People have experienced hunger since the beginning of time. From the times of hunter gather, to the agricultural revolution, humans have found ways to quench their hunger. But in today's world, the word hunger has developed multiple connotations, such as being a synonym for desire and crave. Even more so, hunger can be used to describe not only a craving for food, but for other objects and even feelings. Being that 795 million people today are hungry, meaning they do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life (world food), it is important to think about how and why this word has changed it’s meaning so much.
To begin, the word hunger was first used in writing in 825. Considering that back in this time food was not a guarantee for everyone, …show more content…
In today’s world, especially in the US, a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body, or obesity, is one of the leading causes of death (Merriam Webster) . For many, hunger is not the need for food created by the body, but a psychological need for food weather it be for comfort or security. Michael Guenin is a 64 year old father and grandfather who suffers from obesity. When asked how this condition started, he responded by saying that it didn't happen all at once. Because Michael grew up poor with 7 siblings, food was scarce in his household. “My first job, well I was about 7 or 8. I went out picking up cans and things. I rode my bike around town delivering the news too.. But I was a little older then”. Michael and his siblings did what they could to help their parents get food on the table, and growing up like this greatly effected how he thought about hunger. “In college I was lanky. It wasn't until I was about 45 and had some money when I started to get bigger.” Although Michael had enough money to provide food for his family, the way he grew up established a fear of not being able to eat. This is what established the emotional connection between hunger and comfort. He had always been taught to clear his plate and eat it all in case he didn't have the next meal. From then on, food started to control …show more content…
When hunger and eating has this much of a negative influence on a person's life, an eating disorder can develop. This is when controlling hunger can be a substitute for controlling other issues. This is another place where the psychological part of hunger comes into play. According to the Emily Program, “An eating disorder is marked by extremes. A person of any age or gender can experience severe disturbances in eating behavior, such as dramatic calorie reduction, purging behaviors, uncontrollable overeating, and/or unrelenting distress about body weight and shape”. This further has a negative impact on the connotations of the word hunger. For many people, controlling hunger can help control other mental issues. According to Kelsey LaRue, a licensed guidance counselor at Shakopee High School, “Eating disorders are more about controlling a person’s environment/life or coping with the stress and soothing themselves through food rather than hunger”. Often times people with eating disorders feel as though their hunger is the one thing that they can control. This leads to the thought that eating and hunger are in separate categories from each other for some people
To begin, the word hunger was first used in writing in 825. Considering that back in this time food was not a guarantee for everyone, …show more content…
In today’s world, especially in the US, a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body, or obesity, is one of the leading causes of death (Merriam Webster) . For many, hunger is not the need for food created by the body, but a psychological need for food weather it be for comfort or security. Michael Guenin is a 64 year old father and grandfather who suffers from obesity. When asked how this condition started, he responded by saying that it didn't happen all at once. Because Michael grew up poor with 7 siblings, food was scarce in his household. “My first job, well I was about 7 or 8. I went out picking up cans and things. I rode my bike around town delivering the news too.. But I was a little older then”. Michael and his siblings did what they could to help their parents get food on the table, and growing up like this greatly effected how he thought about hunger. “In college I was lanky. It wasn't until I was about 45 and had some money when I started to get bigger.” Although Michael had enough money to provide food for his family, the way he grew up established a fear of not being able to eat. This is what established the emotional connection between hunger and comfort. He had always been taught to clear his plate and eat it all in case he didn't have the next meal. From then on, food started to control …show more content…
When hunger and eating has this much of a negative influence on a person's life, an eating disorder can develop. This is when controlling hunger can be a substitute for controlling other issues. This is another place where the psychological part of hunger comes into play. According to the Emily Program, “An eating disorder is marked by extremes. A person of any age or gender can experience severe disturbances in eating behavior, such as dramatic calorie reduction, purging behaviors, uncontrollable overeating, and/or unrelenting distress about body weight and shape”. This further has a negative impact on the connotations of the word hunger. For many people, controlling hunger can help control other mental issues. According to Kelsey LaRue, a licensed guidance counselor at Shakopee High School, “Eating disorders are more about controlling a person’s environment/life or coping with the stress and soothing themselves through food rather than hunger”. Often times people with eating disorders feel as though their hunger is the one thing that they can control. This leads to the thought that eating and hunger are in separate categories from each other for some people