Ho Hos, Hotdogs, and Heroin?
As a chiropractor, I view the body holistically. A healthy, nutritious diet a big part of the chiropractic lifestyle philosophy. Balance, whether it is in physical movement or in the foods we eat, is a vital part of any healthy lifestyle. Still, many people who come to see me are overweight and often have overweight children. So, I was pleased to read about a recent study that found junk food to be addictive, which may explain at least in part why more and more men, women, and children in our country are obese.
Researchers discovered that junk food elicits addictive behavior in rats similar to the behaviors of rats addicted to heroin. And, as the pleasure centers in the brains of rats addicted to high-fat, high-calorie diets became less responsive as the binging wore on, the rats consumed more and more food.
The junk foods used in the study were typical “Western fare,” such as Ho Hos, sausage, pound cake, bacon and cheesecake. Rats that ate the junk food soon developed compulsive eating habits and became obese.It is suspected that the results of this newest study (presented October 20 at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience) will help to explain the changes in the brain that lead people to overeat.
For a full report on the study, go to: discovery.com
Tags: addiction, junk food, obesity, overeating