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NaturalWay – Margit Slimáková

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The study confirmed the "addictive" properties of junk food

In a newly published study, scientists have shown for the first time that the same molecular mechanisms that drive people into drug addiction are behind the compulsion to overeat, pushing people into obesity.

The study explains what happens in the brain of animals when they have easy access to high-calorie, high-fat food. It presents the most thorough and compelling evidence that drug addiction and obesity are based on the same underlying neurobiological mechanisms.

It was demonstrated that in rat models the development of obesity coincides with a progressively deteriorating chemical balance in reward brain circuitries. As these pleasure centers in the brain become less and less responsive, rats quickly develop compulsive overeating habits, consuming larger quantities of high-calorie, high-fat foods until they become obese. The very same changes occur in the brains of rats that overconsume cocaine or heroin, and are thought to play an important role in the development of compulsive drug use.

http://www.scripps.edu/news/press/20100329.html

My comment

Like addiction to other substances, junk food binging is extremely difficult to stop and food producers are well aware of the fact that the more junk food there is around consumers, the more they will be tempted to eat it. Over the last few decades, food producers have worked hard to create a so-called toxic food environment where junk food is all around us. The food industry has fought hard against advertisement regulations and limitations to food product selling, yet also they initiated commercial partnerships with sports or health organizations to promote their products. The food industry is pushing itself into the role of nutrition expert whose aim it is to educate the public.

What we actually need is independent nutrition education starting in schools as well as a strict regulation of food industry attacks on our children via food automats, candy sales during sports or school events, advertisements or toys added to junk food.