June 17, 2009
FAMILY MEALS FOCUS #38
Interpreting the news and research about feeding and eating

This FMF issue is reprinted with permission from Peggy Crum, RD, VISIONS < a href="http://www.ellynsatter.com/commerce/workshopView.jsp?prodId=24&catId=">Treating the Dieting Casualty graduate and �How to Eat� clinician. In March, Peggy originally published this article in Michigan State University�s Health4U NutritionMatters.� March is National Nutrition Month, a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association.�Most of us have seen promotions for eating healthy, be it MyPyramid, the 5-A-Day campaign, the Eat Your Colors recommendation or maybe you hearken back to the Basic Four Food Groups.�All of these promotions are designed to inspire us or remind us to eat well.�Campaigns such as these seem like a good idea and may work in the short term.�But when it comes to nutrition, what you keep doing for the long haul is what really matters.

Although the shape is the same, Ellyn Satter�s Hierarchy of Food Needs takes MyPyramid and turns it out-side-in.�Rather than relying on external guides and gimmicks, you are encouraged to trust your body�s signals to direct your food choices.�Hunger means you need to eat, appetite tells you what foods taste good, and satiety tells you when you�ve had enough.�Just as with Maslow�s Hierarchy of Needs, moving on to each new level builds on the competence achieved at the previous levels. Gradually you travel to the top.

�Once you are operating well at all other levels, you can consider adding
�foods to achieve a desired physical, intellectual, or spiritual outcome.�

�After� you give yourself plenty of time to eat your favorite foods, you
�begin to seek out new foods or new ways of preparing foods.�

�Once you are sure you will get enough to eat, your appetite becomes more prominent.�You consider what tastes good in deciding what�to eat.

�Discovering the rewards of getting enough to eat will� free you to plan for
�getting enough for tomorrow and next week as well.

�This is familiar food, acquired in acceptable ways. Chronic dieters feel
�high-calorie food is unacceptable and eat it only when they binge. Giving
�yourself permission to eat it turns it into acceptable food.� �Whether you are on a tight budget, a diet, or you don�t take time to eat,
�you may scare yourself into feeling you will go hungry. Your main concern
�is getting enough to eat.� You can move on only when you are well fed.

Getting your needs met�eatng enough of foods you like�keeps pushing you along.�As you go up, you become more and more secure in knowing you will be fed and adventurous in your food selections.� According to Satter, �The key to nutritional excellence is variety growing out of genuine food enjoyment.�� It is normal for you to learn and grow. And you will do so once you get over being told what to do.� You are the best food guide for you.��

References

Satter EM.� Hierarchy of food needs. �J Nutr Educ Behav (suppl).� 2007;39:S187-S188.�Maslow A.� A theory of human motivations.� Psychol Rev.� 1943;50:370-396.

Copyright � 2009 by Ellyn Satter. Published at www.EllynSatter.com.

Rights to reproduce: As long as you leave it unchanged, you don�t charge for it, and you include the entire copyright statement, you may reproduce this article. Please let us know you have used it by sending a website link or an electronic copy to info@ellynsatter.com.

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DISCLAIMER: The information contained in Family Meals Focus is intended to inform our readers about issues relating to feeding dynamics in general and family meals in particular. It is not intended to replace specific advice from a health care professional. Copyright 2009 Ellyn Satter

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