People often associate discrimination and social issues with extremely thin people, but it's often far from reality.
A new study shows that discrimination often leads to obesity because of stress response and comfort food.
Let's find out more about it.
An interesting study
This study researches people who often experience racial or ethnic discrimination might be more likely to have health problems related to obesity.
The researchers from UCLA looked at how discrimination affects the way our brains and bodies react to different types of food.
What they found is that discrimination seems to change our brain's response to food.
It makes us more interested in foods that make us feel good, like comfort foods.
These foods are often unhealthy, like sugary or high-calorie foods.
At the same time, it makes it harder for our brains to make good choices about what we eat.
The researchers also discovered that stress from discrimination affects how our brain talks to our gut, which is the system in our body that helps us digest food.
This can lead to cravings for unhealthy foods, especially sweet ones.
Why it's important to know
This study is important because it shows a connection between discrimination, our brains, and our eating habits.
It might help explain why some people who experience discrimination are more likely to have weight problems.
It could also lead to new ways to treat these issues, either by working with the brain or the gut to make healthier choices.
