The Role Of The Brain In Weight Control

The role of the brain in weight control is definitive. That is what several neuroscientists have concluded on the matter. Of course, it is not the only factor, but it is one of the essential ones. The appetite in humans is not always unleashed or lost by exclusively physical and physiological factors.

The issue of body weight is one of the great concerns today. For ordinary people, because every time we have more severe aesthetic standards. For doctors, because obesity is a risk factor for hundreds of diseases, as is excessive thinness.

There are thousands of people in the world who are dieting , hoping to lose a few pounds. However, they don’t always work for them. And those that work for some, sometimes not for others. This is largely due to the fact that the role of the brain in weight control is not taken into account. What is this about? Let’s see.

Hunger is a complex phenomenon

Until a while ago, hunger was spoken of as a simple stomach contraction, which occurred when an organism had not ingested food. The body was said to be like a machine simply: it needed fuel to function. And if he used up that “fuel”, he had to replace it.

Today it is known that the issue is more complex and that there is an influence of the brain in weight control. Hunger is one thing and eating behavior is another. Studies have shown that people continue to feel hungry, even though their stomachs have been removed for medical reasons.

It is currently known that the hypothalamus is the part of the brain responsible for regulating the sensation of hunger and thirst. This area detects certain signals from the endocrine and digestive system. Then it determines that it is time to eat something and thus communicates it to the body. In addition, it also defines when it is enough.

The hypothalamus and satiety

When the body needs to eat food, the lateral area of ​​the hypothalamus is activated. If someone had this area removed, they would not feel the need to eat. If the appetite has already been satisfied, then that lateral zone is deactivated and the lower central zone of the hypothalamus or ventromedial hypothalamus is activated. If someone had this part removed, they would never stop eating.

Now, the signal that says “enough” is activated thanks to a substance released by the intestines and called glp-1. This travels through the bloodstream to the brain, reaching the hypothalamus. When he receives enough of this substance, the desire to eat disappears.

The problem is that between the moment you eat and the moment the hypothalamus receives that signal, 10 minutes pass. So if we eat quickly, it is likely that we only feel full when we have eaten more. On the other hand, if we eat slowly, very possibly you will only eat just enough.

The role of the brain in weight control

The above gives us an idea of ​​the importance of the brain in weight control, but does not exhaust the subject. Neuroscientist Sandra Aamodt has studied the subject in detail. In this regard, he only has one advice that is worth a thousand: eat when you are hungry. It seems very simple, but it is not so simple.

Aamodt points out that the brain has a set point: it knows your ideal weight and regulates your appetite accordingly. The problem is that not all people obey these feelings. They starve themselves when they feel hungry or overeat, even when they feel full. If these abnormal patterns persist for more than two years, the hypothalamus will establish a new set point.

This means that the hypothalamus will set a new ideal weight. Thus, those who eat little will stay underweight and will not feel hungry, even if their body needs more nutrients. And those who overeat will feel hungry, even if they have already eaten what their body needs. This is how the brain operates in weight control.

Therefore, losing weight becomes difficult, since the brain will resist tooth and nail to allow you to eat less, than it has defined as the correct pattern. The advice then is preventive: eat when you have an appetite, stop later. That will save you a lot of problems.