Hearing Words Associated With High-Calorie Foods can Make One Fat

Obese individuals were observed to have a stronger response to words associated with high-calorie foods in multiple areas of the brain.

Hearing certain words makes us reach for unhealthy food, revealed a new study conducted by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and The Obesity Society.

Study leader Susan Carnell of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said, "The study found that individuals with obesity had a stronger response to words associated with high-calorie foods - such as chocolate spread and chicken wings - in a widespread neural circuit spanning multiple areas of the brain. When we subjected individuals to a combined social and physiological stressor, both individuals with obesity and those of normal weight showed slightly altered responses to high-calorie food words, but only those with obesity ate more at a subsequent meal. This suggests obese people respond to food cues differently to lean people, which could lead them to eat more."

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‘Obese people and individuals with normal weight showed slightly altered responses to high-calorie food words. However, only the obese ones ate more at a subsequent meal.’

In the second study, the research team found a link between responses to food words and obesity risk in teens with genetic variants that increase the risk of obesity.

Research coordinator Leora Benson said, "The study provides additional insight into how these particular obesity-associated genetic variants may be working by increasing appetite and food intake."

Source-ANI

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