Research Shows Junk Food 'Reprograms' The Brain

New research has shown that a poor diet influences the brain to create a cycle of unhealthy eating habits.

According to a presentation at the Australasian Neuroscience Society Annual Scientific Meeting, junk food reprograms the brain and perpetuates bad dietary choices.

A high-fat, high-sugar diet acts to decrease self-control in relation to food, can impact on memory and is also found to increase the likelihood of anxiety.

However, it is important to know that correcting these unhealthy behaviours and implementing a healthy diet and exercise regime can reverse many of these issues.

“People think about obesity as being a moral problem; that people are fat because they have poor self-control,” said Dr Ian Johnston, of the University of Sydney’s School of Psychology, reports heraldsun.com.au.

“What my data has shown is that obesity seems to come after people are exposed to bad food.

“It’s reprogramming the brain into the choices you make about how you eat.”