Taste for special foods is in our genes, study shows

Why people love certain foods and turn up their noses at others has more to do than just their culture or taste buds. A new study shows that genes also play an important role.

Genetic variants

Researchers have identified hundreds of genetic variants-differences in hereditary makeup-that are associated with preference for certain foods, including those associated with preference for anise, avocados, chilies, steak, fatty fish, and more.

In the largest genetic study of food preferences, scientists from the University of Edinburgh and the Human Technopole in Milan examined the preferences of more than 150,000 people for 137 different foods and beverages.

Food preference

They found 401 genetic variants that influenced which foods the participants liked. Many of these variants affected more than one food preference trait, and some affected only one specific food. For example, some genetic variants were associated only with preference for salmon, while other groups of variants increased preference for oily fish or fish in general.

Food Map

Using questionnaires and genetic analyses, the team developed what they call a "food map" that shows how participants' preferences for certain food groups and certain tastes are influenced by similar genetic variants.

The map shows three main groups of foods that share a similar genetic component.

One group consists of high-calorie and highly palatable foods such as meats, dairy products and desserts; another group consists of strong-tasting foods called "acquired," including alcohol and spicy vegetables; and a third group contains low-calorie foods such as fruits and vegetables.

Health characteristics

The researchers discovered that the three food groups also share genes known to be associated with certain health traits.

For example, the foods with high taste value are influenced by the same genetic variants associated with obesity and lower physical activity. A higher preference for fruits and vegetables is influenced by the same variants associated with higher levels of physical activity. And a higher preference for "acquired" tastes is genetically associated with a healthier cholesterol profile and higher physical activity, but also with a higher likelihood of smoking and alcohol consumption.

Surprising finding

The team was surprised, however, to find genetic differences between preferences for subgroups of foods within the same category. For example, they had expected the genetic variants associated with liking vegetables to be the same for all vegetables, meaning that people who like one vegetable would like all vegetables.

Instead, they found a weak relationship between genes associated with cooked and salad vegetables and genes associated with stronger-tasting vegetables such as spinach and asparagus.

Brain patterns

Finally, the team found a weak correlation between genes associated with high-calorie foods and the other two groups, suggesting that independent biological processes underlie the preference for highly palatable foods.

MRI scans revealed a correlation between the part of the brain involved in processing pleasure and the genetic variation associated with very tasty foods, while the low-calorie and strong-tasting foods correlated with areas of the brain associated with decision making.

According to the experts, their research could help develop healthier and more acceptable foods, improve dietary interventions, and possibly develop medications to help extremely obese people lose weight.

The research was funded by the Medical Research Council and published in Nature Communications.

This is a great example of applying complex statistical methods to large genetic datasets in order to reveal new biology, in this case the underlying basis of what we like to eat and how that is structured hierarchically, from individual items up to large groups of foodstuffs.
Professor Jim Wilson, Personal Chair of Human Genetics, University of Edinburgh