Bad Appetite

The social, psychological, and biological drivers of appetite

Susan Carnell is a research psychologist at the New York Obesity Research Center and Columbia University, where she studies what drives some people toward obesity. See full bio

November 22, 2009

Think French, Stay Thin

What is it about French actresses that makes them so attractive? The beautiful accent certainly helps. But they also tend to be gorgeous, leggy, toned and slim. And there's a popular belief that, despite a predilection for cheese, steak frites, and pain au chocolat, regular French women don't get fat either. Why should this be so? Read More

October 31, 2009

Forbidden fruit

Got kids? Live near kids? Used to be one? If you answered yes to any of those questions Halloween will not have passed you by unnoticed. But what are the longer term effects of monitoring your kids' diets day-to-day then letting them go crazy with candy on holidays and special occasions? Read More

October 10, 2009

Hey stupid! How your eating habits can make you dumb.

Can't remember your phone number? Defeated by a tax and tip calculation? Simple Sudoku got you scratching your head? Maybe all that crap you eat is addling your brain. Read More

September 23, 2009

Scare yourself skinny.

Remember when cigarette packets were just pretty little boxes with fancy lettering? Nope, neither do I. For as long as I can recall they've been covered with scary health warnings. And if you light up in the UK or Canada you might even get treated to a graphic image of a diseased lung or some rotting teeth. But can the shock-and-awe approach also get people to improve their eating habits? Read More

August 11, 2009

Out of control? How holding back can make you fat.

Ever been out for dinner with a friend and watched in wonder as she ordered the tuna salad with no dressing then turned away the dessert trolley to save on calories? Your buddy is a ‘restrained eater'. But does it really make her thin and happy? Read More

July 19, 2009

Til breadth do us part

Last week a friend of mine told me if his girlfriend was getting fat and he felt less attracted to her, he'd let her know about it and encourage her to lose weight. Isn't it enough to be constantly bombarded with media images of skinny female perfection? Can't we even expect our boyfriends to think we're unconditionally beautiful, belly and all? Read More

May 25, 2009

Feeding your feelings? Why you comfort eat and how to stop.

Just had a pay cut? Spurned by your lover? Can't get over the fact that the little guy won American Idol? When the initial gut-wrenching surge of anxiety subsides you may find yourself reaching for the chocolate brownies. This is because your adrenal gland unleashes cortisol - and cortisol tells your brain to get to the nearest vending machine and load up on candy.

April 12, 2009

Does my brain look fat in this?

Sweet tooth. Greedy guts. Hungry eyes. Lazy bones. We blame every part of the body for making us fat, but there's one vital organ we sometimes forget to mention: the brain. It helps us plan what to get from a fast-food restaurant. It helps us decide when to step away from the ice-cream tub. But if you're obese, your brain looks different even before you start making those decisions. Read More

March 15, 2009

Is obesity contagious?

Ever heard the phrase ‘obesity epidemic' and thought it seemed a bit peculiar? Obesity's just about eating too much and exercising too little isn't it? Maybe not. Some people think fatness is genuinely contagious and there's evidence to show they might be right. Read More

February 14, 2009

Want to seduce your valentine? Whittle down your waistline.

I just don't buy the myth that fat people get to have less sex than than skinny people - at least not the ones with good old, regular, common-or-garden fat. Nearly two thirds of us are overweight or obese yet we seem to be reproducing somehow (and I'm told that a voluptuous hourglass figure more than makes up for a little fleshy overspill). What does seem to be true is that if you're very overweight, losing some pounds can significantly improve the quality of your sex life. Read More

Eating Disorders Basics

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is prevalent especially among young women and, increasingly, among young men. Marked by a distorted sense of body image and extreme voluntary starvation, and closely associated with perfectionism and depression, it is the most deadly psychiatric disorder.

Go to the Anorexia Nervosa Basics page for more on Anorexia Nervosa including:

Disordered eating is widespread in the American population, but frank eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, which is also called bing

Go to the Eating Disorders Basics page for more on Eating Disorders including:

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