Hunger, Eating and Health - Theories of Hunger and Eating: Set Points versus Positive Incentives

5 important questions on Hunger, Eating and Health - Theories of Hunger and Eating: Set Points versus Positive Incentives

What does the set-point theory assume?

It assumes that our eating is homeostatically regulated. If we eat too much, our body will compensate that with a higher expendure or eating less the next meal. 

How does a set-point system works and how many components does it have?

It exists of three components: 

1. Set-point mechanism

2. Detector mechanism

3. Effector mechanism

 

The set-point mechanism defines the set-point (in this case; bodyweight). The detector mechanism detects changes that differ from the set-point (in this case it would be weight gain or more food in zhe body). The effector-mechanism acts to eliminate deviations (in this case; satiety, no more food is wanted in zhe body).

What are the glucostatic and lipostatic theories?

1. Glucostatic: Our hunger-system of regulated by the amount of glucose used as a set-point. This seems logical since glucose is the brains primary fuel. 

2. Lipostatic: Our body has a set-point for body-fat, the amount of fat is regulated by the body. This seems logical since adults have a relatively constant weight.

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What is the conclusion that came from the gluco- and lipostatic theory?

That these systems work complementary, we have both sensors for glucose and fat in our body. Glucose is the short-term regulation system and fat is the long-term regulation system.

What are three major weaknesses concerning the set-point theory according to Pinel?

1. It is inconsistent with basic eating-related evolutionary pressures as we understand them.

2. Major predictions of the set-point theory have not been confirmed. Although it has been informed in laboratory rats that ate more after depletion of fat/gucose, in humans we still get hungry although we have excessive fat deposits. 

3. Set-point theories do not take other important factors into account, such as social influence, taste, and emotion (hedonic factors).

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