Addiction. It Isn't Just for Addicts Anymore

Chocolate and BBQ. Yeah, you're addicted; admit it.

CNN reports that it's possibly so. How silly this is, I'm not sure I can enumerate. Addiction - can't live without. Physical DEPENDENCY. Not mere euphoria. Sorry.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- People who say they are addicted to chocolate or pizza may not be exaggerating, U.S.-based scientists said Tuesday.

A brain scan study of normal, hungry people showed their brains lit up when they saw and smelled their favorite foods in much the same way as the brains of cocaine addicts when they think about their next snort.

"Food presentation significantly increased metabolism in the whole brain (by 24 percent) and these changes were largest in superior temporal, anterior insula, and orbitofrontal cortices," they wrote.

These areas are associated with addiction.

An estimated 30 percent of Americans are obese, meaning they have a body mass index of more than 30. This ratio of height to weight usually works out to being about 30 pounds overweight for a woman and 35 to 40 pounds overweight for a man.

I'm only 31, but I'm pretty sure that chocolate's been prevalent around American society for a good deal longer than my lifetime. How is it that people who partook/continue to partake of said chocolate can do so without being obese? How do I do so today? (Mmm, Hershey's kisses). Unexplained.

Obesity. For those people who blame suburbia and video games, I would like to remind that you that America is a free country, and you do have a CHOICE of what you do in your spare time. That choice may be Grand Theft Auto today and a 20 mile bike ride tomorrow, or both on one day, or, I dunno, sleep, reading, vandalizing viaducts, blah blah blah. Choice. Human beings.

<tangent>Pretty soon, nothing will be your fault. Nothing! Genes explain it all. All nature; no nuture. Waiting for the article on genes and terrorism. Think that'll be out in about 3 years?</tangent>

hln

Posted by: hln at 12:30 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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