From High Fat Diet to High Risk of Dependence

During the week of November 10th, we discussed a rather controversial article about obesity and the possibility that it could be caused by disease-like factors. Many people view obesity as the result of choice though it is well-known that some people have a higher metabolism than others and can maintain a healthy weight without much work. Recent research has shown that many neurological factors are involved in development of obesity. First is the decreased sensitivity to leptin at its receptors along with some insulin resistance as seen in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Together, these two problems create a dysfunctional appetite which is not curbed when a person should feel full, and also irregular glucose metabolism, which can lead to many neurodegenerative paths similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that maternal high-fat diet before pregnancy maintained through breast feeding leads to increased lipid peroxidation (a precursor to neurodegeneration) and lowered production of cells in the hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with formation of long-term memory. High-fat diet also leads to inflammatory factors that are associated with memory impairment. Obesity, as defined by body mass index, is not actually necessary to have some of these neurological markers. Healthy people who have high-carbohydrate and high-fat diets are also susceptible to memory deficits seen in obese patients. Simply having a high-fructose diet has been shown to increase lipid peroxidation and decrease insulin effects on its receptor. Thus, the human body is subject to dietary effects on cognition from conception until death. There is some evidence, however, that weight loss can stimulate some cognitive improvement, though the mechanisms behind this have yet to be explored fully. Sleep also plays a role in the cognitive deficits of obesity as circadian rhythm alteration can elicit memory deficits in some individuals and further weight gain, causing an unfortunate positive feedback loop. Weight gain may also be associated with declining activation of the reward circuit in the brain, which also happens in chronic drug abuse.
The discussion and topics covered in class reminded me of a similar discussion in my Drugs and Behavior class concerning addiction. I feel like as a society we are so ready to place blame on an individual’s character rather than fully examining the situation each person is in. We label obese people as lazy and unmotivated without knowing their diet as a child or their socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic status plays a huge role in what foods are available to people. Processed, cheap foods are readily available for working-class individuals while wholesome foods necessary for a balanced diet not only cost a lot more, but take longer to prepare. With the demands of education and work, maintaining a healthy diet for oneself is difficult and even harder when working multiple jobs to support a family. The view of obesity and addiction as diseases is a double-edged sword. While it does remove some stigma from the two conditions, it also eliminates some sense of personal responsibility. Those with either of these controversial conditions must also realize that personal volition can help improve one’s life, though the path to recovery may well be bumpier than the path to disease.