Why does the body crave highly processed foods when bored?

Boredom isn't just looking at your phone or zapping.There is increasing evidence to suggest that when the brain ends up c...

Boredom doesn't just mean looking at your phone or pacing.A growing body of evidence suggests that when the brain is deprived of cognitive functions, it increases the likelihood of turning to processed foods, which are high in sugar, fat and salt.A recent review published in Xataka explains how this type of product can "hack" the brain's circuits, promoting the negative signal of desire and overuse.

The key is how the brain's reward system responds. A large meta-analysis in the journal Nature Medicine cited by Xataka's collection of neuroscientific experts concluded that ultra-processed foods can "hijack" these circuits, causing people to lose control and continue eating them, even when they are aware of the potential harm. Neuroscientist Mark S. Gold and University of Michigan psychologist Ashley Gearhardt summarized the phenomenon this way: "We are not addicted to apples, butproducts designed to stimulate the brain like drugs," they noted in a statement reported by the media.

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The brain on autopilot: from boredom to the fridge

When a person is bored, the brain enters what neuroscientists call the "default mode network": a state where the mind wanders and searches for internal or external stimuli.Several works cited by media publications such as El País and neuroscience distributors show that in a context of low stimulation, the tendency to seek immediate rewards, either from screens or highly palatable food, especially when it is within easy reach, increases.

In practice, this manifests itself in everyday behaviors: opening the refrigerator during a break from remote work, snacking in front of the TV or eating sweets while browsing social media.A health report from the newspaper El País shows how this almost automatic use of the mobile phone can lead to increased boredom, stimulating a constant search for small stimuli, which is not entirely satisfactory.

In this context, ultra-processed food is a quick response.According to an analysis of nearly 30,000 brain scans of middle-aged adults cited by Xataka, the consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with structural changes in the brain related to inflammation, metabolism, and adiposity.Although the study alone does not prove causation, it strengthens the hypothesis that a diet based on industrial products can alter the way the brain processes hunger and reward signals.is

What highly processed products they are

The NOVA classification, distributed by international organizations and distributors such as National Geographic, defines ultra-processed foods as industrial formulas that contain many ingredients that are rarely found in the home kitchen: emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, colors, intense sweeteners or modified fats, among others.

As National Geographic reminds us, these products are different from fresh foods as well as from simple processed foods (for example, bakery bread without preservatives or legumes preserved in water and salt).In the case of highly processed foods, the combination of sugar, fat and additives is designed to maximize palatability and shelf life, often at the expense of satiety and overall nutritional value.

Plus: People who eat processed foods have a 41% higher risk of lung cancer.

The need to eat junk food

Health psychologist Elisa Rodríguez Ortega, quoted in Xataka in an analysis of food addiction, recalled that "eating is a physiological need", and warned that the boundaries between addiction, bulimia or eating disorder are not clear.However, the pattern of repeated consumption of ultra-processed foods "as a way to escape from satiety or boredom" is consistent with potentially clinically relevant behaviors, particularly in the younger population and older adults seeking solitude.

From Theory to Refrigerator: How the Vicious Circle Was Built

The research collected by El Confidencial and other specialized health media shows that, among the elderly, the number of types of processed food can exceed that of tobacco or alcohol.In this age group, boredom, loneliness and easy access to tasty food act as factors that encourage frequent snacking behavior.

The combination of internal stimuli (the brain seeks stimuli) and external stimuli (abundant and cheap access to highly processed foods) creates what some authors describe as a "caloric casino."Science reporter Mark Schatzker describes this eating environment as a system where pleasure, texture and actual calories are no longer linked, confounding mechanisms that control appetite and satiety.

In fact, a person who is bored at home without change can go from looking at their cell phone to opening a bag of chips or cookies.The feeling of loneliness is not necessarily "hungry" but rather the need to relieve temporary emptiness or to follow some other random activity, like watching a series.Over time, the brain learns that this combination of fatigue and recently processed food provides immediate relief, and they tend to repeat it.

As research continues, the message gathered from the available evidence is clear: laziness is not the enemy in itself, but an environment full of highly processed foods can silence and influence bad health habits.Understanding how the mind responds to these times and what other mechanisms are produced will determine the health policies and daily decisions of citizens throughout Spain.

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