Calorie information may alter brain responses to food
cues by simultaneously reducing reward system activation and increasing control
system activation. Therefore, combining an awareness of calories with the
motivation to control them may be more effective in inducing behavioral change
with regard to diet.
For the first time, a study has examined the influence of
calorie information on brain responses to food images.
Study participants were randomized into dieting and
non-dieting groups. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
scanning, the two groups were then showed pictures of food with and without
calorie information and they were asked to rate their desire to eat the food.
Researchers observed that the self-reported desire to eat
the food decreased when the subjects were shown pictures of food with calorie
information. The reward system activation also decreased and the control system
activation (the frontoparietal control system) increased.
Whole brain multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) revealed
patterns of activation in the orbitofrontal cortex (a region of the reward
system) that were more similar for food images presented with and without calorie
information in dieting than non-dieting participants, suggesting that dieters
i.e. individuals with greater experience or stronger motivations to consider
calorie information may spontaneously consider calorie information when viewing
food.
These findings from a new first-of-its-kind study
published in the journal PLoS One has demonstrated how the brain makes food
choices when calorie information is also presented and thus shows the way for
encouraging individuals to maintain a healthy body weight.
(Source: PLos One. 2018;13(11):e0204744; Science Daily,
20 December 2018)
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
President Elect Confederation of Medical
Associations in Asia and Oceania
(CMAAO)
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President Heart Care Foundation of India
Past National President IMA
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