In mordern society, nutritional and appetite disorders occur in epidemic proportions and
are serious health harzards. Obesity and diabetes affect over 30% of American
population, while eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa occur
in a growing number of adolescences and young adults. The changes in various
sociocultural aspects with the introduction of Westernized culture have had the effect of
increasing the risk of same problems in Korea. Disorderd eating patterns are a primary
symptom of numerous psychiatric disorders and loss of appetite and cachexia, during
illness or in the elderly, preclude proper medical treatment for restoring good health or
preserving life. Increased understanding of the systems of the body and brain, related to
energy and nutrient balance, may help us to treatment and ultimately prevent these
common disorders.
In this review, the author highlights the psychobiological mechanisms or factors which
are associated with eating behavior, especially in the view of intake psychobiology. This
review would be concentrated on 1) the theoretical concepts and theories of eating
behavior ; 2) the psychobiological determinants of food intake ; and 3) the
psychobiological control of eating behavior.
|