Do Our Body Clock Genes Shape How Young Children Eat?
Do Our Body Clock Genes Shape How Young Children Eat?
This study examined whether small differences in our body clock genes are linked to how much energy and protein young children and adults eat.
What We Did and Why We Did It
Researchers studied 168 young children (aged 2 to 6 years) and 226 adults in the Guelph Family Health Study. Using saliva samples, they looked at:
- Small differences in “clock” genes, which help control the body’s daily sleep and wake cycles
- Each person’s energy and nutrient intake, measured through a detailed 24-hour diet record
The body’s internal clock can affect not just when we sleep, but also how we eat. Researchers wanted to find out whether natural differences in these clock genes were linked to how much energy and protein young children and adults take in, since this could help explain why some people are more prone to weight gain.
What we found
What we can learn from this
A few clock gene differences were linked to children’s eating. Children with one gene variant took in less of their energy from protein, and children with another variant took in more total energy (about 118 more calories a day on average). This suggests that our body clock genes may play a small role in shaping eating patterns from a very early age.
Genes that control our daily rhythms may influence how children eat, not just when they sleep. In the future, understanding these links could help create more personalized advice to support healthy eating and growth.
Limitations: This was a snapshot taken at one point in time, so it cannot show whether these genes cause changes in eating over the years. Longer studies are needed to confirm the findings.
Read the full article published in the PMDPI Journal :
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