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Genetic makeup could influence sweet tooth
15 May 2008
Further research has been conducted on why some people prefer more sugary foods than others.
Researchers from the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto investigated the GLUT2 gene which controls how much sugar is let into the cells of the body.
The scientists studied a common variation of the gene by testing two distinctive groups of people.
One was made up of older adults who were all either overweight or obese and the second group consisted of healthy younger adults, the majority of which were slim.
The food consumed by the participants over a three-day period was then recorded by the researchers and each person was interviewed about the kinds of food they usually ate in any given month.
Blood samples were then taken from the volunteers and their DNA was studied by the experts.
The results showed that the members of the group with a preference to foods high in sugars were more likely to have the GLUT2 gene variation.
Dr El-Sohemy, the study’s senior researcher, said: "We have found that a variation in the GLUT2 gene is associated with a higher intake of sugars among different populations.
"These findings may help explain some of the individual variations in people’s preference for sugary foods."
He added that the results were "especially important" considering the increasing rates of obesity and diabetes across the globe.
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