A new study suggests that the same type of therapy may be useful in treating those who struggle with obesity. Researchers at the University of South Wales conducted an evaluation of 38 different studies and believe there is an association between obesity and weakness found in the executive part of the brain.

The results of the study suggest that obese people are more likely to suffer from poor decision-making and planning skills, which can lead to a cyclical pattern of losing weight and then regaining more weight. This may be due to weakness in the executive area of the brain, responsible for problem-solving, reasoning, decision-making, organization, planning and achieving goals.

Obesity, it seems, may resemble eating disorders in that it is a complex disorder that is partly a brain disorder, rather than being solely a "lifestyle disorder." The researchers who conducted the study believe that cognitive remediation therapy may be an effective treatment for those who struggle with obesity. The authors believe that the use of this type of therapy may help address the serious obesity epidemic and prevent it from becoming even more devastating.

The study’s findings establish an association between cognitive difficulties and obesity, but it does not seek to establish causality. However, the researchers think that there may be a cyclical relationship between these two factors, with insufficient planning, problem-solving and reasoning leading to increased weight gain.

The problem, say the researchers, may be further complicated by certain factors, such as the impaired insulin regulation observed in obese individuals, which can also have an effect on cognitive function.

The connection between these two factors could be explained by a gene for obesity as well as cognitive impairment that is set off by the environment. Previous studies have shown that babies that are born to obese women actually eat quicker than babies that are born to healthy women.

While cognitive remediation therapy has had mixed results among those with eating disorders, many experts believe that it is a strategy worth exploring for obesity. There has been little success in developing effective treatments for those struggling with obesity.

Is Variety a Bad Thing?

Experts have discovered, however, that this wide availability of foods may be a stumbling block for some individuals. Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo have discovered that for people who respond to food as if it were an addictive drug, the variety of choices may be too much for them to handle.

Published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study’s findings show that limiting food choices may be a viable treatment option for those for whom overeating and obesity are a problem. The researchers explain that when the same food is repeatedly offered, even obese people lose interest and eat less of those foods. The behavior is called habituation.

The findings are important for public health officials and for those who are involved in meal planning for large populations, such as school-lunch menus or those in corporate cafeterias. A variety of meal options every week may not be a virtue, but instead may be associated with unnecessary caloric intake.

Obesity and Habituation

The study is the first to show that obese people are affected by habituation, which may lead to the development of new treatment strategies for overcoming disordered eating behaviors. The study was led by Leonard H. Epstein, Ph.D., of SUNY at Buffalo.

Epstein and colleagues analyzed the consumption of both obese and non-obese women who were given a macaroni-and-cheese meal. One group was given the meal every day, while the other group was given macaroni and cheese once a week for five weeks.

The researchers observed that both obese and healthy women in the group that received the meal every day for five days reduced their food intake, while those in the group with a variety of choices in their weekly menu did not reduce their food intake.

Further research is necessary to determine whether similar results occur in men. If so, there may be effective treatments developed as a result of an understanding of how a varied diet affects how individuals eat.

A Problem for Food Addicts

Not everyone is addicted to food. For many Americans, the exposure to so many foods is a healthy way to consume many different nutrients, and the options provide enjoyable variety in meals. However, for those who struggle with food addiction, a carefully planned menu that provides essential nutrients yet limits variety may aid in recovery.

A recently published study, conducted over the previous 10 years, investigated how diet sodas affected five hundred men and women. The results were presented at the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) recent Scientific Sessions. The subjects who drank 2 or more cans of diet sodas per day gained five times as much around their waistlines as those who did not drink diet soda. All diet soda drinkers saw their waistlines expand at a rate of approximately 70 percent faster than those who did not drink diet soda. Surprisingly, even those who drank regular, sugary, soda did not gain as many inches as the diet soda drinkers.

How is it possible that a near calorie-free substance could make us fat? One professor at the University of Texas claims that diet sodas, and the artificial sweeteners that they contain, make us crave sweets, increase appetite, and may even damage cells within our brains that control feeling full. When we taste sweet and sugary foods, our brains are wired to expect a comparable amount of caloric intake and release insulin accordingly. Thus, the body will not bother to turn fat into needed energy and we will need to continue eating until the promised calories are delivered. Because diet soda does not deliver these calories, however, the brain becomes confused and craves food. Unlike regular sugar, artificial sweeteners do nothing to satisfy the appetite that has been generated; in fact, they make the person hungrier than before they drank the beverage. To make matters worse, artificial sweeteners are not used solely in diet sodas; the majority of yogurts bought in the supermarket also contain the stuff.

For years I was addicted, yes addicted, to Diet Coke but switched to Diet Coke with Splenda once I learned how bad aspartame (NutraSweet) can be. Studies indicate that aspartame can mimic symptoms of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and a host of other neurological disorders. Once my shaking started waking me up at night, I knew that I had to find an alternative. Research on mice has revealed that aspartame, the most common sweetener in diet sodas, can damage the pancreas to the point where fasting glucose values skyrocket to diabetic or pre-diabetic levels. Other research suggests that artificial sweeteners slow down the body’s metabolism and release insulin, which leads to weight gain.

But, as I mentioned, I’m primarily a Splenda drinker, not an aspartame drinker. So, why is Diet Coke not helping me lose weight? Well, even though Splenda is made from sugar, it turns out that the brain does not treat Splenda (sucralose) the same as it would treat regular sugar. In fact, it treats Splenda just like it treats aspartame. Sadly, a University of California, San Diego study of twelve women confirmed this hypothesis. Each woman underwent a functional MRI exam while sipping both sugar water and water sweetened with Splenda. Although both substances affected the taste and pleasure centers of the brain, the sugar affected the pleasure centers more than the Splenda. Another study on rats found that those who consumed Splenda put on more weight then the control group.
When the brain fails to detect the calories promised by the Splenda, we will need to consume more food in order to satisfy it.

So, should we switch back to regular Coke? Probably not. Today’s regular soda is not the same as it was thirty years ago, before Diet Coke came along. Back then, Coke was made with real sugar. Today, most “regular” sodas are made with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS is made by converting glucose (real sugar) into fructose in order to provide a sweeter taste with less cost. HFCS is almost everywhere in the American diet – breads, cereals, yogurts, soups and drinks. Studies have suggested that much like artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup interferes with the body’s normal appetite functions and causes more weight gain that actual sugar.

If plain water isn’t your thing, you may want to try water sweetened with natural ingredients, such as real fruit juice or mint.

A recent Wonder Woman story highlighted research that suggests food cravings can mimic addiction. During the course of this research study, scientists gave two groups of women a 300-calorie portion of their favorite high calorie snacks every day for two weeks.

One female group included women who were obese, the other included women who were not. After two weeks, the lower-weight women lost interest in the treat, while the obese women actually had the opposite reaction.

Surprisingly, the obese women did report a significant decrease in how much they actually liked the snack food, even though the wanted more of it. Researchers likened this response to that of a drug addict. The compulsive eating may be a response that requires the fanatic to seek more food to achieve a similar effect.

Individuals who are seeking to lose weight for health reasons may want to consider giving up on the foods they crave as it may be a better strategy than trying to budget calories.

Dr. Parmeet Kaur, acting chief dietician AIIMA, New Delhi, noted that the snack foods – such as those used in the study – are high in sodium and sugar content and offer enhanced flavors, which increase cravings. The mental satisfaction experienced from high calorie snacks leads to addiction.
 

New research, however, highlights the very public nature of bingeing that takes place in public restaurants. This contradicts the notion that binge eating is typically conducted in private. The study was published in the November issue of SAGE Publications’ Western Journal of Nursing Research.

The study highlighted the restaurant environment of the United States, where large portion sizes, the popularity of eating out, and the overprovision of fast food options combine with a sedentary lifestyle to almost guarantee the development of obesity.

There has been little research about the restaurant habits of individuals who binge eat. Binge eating is characterized by the consumption of large amounts of food, often high in fat, sugar and calories, without purging.

The researchers, funded by a grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research wanted to understand the restaurant environment’s effect on the habits of binge eaters. The study examined the eating behaviors of binge eaters at restaurants and compared them with the habits of dieters when eating out.

Female binge eaters and dieters were asked to record daily food intake. The results of the study showed that on the days that they ate out; both groups consumed more calories and fat. The results also revealed that approximately 30 percent of all binging occurred at restaurants. Binge eaters were very likely to understand their restaurant experience as involving uncontrolled and excessive eating.

The editor of WJNR, Gayle M. Timmerman, wrote the article presenting the study. She cautions that the restaurant environment, providing high-calorie, high-fat foods, may contribute to uncontrolled eating and excessive calorie consumption.

The continuing trend of eating out in restaurants may provide a significant piece of the puzzle for explaining the obesity levels in the United States. While binge eaters are certainly at risk for consuming more calories in a restaurant environment, the results reveal that even those who identify themselves as dieters are consuming more when they eat out.

While many restaurants, including fast food establishments, offer lower-calorie options, it is very difficult for a binge-eater to avoid disordered behaviors with many high-calorie, high-fat options.
 

In a recent Science Daily release, the ezlopitant compound was explored in a study conducted by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center. This compound is already proven to suppress alcohol cravings in humans; yet this study found that it also helped to decrease consumption of sweetened water by test rodents.

According to principal investigator, Selena Bartlett, PhD, this finding could suggest that a possible link exists between the neurochemical pathways for addiction and compulsive eating. Such a link could help lead to further investigations and treatments for those with addictions to food.

A NK1 receptor-antagonist, ezlopitant is in a class of drugs that blocks the action of substance P, which is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in the reward system. This system is actually a complex brain structure that dictates our cravings for – and even addiction to – alcohol, drugs and other things.

During the study, the rats were given ezlopitant and subsequently demonstrated significantly decreased motivation to consume the water that had been sweetened with sugar, saccharin and even the alcohol solution.

Researchers believe that the NK1 receptor is part of the same reward system that links compulsive cravings for sweets with the cravings experienced for alcohol or drugs. To determine just how strong this link is, researchers would like to test their theory on humans as soon as possible.

A Science Daily release recently focused on this study, conducted by Scripps Research Associate Professor Paul J. Kenny and graduate student Paul M. Johnson. Interesting findings from the study include the clear demonstration that in rat models, the development of obesity coincides with a progressively deteriorating chemical balance in reward brain circuitries.

As these centers become less and less responsive, the rats quickly develop compulsive overeating habits, consuming more and more high-calorie, high-fat foods until they become obese. The same changes have been observed in the brains of rats that over consume cocaine or heroin and are thought to play an important role in the development of compulsive drug use.

“The new study, unlike our preliminary abstract, explains what happens in the brain of these animals when they have easy access to high-calorie, high-fat food,” said Kenny, in the Science Daily.

“It presents the most thorough and compelling evidence that drug addiction and obesity are based on the same underlying neurobiological mechanisms. In the study, the animals completely lost control over their eating behavior, the primary hallmark of addiction. They continued to overeat even when they anticipated receiving electric shocks, highlighting just how motivated they were to consume the palatable food.”

Kenny went on to note that what happens is simple and lethal. The reward pathways in the brain become so over-stimulated that the system essentially shuts itself off and adapts to the new reality of addiction. It doesn’t matter if the substance is cocaine or cupcakes.