The temptation to gobble up whatever you can find when on a relaxing break abroad can often prove too hard to resist.
But splurging on food when you go on holiday can give you ‘obese brain’, scientists have revealed.
A week of indulgence can change the chemical makeup of your brain to make it behave as if you are overweight.
The short term consumption of sugars and fats from treats you might not normally eat will affect your brain’s behaviour before your body puts on any weight.
These cerebral changes are then slower to return to normal than any other bodily impact of the food itself.
The short term consumption of sugars and fats from treats you might not normally eat will affect your brain’s behaviour before your body puts on any weight (stock image)
Even though they put on no weight, their brains became more resistant to insulin for a week after their eccentric diet ended, compared to a group who had healthy meals (stock image)
Splurging on food when you go on holiday can give you ‘obese brain’, scientists have revealed (stock image)
The University of Tubingen in Germany plastered 18 young, healthy men with chocolate bars and salami to increase their caloric intake.
Even though they put on no weight, their brains became more resistant to insulin for a week after their eccentric diet ended, compared to a group who had healthy meals.
Prof Stephanie Kullmann, who led the study, explained that ‘behaviourally, we see that participants show changes in reward behaviour: Reduced reward sensitivity, this could lead to greater food intake.’
