All of which weakens the common notion that hunger is governed solely by the hormones from the gut. “I’m not suggesting that kind of signalling isn’t important, but the role of cognition has been under represented,” says Brunstrom. And in some circumstances it may be more important.
That could easily have an impact in our hectic, modern lives. Working lunches are now commonplace in most offices, and many people watch TV or play with their smartphones and laptops during evening meals. All of these distractions might affect your memories of what you’ve eaten. Brunstrom, for instance, asked subjects to eat with one hand while they played solitaire with the other. Thanks to the distraction, they struggled to recall the meal, and pigged out on more biscuits later in the day.