The seven ages of appetite will help you achieve your goal of eating better

Have you ever thought about why we eat? What is the mechanism in our body that alerts us when it needs food? Do you know the difference between hunger and appetite? To understand why we eat, it is important to clarify what hunger and appetite are, two different concepts that we often cannot distinguish, and we even think they are synonyms when they are not.Hunger is the survival instinct that drives us to eat when the body requires it. Appetite is the sensation of wanting to eat, influenced by psychological aspects such as the desire to eat for pleasure, happiness, boredom, sadness, or anxiety.Like everything in our body, appetite changes as we grow, and it is essential to know its stages to learn to eat better. First decade, from 0 to 10 yearsThis stage is when the most significant and rapid growth occurs. It is when children can acquire habits that may accompany them throughout their lives; that is why it is crucial for little ones to learn to distinguish the food that truly nourishes them, as what they learn during the first years of their lives will determine how healthy they will be as adults. Second decade, from 10 to 20 yearsDuring adolescence, physiological changes bring an increase in appetite. During this stage, the relationship with food tends to be more vulnerable, as puberty arrives, and young people are often more influenced and prone to choose foods that may lead to malnutrition or obesity. At this age of appetite, women are more prone to suffer nutritional deficiencies due to their reproductive biology. Third decade, from 20 to 30 yearsIn young adulthood, significant changes occur that can cause weight gain, for example, university life, living as a couple, or having children; this is when we relax and are not as strict with our diet. It is also the age when we can fall into excesses. Fourth decade, from 30 to 40 yearsWorking life in adulthood brings with it the effects of stress, which, as shown, causes changes in appetite and eating habits in 80% of the population. These effects can consist of either awakening a voracious appetite or causing a loss of it. Fifth decade, from 40 to 50 yearsThe World Health Organization highlights that smoking, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and drinking problems are the lifestyle factors that most impact health and mortality. It is in these years that adults must change their behavior according to health needs, but often the symptoms of illness are invisible.Sixth decade, from 50 to 60 yearsDuring this period, the progressive loss of muscle mass begins and continues steadily as we age. This phenomenon is known as sarcopenia.Maintaining a healthy and varied diet and engaging in physical activity is essential to reduce the effects of aging.Seventh decade, from 60 to 70 years and beyondOld age brings a lack of appetite and hunger, leading to involuntary weight loss and increased fragility. The decrease in appetite can also be a consequence of a specific condition, such as Alzheimer's disease.Eating is a social experience, so factors such as poverty, the loss of a partner or family member, and eating alone affect the pleasure derived from eating.Other effects of aging, such as difficulties swallowing, dental problems, and loss of taste and smell, also interfere with the desire to eat and the benefits we gain from that practice.It is said that what is not known cannot be improved, so once you know the stages of appetite and how situations and requirements change with each age, you can understand how to lead a healthier life and eat better.