Most people know that discrimination can lead to depression and traumas, but it seems that it can also affect your food choices.
A recent study shows that people who have been discriminated against tend to crave for unhealthy food more.
Let's find out how it works.
It affects us more than we might think
Specialists conducted a groundbreaking study on how racial and ethnic discrimination affects people's responses to various foods.
The experiment found that those exposed to discrimination may be significantly more vulnerable to obesity and other related health risks due to stress responses that change their brain-gut communication.
In individuals who reported more discrimination, cues for unhealthy foods activated brain regions linked to reward and cravings, especially for candies.
Unhealthy and sweet foods played a significant role in the brain-gut connection, and participants exposed to more discrimination had higher levels of glutamate metabolism linked to inflammation and obesity risk.
Why it's important
These findings suggest that discrimination can lead to serious changes in brain-gut communication, promoting unhealthy eating behaviors.
The study opens the door for potential treatments targeting the brain or the gut to address the effects of discrimination.
