Obese People's Brains May Crave High Calorie Foods

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2011-09-24/Study-Obese-brains-may-crave-high-calorie-foods-more/50531574/1

In a recent study published in the USA Today, an article looks at a link between obese people and their food cravings. These days more and more young adults are getting heavier. It is important for athletic trainers to advise their athletes on proper eating habits and provide info for athletes that are trying to loose weight. One of the main points of the article is the importance of blood sugar levels. Often, obese people eat high sugar foods which causes a spike in their level of blood sugar. Shortly after, blood sugar levels will drop, causing the person to get hungry again. In the study, a group of obese people and non obese people had their brains scanned while their blood sugars were altered. At the same time, the people were shown pictures of high calorie foods and also low calorie foods. The scans revealed that obese people showed less activity in the area where the brain called the pre-frontal cortex, when shown pictures of high calorie foods. This means that obese people often have harder times fighting off the urges to eat good tasting but unhealthy foods. It is important for those seeking information about eating properly to be aware of the effects that certain foods have on their brain and can, in turn, influence their eating habits.