Are you attracted to food when you see it? Most of us tend to get hunger when we view food pictures we like. Researchers at the University of South California (USC) found that our bra
in centers of appetite and reward are triggered by viewing pictures of food, especially high-fat foods.
From past studies we know that food pictures and advertisements can make us want to eat. Just looking at pictures in a magazine or watching the FOOD channel will make you hungry. However, in the study by USC they examined how the brain responded to pictures of food and if that increased the hunger and desire for those foods.
The study was done with Hispanic women as they are at a high risk of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. The researchers had the women look at pictures of hamburgers, cookies, cakes and other high-fat foods. They also showed the pictures of fruits and vegetables (low-calorie foods). After seeing the pictures they had the participants rate their hunger and desire for the foods on a scale of 1 to 10. They scanned the women’s brains twice as they looked at the pictures.
As expected more activity was seen in the brain’s reward center with the pictures of high-fat food and the women rated themselves hungrier. The researcher found that the women with the most belly fat had the greatest response to the pictures. Is this a vicious cycle of we see, we eat and then want more?
The women also drank a drink with 50 grams of fructose which is an equivalent to a can of soda and then later another drink of 50 grams of glucose. Fructose is the major component in high-fructose corn syrup, and glucose is the main component of table sugar. Fructose was seen to stimulate the brain more and the participants rated a higher hunger response. The researchers found that that the fructose and glucose increased the participants’ desire for high-fat foods. This indicates that sodas and other sweetened beverages increase our desire to eat. Be cautious when drinking sweetened beverages.
With pictures of foo
d everywhere what are we to do? Decide on a plan of action of what you will do or think about when you see tempting pictures of food. You could think about your favorite place, a friend, or think of something unappealing to associate with that food. Avoid watching television food ads and food programs, if they tempt you to be hungry. When looking at magazines quickly turn the page. Avoid or limit your checking out food on Pinterest and be careful about Facebook as many posts are food pictures, too. Be careful what your eyes see as it may affect your weight.
Author: Pat Brinkman, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Fayette County, brinkman.93@osu.edu
Reviewer: Dan Remley, Field Specialist, Family Nutrition and Wellness, remley.4@osu.edu
References:
Luebbert, J. (2013). Food Porn Makes You Fat, Dole Nutrition News, Available at http://newsletter.dole.com/2013/food-porn-makes-you-fat
University of Southern California – Health Sciences “Viewing images of high-calorie foods brings on high-calorie cravings, research finds.” ScienceDaily, 25 June 2012. Web. 11 Sep. 2013
