Genetic variation can reduce sugar cravings

The international study, published in Gastroenterology, has shown that genetic variations in the sucrase-isomaltase (SI) gene are associated with the intake and preference of sucrose-rich foods.

Peter Aldiss, the study’s lead and a group leader in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, said, “Excess calories from sugar are an established contributor to obesity and type 2 diabetes. In the UK, we consume nine to 12 per cent of our dietary intake from free sugars, such as sucrose, with 79 per cent of the population consuming up to three sugary snacks a day. At the same time, genetic defects in sucrose digestion have been associated with irritable bowel syndrome, a common functional disorder affecting up to 10 per cent of the population.