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Research shows that unhealthy fats found in dairy products, burgers and milk shakes quickly make their way to the brain, where they shut off the alarm system that tells us when we've had enough to eat.
Unhealthy fats found in some foods can leave you wanting more. As a result our hunger is not satisfied, and we eat more and more. The effect is so powerful that a cheeseburger eaten on a Friday could be responsible for feelings of hunger three days later, the US researchers believe.
Dr Deborah Clegg, who carried out the study, said: "Normally, our body is primed to say when we've had enough, but that doesn't always happen when we're eating something good."
"What we've shown in this study is that someone's entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time."
In a series of experiments, Dr Clegg showed that saturated fats trick the body into switching off the system that tells us how hungry we are and whether we've eaten enough. The fat makes the brain send out messages telling the body to ignore the information it is getting from the appetite-regulating hormones leptin and insulin.
Dr Clegg, of the University of Texas, said: "Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets 'hit' with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin.
"Since you're not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat."
In experiments on mice and rats, the effect lasted for three days. This means that fatty foods could ramp up appetite 'and calorie intake' for days to come.
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Writing in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, the researchers said that a type of fat called palmitic acid is particularly good at fooling the brain. Palmitic acid is a common saturated fat found in butter, cheese, milk and beef. However, the fats found in olive oil were given a clean bill of health.
The scientists now plan to look at how long it takes the body's appetite to return to normal.
Genetics also play a part in our appetite for fatty, sugary foods. Almost two-thirds of Britons carry 'junk food genes' that cause them to crave fatty and sugary foods, previous research has shown. Those with the genetic flaw eat 100 calories more at each meal the equivalent of a KitKat or a bag of Wotsits.
Over the course of a week, it amounts to an extra 2 100 calories or an extra day's food. Britons are the world's biggest junk food addicts, beating even the Americans. The average Briton eats just over three portions of fruit and vegetables a day the recommended number is five. They will get through 22 000 ready meals, sandwiches and sweet snacks in a lifetime just under one a day.
Sourced from: www.iol.co.za
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