The brain’s role in human obesity

Abstract

The most common cause for obesity is a positive energy balance, i.e. more energy is being consumed than is expended. The rise in obesity rates cannot be explained on the basis of our obesogenic environment alone, because large interindividual differences in weight status exist between people. Therefore, the cause is most probably to be found in an interaction between individual behaviour and our changed environment. This warrants the investigation of the brain’s role in the devel­opment and maintenance of obesity that in­deed has become a growing field in the neu­rosciences. This article will give an overview about the findings in neuroimaging associ­ated with human obesity. Further, this article will elucidate the relationship between common genetic variation, eating behaviour and brain structure in the context of obesity. Finally, important open questions in the field will be summarised.

Does salt addiction exist?

“…Eating more food also increments the amount of fats, carbohydrates and other nutrients that favour an increase in obesity. 44 from diet; as anorexia, anxiety, slight nausea during meal time, the need for and seeking out of the substance, etc. It is known that patients under hospital assistance present a low acceptance for food, 48 often complaining about finding it tasteless and the lack of salt in their diet.…”