Obesity, Dopamine, And Addiction - 1223 Words

Obesity, Dopamine, and Addiction There is a large portion of the world’s population that has progressed past the point of having to struggle for food on a day to day basis. The days of an obese person being a sign of wealth and power are relatively gone in our society, and now even the poorest of us can find ourselves over weight. A big part of this can be chalked up the amount of food we can produce and that junk food is cheaper and tastier then the healthy alternative. With this a lot of the time it is just as simple as we don’t get enough exercise for the amount of food we eat but â€Å"clinical practice and epidemiological data clearly show that weight control is more complex than expected† (Riva, Bacchetta, Cesa, Conti, Castelnuovo, Mantovani, Molinari, 2006, p. 457). We are starting to see that to some people, eating is perhaps an addiction that needs special attention. How can something so necessary such as eating become a problem and addiction to some? The trial performed by Riva et.al. (2006) is what I will be reviewing this paper. This trial was to measure the efficacy of different methods used to help treat patients with severe obesity, and repeated failures to lose weight. So I will summarize the process of the trial including how the patients were chosen, what methods were used to get them to lose the weight, and of course which of the methods provided the best and worst results. â€Å"Between 2000 and 2001, obesity prevalence climbed from 19.8% of American adults toShow MoreRelatedDopamine Reward Pathway Among Obese Individuals And Drug Addicts787 Words   |  4 Pagesour societal acceptances, obesity is welcomed as opposed to drug use behaviors. Therefore in this paper, I will focus my discussion on the comparison of the dopamine reward pathway amongst obese individuals and drug addicts, as well as the controversial arguments whether or not obesity should be considered a disease. Obesity and drug use both have risk factors that could lead to fatal consequences. According to a study by Volkow et al, (2012) both drug addiction and obesity can be defined as disordersRead MoreAddiction: Causes and Treatment760 Words   |  3 Pagescommunities, is focused on addictions to alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal substances. These addictions can be very dangerous to the addicts and often to the people around them. Food addiction does not seem to be in the same class as these other addictions after all, everyone needs to eat. However, new studies show that food can indeed be an addiction for some people, and as dangerous to their health as if they abused alcohol or drugs. Food addiction can lead to obesity, with which a number ofRead MoreEmpirical Evidence of Drug Addiction799 Words   |  4 PagesEmpirical Evidence The study of addiction has included alcoholism and drug addiction for a long time. 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To go more in depth, it is imperative that the nation resolves this issue relatively soon, primarily because the excessive consumption of unhealthy foods can lead to obesity, which can onset various life-threatening diseases. While many argue that the solution is to simply refuse to eat these types of cuisine, scientists have proven that junk foods contain ingredients that make them unrelentingly addicting. In additionRead MoreShould Obesity be Considered a Form of Addiction?1893 Words   |  8 PagesIs Obesity a Form of Addiction? Julia has just suffered a massive heart attack and her family is waiting in the hospital, grasping on to any bit of hope that she will make it out alive. The family is crushed and crying, thinking of all the laughs, cries, hopes and dreams they’ve shared with Julia. Suddenly, someone’s voice penetrates through the opposite end of the hallway—â€Å"She brought this upon herself. It’s hard for me to feel bad for Julia.† The family is stunned. The woman they love and Read MoreAll Kinds Of Addictions And Their Consequences Of Unhealthy Decisions1299 Words   |  6 Pageshabits, form addictions. All kinds of addictions are the main cause of unaccomplished goals. Therefore, addictions must be understood in order to live a healthy life. An addiction is defined as a â€Å"chronic, relapsing disease affecting the brain’s reward, motivation, and related systems† (2). The word addiction is based from a latin term meaning â€Å"enslaved or bound to†. Addictions have a very strong influence on the brain, which manifests in three ways; craving for the source of addiction, loss of controlRead MoreAddiction : A Deep Word859 Words   |  4 PagesAddiction is a very deep word that brings along many adverse significance. According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, the term â€Å"addiction† is defined as â€Å"a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble) and an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something.†. Addiction is well defined but when we think of the word addiction, we often think of images of alcoholism, drugs, and smoking. However, there’s a wide of variety