Too much junk food can get you addicted, just like drugs
“No one can eat just one” goes the jingle of a popular potato crisps brands. And now, here’s why.
The effect of junk food on the brain mimics that of drugs, leading to addiction, finds an American study.
Excess sugar, salt and fat combine to make a tasty cocktail that’s as addictive as narcotics such as cocaine, heroin and the likes, claim researchers from Scripps Research Institute in Florida.
Led by neuroscientists Dr Paul Kenny, the research team divided mice into three dietary groups. One group was put on a healthy diet, another on limited amount of junk food and the third was given unrestricted supply of junk food. After some time, rats who were allowed to eat as much junk food as they wanted gained lots of weight and even started binge-eating. But what was more alarming was that when researchers stimulated the part of their brain related to pleasure, they took longer to feel blissful than did their counterparts on healthier diets.
This shows they were addicted to the junk foods and started linking their happiness to junk food, needing more and more of chips, cheesecakes and sugary concoctions to feel pleasure.
So addicted were the mice to junk food that even if healthy food was the only one available, they did not eat it.
Dr Kenny said, “Not only did we find that the animals' brain reward circuits became less responsive as they continued to overeat and become obese but that decrease in responsiveness was similar to what our laboratory has seen previously in rats as they become addicted to cocaine or heroin.”
He said the results indicate obesity and addiction may result have the same neurobiology.
The findings hold importance, as obesity is rising across the world, especially among children, and stretching healthcare budgets of individuals and countries.
The biggest driver of the obesity epidemic is the change in people’s dietary preferences and inclination towards junk food.
Sugary drinks, burgers and pizzas have gone from being occasional indulgences to everyday meals.
Perhaps the time isn’t far when there might be a need for de-addiction centres for junk foods.
