Survey 84 percent know real hunger

84 percent of the citizens surveyed know their "real hunger"

20/05/2011

The first analysis of the online survey "Do you know your real hunger?" Was carried out after 212 participants and revealed: 84 percent of the surveyed citizens know their real, the physical hunger. This preliminary result contradicts the presumption of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) that many people have lost access to the feeling of hunger. "The interim analysis shows a first tendency that most people still seem to know their true hunger," explains the Frankfurt nutritionist Uwe Knop, initiator of the online survey at www.echte-esser.de. For him, the survey results are a "first basis for discussion" for all nutrition experts who are concerned with the question: Why do we eat? Therefore, the survey will continue throughout the year to provide up-to-date answers.

The background of this three-country citizen survey is as follows: Numerous nutrition experts deny people in industrialized countries the ability to trust in their hunger. But this general "Ess-Entmutung" is nothing more than a vague assumption - because there are no current data that reflect the "trigger of eating behavior" in this country. Regardless, it is often claimed that we have lost access to the feeling of hunger - and could no longer rely on our bodies for food, that is our hunger-driven eating habits.

Only eat when you are really hungry
Even the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) agrees with the thesis of the author Knop (2) "only eat what you feel like when you are really hungry" basically: "quite fundamentally and for healthy people his thesis is probably correct" , said Antje Gahl, spokeswoman for the DGE (3). But: Unfortunately, many people have lost access to hunger, the DGE notes - but it refers to a source that is almost a quarter of an century old (4) - so it's high time to critically question this antiquated statement, to get current answers: "Why do we eat?" For this reason, Knop asks citizens to continue to participate in the survey.

Survey: All results at a glance
The complete interim analysis of 212 participants (75% women, 25% men) of the first D / A / CH survey "Do you know your true hunger?" Provided the following results; Percentage entry in parentheses after the answer, the most frequent answers are in bold (always the answer that was most important for AM):

1. Know your real, physical hunger?
o Yes, if I'm really hungry, I notice (84%)
o No, I do not know what my hunger feels like (6%)
o I'm not sure (10%)

2. Why do you eat?
o Because I'm really hungry (46%)
o Meal time (for example, breakfast, lunch), even if I'm not hungry (28%)
o Mostly out of boredom, frustration, stress or habit, but without real hunger (13%)
o For the sheer pleasure of eating - no matter if I'm hungry (13%)

3. What do you trust when eating?
o I only trust my body: I ​​eat when I'm really hungry and only what I like (57%)
o I trust in the food on the usual dietary rules (for example, DGE food pyramid, 5x day fruit and vegetables eat) (38%)
o I rely on the latest dietary counselors (5%)

4. Eat yourself full?
o Yes, I eat so much, until I'm full and I feel that very well (51%)
o I feel when I'm full, but I continue to eat until almost "nothing works" (21%)
o No, I usually eat a certain amount and then stop consciously (19%)
o I do not know exactly how it feels when I'm full (9%)

5. What do you think of the common rules for "healthy" nutrition?
Nutritional rules do not interest me (11%)
Nutritional rules occasionally affect my food choices (68%)
o I eat mostly according to nutritional rules (21%)

6. Would you like to know more about how you get to know your true hunger??
o Yes, I would like to learn more about my real hunger in practical exercises (25%)
o I am interested in information material that shows me how I realize my real hunger (27%)
o No, I know my real hunger well enough (46%)
o No, I do not know my real hunger and do not want to get to know him (2%)

All participants have participated voluntarily and without any monetary or other external incentive (for example, a profit). The details of the participants were verified by the obligatory specification of the e-mail and a subsequent click-link confirming the participation. This verification was used to secure the information of the first 212 participants. The e-mail confirmation will be omitted in the future, as this prevents many interested parties from participating. (Pm)

Also read:
Diet: Citizen Survey started
Hunger and lust of Uwe Knop
For more responsible citizens in our country
Is DGE going against Uwe Knop?