Hormonal
Obese individuals lack the prefrontal cortical activation seen in non-obese individuals during euglycemia, resulting in a loss of glucose-linked inhibitory control over food motivation.
For obese individuals, the brain's natural 'brake' on food desire (mediated by the prefrontal cortex in response to normal blood sugar) may be less effective. This suggests that relying solely on willpower during normal eating times might be biologically harder, and strategies to stabilize blood sugar or reduce food cues are particularly important.
higher circulating glucose levels predicted greater medial prefrontal cortex activation, and this response was absent in obese subjects.
Why this rating
Controlled human fMRI study, but small obese subgroup (n=5).
Source
Circulating glucose levels modulate neural control of desire for high-calorie foods in humans
Kathleen A. Page et al. · Journal of Clinical Investigation · 2011
DOI 10.1172/jci57873
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