Gus has had one too many twinkies!
Drop that Twinkie, Gus!
A new study has found that eating junk food can be addictive!
In the study, rats were granted unlimited access to foods like bacon, pound cake, sausage, candy bars, and other junk foods. All of the rats quickly gained weight. And in addition, they became so addicted to the junk that they started to compulsively eat it–even when they received a painful electric shock when they consumed more than was allowed. Yikes!
On the flip side, a group of rats that was fed healthy fare with limited access to junk food did not gain much weight, and also knew when to say “no” to junk food to avoid the “junk food hangover.”
The researchers found that with the junk food eating rats, the dopamine D2 receptor of the brain was suppressed, leading to compulsive eating.
