Why am I hungry? The science of appetite

What is appetite? Many happily succumb to it, while others struggle against it through willpower or even pharmaceuticals. But what are the biological, cultural and psychological mechanisms that make us want to eat? These questions are increasingly complicated in this era of unprecedented abundance and ubiquitous food.

Guest: 

• Giles Yeo, Professor at The University of Cambridge and author of Gene Eating: The Story of Human Appetite and Why Calories Don't Count: How We Got the Science of Weight Loss Wrong

This episode was originally broadcast on April 26, 2025.

Get in touch:

We'd love to hear from you! Email us at everybite@abc.net.au

This episode of Every Bite was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.