Navigation
Hunger is a psychological state characterized by a desire to eat (Stevenson, 2024). It strongly motivates an individual to seek out and consume food. Initially, researchers believed that it occurs when blood sugar levels drop and the stomach signals the brain to seek nourishment. More recently, feelings of hunger have been linked to an interplay between levels of various hormones, most notably ghrelin.
Stevenson, R. J. (2024). The psychological basis of hunger and its dysfunctions. Nutrition Reviews, 82(10), 1444–1454. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuad092
Author and reviewer
Editorial responsibilityHow to cite this entry
The Center for Nutritional Psychology. (2025). Hunger. In Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. The Center for Nutritional Psychology.
https://www.nutritional-psychology.org/encyclopedia/hunger/Know a term that belongs in the Encyclopedia?
Share a nutritional psychology term with the CNP editorial team for consideration. Relevant submissions may be reviewed for future development and publication in the Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology.
