The Brain Learns to Prefer Unhealthy Foods
The typical Western diet is high in fat and sugar, and many people in industrialized countries prefer unhealthy and calorie-rich foods that are not beneficial to their health. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research and Yale University, led by Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah, have proposed that the brain learns to prefer sweets and salty snacks on its own. The primary cause of this is the dopamine system, which is responsible for motivation and reward.
To test this hypothesis, the researchers gave participants a small, high-fat and high-sugar pudding in addition to their regular diet for eight weeks. Another group received a pudding with the same number of calories but with reduced fat content. The participants’ brain activity was measured before and during the experiment. The brain’s response to high-fat and high-sugar foods was significantly stronger in the group that ate the high-fat and high-sugar pudding, particularly in the dopamine system responsible for motivation and reward.
According to Marc Tittgemeyer, “Our measurements of brain activity showed a reconfiguration of the brain through the consumption of chips and similar foods. It unconsciously develops a preference for food that triggers a reward response. Through these neural changes, we unconsciously prefer foods with high fat and sugar content.” Despite not gaining more weight than the control group and having unchanged blood values such as blood sugar or cholesterol, the researchers are convinced that the preference for sugary foods persists even after the study.
The brain forms new networks, and these do not dissolve quickly. Ultimately, the nature of learning is that once learned, it is not easily forgotten. The researchers believe that the brain’s preference for high-fat and high-sugar foods is a learned behavior that can be difficult to change. This study sheds light on the importance of healthy eating habits and the need to educate people about the dangers of consuming too much fat and sugar.
