Weight control is a global issue. According to the CDC, about 17% of children and young people aged 2 to 19 are obese. So, can exercise help manage your food cravings and fight obesity?
Obesity is a major concern, especially among adults. The statistics are alarming: the CDC reports that 36.5% of adults in the United States are obese. In fact, the US ranks as the 12th most obese country in the world. On the other hand, countries like Palau, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, and Samoa top the list with the highest obesity rates.
Several factors contribute to obesity, including poor diet and insufficient physical activity. Many jobs now require people to sit at a desk all day, contributing to a lack of exercise. After a long day at work, it’s common to relax on the couch, which leaves little time for physical activities. Constant food cravings further worsen the obesity problem.
WebMD notes that nearly all young women and about 70% of young men experience frequent food cravings. But what causes these cravings in the first place? According to Mind Body Green, dehydration is one of the main culprits. Our bodies are approximately 70% water, and not drinking enough can make us feel hungry when we’re actually just thirsty.
Mental factors also play a role. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain and gut, can trigger food cravings. When serotonin levels are low, eating can temporarily boost them. This can lead to a cycle where the brain signals cravings when serotonin is low, remembering that food provided a serotonin boost before.
Emotional triggers like sadness or anger can also cause food cravings, often referred to as “comfort eating.” Help Guide explains that these emotional cravings are sudden and usually for specific comfort foods, like pizza or chocolate.
There are many ways to reduce food cravings. Ensuring that comfort foods are not readily available at home can help. Drinking water can make you feel full, reducing the urge to snack. Authority Nutrition suggests that eating more protein, taking spinach extract supplements, and not shopping while hungry can also cut down on cravings and binge eating.
While these methods are helpful, exercise appears to be particularly effective. Wellness Resources reports that exercise can reduce the arousal activity linked to food. In a study involving 35 women—some obese and some of healthy weight—all participants followed a morning exercise routine. The results showed a significant decrease in food-related activity, especially among the obese women. This suggests that exercise could help manage food intake and weight.
Recent studies indicate that regular exercise might be the key to reducing food cravings. A simple morning workout significantly lowered arousal activity when participants were shown images of comfort food, providing strong evidence that exercise can curb cravings and reduce food intake.
