Food for Thought
Tuesday
14 March 2006
19:00 - 20:30
With diets becoming ever more scientific and the obesity epidemic ballooning out of control, it's never been more important to understand how food and the brain interact. One thousand people die prematurely from obesity in the UK every week. But why do some people become obese while others do not?
Professor Steve O'Rahilly, an expert on obesity, will give a short talk on obesity and its genetics. Find out if genes really do decide if you're fit or fat, or if it's your lifestyle that's more important.
Hormones are another avenue of research into obesity. Hormones are vital in controlling whether we feel full or hungry. Dr Waljit Dhillo will talk about his work on gut hormones that regulate appetite.
Finally there will be an interactive taste demonstration from Dr Charles Spence, exploring how we perceive our food. It's not just about taste, but other senses like sight, touch, and especially smell play a major part in our perception of food. Do different coloured smarties really have different flavours or have the coloured shells fooled you? You can also find out if you're a supertaster.
Professor Steve O'Rahilly, an expert on obesity, will give a short talk on obesity and its genetics. Find out if genes really do decide if you're fit or fat, or if it's your lifestyle that's more important.
Hormones are another avenue of research into obesity. Hormones are vital in controlling whether we feel full or hungry. Dr Waljit Dhillo will talk about his work on gut hormones that regulate appetite.
Finally there will be an interactive taste demonstration from Dr Charles Spence, exploring how we perceive our food. It's not just about taste, but other senses like sight, touch, and especially smell play a major part in our perception of food. Do different coloured smarties really have different flavours or have the coloured shells fooled you? You can also find out if you're a supertaster.