Appetite

The word appetite (from Latin appetıˉtus) has been in use since the 14th century as a word for passionate desire or longing. In modern times, its prevailing context is food related, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary: “a natural desire [Page 138]to satisfy a bodily need, especially for food.” The contents of a peer-reviewed scientific journal titled Appetite are concentrated completely on food and aspects of eating behaviors, such as hunger, cravings, liking, wanting, reward seeking, obesity, and food addiction.

Appetite is different from hunger, an urgent biological drive aimed at replenishing the energy stores of the body. Once satisfied, hunger subsides. Appetite is a persisting desire to eat something—for example, a dessert. The problem with food availability is that appetite encourages eating beyond bodily ...