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The Science Behind Why We Get Hangry

Is the hanger real? Researchers debate if hanger is a physical or emotional state.

By Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi
Jul 5, 2022 12:00 PMJul 5, 2022 12:01 PM
Hanger
(Credit:Ilya Morozov/Shutterstock)

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In a 2010 Super Bowl ad, actor Betty White, then age 88, plays football with a team of young men. After a rough tackle into a puddle, one of her teammates accuses her of playing, well, like Betty White. A friend intervenes and offers a Snickers bar. In just one bite, the snacker transforms back into an athletic young man.

“You’re not you when you’re hungry,” is the commercial’s message, which suggested that hunger can substantially change a person’s mood. The press gave the ad positive reviews and ranked it as one of the best Super Bowl commercials.

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