Reply #25: I wonder how much of our obesity epidemic [View All]

could be attributed to psychological factors? As a fear based culture, it seems like our primary source of comfort is food. Since we tend to be perpetually on guard, we attempt to assuage our fear and other negative emotions by stuffing them down w/ food & sometimes alcohol (which is also very fattening - raises insulin levels, promotes hypoglycemia).

I also think that stress, which leads to increased cortisol levels that increase appetite and affect insulin levels, has something to do with our tendency to be heavier than our European counterparts.

Also agree that our high sugar/starch, fatty food diet and lack of activity (car culture) promote our heaviness as well. I walk everywhere and don't snack and I pretty much don't have to be too careful about how much I eat at meals. We are so disembodied, that we don't even know when we are TRULY (physically) hungry, because we eat for so many varied reasons.