Weight loss surgery ‘re-wires’ the brain: People who go under the knife are less attracted to food afterwards than those who diet

  • Scientists in the U.S. examined brain scans of 16 people who lost weight after bariatric surgery and 15 people who shed the pounds through dieting
  • They found those who had gastric bands showed less interest in food presented before them after their operation
  • Food is found to mean more to people who lost weight by watching their calorie intake and increasing exercise
Weightloss

By Lizzy Parry

Weight-loss surgery – including gastric bands – helps to ‘re-wire’ the brain, leaving people less interested in food, a study has found.

Scientists in the U.S. examined MRI scans of patients who chose various different methods to shed the pounds.

They discovered the brain reacts differently to images of food once the weight has been lost, depending on the method used.

The study, carried out at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, compared those who lost weight after bariatric surgery, and those who opted for more conventional dieting methods.

A new study carried out by scientists in the U.S. has found that weight loss surgery, like gastric band operations, help to ‘re-wire’ the brain, leaving people less interested food

Following their weight loss, when confronted with images of pizza and other appetising food, scientists noticed the brains of the dieters were more active in the medical prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain known to regulate emotion and evaluate how we feel.

The new study suggests that food means more to those who lose weight by changing their behaviour – i.e. reducing the number of calories they take in every day, and by increasing the exercise levels.

On the other hand, people who undergo laparoscopic banding surgery appear to be more ‘disconnected’ from hunger pangs.

‘They’re not as interested in eating,’ said lead author Amanda Bruce, psychologist at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

‘They’re not as motivated by food.’

The study, which was published in the journal Obesity, is the first to assess changes in the brain associated with different methods of weight loss.

Sixteen people who lost weight via dieting and 15 who had undergone bariatric surgery took part in the new research.

They were of similar age, education level, and importantly had similar BMI’s – body mass indices.

‘A huge strength of this paper is that the people in the two different groups were a match on the weight that they had lost,’ Ms Bruce said, reported futurity.org.

The results showed the bariatric participants lost about 9.3 per cent of their body weight, while their dieting peers shed 10.8 per cent.

The study compared brain scans of 16 people who underwent bariatric surgery with those of 15 people who lost weight through dieting and more conventional methods. Two scans were taken, before and after weight loss, and each time a person was shown pictures of appeal foods including pizza

Each participant was then given an MRI scan and scientists studied their brain activation levels as they looked at pictures of food.

They were tested before and after losing weight.

Dr Bruce said she expected to see differences between the groups’ brain activity, but the differences recorded were not those she had anticipated.

‘The brain area that showed greater change in activation for the diet participants is an area that is associated with attentional processing, salience, how much you value something,’ she said.

‘When people are working hard to lose weight, they’re still really focused in on food stimuli.

‘They’re thinking about food a lot. That’s one of the challenges. They’re often thinking about the foods they maybe shouldn’t eat. They’re still very motivated by these food stimuli. They’re focused on them.’

Meanwhile the bariatric surgery participants were not as bothered by food.

Their second set of scans, carried out after they lost weight, showed decreased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex.

The study notes that evidence ‘supports the notion that surgical weight loss patients undergo a ‘forced’ dietary restriction in avoiding discomfort that renders food cues to be less rewarding and less salient’.

Thomas

Lost 145lbs

Thomas' success story

I went in for surgery. An hour later, I came out a new man.

Everybody treated me like a king. The day of surgery, I was excited. The hospital couldn’t be any nicer. I went in for surgery. An hour later, I came out a new man. My recovery was awesome. I was out of bed that day. My wife and kids were my motivation on getting this surgery. They are my whole life. I’m happy I’m going to be around for them.

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Nicole

Lost 76lbs

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I hit my goal weight ... and I feel fabulous

I had the gastric bypass. I am Type 2 Diabetic and I wanted to gain control of my sugar. I hit my goal weight in about 5 and half months and I feel fabulous. The procedure has completely changed my life for the better because it has empowered me as a middle aged woman that I can really do everything and anything that I want to do. I don't put an age on anything. I don't say I'm too old for something.

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Robert

Lost 76lbs

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I was tired of the way I looked. I was tired of the way I felt.

I knew if I didn't change something soon, I was going to be in a lot of trouble. The consultation process was a lot easier than I expected. I was met with open arms. I was treated like I was the only patient here. Not only did they answer all of my questions, they had questions for me to make sure I was the right candidate for the surgery. After surgery and that weight started dropping off, my life started changing for the better.

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Samantha

Lost 92lbs

Samantha's success story

I feel like a completely different person.

I had the gastric sleeve procedure. The driving factor behind me getting this procedure was my health. I didn't feel good physically or mentally. I had joint pains, even standing was difficult sometimes. Emotionally, this surgery completely turned my life around. I have so much more confidence. So much more happiness. I feel like a completely different person. I feel stronger. I feel able to accomplish more.

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Eileen

Lost 99lbs

Eileen's success story

It saved my life.

The driving factor behind me getting my procedure was that I couldn't get up off the floor with my granddaughter. That was my why. That was my big reason for having this surgery done. After surgery, it was a little bit of a struggle with what to eat. What you put in your mouth that you don't even think about. You don't think about what you're eating or how you're eating and portion size. It's what I do now every single day. The procedure has changed my life in so many ways. It saved my life.

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Brittany

Lost 126lbs

Brittany's success story

I am totally comfortable in my own skin.

I think I always grew up identifying myself as less than other people because I was fat. I decided to tackle that and just live my life. I had a sleeve gastrectomy. It changed how I view myself. How I communicate with people. I'm able to be much more of myself and live the life I always thought I should have been living. I am totally comfortable in my own skin. You have the tools you need to succeed here.

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Desiree

Lost 157lbs

Desiree's success story

I have a brand new life. I can do things I couldn't do before.

I had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy because I had just become diabetic, and I had hypertension for many years. I lost a total of 157 pounds in 11 months. I have a brand new life. I can do things I couldn't do before. Everyone at New York Bariatric Group has been wonderful. They are kind. They are understanding. They make you feel comfortable. They will guide you every step of the way on your journey so that you can be successful.

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