{"id":790380,"date":"2026-07-29T01:16:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T01:16:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/790380\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T01:16:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T01:16:08","slug":"a-preference-for-sweet-or-high-fat-foods-may-be-genetic-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/790380\/","title":{"rendered":"A Preference for Sweet or High-Fat Foods May Be Genetic, Study Finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your preference for sweet or fatty foods could be influenced by certain gene variants, according to new research. People with gene variants that affect these inclinations may also be at a higher risk of developing obesity<\/a> and type 2 diabetes<\/a>, researchers found.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/p>\n

The data analysis, which was presented at the American Society for Nutrition\u2019s annual meeting (and has not yet been published in a medical journal), is one of the largest genetic association studies for taste preferences ever conducted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese findings help explain why eating habits aren\u2019t simply a matter of willpower,\u201d says Sandra Zhang, RD, a nutritionist at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, who was not involved in the study. \u201cGenetics may influence how strongly we enjoy certain tastes, which can affect food choices over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Study Analyzed Data From Half a Million People<\/p>\n

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 500,000 people who participated in the UK Biobank, a large-scale biomedical database. The scientists specifically looked at data from a questionnaire on food preferences, and compared that with genetic data. When combined, the information created a score that captured a person\u2019s genetic predisposition to prefer certain tastes.<\/p>\n

From there, the researchers looked at whether people who had a higher genetic predisposition to certain tastes actually ate more foods in that category \u2014 for example, whether people who had a genetic preference for sweets ate more desserts and sugary drinks, or whether those with a genetic preference for fatty tastes ate more high-fat foods. (These were dubbed \u201chyperpalatable foods.\u201d) The researchers then stacked that information against diagnoses of obesity and type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n

The preliminary results found that people who have a higher genetic predisposition to sweet foods eat about 7 grams (g) more of these foods on average a day. (While that\u2019s not a large amount, the researchers noted that it can add up over time.)<\/p>\n

Participants with higher genetic scores for sweet and fat taste preferences were more likely to have a higher body weight and a slightly higher risk of type 2 diabetes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The findings underscore a \u201cpreviously unrecognized role of taste preference genetics in hyperpalatable food intake\u201d and the potential for personalized dietary treatments for people with metabolic conditions<\/a> like type 2 diabetes and obesity, the researchers wrote in the conclusion.<\/p>\n

The Findings Highlight Another Way Genes Can Influence Disease Risk<\/p>\n

The study didn\u2019t conclude that people with certain genetic variants were destined to develop type 2 diabetes or obesity, but the findings suggest that genes may steer people toward eating habits that raise their risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cGenetics can influence taste receptors, reward pathways, appetite regulation, and how satisfying certain foods feel,\u201d says Scott Keatley, RD, a dietitian-nutritionist and a co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy<\/a> in New York City. \u201cEpigenetics, which refers to changes in how genes are turned on or off without changing the DNA sequence itself, may also shape these preferences through factors such as early nutrition, stress, sleep, and long-term eating habits.\u201d Together, these reinforce that food choices are influenced by biology along with a person\u2019s environment, he says.<\/p>\n

Sweet and fatty foods tend to be appealing in general, which can make them easy to overeat, Zhang says. \u201cThese foods also are higher in calories and lower in nutrition quality,\u201d she says. \u201cOver time, regularly eating more calories than the body needs can contribute to weight gain, and excess body weight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many food companies try to make their products hyperpalatable, making it even harder for people predisposed to like certain tastes to resist, says Mir Ali, MD<\/a>, the medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, who also was not involved in the new research.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s No Easy Way to Know if You Have These Genes<\/p>\n

It can be difficult to parse out if your preference for certain foods has a genetic basis. \u201cGenetic testing is not easy, and it\u2019s not usually covered by insurance unless there\u2019s a specific reason for it,\u201d Dr. Ali says.<\/p>\n

But he also notes that most people enjoy sweet and fatty foods, simply because they taste good. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to say where the line is crossed to suggest that someone has a genetic predisposition to overindulge in sweets and fatty foods,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

While a preference for sweet or fatty foods can run in families, Zhang says your overall desire for these foods is complex and hinges on more than genetics. \u201cMany people have a sweet tooth or prefer rich, high-fat foods, but that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they carry a specific genetic variant,\u201d she says. \u201cGenetics is only one piece of the puzzle \u2014 environment, culture, habits, and food availability also shape our preferences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keatley agrees. \u201cFrom a practical standpoint, understanding your eating patterns and responding to them is far more valuable than trying to infer your genetic profile,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Possible to Overcome Genetic Preferences, According to Experts<\/p>\n

Just because you have a genetic variant that inclines you to like sweet or fatty foods doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll develop type 2 diabetes or obesity. \u201cAll hope is not lost,\u201d Ali says. \u201cEven when you\u2019re genetically predisposed to like a certain type of food, you can change your behaviors to change your health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zhang suggests making gradual changes, like reducing portion sizes or frequency of eating certain food. \u201cChoose smaller treats, share with others, or pair sweets with higher-protein or higher-fiber foods to promote satiety,\u201d she says. \u201cMany people find that their taste preferences<\/a> adapt over time, and intensely sweet or rich foods become less appealing when they\u2019re eaten less often.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the food noise<\/a> around sweet or fatty foods is interfering with your ability to follow a healthy lifestyle, Ali suggests talking to a healthcare provider. \u201cStart with blood work to see if you have any endocrine disorders,\u201d he says. If those aren\u2019t the issue, your healthcare provider may suggest a GLP-1 medication<\/a> like semaglutide or tirzepatide. \u201cThose can help to suppress appetite and quiet food noise,\u201d Ali says.<\/p>\n

Overall, experts stress that people have options when it comes to changing dietary habits and health. \u201cHaving a genetic predisposition is not the same as having a predetermined outcome,\u201d Keatley says. \u201cEven when genetics play a role, lifestyle remains the strongest tool for changing long-term health risk.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your preference for sweet or fatty foods could be influenced by certain gene variants, according to new research.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":790381,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[97,269],"class_list":["post-790380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/790380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=790380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/790380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/790381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=790380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=790380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=790380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}