Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research have discovered that the smell of fatty foods during pregnancy increases the risk of overweight and obesity in the offspring of mice. Pregnant mice were fed a healthy, low-fat diet, but enriched with greasy flavors such as bacon smell. The mothers themselves showed no metabolic changes, but their offspring reacted more strongly to high-fat diets and developed more pronounced obesity and insulin resistance, an indication of type 2 diabetes.

The research revealed changes in the brains of the offspring, particularly in the dopaminergic system, which controls motivation and reward, as well as in AgRP neurons, which regulate hunger and overall metabolism. These areas responded differently to high-fat foods and resembled the brains of obese mice. Exposure to these odors already occurred in the womb and through breast milk, with artificial activation of the corresponding nerve pathways in the neonatal phase being sufficient to trigger obesity in adulthood.

For humans, this could mean that even children of healthy mothers could be at increased risk of obesity if they are exposed to fatty odors during development. However, the study shows that the mothers had to consume the odor-intensive foods because mere odor perception alone had no effect.

The scientists emphasize that these findings change the perspective on the influence of maternal nutrition. So far, the focus has been on maternal health and a high-fat diet, but now it is becoming clear that odors could play an independent role in children’s long-term health. When compiling the diets, flavourings were used, which are often found as food additives, with a single additive producing similar effects. Further research should clarify how the consumption of such substances during pregnancy or breastfeeding affects development and metabolic health.

Original Paper:

Fat sensory cues in early life program central response to food and obesity | Nature Metabolism

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