by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: March 11, 2009

Some people can eat until they are full and then stop, but there are others who will carry on eating regardless of whether they are hungry or not. This may because they are simply greedy, appreciating the taste of what they are eating so much that they do not want to stop, or they may find it comforting to eat vast quantities of food. The trouble is that when people overeat they tend to reach for junk food rather than nutritionally beneficial food. Junk food is full of sugar, salt and fat, and tends to be highly calorific, so that when people choose to overindulge, particularly if they continue to do so over a period of time, they may find themselves putting on weight.

Of course, it is the individual's responsibility to monitor what they eat if they want to stay a healthy weight, but it can be difficult living in an impulsive society where people expect their food quickly, and are not prepared to put their time and energy into preparing healthy meals and exercising on a regular basis. Whereas parents in the past may have rewarded their children's good behaviour with a big chocolate bar at the weekend, children are increasingly eating sweets, chocolates and cakes whenever they feel like it. Consequently, childhood obesity is becoming a significant problem in the Western world, which is particularly worrying as children tend to take the eating habits they have developed with them into adulthood.

In the case of children it is their parents' responsibility to ensure that they are eating the right meals regularly and not snacking too much, but parents often have a hard time being strict with their children when it comes to diet because their own diets are often so appalling. Today's adults have become accustomed to meals on the move, because they tend to work long hours in jobs which often do not require much physical activity, and sit in front of their television or computer in their spare time. They may have had a healthy childhood, but as the years have crept up on them their portion sizes have been increasing in size at the very time that they are burning fewer calories.

People who have a problem with overeating need to make sure they eat meals regularly, and maybe even incorporate snacks, but they must make sure that mealtimes are not just an excuse to pile their plate up with as much food as possible. It is important to get the body into a routine of eating healthy meals on a regular basis so that it learns when it is going to be fed, making it easier to deal with potential cravings which might occur as a result of limiting sugar and fat intake. The body has to get used to coping with smaller portions, particularly if it has become accustomed to being fed extremely large portions.

In the end people who have a propensity for overeating need to remain conscious of what and when they eat and to not let themselves get in a position where they might be tempted to overeat. This may mean not buying any junk food at all, particularly for people who cannot just have one small bar of chocolate and be satisfied, but have to finish the whole pack. Whether a person succumbs to overeating or not clearly depends on what their priorities are and how determined they are to lose weight or at least maintain their weight.

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