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Diet and Obesity
Diet and Obesity
Diet and Obesity
Around the world, obesity is on the rise. It has more than doubled since 1990, with one in eight people living with obesity in 2022 according to the World Health Organization. Obesity is a complex disease that is linked to a multitude of other conditions and impacts both health and quality of life. And new research is increasingly helping to explain the connection between the brain, diet, and obesity.
A review published in Trends in Cognitive NeuroScience found the level of activity in the brain’s pre-frontal cortex may be linked to obesity. Researchers found that people with less activity in that part of the brain may be more vulnerable to cravings for high-calorie foods.
This indicates obesity may be linked to control processes, not just reward pathways in the brain, which could help change approaches to managing overeating. It also sheds light on how exercise, which increases activity in that area, can also help influence dietary choices.
Cassandra Lowe and Amy Reichelt, BrainsCAN Postdoctoral Fellows and neuroscience researchers at Western University
Eating disorders have historically been very difficult to treat – anorexia is the mental illness with the highest mortality rate. But a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation sheds new light on the role of a neurotransmitter in developing habits that can lead to dysfunctional eating.
Researchers found altered levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in part of the brain responsible for habitual behaviour, changed how quickly mice formed habitual behaviours and made them more prone to altered eating behaviours. Adding stress to unbalanced brain chemistry made the issue even more pronounced. The research opened promising possibilities for future research and new treatments.
You’ve probably noticed how teens often make poor food choices, but did you know that those choices in turn can lead to changes in their brains?
A review published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health describes how adolescents are at an age where they have limited restraint and a heightened reward system, making them more prone to eating poorly. Over time, the excessive consumption of calorie-dense food can cause changes to the brain’s reward system leading to poorer control and greater impulsivity.