Researchers from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech studied how people begin to prefer certain foods based on how they feel after eating them. This process, known as flavor-nutrient learning, influences eating habits and can affect body weight. The study results were published in Physiology & Behavior.

According to lead researcher Alexandra DiFeliceantonio, people learn to choose foods not only by taste but also by the signals sent from the stomach to the brain after eating.

These post-ingestive signals can shape preferences and influence food choices.

The study involved 26 participants who were offered unusual flavors — ranging from acerola and blueberry to yuzu and papaya. First, participants rated the familiarity and pleasantness of the flavors. Then, the two least familiar and least liked flavors were paired with drinks that either did or did not contain calories. Later, artificial sweeteners were added to all drinks to exclude the influence of sugar.

The results showed that many participants learned to prefer the flavors associated with calories, even when sugar was excluded. This confirms the role of post-ingestive signals, rather than sweetness, in shaping taste preferences. Interestingly, body mass indicators — BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and waist circumference — were not related to individual responses. Instead, participants’ preferences were more strongly correlated with blood glucose levels and HbA1C, even in people without diabetes.

This means that fluctuations in blood sugar may influence food choices in everyone, regardless of weight. Understanding these mechanisms could help develop new behavioral and medical strategies for preventing and treating obesity.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Хотите, я сделаю из этого короткий пресс-релиз на английском (2–3 абзаца, без деталей эксперимента, только ключевые выводы)?