Habitual Sugar Consumption: From Neuroscience to Nursing Clinical Practice. A Tool for Modifying Health-Risk Behaviors

Abstract

Introduction. Habits and eating behaviour are complex processes influenced by neurobiological, cognitive and environmental factors. Sucrose consumption represents a useful model to investigate the shift from goal-directed actions to automated responses. The aim of this study was to analyse the mechanisms underlying habit formation and their role in eating behaviour, with a specific focus on sugar consumption, in order to highlight implications for nursing practice.

Materials and Methods. A literature review was conducted using the PRISMA method and analysis of specialized texts. Studies addressing habit formation mechanisms and neurophysiological responses to sugar consumption were analysed, with particular attention to learning, reinforcement and anticipatory processes.

Results. Findings indicate that habit formation is a dynamic process shaped by the interaction between contextual triggers, repetition and reinforcement, in the absence of a unified theoretical framework. In contrast, studies on sucrose show greater methodological consistency and allow a clearer characterisation of neurophysiological responses, although variability related to individual and environmental factors persists.

Discussion. The integration of evidence suggests that sugar consumption may evolve from goal-directed behaviour to automated responses. Understanding these mechanisms has relevant implications for nursing practice, particularly in designing interventions targeting environmental triggers and promoting more conscious behaviours.