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Genetic research finds sensitivity to fat content

Friday, 13 January 2012 3:06 PM

Are our taste buds to blame for overeating and indulgence? Our tongues are more or less sensitive to fat according to variations in our genes, new research suggests. The CD36 gene is far more sensitive to the presence of fat than others, according to a new study in the Journal of Lipid Research.

“In this study, we’ve found one potential reason for individual variability in how people sense fat,” said senior investigator Nada A. Abumrad, PhD, the Dr. Robert A. Atkins Professor of Medicine and Obesity Research.

"What we will need to determine in the future is whether our ability to detect fat in foods influences our fat intake, which clearly would have an impact on obesity.”

In the study, subjects who made the most CD36 were eight times more sensitive to the presence of fat than those who made about 50% less of the protein.

The results could help doctors tailor nutrition programmes for people who are obese and/or prone to binge-eating.

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