Men are more capable than women to refrain from their desire to have more of their favorite dishes, according to a study published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

 

The findings of the study might explain why there are more women who are obese (35 percent of US women) than men (33 percent) and why women typically have more trouble losing weight, Dr. Gene-Jack Wang, a senior scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. and his colleagues said.

 

“This decreased inhibitory control in women could be a major factor contributing to the observed differences in the prevalence rates of obesity and eating disorders…and may also underline women’s lower success in losing weight while dieting when compared with men.”

 

Twenty-three healthy people had their brains scanned using positron emission tomography to see activity in their brain area that controls appetite while they were presented with the sights and smells of the dishes they liked best: pizza, burgers or chocolate cake. The participants were required to practice cognitive inhibition, but according to the findings, the technique did not quite help women to refrain from thinking about food. According to the findings, women’s brains stayed stimulated while men’s brain activity went down.

 

Wang said the findings may help doctors understand the neurological mechanism underlying the ability to control food intake and at the same time may lead to the development of new pharmacological methods or other interventions, which could help people regulate eating behavior and maintain a healthy weight.