Weight maintenance linked to how the brain sees food

"A recent study found that how people's brains respond to images of food may determine if they can successfully maintain their weight. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at how three groups - successful weight-loss maintainers, and obese and control (normal weight) participants - to see how images of high-calorie and low-calorie foods affected their brains. After fasting to ensure they were hungry, participants were given an MRI while looking at photos of different foods, including low-calorie (salads, vegetables, fruit and whole grains), high-calorie (cheeseburgers, French fries, cookies, ice cream), and non-food objects. The maintainers had more activity in the areas of the brain associated with attention to food types and better restraint in response to the images, compared to obese and control subjects. The ability to better monitor their foods and restrain their cravings may be what helps the maintainers control their food intake and their overall weight" - Heart and Stroke Foundation