Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: People with impulsive personalities tend to have an unhealthy relationship with food, according to a new research.
Researchers from the University of Georgia have found that impulsive behaviour may lead to higher levels of food addiction - a compulsive pattern of eating that is similar to drug addiction - and this in turn can cause obesity.
“The notion of food addiction is a very new one. We think it's possible to think about impulsivity, food addiction and obesity using some of the same techniques used for alcohol or other drugs,” said James MacKillop, associate professor of psychology at University of Georgia's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
The study used two methods to determine levels of food addiction and impulsivity among 233 participants and compared these results with each participant's body mass index, which is used to determine obesity.
According to the research, certain types of food hijack areas of the brain that evolved to release dopamine and create a sense of happiness or satisfaction and lay the foundation for compulsive eating habits that are similar to drug addiction.
"Our study shows that impulsive behaviour was not necessarily associated with obesity, but impulsive behaviours can lead to food addiction," MacKillop said.
The research would help experts plan treatments and interventions for obese people who have developed an addiction to food, paving the way for a healthier lifestyle, said the study published in the journal Appetite.
Foods that are high in fat, sodium, sugar and other flavoured additives appear to produce cravings much like illicit drugs.
“We would now work to see how those intense cravings might play a role in the development of obesity,” added MacKillop.
(With Agency inputs)
