Adherence
Obese individuals exhibit increased activation in reward-related brain areas (insula, orbitofrontal cortex) in response to visual high-calorie food cues compared to healthy-weight individuals, particularly when satiated.
If you are obese, your brain may react more strongly to seeing high-calorie foods than a healthy-weight person's brain, even when you are full. This is a biological difference in reward processing, not a lack of willpower. To manage this, focus on reducing exposure to visual food cues (e.g., keeping junk food out of sight) rather than relying solely on willpower during moments of temptation.
Obese individuals had increased activation of reward-related brain areas including the insula and orbitofrontal cortex in response to visual food cues compared to healthy weight individuals, and this was particularly evident in response to energy dense cues. Additionally, obese individuals were more responsive to food images when satiated.
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review of 60 fMRI studies, though heterogeneity in study design is noted.
Source
Neural Responses to Visual Food Cues According to Weight Status: A Systematic Review of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies
Kirrilly Pursey et al. · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2014
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