Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Fung presents The Hunger Code as a follow-up to his earlier book, The Obesity Code. If you’ve read the first book, what new insights or expanded ideas did you find most significant here? If this was your first time reading his work, how did his overall argument challenge or confirm your previous ideas about health and diet?

2. What did you think of the book’s central framework of three distinct types of hunger: homeostatic, hedonic, and conditioned? Did you find this a helpful way to understand eating behaviors, and was there one type of hunger that particularly resonated with you?

3. The book opens with a confrontational tone, arguing that mainstream dietary advice has been a catastrophic failure. How did you react to this approach? Did you find it persuasive and empowering, or did it feel overly aggressive at times?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Fung argues that we live in an “obesogenic environment” where unhealthy choices are the default. Thinking about your own daily routines, how does your physical environment affect your eating habits?

2. The concept of “conditioned hunger” suggests we often feel hungry because of external triggers, like the time on a clock, rather than a physical need. How far does the time of day influence when you eat?

3. The book proposes “reframing” as a powerful tool for changing your mindset, like thinking of sugar as “poison” instead of a “treat.” Have you ever used a similar mental strategy to break a habit or build a new one? How did changing your thoughts influence your actions?

4. Fung states that a person’s risk of obesity increases by 171% if their best friend is obese. Likewise, if their social circle eats healthily, an individual is likely to do the same. Do you think “social modeling” has unconsciously shaped your own food choices or habits?

5. What are your thoughts on Fung’s advice to incorporate fasting of at least 12 hours into one’s daily routine? What challenges and benefits do you see in applying this approach?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The 1977 McGovern Report is identified as a turning point that led to the rise of low-fat, high-sugar processed foods. What are some of the long-term consequences you see in our society’s health and food culture that might stem from this historical shift?

2. Fung draws a direct parallel between the strategies of Big Tobacco and the modern ultra-processed food industry. How convincing did you find this comparison? Where do you see evidence of the “Big Tobacco playbook” (126) in today’s food marketing?

3. What does the book suggest about the economic forces driving our “obesogenic environment,” particularly regarding agricultural subsidies for corn and soy? Did this information change your perspective on why certain foods are so cheap and widespread?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How effective is the central metaphor of the “body fat thermostat” in explaining the complex hormonal regulation of weight? Did this analogy make the scientific concepts of homeostasis and body set weight clearer for you?

2. The book’s argument is built around the three distinct types of hunger. How does this structure guide you through Fung’s complex argument, from the physiological to the psychological and environmental? Did you find this organization logical and persuasive?

3. What is the role of historical figures like Ivan Pavlov and contemporary researchers like Dr. Carlos Monteiro in Fung’s narrative? How does he use their stories and research to build his case against the “calorie delusion”?

4. The guide mentions Michael Pollan, another influential voice on food systems. How might you compare Fung’s approach in The Hunger Code to the ideas in a work like Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, particularly regarding their views on food processing and industrialization?

5. Throughout the book, Fung includes brief case studies of individuals like Harry, Gloria, and Barb. What was the effect of these personal stories? Do you think they successfully illustrated his principles and made the scientific content more relatable?

6. Fung makes it clear that he is not writing a typical “diet book.” In what specific ways does he succeed in breaking away from that genre’s formula? How does his voice and perspective as a nephrologist contribute to the book’s overall authority and message?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re tasked with redesigning a school cafeteria based on the principles in The Hunger Code. What specific changes would you make to the food offerings, meal timing, and eating environment to promote healthier habits for students?

2. If you were to create a short documentary inspired by this book, which of the three types of hunger (homeostatic, hedonic, or conditioned) would you focus on? What scenes or interviews would you include to make the concept compelling for a wide audience?

3. Choose one of your favorite meals and describe how you could adapt the experience of preparing and eating it to align with Fung’s approach to nutrition and eating habits.