PULSE Magazine | September 2019 Isssue

Nurture not nature

Interestingly, identical twins had the same response as fraternal twins, which indicated to the researchers that it wasn’t genetics but mostly environment that shaped sensitivity to the taste of fat. “There’s this idea that maybe some people are just not as good at sensing high levels of fat, and that they’re born that way,” said Dr. Keast. “But what we found is that genetics does not provide any protection against the dietary influence of fat.” “If you are eating too many high fat foods, fat becomes an invisible nutrient. People who have a lower sensitivity to the fat taste end up eating far more kilojoules from fat because they need more to feel satiated,” Dr. Keast said. “That’s why it’s vitally important we’re careful with what we’re eating, otherwise we will get in a bad cycle of our bodies becoming accustomed to high levels of fat and requiring higher levels of fat to become satisfied,” he cautioned. “That can then lead to obesity.” Dr. Costanzo offered this advice: “If you stick to a low-fat diet for at least 8 weeks, your body will adapt to those conditions and you will become more sensitive to fat taste. Fatty foods will start making you feel fuller more quickly and you won’t feel the need to eat as much to be satisfied.” This is significant because of the strong link between taste sensitivity and satiety, he noted.

This study was supported by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council and the Centre for Advanced Sensory Science at Deakin University.

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