Appetite Suppression Cells Die As We Age
There may be a new scientific explanation for why we gain weight as we age. It seems that the brain cells controlling our appetite become useless over time.
But a recent study says that certain types of meals cause more damage to these cells than others.
According to researchers at Monash University, the more sugars and carbs you eat, the more these cells degenerate. So if your appetite-control cells become useless, your brain won’t get the message to stop eating.
You’ll eat more and gain weight because you can’t judge when your hunger is satisfied.
Adults from 25 to 50 years old are believed to suffer the most risk of having these important cells die off over time.
The researchers believe this could explain why adult-onset obesity occurs.
I don’t know if that’s true or not.
But I do know that when I gain the most weight, it usually has nothing to do with hunger. I overeat most often when I’m tired and trying to stay awake. I know a lot of people who eat when they’re bored or when they’re emotionally upset.
From my own experience, I’m fully aware that I’m not hungry when I’m overeating. In fact, a lot of times, it’s physically uncomfortable to keep eating. And I’m just talking about a few hundred extra calories.
So I think there’s more to adult-onset obesity than damage to appetite-suppression cells. It could be a contributing factor. But then again, so could lying on the sofa all weekend watching TV instead of getting some exercise.
It’s interesting to see how many theories and studies are presented as a way to “explain” obesity instead of looking at the obvious: too many of us eat too much and exercise too little.
It may not be politically correct to say that, but it’s often true.
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