Greasy skin and pimples may be the least of a teenager's concerns when chowing down on those potato chips or chocolate chip cookies.
According to researchers at London's Western University, teens who eat too much junk food are negatively impacting their brain's development -- and what's worse is they may not be able to help themselves.
Western researchers Cassandra Lowe and Amy Reichelt published their findings on Monday, which detail how teens are more susceptible to poor dietary choices, such as junk food, due to its impact on a part of their brains that is still undergoing development.
“Adolescents are more prone to eating calorie-dense, high-sugar foods because they lack the control to regulate it,” said Lowe. “Their brain is still maturing so they’re more sensitive to the rewarding properties of these foods, but at the same time, they lack the control mechanisms to prevent themselves from eating junk foods.”
The research shows that the excessive consumption of calorie-dense foods can lead to changes in the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex, which is the last area of the brain to develop during adolescence. Until this area of the brain matures, teens are more likely to take part in impulsive and reward-seeking activities.
“Adolescents have increased numbers of dopamine receptors in the brain, so when they do experience something rewarding, that experience of reward and how the brain processes it is heightened compared to that of an adult," said senior author Amy Reichelt, a BrainsCAN Postdoctoral Fellow at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. “The teenage brain has a triple-vulnerability – a heightened drive for rewards, reduced self-regulation abilities and susceptibility to be changed by environmental factors – including junk foods.”
The overstimulation of a teen's reward systems caused by excessive consumption of junk food can ultimately result in a negative impact on decision-making skills as they move into adulthood. More impulsive behaviour is also possible as a result of an unhealthy diet.
The researchers said their findings reaffirm the importance of establishing healthy habits early on in life, as it can minimize life-altering changes to the brain.
