Preference for fatty or sugary foods is learned by the brain, shows a new study.
A team from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne used the brain activity of test subjects to investigate why it is so difficult for us to say no to chocolate, crisps and crisps. The study showed that fatty and sweet foods strongly activate the reward system, the institute announced on Wednesday. The brain learns to subconsciously prefer these foods. The results were published in the journal “Cell Metabolism”.
“Our tendency towards foods high in fat and sugar, the so-called Western diet, may be innate or develop as a result of being overweight. However, we think that the brain learns this preference,” said lead author Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah , explaining the central hypothesis of the study.
Brain learns to eat fat
To test this, the researchers gave a group of normal-weight subjects a high-fat, high-sugar pudding twice a day for eight weeks in addition to their normal diet. The other group was given a pudding that contained the same number of calories but less fat and sugar. Before and during the eight weeks, the team measured the participants’ brain activity.
The measurements showed that the pudding, rich in fat and sugar, activated the so-called dopaminergic system of the guinea pigs particularly strongly. This brain region is responsible for motivation and reward. “Our measurements of brain activity showed that the brain rewires itself through the consumption of french fries and the like. Subconsciously, it learns to prefer rewarding foods,” said study leader Marc Tittgemeyer. Changes in weight and blood values were not found in the subjects.
Learned eating habits stick
The researchers assume that the learned preference will continue after the study. “New connections are made in the brain that don’t break as quickly. It’s important to learn that you don’t forget the things you learned so quickly,” explained Tittgemeyer.
The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from Yale University, in New Haven (USA), among others. The team points out that the analysis only provides initial indications but no certainty, in part due to the relatively small number of test subjects (57). The result can also be different for people who are underweight or overweight. The same applies to other types of snacks and a different duration of the test.
(APA)