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Women Hard-Wired to Eat More

Brain scans reveal that men may be better able to resist food

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 20, 2009 7:26 AM CST
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(Newser) – Women may be hard-wired to overeat, according to a new study of why men diet more successfully than women. A little-understood mechanism in the brain appears to give women less self control when it comes to dieting. Researchers speculate that women have evolved to crave food for pregnancy and lactation. Study volunteers first had to fast and then were shown a wide variety of tempting food.

Both men and women exhibited brain activity in scans when shown the food, but men's brain activity in certain regions slowed significantly more than women's when told to control their desire to eat the food. "Men following a diet are able to lose about 10% of their weight over a three-month period," said the study leaders. "Women manage a decrease of only about 5%. We need to understand which areas of the brain are involved."

A new study suggests women are biologically less capable of resisting food than men.
A new study suggests women are biologically less capable of resisting food than men.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A new study suggests women are biologically less capable of resisting food than men.
A new study suggests women are biologically less capable of resisting food than men.   (Photo: Business Wire)
A new study suggests men diet more successfully than men because women are biologically less capable of resisting food.
A new study suggests men diet more successfully than men because women are biologically less capable of resisting food.   (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
riffran
Jan 21, 2009 4:11 AM CST
before I offer a smart remark, some biology #1 Women need fat to produce female hormones..so the body is prone to holding on to fat #2 The female body is always preparing to get ready for pregnancy, and the demands on the body...fat = reserves #3 women on the average have less muscle mass, muscle requires more energy, and burns off energy faster, so the more muscle the faster you get rid of fat. #4 female metabolism is a bit lower also all these factors together, contribute to the weight issue in addition to any genetic predispositions......now for the smart remark who wants to snuggle with a skeleton?...
Guest
Jan 20, 2009 11:09 PM CST
This still doesn't explain why men's portions are bigger.
Mad
Jan 20, 2009 3:56 AM CST
I adore fat women

Women the weaker sex when it comes to diets
Daily Mail (UK)

Why men diet more successfully than women
Time

Men resist tempting food more easily than women
Bloomberg

 
obesity • pregnancy • women • weight loss • dieting • Brookhaven National Laboratory

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