Why do we get hungry?

You are playing happily, and then — grrumble — your tummy makes a funny noise and you start thinking about food. Why does hunger sneak up on you like that?

Your body runs on fuel

Everything you do uses up energy. Running, thinking, even sleeping needs energy, like a toy car needs a battery. You get that energy from food.

As the hours go by, your body slowly uses up the fuel from your last meal. When the fuel gets low, your body needs a top-up — just like a car needs more petrol to keep going.

The ’time to eat’ signal

When the fuel runs low, your busy brain notices. It sends out a clear message: time to eat!

Your tummy joins in too. An empty stomach squeezes and gurgles, and that is the rumble you hear. Together the rumble and the hungry feeling are your body’s friendly alarm clock for food.

Food fills you back up

When you eat, the food is broken down inside you and turned back into energy. Bit by bit the hungry feeling fades and you feel full and happy again.

That is why we eat several times a day — we keep topping up so we always have enough energy to play.

Wonder fact: Your tummy can rumble even when it’s empty and you’re not hungry! The gurgle is just air and juices swooshing around inside.