Figure 3

Influences on eating behaviours and nutrient balance. In the Forager (hunter/gatherer) environment, humans were often driven by hunger to physically work hard to acquire enough energy and achieve homeostasis, and food in general to maintain their weight and health. Rarely, was refined energy dense, highly palatable food present for long periods or in quantities to elicit addiction patterns via cortico-limbic-striatal system. On the other hand, Westernised environments are characterised by chronic stress, lack of physical activity (green), along with commercial advertising that strongly cues the consumption of easily available, highly palatable, refined food (red). This over-palatable food, is sought for the taste reward or hedonics rather for homeostasis. However, for many people in this environment control of refined, energy dense food is lost and addiction behaviour supervenes (blue). The lack of micronutrients and high, uncontrolled energy input increases fat deposition. Oxidative and general stress, and metabolic syndrome, develop. Figure adapted from Zheng et al. 2009 [16].