No matter how much you’ve eaten, or how full you feel, the prospect of an extra slice of cake can sometimes be too tempting.

Now scientists have discovered why some people crave sugary, fatty food - even when they are stuffed.

A study has shown that the so-called hunger hormone ghrelin - which the body produces when it feels peckish - encourages the brain to seek out high- calorie food, no matter how much you’ve eaten.

The finding helps explain why Christmas lunch all too often turns into an orgy of overeating and why many of us still find room for an after-dinner chocolate when we are fit to burst.

Health News