Love That Extra Cheese? Blame It On Your Genes

Gorging on a ripe Camembert or demolishing the after dinner cheeseboard is usually blamed on greed – now you can blame your genes instead. We’re often warned that the yellow stuff is packed with saturated fat, but it doesn’t stop us from reaching for that extra helping. According to a new study, it’s not just because you’re a glutton, it could in fact all be down to your DNA. Scientists found that those with a gene already linked to obesity have a predisposition for high fat foods, but less of a preference for high sugar foods. This gene, called MC4R, is thought to affect about one in every 1,000 people. The study saw a team of 54 volunteers – some with MC4R, some lean and some obese – offered unlimited portions of chicken korma, followed by an Eton Mess dessert. To put their theory to the test, the volunteers were given three samples of each dish with varying fat and sugar content; the curry’s fat content varied from 20-60% and the dessert’s sugar content varied from 8-54%. After tasting the samples, the volunteers could eat as much as they wanted. Researchers found that while there was no real difference in the amount eaten between the individuals, the 14 people with MC4R unknowingly ate a much higher proportion of the high fat korma; 95% more than the lean participants and 65% more than the obese. When it came to the dessert, those with defective MC4R liked the high sugar option less than their counterparts.