It really IS harder to say no to cake when you’re fat, according to research into the brains of obese volunteers
For some people, refusing a chocolate chip cookie or a piece of cake seems relatively easy, while for others it is a huge mental battle.
Now experts have discovered that people with a higher BMI really do need a bigger shift in brain activity to choose healthy foods over their favorite snack.
Researchers from Queen’s University in Ontario analyzed data from three MRI studies involving 123 participants who indicated what they would prefer to eat in different scenarios.
They compared brain activity patterns shown when participants chose to focus on healthy eating after being instructed.
Experts have found that people with a higher BMI really need a bigger shift in brain activity to choose healthy foods over their favorite snack. Researchers from Queen’s University in Ontario analyzed data from three MRI studies involving 123 participants who indicated what they would prefer to eat in different scenarios
Analysis revealed that people who were better able to regulate their food choices required relatively small shifts in brain state to achieve their goals – and this was very evident in those with a low BMI.
However, participants with a high BMI could not rely on this mechanism and required larger shifts in brain activity to make healthy food choices.
Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the researchers said: ‘More than 18 percent of the world’s adult population is expected to be obese by 2025, indicating widespread problems in adopting healthy diets.
‘We investigated how brain states change when making natural and regulated food choices in an established food task.
‘Individuals with lower weight status could successfully modify their eating behavior while maintaining similar types of brain activity.
‘Individuals with higher weight status could not rely on this mechanism.’
The team said their findings may help explain why some people have trouble controlling their diet while others do not.
However, they said they are unable to determine whether a difficulty in making healthy food choices leads to gaining weight, or whether gaining weight leads to changes in the brain that make it more difficult to choose healthy options.
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS
Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count.
Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat
30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and large baked potato with skin on
Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose lower fat and lower sugar options
Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish every week, one of which should be oily)
Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities
Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day
Adults should have less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men per day
Source: NHS Eatwell guide