Disadvantages of Obesity: The risk of stress increases due to increased body weight! Thinking ability may decrease, research reveals the truth..

Disadvantages Of Obesity: Increasing body weight has become a serious problem today. Amid rising obesity rates globally, a study has shown that being overweight can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and can also affect brain functioning. Animal studies showed that both these conditions may be linked through interactions between the gut and the brain. This research on mice has linked diet-induced obesity to anxiety-like symptoms, changes in brain signaling, and differences in gut microbiome. Which can interfere with brain functioning.

Desiree Wanders, associate professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition at Georgia State University, US, said, "Our findings suggest that obesity may lead to anxiety-like behavior, possibly due to changes in brain functioning and gut health." Obesity also increases the risk of these diseases

In addition to other risks of obesity such as type-2 diabetes and heart disease, the study focused on its potential effects on brain health, using a mouse model that develops many of the obesity-related problems seen in humans.

The team put mice on a low-fat diet for six weeks (16) and a high-fat diet for 21 weeks (16). As predicted, the mice on the high-fat diet weighed significantly more and had significantly more body fat than the mice on the low-fat diet.

In behavioral tests, the researchers found that the obese mice displayed more anxiety-like behavior than the lean mice, such as freezing (a defensive behavior displayed by mice in response to perceived danger). These mice also showed different signals in the hypothalamus (the area of the brain involved in regulating metabolism, which may contribute to cognitive impairment).

In addition, the researchers observed clear differences in the composition of gut bacteria in lean mice compared with obese mice. "These findings may have important implications for both public health and individual decisions," Wanders said.

"The study highlights the potential impact of obesity on mental health, particularly in terms of anxiety. By understanding the relationship between diet, brain health, and gut microbiota, this research may help guide public health initiatives that focus on obesity prevention and early intervention, particularly in children and adolescents." These findings will be presented at Nutrition 2025, the American Society for Nutrition's flagship annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.

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