“Appetite vs Hunger: How to Tell the Difference” was written by Maria Aroca-Ouellette and edited/reviewed by Maurya Hart, BSc, RD and Jackie Silver MHSc, RD.
Medical Disclaimer: The information in this article is meant for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be personalized medical or nutrition advice. For a plan tailored to your needs, please consult with a Registered Dietitian or qualified healthcare professional.
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Last updated: October 22, 2025
Introduction to Appetite vs Hunger
Understanding the difference between appetite and hunger can help you tune into your body’s needs and make eating feel more intuitive. While people often use the words interchangeably, appetite and hunger are two different processes: one happens in your brain and the other in your body.
In this blog post, we’ll go through what the difference is, how to recognize them, and why this may be especially challenging for neurodivergent people. We’ll also talk about some factors that impact hunger and appetite, and what you can do to become more in tune with your body’s cues for food!
Quick Summary: What You’ll Learn About Appetite vs Hunger
Understanding the difference between appetite and hunger can help you tune into your body’s needs and make eating feel more intuitive.
Here’s a quick summary of what you’ll learn in this post:
- Hunger is your body’s physical need for food, triggered by biological signals like an empty stomach, low blood sugar, or fatigue.
- Appetite is your psychological desire to eat, influenced by emotions, environment, cravings, or sensory cues (like seeing or smelling food).
- Satiety is the feeling of fullness and satisfaction after eating, the opposite of hunger.
- It’s common to experience hunger without appetite (e.g., when sick or stressed) or appetite without hunger (e.g., craving dessert after a meal).
- Neurodivergent individuals (especially those with ADHD or autism) may struggle to recognize hunger and fullness cues due to differences in interoception, the ability to sense internal body signals.
- Common hunger cues include stomach growling, irritability (“hangry”), headaches, fatigue, trouble focusing, and low energy.
- Appetite can fluctuate based on mental health, medications, physical activity, sleep, and illness.
- To support regular eating:
- Eat every 3-4 hours, even if you don’t feel hungry.
- Keep easy, safe, and familiar foods available.
- Use reminders or alarms for mealtimes.
- Start with small portions or liquid nutrition (like smoothies or shakes) when appetite is low.
- Honoring both hunger and appetite helps you maintain energy, satisfaction, and a positive relationship with food.
- If you frequently struggle with low appetite, missed meals, or difficulty identifying cues, a registered dietitian can help you create personalized strategies.
What’s the Difference between Appetite vs Hunger?
Appetite and hunger are two words that are often used to describe our desire or need for food. This is the key difference between them. While “hunger” can be used to describe our body’s physical need for food, “appetite” refers to our mood, feelings, and thoughts surrounding food and eating.
- Hunger: A strong desire or need for food, or the body’s biological response to a lack of food.
- Appetite: A person’s general desire to eat food.
Hunger will usually manifest when it has been several hours since your last meal, you’ve done physical activity, or your body needs fuel for any other reason. On the other hand, if you get a strong craving for something after seeing it or smelling it, this may be more appetite than hunger. For example, if you see a delicious looking cake or meal on social media and want to eat it, this is your appetite at work!
Another important term we hear sometimes is satiety. Satiety in many ways is the opposite of hunger, and describes the feeling of being satisfied (both physically and mentally) after eating something. If you feel full after eating only a small amount of food, this is called early satiety.
- Satiety: The condition of being full or gratified after eating – the opposite of hunger.
While hunger, appetite, and satiety are important factors that may regulate our food intake, neurodivergent folks may find these cues difficult to identify. This is because autistic and ADHD folks may struggle with interoception, which can be loosely defined as our ability to sense our body’s internal cues.
Neurodivergence and Interoception
Many of our neurodivergent clients report that they infrequently feel hunger, or need to get to an extreme state of hunger before they realize they need to eat. Similarly, they may have this experience with thirst and other bodily functions like using the washroom.
Emerging research suggests that this may be due to differences in interoception in neurodivergent individuals. Due to differences in how the body processes different signals, hunger and appetite may manifest differently in ADHD and autistic folks.
However, it can still be helpful to understand hunger and appetite cues to build awareness of them. And, even if you don’t have strong hunger and appetite cues, there are still many strategies that can help you ensure you’re eating in a way that meets your individual needs.
Appetite vs Hunger: What are Hunger Cues?
When trying to tell the difference between appetite and hunger as a neurodivergent individual, it can be helpful to build awareness of your hunger cues.
Hunger cues are the body’s physical signals indicating a need for food. Some are more obvious, like a growling stomach, and others are less obvious, like becoming irritable or getting a headache. Take a look at the list below and see if there are any hunger cues you most commonly experience, that let you know it’s time to eat.
Here are some commonly experienced hunger cues:
- Stomach growling or rumbling
- Feelings of emptiness in the stomach
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Feeling grumpy and irritable (“hangry”)
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Fatigue/low energy
- Trouble focusing, easily distracted
- Thinking about food constantly
For identifying hunger, one available tool is the hunger-satiety scale, which can help you get in touch with your hunger cues.
Here’s how to use it:
- Aim to start eating when you reach a 3-4, you feel hungry, your stomach starts growling, you may be getting distracted or irritable.
- When you reach a 6 or 7, you should feel full but not uncomfortable, take your time while eating and check in with yourself.
When hunger is left too long unaddressed, more unpleasant symptoms like nausea or dizziness can make eating food difficult. This is why it’s important to either tune into your hunger, or plan to eat regularly, to make sure your body has the fuel it needs. It can be helpful to keep your favorite safe snacks on hand to avoid letting your hunger get too severe.
Hunger cues can easily be missed, especially for those who don’t feel the obvious cues. It’s very common for neurodivergent folks to struggle with awareness of internal states such as hunger, thirst, or pain. This can make recognizing hunger cues a particular challenge for those ADHD and autistic folks.
At Jackie Silver Nutrition, our team of dietitians helps neurodivergent clients tune into their body’s natural hunger cues through interoceptive awareness. Book a free 15-minute discovery call to learn how we can support your nutrition journey.
Appetite vs Hunger: What is Appetite?
Appetite is your general desire (or lack of desire) to eat food. Appetite is less based on your body’s energy needs, rather it is influenced by mood, cravings, memories, smells, routine and more. Your appetite might dictate how much food you want to eat, what type of food you feel like eating, and what type of food you don’t want to eat.
A good example of appetite is a craving for chocolate; you may not be hungry or looking for a particularly filling food, but you desire some chocolate. Appetite, just like hunger, should be honored!
What does a change in appetite look like? While it can look different for everyone, these are some common signs that your appetite is different from what it usually is.
Signs your appetite may be higher than usual:
- Eating more frequently
- Craving specific foods
- Eating when you’re not physically hungry
- Gaining weight (intentionally or unintentionally)
It’s important to remember that an increase in appetite can often be a desired effect, especially for individuals who previously had a lack of appetite or were not eating enough to meet their energy needs.
Sings your appetite may be lower than usual:
- Having little to no interest in food
- Not wanting to eat even your favourite foods
- Feeling nauseous or uncomfortable when thinking of food
- Unintentionally losing weight
For ideas of what to eat with no appetite, check out this blog post.
When a decreased appetite limits your food intake, your energy can also decrease and this can make it challenging to go about your day to day life. It can be helpful to work with a registered dietitian to find strategies that work for you to ensure you’re eating enough, even with a low appetite.
Our team of dietitian-nutritionists at Jackie Silver Nutrition is uniquely specialized to assist neurodivergent individuals to meet their health and nutrition related goals. Book a FREE 15 minute discovery call today to see how we can support you.
Factors Influencing Appetite
There are a wide range of factors which can influence our appetite. Here are some common reasons why your appetite may fluctuate over time.
Mental and Emotional Health
Your emotional state can significantly affect your appetite, with emotions like stress, anxiety, depression or grief impacting your desire to eat either more or less.
- For some people this may lead them to eat more food as a way to cope with how they feel (this is also called “emotional eating”)
- For others, similar states can lead to little or no appetite, showing a disinterest in foods.
Neither reaction is wrong, as both are signs your body and brian are processing difficult situations.
Medications
Many medications, including those commonly used to manage ADHD and support mental health, can impact appetite. Here are some examples:
- ADHD stimulant medications often lead to decreased appetite. Many people taking these medications can often go an entire day without eating, only to become ravenously hungry when the medication wears off in the evening.
- SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine, sertraline) have also been found to lead to changes in appetite, with some people experiencing increased appetite and others experiencing a loss of appetite.
- Many medications have nausea or GI (gastrointestinal) side effects, which can also cause a decrease in appetite.
If you notice changes in appetite while on medication, it can be helpful to consult with your healthcare practitioner or a registered dietitian who can support you with managing food intake during appetite challenges.
Lifestyle & Health
It is normal for appetite to vary; many behavioural and situational factors also affect appetite.
- Exercising can both increase and decrease appetite. While vigorous exercise may temporarily curb appetite, over time regular exercise can cause an increase in hunger as your body adjusts to the extra calories needed to support your movement. Exercise can be a great way to increase appetite and energy.
- Having a cold or the flu can affect your appetite, while you may not feel like eating food when you’re sick. This is such an important time to give your body enough energy so it can fight off the sickness.
The Overlap of Appetite and Hunger in Real Life
Appetite and hunger commonly overlap; however, experiencing one without the other is often when we can get confused on whether or not to eat. Here are some practical examples of times you might have felt hungry, had an appetite, both, or neither:
Hunger without appetite: You feel ravenously hungry (stomach growling, a bit fatigued), but nothing sounds good.
- Tips for what to do: start with a safe food (it can be plain crackers, toast, even candy) to “open” your appetite. After doing this your hunger will likely return to a manageable level, and your appetite is stimulated. Then, add to the safe food and create a balanced meal or snack. This might look like adding a protein (hummus, cheese) and some veggies/fruit to your plain crackers.
Appetite without hunger: You’ve just finished a meal at a restaurant and feel satisfied, but as you walk past a gelato shop, you feel inclined to go in and have dessert
- Tips for what to do: think about how full you are, the circumstances, etc. If you are so full you feel uncomfortable, maybe skip it this time (there’s always next time!). If you feel like you have the room to have dessert, go for it.
- It’s important to honor your appetite for a wide variety of foods, considering the fact that we eat for social, emotional, and health-related reasons. It’s perfectly normal to have foods such as cakes, sweets, and salty snacks in your diet alongside vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and sources of protein.
Appetite and hunger: It’s been 3-4 hours since your breakfast, and you’re looking forward to taking a break and having the lunch that you meal prepped.
- Tips for what to do: This is a great example of hunger and appetite aligning, however especially for neurodivergent individuals this may be a rare occurrence. Keep reading for your top tips to support nutrition even with limited hunger cues and appetite.
No appetite and no hunger: It’s nearing the end of the day, and you haven’t eaten since the morning because you simply haven’t felt hungry or had any particular desire for food.
- Tips for what to do: Think about the most manageable food for you at this moment (this could be toast, pasta, or your favourite childhood meal). Try starting with something small if eating is feeling hard; try to eat what you can.
- If it helps, distract yourself with music, watching a video, or doing a calming activity (e.g., reading, crocheting) to take the pressure off eating. Feeding your body even when you have no cues for it can feel especially challenging, but it is still necessary.
- It can also be helpful in this circumstance to drink something (for example, a meal replacement shake) rather than eating. This is a valid and helpful strategy.
If you find you struggle to eat enough throughout the day, it can be helpful to work with a registered dietitian to figure out how to best nourish yourself so you have enough energy to go about your daily activities.
Our team of dietitian-nutritionists at Jackie Silver Nutrition offers a personalized, non-judgemental approach to support you in meeting your goals. Book a FREE 15 minute discovery call today to see how we can support you.
How to Honor Your Appetite and Hunger
It’s important to honor both your hunger and appetite, however this can be difficult with altered interoception. Here are some other tips for honoring your appetite and hunger, even if you feel you don’t have awareness of your internal cues:
- Aim to eat every 3-4 hours – it can be helpful to set alarms to remember to eat, especially if you don’t feel hungry throughout the day or you are on appetite-suppressing medication.
- Keep easy, safe foods on hand – these can be go-to balanced snacks and meals that are safe and appetizing. A balanced meal/snack should include a source of carbohydrates (e.g., toast, crackers, rice, noodles), a fruit or vegetable, and a protein/fat (e.g., peanut butter, tuna, cheese).
- Honor your cravings! If the only thing you feel like eating is potato chips, think about how to expand that into a balanced snack (maybe add a Greek yogurt dip and some veggies). If you’re craving chocolate, have it with some fruit and peanut butter.
- Be gentle with yourself in times of sickness, stress, etc. Turn to comforting foods such as soups, teas, crackers, or whatever foods are helpful to you during these periods.
Conclusion to Appetite vs Hunger
We’ve learned now that appetite and hunger are two different things, but both matter. Whether your body is asking for fuel or your brain is asking for that comfort meal, your needs are real and both should be honoured.
It can be especially difficult to eat when our body tells us we’re hungry, but we have no appetite, or we don’t feel hunger and fullness cues. For more guidance on how to deal with a mismatch between your appetite and hunger, book a free 15-minute discovery call!
At Jackie Silver Nutrition, we offer 1:1 virtual nutritional counseling for neurodivergent adults, teens, and children. We can work with you to build awareness of your hunger and fullness cues, and manage your appetite, in a neuro-affirming way. *Book a FREE 15 minute discovery call today to see how we can support you!
*Although we are based in Toronto and NYC, we can provide virtual nutrition counseling to anyone in Ontario (including Kingston, Ottawa, Kitchener/Waterloo, London, Windsor, and more), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and US residents of certain states, including but not limited to New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California. If your province or state is not listed here, please inquire to see if we can still support you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Hunger is your body’s physical need for food, triggered by biological signals like an empty stomach or low energy. Appetite, on the other hand, is your psychological desire for food, often influenced by emotions, memories, or sensory cues like smells or visuals.
Yes. You may feel physically hungry (e.g., your stomach is growling), but not have the desire to eat. This can happen when you’re sick, stressed, or taking certain medications. In these cases, start with a small, safe food to “wake up” your appetite.
Absolutely. You might crave something, like dessert after dinner, even when your body doesn’t physically need food. Appetite is often tied to emotional, sensory, or social triggers, and it’s okay to honor it mindfully.
Satiety is the feeling of fullness or satisfaction after eating. It signals that your body and brain are content and no longer need food for now. It’s essentially the opposite of hunger.
Many autistic and ADHD individuals experience differences in interoception, which is the ability to sense internal body signals like hunger, thirst, or the need to use the washroom. This can make it harder to recognize when it’s time to eat, even if the body needs fuel.
Common hunger cues include a growling stomach, irritability (“hangry”), low energy, dizziness, headaches, or difficulty focusing. These cues can vary widely from person to person.
Appetite can change due to emotions (like stress or grief), medications (such as ADHD stimulants or SSRIs), physical activity, illness, and sleep patterns. It’s normal for appetite to fluctuate over time.
Try to eat every 3-4 hours, even if you don’t feel strong hunger cues. Set reminders, keep easy and safe foods nearby, and start small. Meal replacement shakes can also help when eating solid food feels difficult.
Honor both physical hunger and mental appetite by checking in with your body regularly, eating balanced meals, including your favorite foods, and allowing flexibility. Both your body’s need for fuel and your brain’s desire for comfort are valid.
If you consistently struggle to eat enough, lose or gain weight unintentionally, or find it hard to sense hunger or fullness, consider speaking with a registered dietitian. They can help you create strategies that work with your body’s needs.
Check our these related blogs and resources:
- What to eat with no appetite
- Mechanical eating
- Why Working With an ADHD Dietitian Will Help You Thrive
- Autism and ARFID: When ‘Picky Eating’ Is So Much More
- Easy & Adaptable 5-Day ADHD Meal Plan [PDF Download]
- Autism and Food Aversion: 7 Practical Eating Tips
References
Smith, P. M., & Ferguson, A. V. (2008). Neurophysiology of hunger and satiety. Developmental disabilities research reviews, 14(2), 96–104. https://doi.org/10.1002/ddrr.13
Chen, W. G., Schloesser, D., Arensdorf, A. M., Simmons, J. M., Cui, C., Valentino, R., Gnadt, J. W., Nielsen, L., Hillaire-Clarke, C. S., Spruance, V., Horowitz, T. S., Vallejo, Y. F., & Langevin, H. M. (2021). The Emerging Science of Interoception: Sensing, Integrating, Interpreting, and Regulating Signals within the Self. Trends in neurosciences, 44(1), 3–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2020.10.007
Martin, E., Dourish, C. T., & Higgs, S. (2023). Interoceptive accuracy mediates the longitudinal relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) inattentive symptoms and disordered eating in a community sample. Physiology & behavior, 268, 114220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114220
Cobbaert, L., Millichamp, A.R., Elwyn, R. et al. Neurodivergence, intersectionality, and eating disorders: a lived experience-led narrative review. J Eat Disord 12, 187 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-01126-5
Dakanalis, A., Mentzelou, M., Papadopoulou, S. K., Papandreou, D., Spanoudaki, M., Vasios, G. K., Pavlidou, E., Mantzorou, M., & Giaginis, C. (2023). The Association of Emotional Eating with Overweight/Obesity, Depression, Anxiety/Stress, and Dietary Patterns: A Review of the Current Clinical Evidence. Nutrients, 15(5), 1173. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051173
Caruso, L., Zauli, E., & Vaccarezza, M. (2023). Physical Exercise and Appetite Regulation: New Insights. Biomolecules, 13(8), 1170. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom13081170
About Maria
Maria is a third-year student in Nutritional Sciences and Human Biology at the University of Toronto. She is passionate about nutrition education and outreach and aims to pursue further education in health care. In her free time Maria enjoys volunteering, reading, and cooking.
About Maurya
Maurya is a Registered Dietitian in Ontario who supports neurodivergent children, teens, and adults in meeting their nutrition goals. She brings experience in pediatrics, psychiatry, diabetes, and nephrology, and practices with a compassionate, weight-inclusive, client-centered approach. Alongside her work at Jackie Silver Nutrition, she is completing a Master’s thesis on pediatric nutrition and long-term health outcomes, and is committed to providing personalized, evidence-based care.
About Jackie
Jackie is a Registered Dietitian whose mission is to empower and support the neurodivergent and physically disabled communities through nutrition. Jackie runs a virtual private practice, providing services in Ontario and New York, as well as a blog which has simple recipes and health information tailored to these communities. She loves cooking, exercising, traveling, journaling, and spending time with family and friends.