Potsdam study: those who lose weight take fewer risks
It is widely known that nutrition and the psyche are linked. The German Institute of Human Nutrition has now provided further evidence of this.
Man with a big belly.
(Image: Vahagn Mkrtchyan / Shutterstock)
People who consume alcohol or certain drugs act more uninhibitedly. It has been known for some years that a person's physical condition also has an impact on their risky behavior. Morbid obesity has an impact on the metabolism and ultimately also on the psyche. This has now been shown by scientists at the German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) in Potsdam-RehbrĂĽcke.
They examined the risk behavior of a group of 62 subjects aged 18 to 75 who were severely obese before and after a ten-week diet with calorie restriction to 800 kilocalories per day. The researchers then measured weight and body fat percentage as well as general mood and - using a computerized test - the respective personal risk appetite. The hypothesis: glucose metabolism and mood are impaired in people who are severely overweight and are therefore no longer reliable indicators for decision-making.
Blood sugar indicator for behavior
The ten-week diet led to a significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) with simultaneous significant weight loss and an improved mood in most of the test subjects. After losing weight, the test subjects tended to make risk-avoiding decisions. It was also shown that the marker HbA1c is an important indicator for glucose metabolism. The study was published in Clinical Nutrition.
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"Our results also showed that the metabolic factor HbA1c becomes the leading predictor of risk taking after weight loss," explained Beatrix Keweloh, first author of the study. Mood also had less influence on risk behavior. The participants were therefore more strongly influenced by metabolic signals than emotional ones with regard to their risk-taking behavior. This should be familiar to anyone who knows how mood changes after eating high-carbohydrate foods. "We have shown that weight loss has a positive effect on glucose metabolism and mood and, in particular, that the function of glucose metabolism as a control signal could be restored," said Keweloh.
Neurotoxic sugar trap for the brain
Another problem is what exactly we eat. On World Brain Health Day 2024, which took place in July, the German Brain Foundation (DH) and the German Society of Neurology (DGN) warned of the effects of too much sugar on the brain.
This is because the energy store can turn into a "neurotoxic substance" if the blood sugar level is permanently elevated. "By eating too many and too sumptuous meals and by constantly snacking and 'snacking' on the side, we are overflowing the barrel and fueling the development of neurological diseases, especially dementia and strokes," says Prof. Dr. Frank Erbguth, President of the DH.
Brain vessels attacked - addiction potential
On the one hand, a high blood sugar level damages brain vessels and can lead to deposits, which can restrict the supply of nutrients to the brain cells. At worst, this can lead to vascular dementia. However, complex sugar molecules could also directly impair cognition. Studies have shown that so-called glycosaminoglycans can impair synapse function and thus impair brain plasticity. Finally, diet-related type 2 diabetes also leads to an increased risk of dementia.
The DGN and DH therefore recommend "consciously consuming as little sugar as possible". The problem with this is that even a small amount of sugar in the gut stimulates the body to crave more - by stimulating the vagus nerve. "This could be the reason why some people quickly finish the whole bar after one piece of chocolate." Added to this are the feel-good effects of dopamine, which can trigger a kind of addiction. Erbguth believes that only extensive abstinence can stop this "vicious circle". According to the DGN, "many" of the avoidable cases of dementia and strokes could be "due to industrial sugar".
(bsc)
