Key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and potentially weight-gain as we grow older, according to a Monash University scientist. Dr. Zane Andrews has found that appetite-suppressing cells are damaged by free radicals after eating and said the degeneration is more significant following meals rich in carbohydrates and sugars. Dr. Andrews claims, "The more carbs and sugars you eat, the more your appetite-control cells are damaged, and potentially you consume more."

Dr. Andrews' research suggests the attack on appetite suppressing cells creates a cellular imbalance between our need to eat and the message to the brain to cease eating. The age group most at risk is the 25 to 50 range. The neurons responsible for telling people in that age range not to over eat are being killed. When the stomach is empty, the ghrelin hormone notifies the brain we are hungry. When we're full, a set of neurons stabilizes our hunger. However free radicals created by the body attack these neurons causing hunger satisfaction to degenerate over time.

Dr. Andrews claims, "A diet rich in carbohydrate and sugar that has become more and more prevalent in modern societies over the last 20-30 years has placed so much strain on our bodies that it's leading to premature cell deterioration." The reduction in appetite-suppressing cells could be one explanation for the complex condition of adult-onset obesity.

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