High-Fat Diets During Early Life Lead to Cravings for Salty Foods Later On

In utero and early life exposure to high-fat diets result in a preference for foods that are higher in salt later in life, a new study reports. Researchers say high-fat diets increase the expression of the AT1 protein in the taste buds. This occurs as early as three weeks of age. AT1 is associated with a preference for salty tastes and researchers suggest AT1 affects salty taste preference by increasing sodium intake in taste bud cells.