Evolutionary and anthropological perspectives on optimal foraging in obesogenic environments

    Authors

    L. S. Lieberman

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Appetite

    Keywords

    evolution; diet; foraging theory; obesogenic environment; FOOD-INTAKE; NUTRITION TRANSITION; OBESITY; PREVALENCE; MEAL; OVERWEIGHT; COUNTRIES; EPIDEMIC; INCREASE; DIETARY; Behavioral Sciences; Nutrition & Dietetics

    Abstract

    The nutrition transition has created an obesogenic environment resulting in a growing obesity pandemic. An optimal foraging approach provides cost/benefit models of cognitive, behavioral and physiological strategies that illuminate the causes of caloric surfeit and consequent obesity in current environments of abundant food cues; easy-access and reliable food patches; low processing costs and enormous variety of energy-dense foods. Experimental and naturalistic observations demonstrate that obesogenic environments capitalize on human proclivities by displaying colorful advertising, supersizing meals, providing abundant variety, increasing convenience, and utilizing distractions that impede monitoring of food portions during consumption. The globalization of fast foods propels these trends. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Appetite

    Volume

    47

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2006

    Document Type

    Review

    Language

    English

    First Page

    3

    Last Page

    9

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000239747400002

    ISSN

    0195-6663

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