Brain Scans Suggest 'Food Addiction' Might Be Real

Certain carbohydrates seemed to activate neurological centers focused on reward, study found

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- New brain scan research supports the notion that some people have a food "addiction," with foods like white bread or potatoes helping to spur their craving to eat.

Researchers used functional ("real time") MRI to observe the brain activity of 12 overweight or obese men during the crucial four hours after they ate a meal, a period that experts say influences eating behavior during the next meal.

The participants' blood sugar levels and hunger were also measured during this time.

The men's "meals" were two milkshakes that had the same calories, taste and sweetness. The only difference was that one milkshake contained high-glycemic index carbohydrates and the other had low-glycemic index carbohydrates.

High-glycemic index carbohydrates -- which are quickly transformed into sugar in the blood -- are found in highly processed foods such as white bread and white rice. Low-glycemic index carbohydrates are found in items such as whole wheat products and sweet potatoes.

The researchers found that consuming carbohydrates like those found in processed foods can cause excess hunger and stimulate areas of the brain involved in reward and cravings, regions that also play a role in addiction, according to the study published June 26 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study might have implications for weight control, the researchers said.

"Limiting high-glycemic index carbohydrates like white bread and potatoes could help obese individuals reduce cravings and control the urge to overeat," study leader Dr. David Ludwig, director of the obesity prevention center at Boston Children's Hospital, said in a hospital news release.

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