High-Fat Diet May Increase Rate of Hair Loss

New research has found that eating a diet that is high in fat may cause a faster rate of hair loss, and a decreased ability to grow new hair.

The study, published in the science journal Nature by researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, aimed to find out whether the stress that obesity puts on the body can cause hair loss, and how this might occur. The researchers compared hair growth in two groups of mice: one that was fed a high-fat diet, and another that was fed a normal diet.

The researchers found that, in time, the mice with the high-fat diet had fewer hair follicle stem cells, which are the cells in the skin that grow new hair. They also found that these mice experienced a faster rate of hair loss and had smaller hair follicles compared to the mice that were fed a normal diet.

Mice that were fed a high-fat diet also saw a decrease in the quality of their hair when it grew back.

The authors wrote that these results suggest the importance of controlling obesity to protect our other organs as well.

In addition to hair loss, obesity has been found to increase the risk of a number of other conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and many different types of cancer. While diet is a cause of obesity, it is also affected by levels of exercise, side effects from medication, genetics and a number of other factors.

Discussion

1. What are your thoughts on the study's findings?

2. Do you find it surprising that obesity may affect hair loss rate? Why? Why not?

3. Would you describe the typical diet in your country as high-fat? Why? Why not?

4. Have obesity rates in your country increased over the past few decades? Why do you think that is?

5. Do you expect obesity rates in your country to rise over the next decade? Why? Why not?

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