High Fat Diet Can Lead to Altered Satiety Cues


Shainhouse_080715If you’re wondering why you tend to overeat even after stuffing your face with junk food, researchers from the University of Georgia and Binghamton University have determined that a high-fat diet might be to blame.

According to the study, which is being presented this week at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, the microflora found in your gut plays a significant role in brain signaling and satiety cues.

The bacteria populations in the gut are generally stable as long as the eating patterns are fairly consistent from day-to-day. When new foods—and thus new nutrients—are introduced into the environment, the bacteria populations change. Some bacteria may overpopulate, leading to a reduction of less-aggressive bacteria. According to researchers, this cascade of events could completely change the physiological gut environment.

The study was conducted on rats and researchers noted that their brain circuits were reorganized when they consumed fattening foods. The high-fat diet prompted inflammation in brain regions responsible for feeding patterns, which resulted in altering satiety cues, according to study researcher Krzysztof Czaja.

It is not yet known if these damages can be repaired or are irreversible, but researchers suggest they are closer in determining the negative impact that highly processed foods may have on overall health.

Source for Today’s Article:
Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, “High fat diet changes gut microbe populations and brain’s ability to recognize fullness,” ScienceDaily web site, July 7, 2015; www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150707212451.htm.