The obesity rate in America has been a hot topic recently. Why are so many Americans overweight, and what can we do to find a solution to the issue? Is the simple fix we need to eat healthier and exercise? Well yes that is definitely the solution to the issue, but scientists have been finding that this solution may not be as easy it sounds.
Studies have found that a high fat diet and overeating can have tremendous effects on the brain. These effects can cause people to become as addicted to eating as other individuals are addicted to smoking. So the idea of eating less is not a simple feat for individuals who suffer from obesity to the point of having brain altering affects. So what causes this addiction to a high fat diet? Well when a normal person eats their body releases dopamine and this triggers a positive response in the brain letting your brain know that your body is happy with the amount of food it got. When an obese person eats less dopamine is released so they are not as satisfied with the amount of food they ate. In order to compensate for this issue they eat more and more until they get the same satisfaction from dopamine that a regular person would get. Imagine only getting half the satisfaction you normally get every time you eat a scoop of ice cream. I would end up eating more too.
A high fat diet and obesity can have many more effects on the brain besides addiction. It can also cause inflammation in areas and decreased volumes in other areas that can lead to many cognitive issues. A few studies have shown that the average IQ of overweight students was lower than that of normal weight students.
So what measures can we make to reduce obesity in America? The most important is to start a healthy lifestyle at a young age. That’s right parents, like most things in this world it’s time for you to step up and save the day. From the point of conception until the time when children can make their own choices, what type of diet they consume determines how their body will react to their diet as they get older. So all those warnings about what pregnant women should eat has entirely new implications to it. Eating a balanced homemade meal with your children and making them stay at the table until they eat every last pea instead of giving them those tasty chicken nuggets at McDonald’s is one of the greatest way to decrease obesity. Although some of obesity may be genetic and hard to control, a majority of it is environmental and can be controlled. So making healthy life choices for your children can be the best way to ensure a healthier future for them.
Rehab for High Fat Addiction
