How do social cues affect our weight?

Everywhere we go we are constantly being bombarded by social cues telling us to eat.  Whether it’s on television, online, or walking within a one block radius to a fast food restaurant:  “...We are swept up in an over-stimulating cultural assault telling us to: consume, consume,consume!  Be it Starbucks or the classic golden arches, or watching commercials on television bombarding us with food and drink, everywhere we turn as Americans, we are assaulted by the overabundance of food” (Aalai A.  2012). It is so easy for Americans to access food that it has become an activity.  All of these cultural changes have altered social cues sending messages to us saying that we should be consuming more and more food.  Many of us are eating on the go, or letting the situation we are in decide whether we consume foods.  In fact, we are turning to outside cues to determine our food consumption instead of the only reliable one: our internal cues.  When you sit down in front of a screen or to read the newspaper with a plate of food and later look down to find there is none left, that's mindless eating.  You are distracted by what you are doing and subconsciously eat, instead of taking the cues from your body that you’re full.  This can be a dangerous game to play and its how many Americans become overweight.