A Good Reason to Choose Wise Portion Sizes

by Jeff Jurmain, MA

A brand new study has found that, even if overeating doesn't make you gain weight, it is changing your body from the inside. And, as time wears on, excess pounds become more and more likely.

With two-thirds of the United States overweight, and one- third obese, any new insight into this area is welcome.

Researchers discovered that when a person overeats, it triggers a metabolic response that normally does not occur. This happens deep inside the brain, regardless of whether overeating has made that person put on pounds. So, in the middle of the brain, we have an area that regulates appetite, dietary behavior, energy, and the balance of body weight, as well as metabolism.

This area of the brain gets stimulated when too many calories are consumed. The result is a trigger toward further overeating. And thus taking in too many calories again, meaning it creates a cycle that is hard to break. It should be noted that this is a preliminary study, performed on mice, but the scientists believe the same effect occurs in the human brain.

Obesity is easily one of the biggest health problems in North America and poor dietary habits are now on the same level as smoking as a leading preventable cause of death. Obesity is linked to a host of diseases that include arthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The study suggests that somehow dealing with that pathway in the mind where metabolism is influenced could be a way to fight the battle of the bulge.

But of course that is for scientists to deal with. For the average Joe, it's an important factor in not allowing oneself to eat too much in any one sitting. For decades, experts have been alerting people to portion control. Turns out they were bang on. Exercise and diet can influence the brain's regulation on the body, but controlling food intake over the long term is a difficult thing. Shedding pounds takes a focused effort because it can be easily as difficult as quitting smoking.

The study is very technical, but what it did was identify another way researchers could tackle obesity. It found that a diet high in fat or sugar increased activity in that specific brain pathway. They also noticed that mice predisposed to obesity did have an active pathway. And when active, that part of the brain has a direct effect on hormones that deal with appetite and weight control.

So it comes full circle, with overeating sparking fluctuating appetites and disrupting weight control. The next time someone offers you seconds, consider the effect it will have on your brain.

Your Health and Mine