ety Obesity Weight Loss Rebound Harvard University Study
A recent study conducted by Harvard University in the United States has shed light on why weight loss is often followed by weight gain. The study found that obese individuals have a slower “satiety” response in their brains after eating compared to those of normal weight. This means that obese individuals are more likely to overeat, even after losing weight.
The research, published in the journal “Nature Metabolism,” involved two phases. In the first phase, 30 obese individuals and 30 individuals of normal weight were invited to participate. The participants were fed through a feeding tube to eliminate the influence of taste on the brain. The researchers then monitored the participants’ brain responses using computed tomography.
The results showed that after individuals of normal weight ingested food, the brain’s striatum signal, which drives the foraging instinct, gradually slowed down. This indicated that the brain recognized that the body had absorbed enough food and transmitted dopamine, the hormone responsible for feelings of happiness. However, in obese individuals, the activity of the brain’s striatum remained active, and there was no significant increase in dopamine levels.
In the second phase of the experiment, the researchers asked 30 obese individuals to lose 10% of their body weight within three months. Afterward, they underwent the same test. Surprisingly, the brain activity of the obese individuals did not change after losing weight. This means that their feeling of fullness remained slow, making it more difficult for them to experience happiness through satiety.
Mireille Serlie, a member of the research team and a professor of endocrinology at Yale University School of Medicine, pointed out that these findings suggest that the effects of obesity on the brain may not be easily reversed. She stated, “The idea that weight loss failures are solely due to a lack of willpower may be biased or oversimplifies things.”
The research team plans to further expand their study, focusing on the time point of irreversible brain damage and the relationship between this damage and different types of food.
This study provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by individuals who have lost weight and are trying to maintain their weight loss. It highlights the importance of understanding the underlying biological factors that contribute to weight regain and the need for personalized approaches to weight management.
Sources:
– Harvard University Study: [Link to the study]
– Nature Metabolism Journal: [Link to the journal]
– Yale University School of Medicine: [Link to the university]Title: Harvard Study Reveals Why Weight Loss is Easy to Rebound
Subtitle: Obese individuals have slower brain response to feeling full, making them more prone to overeating
Date: June 25, 2023
A recent study conducted by Harvard University in the United States has shed light on why weight loss is often followed by weight gain. The research found that obese individuals have a slower brain response to feeling full, making them more likely to overeat even after losing weight. This discovery may explain why people who were once obese tend to regain weight.
The study, published in the journal “Nature Metabolism,” involved two phases. In the first phase, researchers invited 30 medically defined obese individuals, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30, and 30 individuals of standard weight to participate. The participants were fed through a feeding tube to eliminate the influence of taste on the brain. After half an hour, their brain responses were monitored using computed tomography.
The results showed that after individuals with a normal weight consumed food, the brain’s striatum signal, which drives the foraging instinct, gradually slowed down. This indicated that the brain recognized that the body had absorbed enough food and transmitted dopamine, the hormone responsible for happy emotions. However, in obese individuals, the activity of the brain’s striatum remained active, and there was no significant increase in dopamine levels.
In the second phase of the experiment, the researchers asked 30 obese individuals to lose 10% of their body weight within three months. Afterward, they underwent the same test. Surprisingly, the brain activity of the obese individuals did not change after losing weight. This means that their feeling of fullness remained slow, making it more difficult for them to experience happiness through satiety. Mireille Serlie, a member of the research team and a professor of endocrinology at Yale University School of Medicine, emphasized that these findings suggest that the effects of obesity on the brain may not be easily reversed.
“The idea that weight loss failures are solely due to a lack of willpower may be biased or oversimplifies things,” Serlie stated.
The research team plans to further expand their study, focusing on the time point of irreversible brain damage and the relationship between brain damage and different types of food.
This study provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by individuals trying to maintain weight loss. Understanding the underlying mechanisms in the brain can help develop more effective strategies for weight management and prevent weight regain.
Can the effects of obesity on the brain be reversed through weight loss
Normal weight to participate. The participants were fed through a feeding tube to eliminate taste as a factor influencing brain response. The researchers then used computed tomography to monitor the participants’ brain activity.
The results showed that after individuals of normal weight consumed food, the brain’s striatum signal, which drives the desire to search for more food, gradually slowed down. This indicated that the brain recognized the body had received enough food and released dopamine, the hormone responsible for feelings of happiness. However, in obese individuals, the activity in the brain’s striatum remained active, and there was no significant increase in dopamine levels.
In the second phase of the experiment, 30 obese individuals were asked to lose 10% of their body weight within three months. Afterward, they underwent the same test. Surprisingly, the brain activity of the obese individuals did not change after losing weight. This means that their feeling of fullness remained slow, making it more difficult for them to experience happiness through satiety.
Mireille Serlie, a member of the research team and a professor of endocrinology at Yale University School of Medicine, stated that these findings suggest the effects of obesity on the brain may not be easily reversed. She emphasized that weight loss failures cannot be solely attributed to a lack of willpower.
The research team plans to expand their study to investigate the time point of irreversible brain damage caused by obesity and the relationship between this damage and different types of food.
This study provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by individuals who have lost weight and are trying to maintain their weight loss. It underscores the importance of understanding the underlying biological factors that contribute to weight regain and the need for personalized approaches to weight management. Further research in this area can lead to more effective strategies for sustainable weight loss and maintenance.
This article provides valuable insights from a Harvard study, shedding light on why weight loss is often difficult to sustain. It’s crucial to acknowledge these reasons to better understand and tackle the challenges to achieve long-term success.