Pigging out, even for a short while, changes the body’s physiology for a much longer span of time. This was the conclusion of a new Swedish study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism.
A team at Linkoping University looked at the body’s metabolism after four weeks of gluttonous eating. The group that gorged and did little exercise displayed weight gain and signs of increased body fat even two years after the binge.
The control group that ate and exercised normally over the four-week period showed no weight gain or increase in body fat.
Asa Ernersson led the study. She commented: "The long term difference in body weight in the intervention and control groups suggest that there is an extended effect on fat mass after a short period of large food consumption and minimal exercise."
The researcher went on to add: "The change of fat mass was larger than expected when compared to the controls. It suggests that even short-term behavioural changes may have prolonged effects on health."