Children may be genetically predisposed to prefer certain types of food, according to research presented at the American Diabetes Association’s ADA 85th Scientific Sessions.
The study showed that a higher genetic preference for carbohydrates was associated with greater consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food from early childhood through adolescence.
Researchers analyzed data from 516 non-Hispanic White children enrolled in Project Viva, a long-term U.S. prebirth cohort. Participants were followed from ages 3 to 17, with data collected on dietary habits, body mass index (BMI), and insulin resistance.
Polygenic scores—numeric values representing genetic likelihood for specific traits—were calculated based on prior genome-wide studies among adults. The researchers generated scores for carbohydrate and protein preference to examine their association with dietary intake during childhood.
Each standard deviation (SD) increase in the carbohydrate preference score was associated with a 13% higher likelihood of consuming at least one fast food meal per week (odds ratio [OR] = 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-1.26) and a 15% higher likelihood of drinking more than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages weekly (OR= 1.15; 95% CI= 1.03-1.28) between ages 3 and 17.
Conversely, a higher protein preference score was associated with an 11% lower likelihood of consuming more than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per week (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-0.99).
Dietary intake was measured using parent- and self-reported questionnaires at approximately ages 3, 7, 12, and 17. Fast food consumption was defined as one or more meals per week; sugar-sweetened beverage intake as more than one serving per week.
Statistical models accounted for age, sex, and genetic ancestry. Generalized estimating equations were used for dietary outcomes, and linear mixed models assessed BMI z-score trajectories. Insulin resistance at age 17 was evaluated using the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).
No statistically significant associations were found between macronutrient preference scores and BMI or insulin resistance at age 17.
The findings suggest that genetic traits related to macronutrient preference may influence dietary behaviors in childhood. While the study did not establish a link to metabolic outcomes, it highlights the potential role of genetics in shaping early-life dietary patterns.
The study was conducted by researchers based in Boston and Copenhagen with expertise in genetics, epidemiology, pediatrics, and metabolic health. No conflicts of interest were reported.
Source: diabetes