Don't blame yourself too much. Your fondness for chocolate, buns or fast food could be genetically determined, according to a study by the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Researcher Silvia Berciano has presented her findings at the 2017 Scientific sessions of the American Society of Nutrition (ASN), in Chicago, where she shows how the genetic variants we possess modify our brains and determine our tastes and Eating habits.

Most people have many problems to change their habits, even being aware of what is best for their interests. The reason is that what we eat is affected by our preferences and our capacity and ability to follow plans

It is the first time that a study identifies how genes affect the dietary preferences of a healthy group of people. So far, there was only evidence of how genes are involved in eating patterns of people with disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

In this study was taken a sample of 818 men and women of European origin, with surprising conclusions: a high intake of chocolate and also a higher waist size have been associated with the gene that expresses the receptors oxytocin. In turn, a gene associated with obesity plays an important role in our preference for vegetables and fiber-rich foods.

The Berciano study can open the door to a new type of personalized medicine. Knowing the genetic variants that make a person more likely to eat certain foods can be directed at preventing diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. In Berciano's words, the study's conclusions can "pave the way for a better understanding of eating habits, and will make it possible to design a personalized diet more accessible to the individual, resulting in better fulfillment and more Successful.

The next step is to repeat the study with a group of different characteristics and ethnicities, as well as identify the relationship of genetic variants of food intake with the incidence of some diseases