Your Body: Are Fast Food Cravings Genetic?

Ingram Publishing/ThinkstockBy DR. JENNIFER ASHTON, ABC News Senior Medical Contributor

If you have a hard time saying no to that Big Mac or high-fat meal, you may be among the small but significant fraction of the population that has a genetic variant that predisposes you to prefer fatty foods.

At the heart of this recent research is the hormone leptin. This is involved in satiety and acts on brain cells that regulate food intake.

Individuals with a certain defect in a particular gene known as MC4R appear to be less sensitive to changes in leptin as evidenced by apparent preference for high-fat foods.

While these studies are small, it does bring up an important discussion about fat and which ones are good for you and which ones aren’t. Stick to those healthy fats like avocados and nuts and try to avoid the fried or processed foods.

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