I am married to a reformed fatty. Most members of his immediate family have significant weight issues. Diet and a lack of exercise are obvious contributing factors.

I've noticed that some of my kids will claim to be hungry if they have not eaten until they are stuffed. They have a difficult time making a distinction between satisfied and full. We try to teach them to ask themselves if they are hungry, or just not full. Sometimes I have them wait 15 minutes and then ask if they are still hungry. Some of my kids have overeaten and thrown up. This mirrors my husband's experience with food.

On the other hand some of my kids are fine just eating enough to keep them going, and find it uncomfortable to eat until they are full. This is more along the lines of my experience with food.

I'm inclined to believe that in our families genetics play a huge role in weight issues. While there are probably some differences in metabolisms I think the biggest factor is that our brains seem to be wired to turn off the hunger messages at significantly different rates.