Understanding obesity : psychological cues and antecedents of eating behaviour

Obesity has been described by the World Health Organisation as a global epidemic, and is perceived as a major health concern due to the associated medical, psychosocial, and economic problems. One approach of understanding obesity is directed towards exploring the psychological and social determinants underlying non-hungry eating (NHE) (eating without physical sensations associated with hunger) and overeating (eating past the physiological sensations of fullness). The immediate psychosocial cues that trigger NHE and overeating, along with the psychosocial antecedents that influence NHE and overeating have been found to be important contributors to obesity