Why do I feel hungry?
Summary
Host Ruth Alexander explores the complex biology of appetite, featuring geneticist Giles Yeo and nutritionist Federica Amati who explain how hunger, fullness, and reward drive eating. The episode examines how genes, gut microbes, and modern obesogenic environments influence food choices, while neuroscientist Amber Al-Hadif details how GLP-1 medications recalibrate brain circuits to reduce cravings. Personal stories, including Darren Radcliffe’s experience with weight loss drugs, highlight the difficulty of managing intense appetite and the importance of sustainable habits.
Topics discussed
Sponsorships and introduction
Darren Radcliffe's experience with weight loss medication
The return of appetite after stopping medication
The neuroscience of appetite: hunger, fullness, and reward
Three types of hunger: homeostatic, hedonic, and microbiome
How satiety levels change food preferences and calorie density
Genetic heritability of appetite and body weight
The obesogenic environment and modern lifestyle mismatches
How location and food access influence eating habits
Sponsorships and mid-episode break
Darren's daily struggles with constant hunger
The four stages of satiety: cephalic to colonic
Leptin resistance and the paradox of obesity-related hunger
How GLP-1 drugs recalibrate hunger and reward circuits
Recalibrating appetite through healthy weight loss
Strategies to manage appetite through environment and habits
Darren's new habits and life without appetite
Closing remarks and credits
Promotion for 100 Objects podcast
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