Train Your Brain to Eat Less Sugar

https://www.technologynetworks.com/cancer-research/news/train-your-brain-to-eat-less-sugar-319099?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=72467004&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9vmKykg9O608D2LwBilkhq-S27hsPWhsWrZB_DbqeR3THb1XfzzGEkpLV80ucxsL4VRfXR0sbcZqsnE5BSsZTncCDOGQ&_hsmi=72467005 In the game, players move as quickly as possible through a grocery store with the goal of putting the correct food (healthy foods) in a grocery cart, while refraining from choosing the incorrect foods (their preferred sweet). Points were awarded for correct items placed in carts. For over half of the participants, who showed higher preferences toward sweets, playing the game helped them lose as much as 3.1 percent of their body weight over eight weeks. Participants also indicated that they found the daily training satisfactory, that it became part of their daily routine and that they wished to continue the trainings if they were available. "The study's findings offer qualified support for the use of a computerized cognitive training to facilitate weight loss," said Forman. The study also randomized whether participants received a highly gamified (enhanced graphics and sounds) or a less-gamified versions of the training. While the difference between the level of gamification did not matter, overall, to whether participants reduced sugar consumption and lost weight, they did find that the few men in the study reacted better to the highly gamified version than the women in the study. The WELL Center is now conducting a new trial with the highly gamified version of this training specifically for men and is actively recruiting participants. This article has been republished from materials provided by Drexel University. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.