Hedonic eating is best described as what?

• A. Meal planning
• B. Overeating driven by pleasure rather than energy needs
• C. Balanced diet
• D. Mindful eating

Answer: (B)

Hedonic eating involves eating for pleasure, taste, and reward rather than to meet the body's energy needs. When you eat for hedonic reasons, brain reward systems are activated by palatable foods, cravings, or emotional and social cues, which can lead to overeating even when you’re not truly hungry. That’s why the best description is overeating driven by pleasure rather than energy needs. The other options describe different concepts: meal planning is about organizing what you eat, a balanced diet refers to nutritional adequacy, and mindful eating focuses on being present and aware during eating, which can help regulate intake and reduce hedonic urges.