Children who regularly eat high-fat, high-sugar foods may experience lasting brain changes long after their diets have been improved, according to new research from University College Cork (UCC). Researchers also found that beneficial gut bacteria and prebiotic fiber may help alleviate some of these long-term effects and support healthier eating behaviors later on.
Scientists at APC Microbiome, a leading research center based at UCC, have discovered that an unhealthy diet during childhood can change the way the brain controls appetite and eating. These changes persisted even after the unhealthy diet ended and weight returned to normal.
Children today are surrounded by highly processed foods, which are abundantly available on the market and easily available. Sweet and fatty foods have become common at birthday parties, school events, sports activities, and even as a reward for good behavior. Researchers say this continued exposure may form food preferences from an early age and promote eating habits that persist into adulthood.
Childhood diet and long-term brain changes
This research nature communicationsfound that early exposure to high-calorie, low-nutrient foods can leave a lasting impact on eating behavior. Using a preclinical mouse model, researchers found that animals fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet early in life showed lasting changes in eating behavior into adulthood.
The researchers linked these behavioral effects to disruptions in the hypothalamus, a brain region responsible for regulating appetite and energy balance.
The study also investigated whether targeting the gut microbiome could help counter these effects. Scientists tested beneficial bacterial strains (Bifidobacterium longum APC1472) and prebiotic fibers (fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS), which occur naturally in foods such as onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, and bananas, and are widely available in fortified foods and prebiotic supplements).
Findings showed that both approaches have potential benefits when given throughout the lifespan.
Gut bacteria may help restore healthy eating patterns
“Our findings show that what you eat early in life really matters,” said lead author of the study, Dr. Cristina Cuesta Marti. “Early exposure to food can leave hidden long-term effects on eating behavior that are not immediately visible through weight alone.”
Researchers have found that unhealthy eating early in life disrupts brain pathways associated with eating behavior, with effects lasting into adulthood. The findings suggest that this may increase the risk of future obesity.
Importantly, scientists have found that modifying the gut microbiome can help reduce these long-term effects. probiotic strains Bifidobacterium longum APC1472 significantly improved feeding behavior while causing only modest changes in the overall microbiome, suggesting a highly targeted effect. On the other hand, the prebiotic combination (FOS+GOS) led to widespread changes in the overall gut microbiota.
Microbiome research opens new possibilities
“Importantly, our findings show that targeting the gut microbiome can reduce the long-term effects of an unhealthy diet in early life on later eating behavior. Supporting the gut microbiome from birth can help maintain healthier food-related behaviors later in life,” said Harriet Scherkens, Ph.D., principal investigator of the study.
Professor John F. Cryan, vice president of research and innovation at UCC and co-investigator on the project, said: “Studies like this exemplify how basic research can lead to potentially innovative solutions to major societal challenges. By revealing how early childhood diet shapes the brain pathways involved in the regulation of feeding, this work opens new opportunities for microbiome-based interventions.”
The UCC-led study included collaborators from the University of Seville (Spain), the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) and the Teagasc Food Research Center (Fermoy, Ireland). Funding was provided by Research Ireland, an Irish Government Postgraduate Scholarship and a research award from the Biostime Institute for Nutrition & Care.
