Tell me what you eat and I tell you where you’re from
Food is a delight and connects people all over the world. But eating too much can also lead to obesity and health problems. Learn how people around the world deal with the problem and find out which specialties can contribute to obesity.
Why do we eat? What influences our food choices? Why do we (often) eat too much? Food is, of course, essential for survival. Through our food we provide our bodies with nutrients to move, to grow, and also to continuously regenerate our tissues.
However we eat not only because of this, but also because it is fun, and because eating together is an important part of the social structure in many cultures. On the other hand, excessive food intake leads to excess body fat. Overweight and obesity are closely linked to many other diseases and have severe health consequences worldwide.
At our exhibition booth, you learn about the percentage of overweight people in different countries, and what people in these countries eat or how they exercise. Some countries also use policies such as high taxes on foods high in fat or sugar to guide diets. We will list some examples and show whether the measures have been successful.
Further, you will also learn how we study the control of food intake at our institute. How does the body communicate with the brain, what reactions are triggered in the brain? What conclusions can we draw from our research? Are there scientifically based measures for the treatment of excessive food intake and obesity?
