The
United States of America has an obesity problem. Shocker, right? Clearly you weren’t surprised by this fact, but you might find it interesting to know that obese people may be addicted to food. That’s right, addicted to food.
Now that I have your attention, let’s discuss.
The simple fact is that more than one-third of American adults and almost 17% of youth are obese. Globally, approximately 400 million adults are obese and an additional 1.6 billion people are considered overweight. A person is considered obese if his or her body mass index (BMI) is equal to or greater than 30 whereas an overweight person has a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9.
Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital have determined that when individuals consume foods high in processed carbohydrates there is a corresponding blood glucose spike followed by a precipitous drop in glucose. This process triggers an increase in hunger and stimulates regions of the brain associated with addictive behaviors.
“These findings suggest that limiting high-glycemic index carbohydrates like white bread and potatoes could help obese individuals reduce cravings and control the urge to overeat,” says David Ludwig, MD, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital.
The research team led by Dr. Ludwig measured the blood glucose levels and brain activity of 12 overweight or obese men who consumed high- and low-glycemic indexed shakes on two different occasions. The two shakes were identical in calories, macronutrients and taste. The only difference was that the high-glycemic shake contained rapidly digesting carbohydrates whereas the other contained slow-digesting carbs.
The results seen with the study are fairly consistent with previous research which demonstrates that when blood glucose levels plummet to low levels, the brain triggers impulses that prompt people to consume foods that can restore glucose to normal levels. This process creates a cycle of overeating because people will typically seek out foods that have a high-glycemic index. And, of course the process begins again.
“Not everybody who eats processed carbohydrates develops uncontrollable food cravings. But for the person who has been struggling with weight in our modern food environment and unable to control their cravings, limiting refined carbohydrate may be a logical first step,” says Ludwig.
The average Western diet derives 49% of energy intake from carbohydrates, 35% from fat, and 16% from protein. This diet is in sharp contrast to the diet of our ancestors who consumed 19-35% protein, 28-47% fat and 22-40% carbohydrates. This shift from protein to carbs as the primary source of energy might be the reason for increases in diseases such as obesity.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Fitnupe1911
INSTAGRAM / TWITTER: Fitnupe1911
EMAIL: [email protected]
Subscribe to RxMuscle on Youtube
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|||
