The fog of hunger

The burden of hunger is a constant for many women worldwide, shaping their thoughts and actions in ways that are often overlooked. Unlike temporary hunger, for countless women, it is a persistent cognitive state that influences every conversation and decision. This condition, present from childhood, stems from societal pressures to control body weight and suppress natural desires.

At age 11, the author recalls a summer before middle school where she decided to eat minimally, consuming only fat-free SnackWell’s cookies. Her preoccupation with hunger distracted her during conversations, a pattern that repeated itself throughout her life. By the end of the week, her swimsuit hung loosely, and a friend’s mother complimented her "new figure," interpreting her starvation as a positive change.

This experience was not isolated. The author highlights the broader societal issue where women’s competence is often judged based on appearance. Research shows that women in politics receive more coverage about their looks than their policies, which negatively impacts voters' perception of their competence. Similarly, the author’s hunger during a science class distracted her, making her feel exposed and undisciplined.

Hunger’s cognitive impact was studied by physiologist Ancel Keys in 1944. He found that semi-starvation led men to focus obsessively on food, reducing their cognitive abilities. More recent studies confirm that women restricting their food intake show decreased working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility. Despite these findings, hunger is rarely discussed in conversations about women’s achievements.

By the time the author reached medical school, hunger had become a background noise, unnoticed but ever-present. A male attending physician commented on her figure, implying it reflected her seriousness. This incident underscored the ongoing societal expectation for women to maintain a certain body type, often at the expense of their cognitive and physical well-being. The struggle with hunger, the author suggests, is a learned adaptation that becomes an invisible part of one’s personality.