Pop Quiz! What’s Driving Your Hunger?

January brings with it the focus on health resolutions, whether it’s exercising more or eating healthier. However, it can be difficult to make the change and move the needle, and confusion between hunger and cravings could be to blame. Take our quiz to learn about the science behind hunger—from your brain to your body—so that you can make progress this year.

1. True or false? The communication between our gut and brain concerning hunger involves a complex mix of hormonal signals and processes of the nervous system.

2. Which of the following is the definition of ghrelin, one of the gut hormones that regulate hunger?
A. A hormone that is released when you satisfy your hunger.
B. A hormone with numerous functions that is also responsible for telling your brain that you’re hungry to increase your appetite.
C. A hormone that tells your brain it is time to wake up.
D. None of the above

3. Which of the following is the definition of leptin, another gut hormone that regulates hunger?
A. A hormone that lets your brain know when you have enough energy stored and feel “full” in order to decrease your appetite.
B. A hormone that tells your pituitary gland that it is time to eat.
C. A hormone that tells your brain it is time to sleep.
D. None of the above

4. Insulin, which is important for regulating blood sugar levels and storing blood sugar and fat, also affects the feelings of hunger in which of the following ways? 
A. High levels of insulin decrease food intake.
B. Lower levels increase food intake.
C. High blood sugar levels (low insulin levels) often result in greater hunger and cravings.
D. All of the above

5. GLP-1 & peptide YY are hormones that are released in the digestive tract after contact with protein and fat in meals, and their levels are low in those with obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes. Which of the following are ways in which they affect hunger?
A. They tell the brain it is time to eat.
B. They affect your quality of sleep.
C. Their release helps signal satiety, leading to slower stomach-emptying and food intake.
D. None of the above

6. True or false? Stress and poor sleep — regularly getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night or not getting restful sleep — can affect the hormones that control hunger urges by increasing ghrelin and decreasing leptin.

7. Which of the following is one of the ways that stress can affect feelings of hunger?
A. Stress suppresses appetite.
B. Stress causes the brain to release cortisol, which can stimulate the appetite.
C. Stress increases leptin
D. None of the above

8. Why do we usually turn to foods that are high in salt, fat, and/or sugar when we are “comfort eating,” also called hedonic hunger or emotional eating?
A. Foods high in salt, fat, and/or sugar are hyperpalatable and stimulate the release of dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone, which can initially make us feel good and keep us wanting more. 
B. These foods are better balanced with our hormones.
C. These foods are easier on the gut, sending signals to the brain to continue eating.
D. None of the above

9. Which of the following are science-backed ways to better align your eating habits with the biological mechanisms of hunger?
A. Eat more protein and foods high in fiber, as they both increase feelings of satiety and fullness.
B. Maintain regular sleep patterns, getting 7 to 8 hours.
C. Use mindfulness to distinguish between homeostatic hunger (hunger because the calories of food are needed for your body) and hedonic hunger (emotional hunger).
D. Establish regular eating patterns to help train your body’s internal clock for ghrelin release.
E. All of the above

compiled by ERIKA ALDRICH / Information from Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment, Harvard Health Publishing, Ohio State Health & Discovery, the National Institutes of Health, and the Cleveland Clinic

ANSWERS:

1. True
2. B. A hormone that is responsible for telling your brain that you’re hungry to increase your appetite.
3. A. A hormone that lets your brain know when you have enough energy stored and feel “full” in order to decrease your appetite.
4. D. All of the above
5. C. Their release helps signal satiety, leading to slower stomach-emptying and food intake.
6. True
7. B. Stress causes the brain to release cortisol, which can stimulate the appetite.
8. A. They stimulate the release of dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone, which can initially make us feel good.
9. E. All of the above