Research has shown time and time again that people have a high tendency to underestimate what they ate throughout the day and tend to underestimate the caloric content of their foods. This is not just one study; a decent number of them have already been accumulated.
According to a Cornell University study, everyone does it. People of normal weight underestimate caloric intake by about 20 percent, and overweight people underestimate by about 40 percent. Other sources say the figure is closer to 50 percent.
By self-estimation, people on average make about 15 decisions related to food and drink every day. But the truth is that we make more than 15 times that number—more than 200 of these decisions.
![](http://southampton.top/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/c405fa4cdda84c1fd1bc3f71e5657515_cropped_666x444.jpg)
Understand our brain
An article in Frontiers in Psychology (2019) points to deficits in a critical area of the brain responsible for learning, memory, and cognition: the hippocampus and associated overeating. The paper presents evidence that suggests dysfunction in the hippocampus may lead to deficits in food recall, sensory experience, and satiety. Memory dysfunction may mean that a person does not use memories to understand what they have eaten before and apply that experience to future decisions.
![](http://southampton.top/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/d054e400860bc89c666bc16df8be0acb_cropped_666x444.jpg)
What affects our memory?
“Western” diet
The Western diet is synonymous with lots of processed and high-calorie foods. This is the kind of food we tend to downplay. Research also shows which foods we most often undervalue:
- Cake
- Snacks: chips, popcorn
- Cheese
- French fries
- Soft drinks
- Butter and sauces
Meal size
People do not accurately evaluate large objects. The larger the portion of food, the less accurately we estimate how many calories it contains. This makes it clear why overweight people can be mistaken by 40 and 50 percent. Their portions are larger, which means they are more difficult to estimate and there is more error.
![](http://southampton.top/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/b18d2b7312d2919a6ee43fc5d80a73c1_cropped_666x444.jpg)
What solution?
- Switch to a healthy, balanced diet of whole grains that are difficult to overeat.
- Food diary:
- It helps develop mindfulness and awareness by reducing environmental distractions.
- Gives a more critical look at the amount of food eaten.
- Helps build eating habits and behavior patterns.
- Can be a way to consider the negative consequences of food choices or portions.
Also:
I count calories, but I don’t lose weight: what is the real reason?
It’s All About the Size: Control Portions Without Counting Calories