Science News
Researchers at the American Society for Nutrition studied how genes influence our eating habits and food choices. The study was presented online at NUTRITION 2022 LIVE ONLINE.
The Study
In order to understand the genetics of eating, the researchers surveyed data from prior genome-wide association studies to identify the genetic variants associated with the five basic tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
They assessed 6230 participants with the “polygenic taste score”, a newly formulated measure that estimates the cumulative effect of many genetic variants on the perception of a given taste. The participants’ diet quality and cardiometabolic risk factors were also reviewed.
The Findings
The results revealed that genes determine taste perception and food choices. In fact, genes impact the food you eat and influence certain risk factors for diet-related chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
One of the lead researchers, Julie E. Gervis, elaborated: “We know that taste is one of the fundamental drivers of what we choose to eat and, by extension, our diet quality. Considering taste perception could help make personalized nutrition guidance more effective by identifying drivers of poor food choices and helping people learn how to minimize their influence.”
To Know More You May Refer To
American Society for Nutrition. (2022, June 14). Do our genes determine what we eat? Study could pave the way to personalized nutrition guidance based on our taste perception. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 29, 2022, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/06/220614122628.htm