Obese people can sense food better--study

According to study researchers, overweight people have a heightened sense of smell for food items compared to other non-food related scents.

The study, published in the journal ‘Chemical Senses,’ explains that these people are more drawn to the smell of food especially after eating meals rather than staying hungry.

Experts suggest that parts of brain involved in sensing odour are also linked to feeding centres in brain which is why people run a higher risk of piling on extra pounds.

Study details and findings
In a bid to assess the link between the weight gain and sense of smell, Dr Lorenzo Stafford, of the University of Portsmouth's Department of Psychology, and his team conducted an experiment on 64 obese men and women aged between 18 and 49.

Participants were asked to smell the odour of mixed cooking herbs which was gradually diluted until they were unable to detect the scent.

The study authors found that participants took more time in picking out non-food smells, but were remarkably responsive towards small quantities of herbal scent.

Dr. Stafford said, "It could be speculated that for those with a propensity to gain weight, their higher sense of smell for food-related odours might actually play a more active role in food intake."

"For a certain group of people it could be sustaining food intake by making it more appetising."

Furthermore, the research found that people with higher BMIs were more sensitive to food-related smells than those with lower BMIs.

The research team stressed that though munching on fast foods, lack of exercise, and adopting a sedentary lifestyle are largely responsible for obesity, sensing the food might be one factor responsible for the obesity epidemic.

"Hopefully this research will stimulate more work in this area with the potential to help those who struggle with their weight and those who treat people with weight problems," Dr. Stafford added.