Food and pleasure

We like food very much because it fulfils many functions at the same time: it satisfies our appetite and brings pleasure. The very process of eating is pleasant. People like pleasures and strive for them. It leads to various types of abuses. Abuse of food happens very often nowadays. It can be explained by several reasons. First of all, as I have already mentioned, the very process of eating is pleasant per se. the second reason is social acceptance of overeating. I mean that if you eat more than usual, nobody will say a word for you. Nobody sees anything bad in it. Unlike overeating, alcohol abuse, smoking and other pernicious habits are unappreciated by our society. They contradict traditional social values of our time. Though there is nothing illegal in smoking and drinking alcohol, the image of a person, who smokes or drinks alcohol, can be spoilt by these habits. In case of food, overeating is even appreciated in some cultures. That is why people choose the most legal and socially acceptable way to getting pleasure. Among the list of pleasures, overeating looks most inoffensive. Having come across no criticism and disapproval, people eat more and more and don’t notice how they gain weight. This leads to unfortunate results. However, when people notice these results, it is often too late to change something. Losing weight is a very complex if possible task. In any case, it is better to prevent a trouble, than to cope with its consequences.