Why Overeat?

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By Linda Mays - bio | email

Scientists may have put their finger on the reason why many of us over indulge in sweet and fatty foods.

The University of Michigan researchers found the urge to overeat tasty treats comes from an unexpected area of the brain called, the neostriatum, which produces an opium-like chemical that enhances such desire and may be partly responsible for overeating among people.

People previously thought this area of the brain was only involved in motor function and learning, but doctors have found it's involved in motivation and generating instant consumption.

Researchers used lab rats in the study. Experts note that results in animal studies often don't translate to humans.

The findings could lead to a drug designed to block the impulse to overeat and help people lose weight.

The new report appears in the journal Current Biology.