With exposure to various topics in my introductory psychology class and experience collaborating with the food publication, Spoon University, I am writing to inform you that meal presentation can help guide someone’s daily diet. This may seem obvious, given that thousands of food companies implement mass marketing systems that rely on photographic skills, but the effects of these efforts are often overlooked.
In America, about thirty five percent of adults are considered obese and 68% are classified as overweight. Some may argue this stems from people having little self-control, but actually one of the leading causes is aggressive advertising. Almost everyone knows the McDonald’s jingle or that Oreos are milk’s favorite cookie. What they don’t know, is that some junk food brands use money to coerce research sponsors to make misleading claims. These companies use more than television to manipulate audiences, and many now rely heavily on social media to do so.
Food network handles, such as Spoon University, actively work to get people to check out undiscovered restaurants and try new things by taking photos that highlight the aesthetic of local eats. However, many accounts focus their aim exclusively on sweets, and their posts can drastically influence a person’s daily cravings and promote snacking or binge eating. This happens because images can activate the brain-reward pathway that stretches from the prefrontal cortex all the way to the hippocampus, which stimulates the urge to eat. This may not seem like a big deal for some, but problems arise when people develop bad consumption habits. As a person gains more weight, executive control centers, such as the frontal lobe, have a harder time suppressing these false signals.
To counteract the negative effects of food imaging, society should attempt to promote nutritious, yet seductive food accounts. Many people know how to make a burger from a chain (such as Five Guys) look like it came from a top ranked restaurant. So, why shouldn’t a person be able to make attractive bright colored fruit look this appealing? Oh wait…they can and should!
Our eyes are just as hungry as our mouths. In fact, our inner thoughts on a meal set up the foundation for our metabolism. Think about it using this scenario. A hungry person is scrolling through their Instagram feed, and seeing countless pictures of appetizing foods makes their mouth water. If the image happens to be something such as a juicy skirt steak, a person may be motivated to make that and eat it very fast. This may slow down a person’s metabolism because red meat is very dense and requires a lot of chewing. However, if the meal is an equally tempting platter of egg whites, a person would instead feel more energized after fast digestion while ultimately storing less fat.
I am not telling the world to reject all things good. Believe me, I don’t always pass up a treat. Rather, I am suggesting that we implement more systems that will help those who have fallen into an uncontrollable trap get out by learning to make rational, timely decisions rather than impulsive ones that may affect their health in the long term.
Check out some of my favorite foodstagram’s and maybe you’ll make a few life-changing routines!
Cleanfooddirtycity
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Stephanie.h.park