Food is essential for sustaining life as it provides the fuel, building blocks and substances needed for various biochemical processes. Without food, death is a certainty although the human body can survive for 2 to 3 weeks without food. However, most of us would not be able to function at our best without eating every few hours. Just as too little food can be harmful and even deadly, similarly excessive eating is associated with various dangers. What is excessive eating? Excessive eating can refer to two phenomena – overeating and excessive hunger. While overeating is a voluntary action, hunger is a sensation that the body generates to signal us that food is needed. We can stimulate hunger (primarily by not eating) and satisfy it (by eating) but ultimately this sensation is not under our full control. Excessive hunger or increased appetite is medically referred to as polyphagia. It may be difficult to identify whether excessive eating in children is due to excessive hunger or whether it is linked to overeating without hunger sensations. However, most adults will be able to make the differentiation. While excessive hunger can lead to overeating, many people also overeat even without feeling hungry. Overeating and … Continue reading Excessive Eating – Causes of Constant Need to Eat Food