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People who have never outgrown an aversion to broccoli, or an addiction to potato chips, can place part of the blame on their genes, preliminary research suggests. The study, of over 6,200 adults, turned up correlations between certain taste-related genes and people’s preferences for particular food groups. Those whose genes made them sensitive to bitter flavors, for example, tended to eat fewer whole grains. Meanwhile, people with a particularly acute ability to sense savory flavors were less likely to eat their veggies. Still, none of that means genes determine your food preferences, experts said.
Diet is complicated, and influenced by everything from culture to economics, said researcher Julie Gervis, a doctoral candidate at Tufts University. But, she said, the findings do highlight the role of taste-related genes in food choices. People often don’t know why they struggle with eating things they know are good for them, like green vegetables, Gervis noted. Understanding the influence of genes can shed some light on the matter.
Eventually, Gervis said, dietitians may be able to use genetic information to give people more precise diet counseling. “We’re moving away from general nutrition advice to a more personalized approach,” Gervis said. But, she added, any real-world use of genetic analysis is still a long way off. Gervis will present the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. Studies released at meetings are considered preliminary until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
(Amy Norton. www.usnews.com, 14.06.2022. Adaptado.)
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