Obese people don’t get the same joy out of food as thin people--which may be why they became obese in the first place, suggests a new study. The researchers examined how the dorsal striatum, a part of the brain known to play a role in making eating pleasurable, responds to “highly palatable” food (in this case, chocolate milkshakes). Obese people’s striatums became less active in response to the milkshake, causing them to enjoy it less than thin people did. Since people tend to eat more if they aren’t satisfied, this research shows another physiological reason some people may overeat.
Source: Science, Oct. 17, 2008