Physique Academy

Why People Tend to Overeat

The Science Behind Cravings

Modern diets in many countries now contain large amounts of highly processed foods that are rich in fat, sugar, and salt. These are often called HFSS foods, meaning high in fat, sugar, and salt, or ultra-processed foods. Studies from different countries show that these foods make up a large part of people’s total calorie intake (Marino et al., 2021; Williams et al., 2025).

Research shows that HFSS foods strongly activate brain systems that control reward and pleasure. This makes them easy to overeat, because they weaken the normal signals that tell us when we are full (Seabrook et al., 2020; May et al., 2020). Brain scans show that when people see or eat high-fat and high-sugar foods, certain parts of the brain linked to motivation and pleasure – like the striatum and orbitofrontal cortex – react more strongly than when people look at or eat less processed foods (Seabrook et al., 2020; Yokum et al., 2014). These reactions involve dopamine, a chemical that drives us to eat even when we don’t need more energy (Seabrook et al., 2020).

Designed for Overeating

HFSS foods affect the body not only through taste. When fat and sugar reach the intestine, they trigger signals that travel to the brain and reinforce eating. These signals can increase dopamine release and strengthen our desire for these foods even without the taste itself (May et al., 2020; Wallace et al., 2021). Experiments with animals and humans show that mixing sugar and fat together creates stronger food reinforcement than either one alone, explaining why many processed foods are especially appealing (May et al., 2020; Wallace et al., 2021). So not only humans are more sensitive to HFSS foods, animals as well. They just don’t have access to it in the wild.

The way these foods are made also matters. Many HFSS products are designed to taste especially good by combining fat, sugar, salt and pleasant textures. They are high in calories but low in fiber and water, which means they delay fullness and make it easier to eat more from it (Garcia Gutiérrez et al., 2018; Ziauddeen et al., 2017). Population studies show that these foods provide a large part of daily calorie intake in many countries nowadays, increasing overall exposure to these foods (Marino et al., 2021; Williams et al., 2025). Food packaging plays a role as well, such as its color, visuals or promotions (Hawkes, 2010).

Healthy eating illustration

The Emotional Link to Food

Many people also eat these foods for emotional comfort. Eating something tasty can briefly lift mood and reduce stress by stimulating the brain’s reward system, but the effect is short-term and doesn’t solve the stress itself. This can lead to repeated overeating, especially in people who use food to manage emotions (Garcia Gutiérrez et al., 2018). The food is an short-term escape.

Low-calorie whole foods such as tomatoes do not trigger the same strong reward signals. They have fewer calories and less fat and sugar, so they don’t activate the brain’s pleasure systems as intensely. Over time, diets high in HFSS foods can alter dopamine signaling and brain reward responses, which may increase the tendency to overeat (Ziauddeen et al., 2017).

Things You Can Do to Stop Overeating

  • Pay attention to food while eating and notice your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
  • Avoid distractions, such as screens, which can lead to eating more.
  • Use smaller portion sizes to help manage intake.
  • Make highly processed (HFSS) foods less accessible.
  • Keep fiber-rich and protein rich foods in your diet.
  • Find non-food methods like walking, relaxation, or social support to manage emotions.

References

  • Garcia Gutiérrez, M., Villar-García, S., & García-Domínguez, S. (2018). Effects of the modern food environment on striatal function, cognition and regulation of ingestive behavior. Frontiers in Nutrition, 5, 94. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2018.00094
  • Hawkes, C. (2010). Food packaging: the medium is the message. Public Health Nutrition, 13(2), 297–299. doi:10.1017/S1368980009993168
  • May, C. E., Rosander, J., Gottfried, J., Dennis, E., & Dus, M. (2020). Dietary sugar inhibits satiation by decreasing the central processing of sweet taste. eLife, 9, e54530. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.54530
  • Wallace, C. W., Beatty, N. S., Hutcherson, S. A., Emmons, H. A., Loudermilt, M. C., & Fordahl, S. C. (2021). Replacing a palatable high-fat diet with a low-fat alternative heightens κ-opioid receptor control over nucleus accumbens dopamine. Nutrients, 13(7), 2341. https://doi.org/10.3389/nu13072341
  • Ziauddeen, H., Okuyama, T., Wang, L., et al. (2017). Palatable hyper-caloric foods impact on neuronal plasticity. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 11, 100. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00100

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