Scientists have named a substance that "is a pernicious little demon of obesity"

Scientists have discovered that fructose is a "pernicious little demon" that encourages the body to become obese. It triggers the desire to eat fattier foods in large quantities, leading to different  excessive food cravings.

The study is published in Obesity. It notes that people's eating habits may play a key role in the fight against obesity, and fructose may be a detrimental component in this process.

Physician Richard Johnson from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus noted that fructose encourages the body to overconsume fatty foods, which can lead to obesity.

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The main analysis contained a study of all known factors that contribute to obesity. The researchers concluded that the key to weight loss may not be to choose between carbohydrates and fats, but to reduce both at the same time.

Fructose is a type of sugar that is naturally found in fruit. However, adding large amounts of fructose to foods such as sugary drinks and table sugar can lead to over-consumption.

The "fructose-based survival" hypothesis brings together different theories on obesity, helping to explain why people tend to consume more food than they really need.

According to this hypothesis, fructose encourages the body to overconsume by lowering levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which provides energy for cellular processes. When ATP levels drop, the body signals the need for more fuel, which triggers feelings of a hunger and excessive food intake.

This low power mode is activated even when the body has fat stores, that is, even when there is enough fuel for cellular processes. Fructose may prevent the body from utilizing these reserves.

The researchers note the importance of further research to understand this process and develop effective strategies to combat obesity, which is now a major public health problem.

Earlier, a team of researchers from the ETH Zurich, led by Prof. Markus Stoffel, discovered an unusual genetic risk factor for hereditary obesity: the micro RNA-7 molecule.

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