Food researchers from the Cornell University find a groundbreaking link between obesity and inflamed taste buds, resulting in triggers that enable humans to eat more.

The research, which was published on PLOS Biology on March 20, was studied in experimental mice, and the results have a high probability in humans. The scientists found that when mice are fed with a high-fat diet, they become obese and consequently lose almost one-fourth of their taste buds.

What is more interesting in these findings, according to lead research author and assistant professor in the Department of Food Science at Cornell Robin Dando, is that the inflammation of taste buds triggers metabolic malfunction. These malfunctions result in higher levels of appetite.

"This research provides new clues about how humans might become obese and suggests a novel approach to combatting obesity — looking at the taste bud itself," Dando explained.

Working With Mice

Two groups of mice — normal and obesity-resistant — were experimented on high-fat diets. Results have shown that as the obesity-resistant mice did not gain nearly as much weight as the normal ones, their taste buds also remained abundant. This suggests that loss of taste bud is a metabolic response to obesity.

Dando and his team's work supports previous reports of obese people having a dull sense of taste. Dando concluded that it is a natural biologic event to consume more calories if there is the dulling of the taste, hence the higher probability of obesity.

A normal person possesses about 10,000 taste buds that serve as receptors to perceive whether a particular food is sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or umami. Once lessened, these taste buds would naturally reoccur once or twice a month.

However, in the case of obese patients, a malfunctioning metabolism would hinder the renewal process and further the reduction of taste buds.

The Wonder Of Taste

Understanding the science and nature of taste is fundamental taking necessary actions to counter obesity. The latest tally from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that more than 36.5 percent of adult Americans are obese, not including cases of child overweight.

Dando said that taste has been an integral factor of survival for species. It allows humans to decide what to consume more of and less of depending on his needs.

"When things taste good, they likely contain calories, minerals or protein, which all help us survive. If things taste bad to us, it could be because they have spoiled or because they contain something toxic," said Dando.