Hedonic Eating
How the Pleasure of Food Affects Our Brains and Behavior

Overeating and obesity are on the rise. Despite public health warnings, availability of diet books and programs, and the stigma associated with obesity, many people find it difficult to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. While there are many books on the topic of caloric or need-based eating, obesity and overeating can also result from eating that is not driven by hunger. Recent research found that excess food intake is largely driven by the palatability of food and the pleasure derived from eating. Hedonic Eating: How the Pleasure of Food Affects Our Brain and Behavior will appeal to scientists, medical doctors, psychologists, counselors and students taking specialized courses that cover appetite. It will also appeal to the general public intersted in learning more about topics, including brain reward-related mechanisms associated with food intake, eating behaviors resulting from these changes in the brain, obesity, and overeating, and science-based approaches to combat the changing landscape of our food environment.

Dr. Nicole Avena is a research psychologist and neuroscientists who is an expert in the fields of nutrition, diet and addiction. She received a Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience from Princeton University in 2006, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University. She has published over 60 scholarly journal articles on topics related to diet, nutrition and overeating. Her research achievements have been honored by awards from groups including the NY Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Association, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.