Ever heard of the phrase, ‘a second stomach for a dessert?’ Do you really feel hungry when your favourite dessert is brought out even after a heavy dinner? Well, that is desire for you. Hunger is a physiological process, which signals your body to eat for stable energy levels. While appetite is a desire to eat, it is usually because of hunger. But sometimes can be a result of emotional and environmental factors like when you are stressed or when you smell something really delicious. Your appetite can raise even when you are not hungry. It can also work vice-versa, when you are really stressed and emotionally unstable, you lose appetite and food has no appeal.
Difference between hunger and appetite-based hunger is, hunger builds gradually whereas, appetite-based hunger is triggered by certain smell, thought etc., hunger is a need which can be curbed by eating most of the food unlike appetite which is a craving for specific thing which starts all of a sudden.,
Factors that affect appetite are:
Boredom
Heightened emotions
Stress
Appealing aroma/ sight of the food
Routine/ habit
Diet – a very restrictive diet can raise your appetite levels leading to cravings. Also, when followed for a longer time, these diets can lower the appetite too.
Pregnancy – appetite can be lowered due to pressure on the stomach and other conditions like nausea and constipation.
Various medicines can also affect appetite.
Some health conditions like kidney disorders, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, thyroid disorders, cancer can lower your appetite.
Loss of appetite can be caused by various conditions. However, it becomes normal once the underlying condition is treated.
Causes of decreased appetite:
Infections – usually bacterial and viral infections like gastroenteritis., tends to lower your appetite.
Mental health – when you are depressed, sad, anxious or bored, your appetite can become low. However, it is also seen that, these conditions can also increase appetite in certain people.
Medical conditions – like COPD, liver disease, kidney failure, HIV, dementia, hypothyroidism, cancer can cause loss of appetite.
Medications – few antibiotics, pain killers, chemotherapy drugs can cause loss of appetite.
Lack of sleep – when you don’t get adequate sleep, your appetite-regulating hormone levels can alter leading to lowered appetite.
Diet – skipping meals or leaving prolonged gaps between your meals on a regular basis lowers appetite in the long run.
How do we increase appetite?
Lack of appetite can be frustrating. This can also cause lowered metabolism as you skip meals often when you don’t feel hungry. This can in turn affect metabolism or cause nutritional deficiencies. Here’s what you need to do to improve your appetite.
Eat small and frequent meals – this can help improve your appetite gradually.
Nutrient-dense food – instead of having foods with empty calories, try to replace these unhealthy foods with nutrient dense food to avoid any nutrient deficiency.
Add calorie dense foods to your diet – having a big meal to meet the calorie requirement when your appetite is low, can be daunting. Try to include calorie dense options like nuts, nut butters, whole milk etc. These can also be powdered/ blended into your regular foods, so your portion sizes don’t increase but your meals remain nutrient dense.
Socialize while eating – eating with others can stimulate your appetite than eating alone.
Use a small plate – large portions sizes when your appetite is lowered can seem overwhelming. Studies shows that by using a small plate, you can trick your brain into assuming you are still eating small portions (1, 2).
Set meal timings – if your appetite is low, you might skip meals frequently, to avoid that, schedule a routine for your meals.
Avoid skipping breakfast – having breakfast helps in boosting thermogenesis and metabolism which burns more calories throughout the day. This can also increase your appetite.
Herbs and spices for appetite – including certain herbs and spices boosts digestive health which in turn helps in improving your appetite. Examples include – fennel seeds, black pepper, mint, coriander, ginger, cinnamon.
Exercise – regular exercise helps you burn more calories which can increase your appetite to replenish the burnt calories to sustain stable energy levels.
Water – although water is important for healthy hydration, it is necessary to limit its intake especially before meals. If not, it can fill your stomach and lead to low appetite.
Though many factors affect your appetite, incorporating small changes in your lifestyle can bring out positive outcomes. Maintain a food journal where you can track your food intake to understand if you are taking enough food or not. This can be discussed with a Dietitian who can guide you to healthy, nutrient dense choices.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22063905/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16053812/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-to-increase-appetite#TOC_TITLE_HDR_18
https://www.healthline.com/health/appetite-decreased#treatment
https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/hunger-and-appetite/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/appetite#increase-appetite
https://www.medicinenet.com/loss_of_appetite/symptoms.htm
https://foodtribute.com/6-things-that-affect-your-appetite-for-food/