Food Pleasure Research Articles

Injecting care and negotiating pleasures with weight loss pharmaceuticals

The recent rise of injectable ‘wonder drugs’ for weight loss has been rapid and unregulated (so rapid that it has resulted in a worldwide shortage of Ozempic). We analyse the commercialisation of these drugs, and the political manoeuvres companies engage in to leverage and manufacture the gendered capitalism of ‘care’. Marketing relies heavily on situating ‘obesity’ as a chronic disease influenced by genes or other aspects of biology, working therefore to supposedly mitigate the blame and shame of the taken-for-granted aetiology of ‘obesity’, overwhelmingly understood as excess food intake and insufficient activity. Armed with this evidence, women are told to ‘stand up against weight care judgement’ and to engage in ‘shame free’ care. Pharmaceutical interventions are at the ready to inject this weekly dose of care, producing freedom through neoliberal pleasure but, ironically, in doing so, sacrificing the pleasure of food and non-conditional self-acceptance as vital forms of self-care.

An interdisciplinary marketing call into food design thinking to create innovative, healthy, and pleasurable food experiences

AbstractThe evolving landscape of food innovation demands that food manufacturers and stakeholders develop solutions that are novel, health-conscious, enjoyable, and sustainable, thereby enhancing food well-being (Block et al., 2011). This research proposes an interdisciplinary framework within the Food Design Thinking (FDT) process that integrates insights, methodologies, and perspectives from marketing and related business disciplines. It merges concepts from various business fields through a marketing and Food Well-Being (FWB) lens to expand the FDT framework and provide food manufacturers and stakeholders with tools and techniques to drive food innovations. The proposed conceptual framework contributes to the existing stages of FDT by emphasizing empathic emotions, emotional intelligence, and customer centricity in the Empathy stage; applying thematic thinking, experiential marketing, and experiential learning in the Visualization and Prototyping stage; and nurturing value co-creation, sharing, and open innovation in the Collaboration stage. Food manufacturers and stakeholders can leverage on these elements when developing, innovating, and creating new foods and food experiences that are meant to be healthy, pleasurable, and sustainable.

Effect of food stimuli presentation on restrained eater's food choice: An ERP study

Restrained eaters are individuals who consciously follow a limited food intake diet to lose or maintain body weight. With the rising numbers of obesity cases, retrained eating has became more prevalent as more people adopt it to cope with obesity. The dual conflict theory states that restrained eaters often encounter conflicting choices of food pleasure and weight management. The present study investigated the difference in food choice regarding different presentations of the weight management goal. The study hypothesized difference in successful and unsuccessful restrained eaters’ food choice when presented with the conflicting food/weight maintenance stimuli. A total of 49 college students participated in the study and the N2, P3 and LPP event-related potentials (ERPs) were investigated during a food choice task. Results showed that the reaction time in unsuccessful restrained eaters (UREs) were greater than successful restrained eaters (SREs). The ERP results showed that SREs exhibited smaller N2 and greater P3 amplitudes than UREs, however, we did not find a difference in LPP amplitudes between the two groups. The findings suggest that the UREs demonstrated greater sensitivity and smaller inhibition to food cues, while we do not have supports for a difference in motivational and emotional salience. This is the first study that investigated the food choice of SREs and UREs when faced with different presentations of conflicting goals, which enriches the theoretical model and provides neural correlates evidence for future studies.

Chemosensory anhedonia facilitates depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment in late-life depression.

Chemosensory anhedonia refers to the lack of hedonic ability to experience pleasure through the senses of smell and taste, which reduces the pleasure and comfort of food, and increases the risk of nutritional and immune deficiencies. However, there is no direct scientific evidence regarding chemosensory anhedonia in patients with late-life depression (LLD). The aim of this study was to investigate chemosensory anhedonia in patients with LLD, and its potential association with depressive symptoms and cognitive function. A total of 114 patients with LLD and 92 normal controls were included in this study. They experienced clinical assessment, Chemosensory Pleasure Scale assessment, 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale assessment and cognitive assessments, which contain the Verbal Fluency Test. The associations between chemosensory pleasure and depressive symptoms or cognitive function in patients with LLD were explored using partial correlation analysis and mediation analysis. The Chemosensory Pleasure Scale scores were lower in the LLD group than in the normal control group, and were negatively correlated with the total scores and factors' scores (retardation, cognitive bias and anxiety/somatization) of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and positively correlated with the Verbal Fluency Test scores. The scores for the Food and Imagination dimensions of the Chemosensory Pleasure Scale showed partial mediating effects on the differences in Cognitive bias (a factor of the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) between patients with LLD and normal controls. Patients with LLD showed significant chemosensory anhedonia, and both depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment were associated with the severity of chemosensory anhedonia. Enhancing chemosensory pleasure in patients with LLD could potentially ameliorate their depressive symptoms. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; ••: ••-••.

The effect of anhedonic traits on snack food consumption and interoception of food-related pleasure and bodily sensations

Human eating behaviour is driven by the need to secure energy demands and the desire for pleasure. Signals from the body guide this behaviour, relying on the ability to sense internal sensations. Impaired interoception has been linked to unhealthy eating habits. However, the impact of anhedonia (reduced ability to experience pleasure) on interoception and eating behaviour has not yet been studied and could enhance our understanding of eating behaviour. We conducted a cross-sectional study using self-report measures on 309 Chinese consumers with high (n = 150) and low (n = 159) anhedonic traits to explore differences in interoceptive experiences of snack food consumption. Specifically, we investigated interoceptive awareness, intuitive eating, and food-related pleasure using validated questionnaires. Additionally, we examined snack intake frequency, drivers of snack food consumption and post-ingestive sensations using self-developed questionnaires. We hypothesised that individuals with high anhedonic traits would exhibit low interoceptive awareness and lower intensity of interoceptive sensations linked to snack food consumption. Consistent with our hypotheses, low interoceptive awareness and intuitive eating were observed in individuals with high anhedonic traits. Furthermore, individuals with high anhedonic traits reported lower food-related pleasure, lower healthy snack intake frequency, and lower intensity of post-ingestive sensations for healthy snacks compared to the group with low anhedonic traits. Differences detected between groups were mainly detected for healthy snacking and not unhealthy snacking. Understanding how anhedonic traits relate to food pleasure and bodily sensations related snack consumption can provide novel insights and clarify focus areas for developing strategies supporting interoceptive awareness for long-term dietary behaviour changes.

Lunch melodies: Investigating the impact of music on emotions, hunger, liking, and psychophysiology while viewing a lunch meal

Sensory cues like music can influence our behaviour towards food. In the present study, the effect of music on hunger, fullness, desire to eat and liking of foods, while viewing real lunch food items, was investigated. To this end, emotions and physiological measures were obtained to understand the changes in hunger, fullness, desire to eat and liking. The study aimed to examine changes in hunger, fullness, desire to eat, and liking when viewing a lunch meal under silent and varying music conditions. Additionally, the study explored the potential role of emotions to explain these changes. A crossover experimental design was employed using 50 participants (17 males and 33 females) who observed lunch food items during a silent condition (control), or while listening to either liked or disliked music. The findings demonstrate the cross-modal influence of music on hunger and food liking ratings when viewing food. Hunger ratings were higher and more negative emotions were evoked while viewing lunch food items and listening to disliked music. In contrast, in the silent and liked music conditions, which elicited more positive emotions, there were increased ratings of healthy and unhealthy food pleasantness, overall food liking, and food satisfaction. Electrophysiological measures of heart rate (HR) and skin conductance (SC) were obtained while listening to music and viewing a lunch meal. Viewing food items while listening to disliked music evoked negative emotions and significantly increased SC compared to liked music or silent conditions. Viewing the food items under the silent condition evoked positive emotions and significantly increased HR compared to listening to liked and disliked music. This study showed that the participants’ emotions, hunger level, liking, and electrophysiological responses when viewing food are influenced by music that varied with liking. Results from this study may assist in enhancing dining experiences, as well as influencing food choices and satisfaction with meals.

Using Cooking Schools to Improve the Pleasure of Food and Cooking in Patients Experiencing Smell Loss.

Smell loss affects around 15-20% of the population, with a major effect on the quality of life. The most common complaint is the impairment of the eating experience, with around 90% of patients reporting this issue. A study conducted at a specialised Taste and Smell Clinic investigated if food and cooking can positively affect the enjoyment of food, subjective cooking skills, and quality of life in patients with smell loss. The 49 participants in the study received a 5-week cooking school course that focused on emphasizing the other senses to regain the enjoyment of food. Participants gained more confidence in cooking, and their quality of life improved significantly. Positively evaluated recipes were adjusted based on feedback and published as free e-books in Danish, German, and English. Eating and cooking are multisensory experiences, and the perception of food depends on the complex interaction of senses and surroundings. If the olfactory input is reduced or absent, both the enjoyment and cooking experience can be negatively affected. Therefore, focusing on food and cooking can have a positive impact on patients with smell loss.

비만치료의 정신심리적 개입 방법

Obesity is a major global public health crisis, and the severity of obesity is known to have a negative impact on mental health. Individuals who are overweight or obese are more likely to experience mood disorders such as depression. Interestingly, depression itself is also a risk factor for the development of obesity. Due to this connection, it is crucial to include psychosocial assessment and intervention when dealing with obesity. Additionally, food addiction is a condition that affects a significant portion (25%-30%) of overweight or obese individuals. It is characterized by the impulsive and compulsive consumption of pleasurable foods in excessive amounts. This addiction is associated with high levels of impulsivity and shares similar neural mechanisms with other addictive disorders, including high activation in the striatum. Consequently, food addiction may contribute to obesity and should be given careful attention and further research. This article will explore obesity from the perspective of food addiction and discuss various psychological interventions that are both essential and effective in treating obesity. By doing so, we aim to underscore the importance of psychosocial interventions in obesity treatment and draw the attention of mental health professionals to the need for additional research.

Hedonic hunger, ultra-processed food consumption, and the moderating effects of impulsivity in pregnant individuals with body mass index ≥ 25

Evidence suggests higher hedonic hunger (preoccupation with/desire to consume food for pleasure) is associated with greater ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption in non-pregnant individuals with higher, but not lower, self-report impulsivity or delay discounting. The current study tested the association between hedonic hunger and UPF consumption, and the moderating effects of self-report impulsivity and delay discounting, during pregnancy. Individuals (N = 220) with body mass index (BMI)≥25 completed the Power of Food Scale, 24-h dietary recalls, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Version 11 in early-mid pregnancy. A subset enrolled in an ancillary study (n = 143) completed a Delay Discounting Task. Linear regression and moderation models covaried for age, gestational age, pre-pregnancy BMI, and socioeconomic status. The association between hedonic hunger and UPF consumption was nonsignificant (p = 0.47). Self-report impulsivity was not a significant moderator (p = 0.11), but delay discounting was (p = 0.01). Simple slopes analysis revealed a one-unit increase in hedonic hunger was associated with 7% lower UPF intake among participants with lower (M+1SD) delay discounting (p = 0.01) and 1% higher UPF intake among those with higher (M-1SD) delay discounting (p = 0.57). Findings contrast those from research with non-pregnant samples and indicate lower delay discounting may serve as a protective factor, associated with reduced UPF consumption at higher levels of hedonic hunger, during pregnancy.

Food-Related Behavioral Patterns in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: The Role of Food Involvement and Health Engagement.

Nutrition has been acknowledged as crucial in IBD and is relevant to patients' motives behind food choices, which are affected by health engagement (HE) and food involvement (FI). This study aimed to profile IBD patients according to their levels of health engagement and food involvement to identify patterns of different motives behind food choices, particularly regarding the use of food to regulate mood. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 890 Italian IBD patients who completed an online survey in April 2021. We measured health engagement, food involvement, motives behind food choices, emotional states, and food-related quality of life (Fr-QoL). K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify participants with similar levels of health engagement and food involvement. Four clusters were identified: "Health-conscious (high HE, low FI)", "Balanced (high HE, high FI)", "Hedonist (high FI, low HE)", and "Careless (low FI, low HE)". Clusters with high FI are inclined toward seeking pleasurable food, but when supported with high health engagement, individuals were less prone to use food to manage mood. Groups with higher health engagement demonstrated lower hospitalization rates and relapses and better Fr-QoL. Profiling IBD patients regarding FI and HE could aid clinicians in identifying individuals at greater risk of maladaptive food-related behaviors.

Measuring Pleasure from Food—Validation of the Food Pleasure Scale by Multiple Techniques and Mixed Methods

The development of scales and questionnaires to assess pleasure perception has gained prominence, particularly for evaluating anhedonia in mental disorders. The Food Pleasure Scale is a comprehensive tool exclusively dedicated to measuring pleasure perception from food and food-related experiences. This study aimed to evaluate the face validity and consistency reliability of the Food Pleasure Scale using a mixed methods approach. Twenty-two participants completed the Food Pleasure Scale questionnaire and participated in in-depth interviews to understand their interpretation of the scale items. The interview data underwent thematic analysis, and the quantitative survey data was compared to the qualitative interview responses. Results indicated a high level of understanding of all items in the Food Pleasure Scale, confirming its face validity and applicability. The mixed methods approach supported the consistency reliability, showing consistency between quantitative measures and participants’ explicit and implicit expressions of food pleasure. Furthermore, the study revealed a novel aspect related to food pleasure: the concept of “making an effort”. Overall, this study highlights the comprehensibility, validity, and potential of the Food Pleasure Scale in consumer studies. It effectively captures the subjective experience of pleasure derived from food and food-related encounters, making it a valuable tool for further research in this domain.

Entre a saúde e o prazer: percepções de pacientes com doença cardiovascular acompanhados por um programa de intervenção nutricional

The Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional Program (Balance)(f) consists of a nutritional counseling strategy aiming to prevent new cardiovascular events. This qualitative investigation is a case study of Balance aiming to understand the process of food choices related to the adherence of participants to the nutritional counseling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants and analyzed according to thematic content analysis. Patients reported incorporating nutritional advice and how they negotiate food choices to achieve a healthy diet while maintaining the consumption of pleasurable foods, some of them recommended avoiding. The continuous tensions and conflicts between healthy and pleasurable eating which permeate patients’ food choices should be addressed in nutritional counseling, enabling greater and long-lasting adherence to Balance.

An exploratory study on emotional consequents of visceral food pleasure

Purpose This study aims to explore the phenomenon of visceral food pleasure, described as a unitary experience that, after an initial sense of pleasure and relief generated by the satisfaction of eating impulses, is followed by negative feelings – such as guilt and worry – linked to the consumption of hedonic or unhealthy foods. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory approach has been adopted. In particular, the critical incident technique among 87 individuals has been used to extract insights about visceral food pleasure. Findings Contrary to previous research results, this study shows that viscearl food pleasure is not a unitary phenomenon, identifying four types of different facets, two of which have a negative valence in terms of felt emotions post-consumption and psychological well-being (i.e. the “greedy” and the “maladaptive” experiences). More importantly, the other two facets are associated with positive consequences in terms of emotions felt post-consumption and perceived psychological well-being (i.e. the “social” and the “fair sin” experiences). Practical implications Companies that provide food experiences can prime meanings that influence consumers’ perceptions of the episode to elicit positive emotions post-consumption and psychological well-being. Social implications Promoting a more holistic view of food consumption and psychological well-being can free consumers from negative emotions during food consumption episodes. Priming a particular meaning can be a way to do that. However, as visceral experience can still lead to health issues, this must be combined with an education process that makes consumers aware of their food habits. Originality/value This research challenges the idea that visceral food experiences are always negative. Indeed, when associated with particular meanings (i.e. social and reward), they have a positive valence post-consumption.

Understanding food pleasure in organic consumption: the moderating effects of trust within the theory of planned behavior

PurposeThis study aims to identify and describe the relationships among sensory-driven pleasure, cognition-driven pleasure, symbolic-driven pleasure and organic food purchase behavior considering the moderating effects of functionality trust and authenticity trust from the viewpoint of the theory of planned behavior (TPB).Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a structured questionnaire survey in first-tier cities in China. A total of 352 consumers of organic foods participated in the study. Structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis were employed for data analysis.FindingsThe results indicated the significant association of perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, attitude, sensory-driven pleasure and cognition-driven pleasure with purchase intention. Perceived behavioral control and purchase intention had significantly positive effects on purchase behavior. Moreover, functionality trust had a positive moderating effect on purchase intention and purchase behavior.Practical implicationsThis study not only provides novel and original insights for understanding organic consumption but also provides a reference for organic producers, sellers and policymakers to develop effective strategies to guide organic consumption that are conducive to promoting sustainable consumption.Originality/valueFor the first time, this research introduces the construct of food pleasure into the TPB to explore the relationships between food pleasure and purchase behavior based on the TPB. It may expand the scope of the TPB and provide valuable insights regarding how to improve the existing intention–behavior gap in organic consumption.

Predicting Perceived Hedonic Ratings through Facial Expressions of Different Drinks.

Previous studies have established the utility of facial expressions as an objective assessment approach for determining the hedonics (overall pleasure) of food and beverages. This study endeavors to validate the conclusions drawn from preceding research, illustrating that facial expressions prompted by tastants possess the capacity to forecast the perceived hedonic ratings of these tastants. Facial expressions of 29 female participants, aged 18-55 years, were captured using a digital camera during their consumption of diverse concentrations of solutions representative of five basic tastes. Employing the widely employed facial expression analysis application FaceReader, the facial expressions were meticulously assessed, identifying seven emotions (surprise, happiness, scare, neutral, disgust, sadness, and anger) characterized by scores ranging from 0 to 1-a numerical manifestation of emotional intensity. Simultaneously, participants rated the hedonics of each solution, utilizing a scale spanning from -5 (extremely unpleasant) to +5 (extremely pleasant). Employing a multiple linear regression analysis, a predictive model for perceived hedonic ratings was devised. The model's efficacy was scrutinized by assessing emotion scores from 11 additional taste solutions, sampled from 20 other participants. The anticipated hedonic ratings demonstrated robust alignment and agreement with the observed ratings, underpinning the validity of earlier findings even when incorporating diverse software and taste stimuli across a varied participant base. We discuss some limitations and practical implications of our technique in predicting food and beverage hedonics using facial expressions.

Exploring food intake networks and anhedonia symptoms in a Chilean Adults sample

Introductionhigh-calorie and sugar-sweetened food is considered more pleasant food. People with anhedonia symptoms have difficulties experiencing pleasure in daily activities. However, is still unclear if anhedonia symptomatology increases palatable food consumption in the Chilean Adults sample. Objectiveto explore food networks in the Chilean Adults sample and in people with anhedonia symptom. Methodsthe sample was recruited through digital platforms. Pregnant or lactating women and subjects under pharmacological treatment or psychotherapy were excluded. A total of 1242 subjects, 76.6% women, with a mean age of 30.7 (SD 9.3) and who were highly educated, participated in the study. Data were collected through an online survey. A questionnaire on food consumption based on daily and weekly frequency was used, as well as the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale to measure anhedonia symptoms. We employed the Gaussian graph model (GGM) to analyze food consumption as networks. We started with the total sample, and then we repeated the analysis on a subsample with anhedonia symptoms, and next on a subsample with exclusively food-related anhedonia. Resultsin the total sample, a positive and strong relationship was observed between fruits and vegetables, as well as a negative association with the triad of sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, and fried food. The network in anhedonic subjects shows that “pasta, rice & potatoes” and “bread” have a stronger association and a more central place in the network compared those without anhedonia symptoms. ConclusionsSubjects with anhedonia symptoms have a more central consumption of foods with a high or medium glycemic index compared to subjects without anhedonia symptoms, which could trigger the development of chronic diet-related diseases.

Machine Intelligence Based Assessment of Nutritional Olfactory Features for Controlling Health Hazards Using Electronic Nose

Purpose: Purpose of this research is to carry out a machine learning intelligence based innovative method to determine quality of food which may be hazards to health if consumed by humans. This article detects human sickness by sensing nutrition that causes smells. Theoretical framework: In developing nations, people just focus on basic need of food rather than focusing on the quality and the nutritional values of food which are exhibiting hazards impact of unhealthy food on the lives of people. Many people are suffering from diabetics, cancers, cardiac problem, liver problems and stomach related health issues which are originated due to consumption of bad food. Consumers are satisfied with food quality, and more individuals are assessing it. Method/design/approach: As a methodology, an electronic nose uses chemical sensors to identify complicated odors. Standard technologies can detect gases from households, industries, and explosive materials. It cannot fulfill freshness requirements. Electronic noses, computer vision, and other sensory approaches may imitate human olfactory, taste, visual, and sensory qualities, both pleasantly and unpleasantly. Neural networks organize innovative artificial/mechanical intelligence systems to interpret fragrance recordings for human brain recognition. Inspired by human brain processing, we offer optimized feedback, centroid clustering, and self-organizing maps for machine learning systems to identify smell data. This work proposes a simulation technique based on benchmark datasets to achieve high type accuracy, precision, and recall for diverse scented records where additional information may be artificially/mechanically found. The centroid SOM research of olfaction involves investigating more physiologically and nutritionally feasible methods for mapping, understanding, and interpreting massive scent datasets for real-world applications. Results and conclusion: In all analyzed result and conclusion, the accuracy, precision, and recall of the clustering centroid with optimized feedback SOM are superior to the existing clustering approach. By simulating the data on different set of test and train data it has observed that Proposed (Cluster Centroid with SOM ) method is effective than the existing (Centroid) method. For example, 10% of test data existing method has 67.55% of accuracy and proposed method has 86.75% which is shown in result and conclusion section in details. Research implications: The research makes an effective contribution by demonstrating the potential and the need to adopt sustainable practices in the management of contemporary companies. Originality/value: The results and conclusion obtained in this research are unprecedented, innovative and relevant to the medico health community to avoid health diseases, in the context of reliability in social community suggest eating a fresh and pleasant food to avoid health diseases.

Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes, and gout.

Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, was an experienced physician who treated gouty patients. A gouty character appears in The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter, a Sherlock Holmes novel. This offers the possibility of discussing gout from the peculiar perspective of a medical writer in light of the historical-medical context of the time. This study was conducted using Conan Doyle's autobiographical, scientific, and literary primary sources, as well as past and current medical literature. The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter was autobiographical. Conan Doyle himself was a rugby player and his wife died of tuberculosis. Furthermore, in 1884, in The Lancet, he described the hereditary case of a female gouty patient, presenting with ocular manifestations. In agreement with the concept of rich man's gout, the gouty patient of Sherlock Holmes' story, Lord Mount James, was a rich irascible noble but he was not addicted to the pleasures of food and sex. Following the usual funny representation of gouty patients, Conan Doyle made fun of Lord Mount James, but he misquoted a true case of gout cited in the literature. In his scientific and literary production on gout, Conan Doyle stuck to the most updated medical concepts of the time, demonstrating an uncommon knowledge of scientific literature.

Inflammation, Dopaminergic Brain and Bilirubin.

Dopamine is a well-known neurotransmitter due to its involvement in Parkinson's disease (PD). Dopamine is not only involved in PD but also controls multiple mental and physical activities, such as the pleasure of food, friends and loved ones, music, art, mood, cognition, motivation, fear, affective disorders, addiction, attention deficit disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. Dopaminergic neurons (DOPAn) are susceptible to stressors, and inflammation is a recognized risk for neuronal malfunctioning and cell death in major neurodegenerative diseases. Less is known for non-neurodegenerative conditions. Among the endogenous defenses, bilirubin, a heme metabolite, has been shown to possess important anti-inflammatory activity and, most importantly, to prevent DOPAn demise in an ex vivo model of PD by acting on the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα). This review summarizes the evidence linking DOPAn, inflammation (when possible, specifically TNFα), and bilirubin as an anti-inflammatory in order to understand what is known, the gaps that need filling, and the hypotheses of anti-inflammatory strategies to preserve dopamine homeostasis with bilirubin included.

The psychological basis of reductions in food desire during satiety.

Satiety-the reduced desire to eat, drink or have sex in their respective aftermath-is particularly important for feeding, where it assists energy balance. During satiety, the anticipated pleasure of eating is far less than the actual pleasure of eating. Here we examine two accounts of this effect: (i) satiety signals inhibit retrieval of pleasant food memories that form desirable images, allowing unpleasant memories into mind; (ii) feelings of fullness reflect what eating would be like now, negating the need for imagery. To test these accounts, participants undertook two tasks pre- and post-lunch: (i) judging desire for palatable foods either with or without imagery impairing manipulations; (ii) explicitly recollecting food memories. Impairing imagery reduced desire equally, when hungry and sated. Food-memory recollections became more negative/less positive when sated, with this correlating with changes in desire. These findings support the first account and suggest imagery is used when hungry and when sated to simulate eating, and that the content of these memory-based simulations changes with state. The nature of this process and its implications for satiety more generally are discussed.