我們應該怎樣抵擋對垃圾食品的渴望

A new study confirms what you likely already know: Few things can stop us from hunting down the foods we crave.

一項新研究證實了一件你可能已經知道的事情：我們很難抵禦誘惑，不去吃那些渴望的食物。

A study published last Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people are willing to overpay when they're craving junk food -- underscoring just how powerful these feelings are.

上週一發表在《美國科學院院報》的一項研究報告指出，那些渴望垃圾食品的人願爲它們付出更多錢，可見這種感受有多麼強烈。

In one experiment, 44 non-dieters who had not eaten for four hours were asked how much they wanted 15 different snack foods, as well as how much they would pay for each item out of a $5 budget.

在一項實驗中，44位非節食者在四個小時沒有進食後，要回答他們對於15種不同快餐食品的渴望程度，以及如果有5美元的預算，他們願意爲每種食品付出多少錢。

Next, each person went through a multi-sensory experience meant to prompt cravings for one of three desirable foods: a Snickers bar, Cheetos or a Coke. They were then asked how much they wanted that particular item, and how much they would pay for it.

接着，每位受試者會接受多重感官的刺激，以激起他們對三種可口的食品：士力架能量條、奇多膨化食品或可口可樂之一的渴望。隨後，他們要回答對這種特殊食品的渴望程度，以及願意爲它付出多少錢。

Not only did desire increase, but the researchers also found that participants were willing to pay an average of $0.66 more for the item they had been made to want, and an average of $0.26 more for similar snacks.

研究人員發現，受試者對這種特定食品有了更強的渴望，還願意爲它平均額外付出0.66美元，或是爲類似的快餐食品平均額外付出0.26美元。

When presented with less-similar (and, thus, healthier) items, such as a granola bar or pretzels, they were not willing to pay as much, suggesting that cravings operate distinct from general hunger.

而對於那些相似度較低（因此更加健康）的食物，例如格蘭諾拉燕麥卷或椒鹽脆餅乾，受試者卻不願付出這麼多錢，這表明他們的渴望與通常意義上的飢餓有所不同。

In a second experiment, the researchers repeated the process with 45 people. This time, however, individuals could opt to pay for one, two, three, five or eight "units" of whatever they'd been made to crave.

在第二項實驗中，研究人員對45名受試者重複了上述過程。不過這一次，每個人可以花錢購買他們渴望的任意多項食物。

This time, the researchers found that people were also willing to pay disproportionately more for larger quantities of whatever food they desired.

這一次，研究人員發現，人們願意爲喜歡的大量食物付出不成比例的更多價錢。

Taken together, the results demonstrate the power of cravings -- whether for food or something else.

兩項試驗的結果表明了渴望的力量--無論是對食物還是對其他事物。

"Even if people strive to eat healthier or endorse drug-free lifestyles," the researchers write in the paper, "craving could overshadow the value of health by boosting the value of unhealthy foods or drugs."

研究人員在論文中寫道：“即使人們努力着健康飲食、避免吸毒，但他們的渴望也會提高不健康食品或毒品的價值，而讓健康的生活方式較之黯然失色。”

On the bright side, however, the researchers estimated the effects of subjects' cravings would dissipate within two hours, and potentially less time if "this good is not available, or when a person engages in self-regulation." If you're able to wait it out, then, you may be able to resist the lure of junk food.

不過，好的一面在於，研究人員評估這種渴望會在兩個小時內消散，如果“滿足渴望的條件不足，或某人自制力很強”，消散的速度會更快。因此，如果你能忍一會，或許就可以抵擋垃圾食品的誘惑。