The University of Southern California's team studied and found that having a look at images of foods may result in one developing obesity or overeating problem, a recent report has unveiled.

It is being said that even the pictures of high-calorie foods may stimulate those brain areas that act as a contributory factor in growing unhealthy food habits. The findings are to be discussed at the 94th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society in Houston on Monday.

The team had enrolled some 13 obese people in its study and examined their brain responses with the help of two MRI or functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. fMRI is used to calculate blood flow to the brain, the high amount of which points towards greater activity.

It was found that blocks of images of foods with high-calories vary a person's desire for having foods of any type. High-calorie food images had caused appetite-controlling brain regions to activate, the affirmed. Also, the same caused the participants to have a strong desire to have sweet and savory foods.

"We thought this was a striking finding, because the current environment is inundated with advertisements showing images of high-calorie foods", Kathleen Page, MD, who is an Assistant Professor at the University, says.