Very, very interesting! Bona fide scientists from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom have shown that all these glorious photos and TV commercials of tempting foods could, in fact, help explain why some people get eating disorders. ‘Course many of us could have told you that in the first place.
OK, I’m simplifying this some, but, basically Cambridge researchers — using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain activity in regions of the brain that response to food cues (amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex) — found that, in some people, these reward centers of their brains make them more sensitive to appetizing food images. That, in turn, may clarify why some people gain weight or have eating disorders. They reported their findings in the Journal of Neuroscience.
John Beaver, lead author of the study — who’s with the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit — wrote:
"The fact that our study used pictures of food has additional pertinence to understanding the current high prevalence of these [compulsive-eating] disorders, because such images are widely used in modern society to promote food selection and intake (e.g. advertising, product packaging, vending machines)."
The study also found that:
"in humans, sensitivity to reward can vary significantly from one person to the next. Individuals high in this trait experience more frequent and intense food cravings and are more likely to be overweight or develop eating disorders associated with excessive food intake."
I certainly don’t mean to sound callous or jaded, but does this mean that large food companies, who strive mightily to make their foods appetizing and visually appealing enough so that people will buy them — and buy them a lot — are, in fact, contributing to the development of — or feeding, so to speak — people’s eating disorders?
This is absolutely fascinating to me. Perhaps this explains why, when I coach clients, I always feel compelled to INSIST that they remove themselves from temptation. Perhaps instinctively I realized that these visual cues can trigger a binge or a falling-off-the wagon, so to speak. Indeed, maybe — way back when during a time I had either a sugar addiction or an eating disorder — seeing these foods made things worse for me?
Certainly something to think about.
Here’s your take-away lesson: If you’re trying to get over a sugar habit, eating disorder, or trying to lose weight, do NOT go anywhere near the food that most tempts you. Go blocks out of your way if you can. If you’re watching TV, leave the room when those commercials for breakfast cereals or cookies, etc. come on. And certainly don’t keep the stuff in the house!