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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Obesity | Opinion

Added flavors: potential contributors to body weight gain and obesity?

Authors: Nathalie Judith Neumann, Mathias Fasshauer

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

Added flavors are a marker for ultra-processing of food and a strong link exists between the intake of ultra-processed food and the development of obesity. The objective of the present article is to assess animal and human data elucidating the impact of added flavors on the regulation of food intake and body weight gain, as well as to define areas for future research.

Main text

Mechanistic studies suggest that added flavors induce overeating and body weight gain by two independent mechanisms: Added flavors promote hedonic eating and override homeostatic control of food intake, as well as disrupt flavor-nutrient learning and impair the ability to predict nutrients in food items. Supporting these potential mechanisms, added flavors increase feed intake and body weight as compared to non-flavored control diets in a broad range of animal studies. They are actively promoted by feed additive manufacturers as useful tools to improve palatability, feed intake, and performance parameters. In humans, added flavors are extensively tested concerning toxicity; however, no data exist concerning their impact on food intake and body weight.

Conclusions

Added flavors are potential contributors to the obesity epidemic and further studies focusing on their role in humans are urgently required. These studies include obesity interventions specifically targeting food items with added flavors and cohort studies on independent associations between added flavor intake and metabolic, as well as cardiovascular, morbidity, and mortality.

Available only for authorised users

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Title: Added flavors: potential contributors to body weight gain and obesity?
Authors: Nathalie Judith Neumann
Mathias Fasshauer
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Obesity
Obesity
Published in: BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-022-02619-3

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Added flavors: potential contributors to body weight gain and obesity?

Abstract

Background

Main text

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Main text

Conclusions

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