“Fatty Foods Can Cause Brain Damage!” Says Disturbing New Research

Ladies, you might want to think twice about chowing down on that burger because some disturbing new research has revealed that a diet of fatty food can actually cause brain damage. Worrying? Eh…yes, majorly.

According to some new research from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute, saturated fat, which is usually contained in unhealthy foods, can destroy neurons in a part of the brain that controls our appetite and our energy balance.

“Our results indicate that a high fat diet can damage the areas of the brain that control energy balance and perpetuate the development of obesity,” said Dr Lynda Williams, the lead scientist for the research.

“High fat and high sugar foods are energy dense foods which are highly palatable and they are very easy to over-eat. Our findings may also explain why some overweight people find it difficult to diet and why weight loss after dieting is so difficult to maintain,” she added.

Lynda and her team of scientists discovered that mice that were fed a high fat diet, had distinct changes to the vital genes and proteins in their brains.

The changes occurred in the hypothalamus area – a small area at the base of the brain that controls appetite and energy expenditure.

When this area was damaged, the mice found it difficult to control the amount of food that they were eating and many overate in response to the damage.

The researchers discovered that these changes can happen quickly. Dr Williams acknowledged that the effects might be exaggerated in the mice, but a high fat diet could have the same impact on humans.

Living on a diet of fatty foods could actually damage your brain.

The good news is that people who occasionally indulge in an unhealthy treat aren’t at risk of causing any severe damage to their brains.

“The key is to avoid excessive weight gain and to eat sensibly in the first place,” said Dr Williams.

“We all deserve a treat now and then,” she added.