| خلاصه مقاله | Hedonic hunger, which refers to reward-driven eating beyond physiological needs, has been proposed as one of the important causes of overeating and obesity in recent years. Some studies suggest that increasing the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet can lead to greater hedonic hunger. This review aims to investigate the mechanisms related to the role of dietary omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in hedonic hunger. In hedonic hunger, reward pathways in the brain are activated by dopamine, endocannabinoids (such as 2-arachidonylglycerol and anandamide), and opioids. Both 2-arachidonylglycerol and anandamide are PUFA derivatives of n-6 arachidonic acid (20:4). The amount of n-6 linoleic acid PUFA (18:2), a precursor of n-6 arachidonic acid, in the diet stimulates the production of 2-arachidonylglycerol and anandamide, leading to increased hedonic hunger. These endocannabinoids can also indirectly help increase the release of dopamine and cause more hedonic hunger. Whilst, increasing the relative proportion of n-3 PUFA in the diet can lead to a decrease in the formation of endocannabinoids derived from n-6 arachidonic acid, namely 2-arachidonylglycerol and anandamide. Therefore, it seems in controlling overeating and obesity, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the diet is of great importance regarding hedonic hunger and food intake. |