All articles tagged with #eating behavior
A study from George Mason University found that college students tend to eat more in social and formal dining settings, often underestimating their food intake, which contributes to the common 'Freshman 15' weight gain phenomenon. The research highlights the influence of environment, social context, and perception on dietary habits, emphasizing the need for digital tools in dietary assessment.
Research shows that college students tend to eat more and gain weight due to social and environmental factors, especially in group settings, with notable gender differences and a disconnect between perceived and actual calorie intake, highlighting the importance of digital dietary tools and broader context in interventions.
A new study indicates that individuals who are influenced by external cues like sights and smells of food tend to lose more weight on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, compared to emotional eaters who are driven by stress or emotional distress. The findings suggest that pre-treatment assessment of eating behaviors could predict the effectiveness of these weight loss drugs, highlighting the need for tailored approaches for emotional eaters.
Researchers discovered a brain circuit in mice, linking the amygdala to the BNST, that acts as a 'dial' controlling the urge to eat sweets, fats, and salt. Stimulating this pathway increases consumption, while suppressing it reduces appetite, offering potential treatments for eating disorders, cachexia, and obesity.
A study found that the connection between vagus nerve signals and food intake is stronger in higher socio-economic groups, suggesting that internal physiological cues influence eating behavior more in these populations, potentially contributing to health disparities.
The process of deciding what, when, and how much to eat is influenced by a combination of external sensory cues and internal interoceptive signals. Visual cues, such as packaging and advertisements, can shape feeding behaviors, while feelings of hunger and fullness act as important cues in decision-making around food. The gut-brain axis, particularly the vagus nerve, plays a crucial role in communicating digestive and interoceptive signals to the brain. Poor interoceptive awareness can lead to dysfunctional eating behaviors, such as eating disorders. Cultivating a strong connection to interoceptive signals can promote intuitive eating and a more holistic approach to dietary habits, especially during the holiday season.
A new study challenges the traditional understanding of appetite control, revealing that taste perception, rather than signals from the stomach, primarily regulates eating behavior. Neurons in the brainstem respond quickly to taste signals to control food intake, highlighting the complex interplay between taste and brain signals in managing eating behavior. This discovery could have implications for the development of more effective weight-loss drugs and treatments.
Brain imaging studies have revealed that high-fat foods, such as milkshakes, activate the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in the brain, which is involved in reward processing. Researchers found that the smooth texture of fatty foods influences the allure of the food and guides eating behavior. The study also showed that individuals with more sensitive OFCs to fatty texture were more likely to consume larger amounts of high-fat foods. These findings could contribute to the development of low-calorie food formulations and provide insights into the neural mechanisms of overeating.
A new study by Yale researchers found that obesity is associated with a diminished brain response to nutrient intake, which doesn’t recover even after weight loss. The study offers insights into why maintaining weight loss is challenging for some people and emphasizes the significant role of the human brain in obesity. The findings could help explain why it’s difficult for some to lose weight and maintain weight loss.