“Junk food is taboo, we will all come to the end of it” … This is a bit like the subliminal message that scientists at the University of Exeter (Great Britain) hope to instill with the creation of Food trainer. This smartphone game is intended as a brain training intended to raise awareness of the importance of eating healthy while not being trapped by the (potentially numerous) calls of junk food. Easy temptations but so bad for your health (risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, risk of depression…).
To give birth to their invention, British psychologists started from the postulate that the urge to eat foods rich in fat and sugar is sometimes difficult to control. The culprit is hidden in the brain: the sweet sends a signal to the brain which activates the reward system by triggering the production of endorphins and dopamines, hormones of pleasure.
To distract consumers sensitive to food urges from the temptation to junk food, the researchers have therefore created a game that will train the brain to change its behavior when faced with “forbidden” foods.
The smartphone game, a new anti-craving weapon?
How it works ? After choosing foods that you want to reduce, for example chocolate and cheese, Food Trainer will present the user with different healthy foods on one side, these will be circled in green, and fatty and sweet foods. circled in red. The player will have to click in the food circled in green as quickly as possible to collect points.
By dint of repetition, these food associations would eventually convince the brain to choose a yogurt. in case of craving rather than a candy bar, say the researchers.
The most greedy would even have something to be amazed: playing four times a week would not only eat healthier but reduce your calorie intake by 220 calories per day (the equivalent of half a cookie), according to the tests submitted to a panel of 83 players.
“We are optimistic that this game will encourage people to opt for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables over junk food,” enthuses over Cornwallive Natalia Lawrence, psychologist behind this application.
A new app retreats the brain so that healthy food feels like a reward. @Telegraph reports on new #Foodtrainer#apphttps://t.co/2IdKQfeBAlpic.twitter.com/8AVDxdIsJA
– Research at Exeter (@UofE_Research) January 17, 2017
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