Which scenario demonstrates an external eating cue?

• A. Feeling hungry due to fatigue
• B. Reading a Nutrition Label for Information
• C. Smelling Popcorn at a Cinema
• D. Eating because you are thirsty

Answer: (C)

External eating cues come from the environment rather than your internal energy needs. The smell of popcorn in a cinema is a classic environmental signal that can trigger the urge to eat, even if you’re not genuinely hungry. That aroma acts as a prompt from your surroundings, nudging you toward eating.

In contrast, feeling hungry because you’re fatigued is an internal cue tied to your body’s state. Reading a Nutrition Label is about gathering information, not triggering eating. Eating because you’re thirsty is mixing up internal signals—thirst, not hunger—which influences eating behavior but isn’t an external environmental cue.