Full children eat more sweet because of the characteristics of the brain
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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At the University of California, a team of specialists examined children aged 8 to 12 years. A total of 23 children participated in the study, 10 of whom were overweight, and the rest were absolutely healthy.
Scientists allowed children to try 1/5 teaspoon of sweetened water, while the child did not see what they were giving, focusing only on taste. At the same time, experts followed the activity of the brain of the participants in the experiment. Also, scientists took into account the factors that in one way or another could affect the final results (for example, all participants were right-handed, did not suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome, anxiety, etc.). Also, all participants noted that they love sugar.
During the scan of the brain, scientists found that in children who were obese, activity in the islet cortex, tonsils, brain areas that were responsible for emotions, taste, perception, reward was increased. An interesting feature was that in the striped body (another compensation center), in full children, activity was not increased.
In earlier studies, experts have determined that the striatum is associated with obesity in adults, but the full development of this site occurs only to the adolescent period.
The specialists do not associate the obtained results with overeating and sensitivity, but according to their assumption, in full children, most likely, nutrition has a close connection with the reward. In this case, we mean, so-called, food reinforcement, i.e. Getting pleasure from eating.
Scientists believe that the predisposition to this is due to some schemes in the brain that force full children to eat more sweets than peers.
In another study, the scientists made an unexpected discovery. As it turned out, the drug, which is used to treat attention deficit hyperkinesia syndrome (increased activity) in children, helps to cope with such a food disorder as uncontrolled overeating.
Uncontrolled overeating has a similarity with bulimia, only people suffering from overeating do not induce vomiting. As a result, this disorder leads to the appearance of extra pounds and the development of obesity. In some cases, people completely refuse to eat, to lose some weight, but in the end, weight not only returns, but also increases.
People with uncontrolled overeating are usually treated with psychotherapy, a variety of self-help programs, and support groups.
But in the center of Lidner, experts recommend trying to treat uncontrolled overeating of lysdexamfetamine dimeselate, which may be the world's first drug for the treatment of eating disorders.
Specialists conducted experiments in which lisdexamphetamine dimesylate was compared to placebo. The study involved 514 volunteers. Participants received three doses of the drug - 70, 50 and 30 mg per day. As a result, those participants who took 50 and 70 mg several times a week did not practically overeat during the day. The effectiveness of 30 mg of the drug was zero. In addition, in groups that took 50 and 70 mg of the drug, almost half of the participants were able to restrain themselves and not overeat during a month, and in the placebo group only about 21% of the participants achieved similar results.
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