese people find it very difficult to lose weight permanently. This is due to several factors, including the fact that
A.
B.
C.
D.
Question
10.15
7. Sanjay recently adopted the typical college diet, increasing his intake of processed fat and sugar. He knows he may gain weight, but he figures it's no big deal because he can lose the extra weight in the future. How would you evaluate Sanjay's plan?
ANSWER: Sanjay's plan is problematic. After he gains weight, the extra fat will require less energy to maintain than it did to gain in the first place. Sanjay may have a hard time getting rid of it later, when his metabolism slows down in an effort to retain his body weight.
Use
to create your personalized study plan, which will direct you to the resources that will help you most in
.