Study Finds Obesity Determined By Brain Cells – Not Lack Of Willpower

An international study has discovered the reason why some people who eat a high-fat diet remain slim, yet others pile on the weight. The study, led in Australia by the Monash Obesity and Diabetes Institute, found a high-fat diet causes brain cells to become insulated from the body preventing vital signals, which tell the body to stop eating and to burn energy, from reaching the brain efficiently. Researchers concluded that a high-fat diet caused brain cells to become insulated from the body, rendering the cells unable to detect signals of fullness and when to stop eating. They also found the insulation created a further complication in that the body was unable to detect signals to increase energy use and burn off calories/kilojoules They concluded that obese people are not necessarily lacking willpower. Their brains do not know how full or how much fat they have stored, so the brain does not tell the body to stop refuelling. Subsequently, their body’s ability to lose weight is significantly reduced.