http://www.infobarrel.com/Mental_Reactions_To_Food_Affects_Weight_Gain
published January 30, 2009
Willpower –
and the lack of it – have often been blamed for the inability of people
to lose weight. While this may be part of the problem, it is not as
large a factor as one would believe. Medical science can confirm that
willpower alone will not make a diet or exercise plan reduce a person's
weight, and that there are many more factors that need to be considered
to successfully shed a few pounds. According to recent discoveries in
the field of neuroscience, the mental reaction to the sight of preferred
foods might potentially overpower the desire to not eat.
It is not unknown
for people to experience cravings for certain foods, usually after seeing
or smelling them. This can occur even if the person in question is not
hungry. The researchers who found it have dubbed it “external food
sensitivity,” and it has been found to be able to influence people's
eating habits.
A recent study
found that obese adults now outweigh the number of those who are simply
overweight, which signals a very bad sight for overall public health.
It doesn't help that, despite the multitude of factors that need to
be considered in this, most of the blame for obesity still falls firmly
in the hands of the person who has become obese. The research team decided
to attempt to find a reason to explain why some people are more likely
to overeat. They found that some people appear to be more sensitive
to stimuli related to food, and areas in the brain related to food signals
were wired differently for those who ate more.