Some People Can Blame
Taste Buds for Weight Gain

Science has confirmed it: a preference for sweet or fatty foods can indeed put inches on the waistline.

Investigators found that Pima Indians in Arizona -- who are naturally prone to obesity -- were more likely to gain weight over time if they particularly liked the taste of highly sweetened and fatty foods.

These results show that what we like to eat influences what we eat, and people who enjoy less healthy foods may pay the price in excess pounds, study author Dr. Arline Salbe of the National Institutes of Health stated.

But don't go blaming your genes for your desire to eat chips and chocolate; whether or not our genetic makeup influences our preferences for unhealthy foods remains unclear, Salbe noted. Although researchers have identified the genes for certain taste receptors, this area of study remains extremely new, and there is much yet to learn.

"I believe (our genes) may contribute to the problem, but in the end, choices are also made of free will," Salbe said.

During the study, Salbe's team asked 123 Pima Indians to taste samples of skim milk, whole milk, half and half, and cream. The investigators added varying amounts of sugar to the samples, and asked each person to indicate how much they enjoyed each sample.

The researchers then weighed 75 of the group an average of five years later, to see if their preference for fat and sweet flavors affected their size.

Reporting in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers found that the participants who particularly enjoyed the more fat- and sugar-laden samples tended to gain more weight than those who preferred the healthier choices.

"Quite simply, the more you expressed a liking for these sweet and creamy solutions, the more you were found to eat," Salbe said. The researcher believes the current findings apply to people of all racial backgrounds.

Salbe explained that while taste is influenced by genetics, environment likely plays a strong role, as well. "People often like what is familiar and that may be influenced by familial, cultural, or ethnic ties."

However, even if you grew up on a rich diet of creamy and sugary foods, tastes for such foods can change, Salbe noted. For instance, people are often reluctant to switch from whole to non-fat milk, but often find that if they do it gradually -- going from whole to 2 percent to 1 percent to non-fat -- it becomes easier.

"I believe that our taste preferences are influenced by habit and that habits can be changed," Salbe concluded.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2004.