Pennsylvania: According to a new study, the delay in digestion caused by eating biscuits, cakes, burgers and sausage rolls causes us to gain weight.
Scientists say that junk food alters the brain by reducing our ability to control our appetite.
In experiments conducted by researchers in mice, cells called astrocytes chemically control the stomach. But according to research, continuous consumption of fatty and sweet foods disrupts this system.
“It appears that astrocytes (star-shaped cells in the brain) control calorie consumption in the short term,” said lead author Dr. Christine Browning, from Penn State University in Pennsylvania, USA.
“The study found that short-term exposure to a high-fat/high-calorie diet had profound effects on astrocytes, affecting the normal signaling system that controls gastrointestinal tract,” he said.
Over time, astrocytes become desensitized to a high-fat diet, he said. After 10 to 14 days of eating a high-fat or high-calorie diet, astrocytes fail to respond and appear to lose the brain’s ability to consume calories. This disrupts signals to the stomach and causes delayed digestion.
The research by the team of scientists opens the way to anti-obesity drugs that target neurons.
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