A Brief Review of Genetic Approaches to the Study of Food Preferences: Current Knowledge and Future Directions

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 11; no. 8; p. 1735
• Main Authors: Robino, Antonietta, Concas, Maria Pina, Catamo, Eulalia, Gasparini, Paolo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 26-07-2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; adiposity; Age differences; Berries; Blueberries; Body mass index; candidate gene; Citric acid; Citrus fruits; Communication; Cranberries; Dairy products; Data collection; Food; Food Preferences; Fruit juices; Fruits; Genes; Genetic Association Studies; Genetic effects; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Genome-Wide Association Study; Genomes; GWAS; Health Behavior; Heredity; Heritability; Humans; Lemons; Maternal & child health; Metabolism; Milk; Multifactorial Inheritance; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Obesity; Olfaction; Olfactory Perception - genetics; Oranges; Pedigree; Perceptions; polygenic risk score; Preferences; Rhubarb; Smell; Smell - genetics; Strawberries; Systematic review; Taste; Taste - genetics; Taste perception; Taste Perception - genetics; Twin Studies as Topic; Twins; Vegetables; Yogurt; Italy; adiposity; GWAS; candidate gene; genetics; polygenic risk score; food preferences; heritability
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu11081735

Genetic variation plays a crucial role in individual differences in food preferences which ultimately influence food selection and health. Our current understanding of this pathway has been informed through twin studies (to assess the heritability of food preferences), candidate gene studies, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, most of this literature is mainly focused on genes previously identified as having taste or smell functions. New data suggests that genes not associated with taste or smell perception may be involved in food preferences and contribute to health outcomes. This review highlights these emerging findings and suggests a polygenic risk assessment approach to explore new relationships between food preferences and health risks.