Dylan Armajani: Run Past Your Goals and Find Yourself
'I Have 20 Times The Energy I Used To Have'
DNA may be to blame for chronic overeating
Posted on Oct 21st 2007 1:01PM by Brian WhiteFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
I've read some research recently that suggested genetic predisposition to obesity, which I found quite interesting. A new piece of research this past week reiterated that stance, as it suggested chronic overeaters may indeed be driven to overeat by their genetic makeup.
The reasoning? Lower levels of the brain chemical dopamine may be found in many people as a result of DNA differences, and that is responsible for the rewarding feeling eating has. Hence, you have less of it, you feel less rewarded when you eat -- and you overeat as a result.
This may be partly to blame when overweight people fail to stop eating when they are physically full. Mentally, the process is not as rewarding as it is for many -- and that mental state (acquiring happiness from food) takes much longer to achieve, apparently.
The reasoning? Lower levels of the brain chemical dopamine may be found in many people as a result of DNA differences, and that is responsible for the rewarding feeling eating has. Hence, you have less of it, you feel less rewarded when you eat -- and you overeat as a result.
This may be partly to blame when overweight people fail to stop eating when they are physically full. Mentally, the process is not as rewarding as it is for many -- and that mental state (acquiring happiness from food) takes much longer to achieve, apparently.
