Genomics of Eating Behavior and Appetite Regulation

Abstract A strong link has been established between appetite and food selection patterns and their impact on health and chronic diseases. Whereas some eating behaviors are acquired, there has been a strong understanding of the influence of genetic factors in different nutritional preferences and eating disorders in humans. Family studies have been invested in understanding three general patterns of eating behavior: restraint, disinhibition, and hunger. Genetic variations were shown to influence the perception of taste, which can translate into individual variation in sugar consumption, as well as strongly effect individuals' choices of meal size and frequency through certain hormones that regulate hunger and satiety. Other genes were shown to be related to hypothalamic signaling pathways that control different appetite traits. There is increased interest understanding the influence of gut microbiome on metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. The gut microbiome has become a novel platform to develop new strategies to affect human eating behavior and health.