Some girls may have a 'sweet tooth' gene

Conclusion Scientists are investigating whether dopamine activity in the brain influences our behaviour towards food, so this study is of interest. However, it does not show that girls with a particular gene variation are more likely to consume more unhealthy foods or become obese.  As the researchers point out, the study was limited by its small sample size. There are also many factors that influence eating behaviour, including mood, food environment, stress levels and upbringing, all of which might have had an effect on the children's food choices. Of note, the study's findings do not indicate that there is a relationship between calorie intake and genetic make-up during the snack test, only between calorie intake and sex, as might be expected. The results from the food diaries do not show that 7R carriers eat significantly more sweet foods generally, only more ice cream. There are also many factors that might have influenced what the children chose to eat at the test meal – most notably, what their mothers ate. As this is an ongoing cohort study, more information on the potential influence of the 7R allele on long-term health outcomes may come to light in the future.   Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter. Links To The Headlines So that's why girls prefer ice cream, sweets and sugary treats: Scientists discover a gene which makes certain foods taste better for women. Mail Online, November 27 2013 Links To Science S...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet Lifestyle/exercise Genetics/stem cells Source Type: news