Inflammation Linked to Less Healthy Food Choices in Individuals with Obesity, Study Finds
Research by neuroscientist Judith Scholing of the Donders Institute at Radboud University indicates that mild inflammation, common in severely overweight individuals, can lead to a reduced willingness to exert effort for food, often resulting in choices of easier, less healthy options. The study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, involved 150 severely overweight female participants, half with inflammation and half without. Participants were asked to choose between foods requiring varying levels of effort to obtain. The findings showed that those with inflammation were less likely to opt for options demanding more effort, regardless of whether the food was healthy or unhealthy. A follow-up experiment demonstrated a causal link: participants with inflammation given anti-inflammatory medication were more willing to exert effort for food.
