Candy Consumption

: An Inquiry on the Candy Crush Hypothesis

Abstract

Candy is eaten by people of all ages and all genders. Candy eating behavior can be that, with conscious efforts to lick it to finish, the eater may repeatedly crush it instead. This study examined what could be responsible for candy crushing despite the desire to lick it. A survey design is employed to understand this through questionnaire administered via WhatsApp and Facebook targeting anyone aged two and older across the globe. There were 212 respondents. The data was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Results show the prevalence of 89.6% of candy eating across age groups. Majority of the candy eaters put the whole candy in the mouth at once and start by licking and uncontrollably end up crushing it. About a quarter of the candy eaters indicated powerlessness over crushing candy. And the candy crushing can be hypothesized to be due to brain chemical ‘dopamine’ stimulated by sugar hijacking the decision-making/willpower part of the brain in the frontal lobe. It is recommended that neurological study be conducted to investigate what overrides willpower to not crush candy. This may shed more lights to understanding why people are addicted to certain substance.