We will be discussing Fats soon in class and I thought that this article is very interesting. It shows a correlation between a preference for foods rich in fats and people having certain forms CD36 gene. Check it out and let me kow what you think!
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203113312.htm
PS: I just hope that’s not the reason why I haven’t been able to get rid of those extra pounds bothering me 😉
I really liked this article. I find it to be very interesting that they found a possible genetic link to fatty food desires. I feel that they can use this genetic marker to help treat people with obesity. We’ve come a long way in genetic engineering techniques and I’m sure if they successfully isolated this fragment which increases the desire for fatty foods and were able to somehow block it’s transcription/translation into a protein, that this could prove to be a vital weight loss therapy in the future.
I find this article, as well as the study itself a very interesting and useful piece of information. It appears to be a very promising research (since they want to develop it further), which can help people, who do find it hard to loose weight, or do not want to give up they high -fat foods, an opportunity for a healthy lifestyle that will decrease their chances of having heart condition, diabetes and other obese related diseases. Before I have read this article I have heard that humans do have another taste sense , which is responsible for tasting fat greasy, fried foods. That is why people do like to eat french fries, cheeses, burgers and so on. This study however takes it to the next level showing that it’s more than just a taste or preference it’s in your DNA. As much as this research can help people with fighting their high weight, it can also be use as an excuse and justification. by other people. for eating fast foods, and other “garbage” because “that’s who they are , it’s in their DNA, that’s how mother nature created them” kind of thing. Because some people lets face it do like to eat and they do not mind their weight, so this could be encouraging for them, because their will be living in peace with their nature. I do believe, however that their will be more good than bad coming out of this research and it will defiantly help a lot of people in changing their life in hopefully just few years.
This article is just the tip of the iceberg in studing the correlation between obesity and a genetics. A definitive discovery can make millions!! Ooops! I mean help a lot of people cope with and realize that there are other factors contributing to their obesity and desire for fatty high carbohydrate foods. Finding the cause of a disease is the first step in finding a cure and/or properly treating it. It is a remarkable study and a step in the right direction in dealing with a growing obese population. It would be very interesting to see the outcome of the study among different ethnic group…..
I enjoyed this article for many reasons, first if I walked up to a friend and told them that it could be a gene they have that makes them crave these foods, they would think im nuts. Majority of the population do not know that there cravings for fatty foods could be linked to a certain gene, so this would be an eye opener for many people, and second the amount of fast food Americans consume on a daily basis is continually increasing and so is obesity. In my opinion kids are not as active as they used to be, and now its all about the new electronics coming out. The number of children who are obese is what scares me more, rather than the adults who are obese. If this study went to the next step and helped the kids from having bad eating habits that would be a plus. With the young population having a poor diet it is just going to increase there risk in so many diseases, Diabetes,Heart Conditions,etc. I feel by having this genetic testing a lot of people will be happier,healthier, and get a better understanding of why they always had a problem shedding off those extra pounds. Everyone wants to lose weight and never understands why the weight does not come off as fast as they want it to, even when they feel they are doing everything correct. It would also be very interesting if this study group researched the CD36 gene to be higher in a specific ethnic background.
i agree with NEERA. if they find the cause of the disease, it will be easy to treat it.
I think this is an interesting study if you’re looking for something to blame for your weight/health. I think that eating fast food is the same as smoking; you know it’s harmful to you, but yet you continue. It’s a hard habit to break. Especially if it’s been going on for years. Children like what the parents feed them, weather it is high, low or a mixed calorie food. Of course there will be food you prefer, but a child should not get to choose what to eat all day long. In stead of testing children’s genes, the parents should be educated on the topic. I think if healthy food was made more available and fatty food more expensive, we would see these genes change its course pretty rapidly. For many families, food high in fat is cheap and easy to bring on the go. Children of these families will develop a taste for the food very quickly. I know this is way off topic, but I think that this is whe the real problem lays.
Yes, I agree with everyone that it is definitely an interesting article. However, it all comes down to taste preference. As Professor Keller said “We also think the results could help food developers create better tasting low-fat foods that appeal to a broader range of the population.” BETTER TASTING to me is the same as personal preference for food. There might be a link for the CD36 gene to fatty food but if the fatter food itself has a horrible taste, then more likely it would not be on the table as a dish. What stimulates our taste buds are the high sodium content in food. All low fat food has the label stating X% less sodium. I had tried it myself and it tastes horrible, or should I say, its tasteless. What we should focus on is to not introduce them to sweets and fatty foods in their early childhood. I believe their preference for food comes from parents and early childhood exposure. But it all boils down to a healthy diet.
-Derek Chen
FINALLY a study that makes me feel normal. For so long i kept saying i think i have a specific gene that craves foods that are rich in fats, carbs, and everything that pretty much isnt good for you, and ofcourse people thought this was crazy. So many times i would have a salad and limit the fat intake, and i would still feel hungry, and frustrated. I agree 100% with this article, and it would be amazing if there were foods that people with this gene can have daily, but that are not as harmful as fries, deep fried chicken, and dressings that are loaded with calories. I struggle with diets all the time, and it would be life changing for people just like me to be able to develop a diet that helps their health, but still enjoy their prefered foods.
It is good that the scientist started to do research and try to find a cause of obesity,so they can prevent it. However, in my opinion they need to make more studies that will link high-fat food consumption for those who have certain forms of genes. From my experience I know that people who gained weight,they want to blame it on everything else, but not themselves. If a person want to be healthy, he/she have to stop eating junk food and start healthy eating habits and work out more. I remember when I was overweight all I wanted is fatty or sugary foods, and I blamed it all on my genes,that I am overweight because everybody from my father side was overweight. One day I thought about my future and looked at myself,and stopped eating all that junk food. Of course it was hard first, because its like an addiction, you want more and more. However, I hold myself from bad choices and I lost 12lbs in 2 months, which made me very proud of myself.
interesting, i always hear that if your craving something then you r probably lacking certain vitamins but i never heard it can be in your genes. i hope people dont use that as an excuse.
this is a mind boggling article.