Bites back later in life
University College Cork
Children who regularly eat high-fat, high-sugar foods may
experience lasting changes in the brain that continue long after their diets
improve, according to a new study from University College Cork (UCC).
Researchers also found that beneficial gut bacteria and prebiotic fibers could
help reduce some of these long-term effects and support healthier eating
behaviors later in life.
Scientists at APC Microbiome, a leading research center
based at UCC, discovered that unhealthy diets during early life can alter how
the brain controls appetite and feeding. These changes persisted even after the
unhealthy diet ended and body weight returned to normal.
Today's children are surrounded by highly processed foods
that are heavily marketed and easy to access. Sugary and fatty foods have
become common at birthday parties, school events, sports activities, and even
as rewards for good behavior. Researchers say this constant exposure may shape
food preferences from an early age and encourage eating habits that continue
into adulthood.
Childhood Diets and Long-Term Brain Changes
The study, published in Nature Communications,
found that early exposure to calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods can leave
lasting effects on feeding behavior. Researchers used a preclinical mouse model
and found that animals exposed to a high-fat, high-sugar diet early in life
showed persistent changes in eating behavior as adults.
The team linked these behavioral effects to disruptions in
the hypothalamus, a brain region responsible for regulating appetite and energy
balance.
The research also explored whether targeting the gut
microbiome could help counter these effects. Scientists tested a beneficial
bacterial strain (Bifidobacterium longum APC1472) along with
prebiotic fibers (fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides
(GOS), naturally present in foods such as onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus and
bananas, and widely available in fortified foods and prebiotic supplements).
According to the findings, both approaches showed potential
benefits when given throughout life.
Gut Bacteria May Help Restore Healthy Eating Patterns
"Our findings show that what we eat early in life
really matters." said Dr. Cristina Cuesta-Martí, first author of the
study. "Early dietary exposure may leave hidden, long-term effects on
feeding behavior that are not immediately visible through weight alone."
Researchers found that unhealthy diets early in life
disrupted brain pathways linked to feeding behavior, with effects continuing
into adulthood. The findings suggest this could raise the risk of obesity later
in life.
Importantly, scientists found that modifying the gut
microbiota helped reduce these long-term effects. The probiotic strain Bifidobacterium
longum APC1472 significantly improved feeding behavior while causing
only minor changes to the overall microbiome, suggesting a highly targeted
effect. Meanwhile, the prebiotic combination (FOS+GOS) produced broader changes
across the gut microbiome.
Microbiome Research Opens New Possibilities
"Crucially, our findings show that targeting the gut
microbiota can mitigate the long-term effects of an unhealthy early-life diet
on later feeding behavior. Supporting the gut microbiota from birth helps
maintain healthier food-related behaviors into later life." said Dr.
Harriet Schellekens, lead investigator of the study.
Professor John F. Cryan, Vice President for Research &
Innovation at UCC and collaborator on the project, said: "Studies like
this exemplify how fundamental research can lead to potential innovative
solutions for major societal challenges. By revealing how early-life diet
shapes brain pathways involved in the regulation of feeding, this work opens
new opportunities for microbiota-based interventions."
The UCC-led study involved collaborators from the University
of Seville (Spain), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), and Teagasc Food
Research Centre (Fermoy, Ireland). Funding came from Research Ireland, a
Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship, and a research award from the
Biostime Institute for Nutrition & Care.
Journal Reference:
- Cristina
Cuesta-Marti, Eduardo Ponce-España, Friederike Uhlig, Iris Stoltenborg,
Luiza A. Wasiewska, Lamiah Kareem, Dara Hedayatpour, Loreto
Olavarría-Ramírez, Cristina Rosell-Cardona, Thomaz. F. S. Bastiaanssen,
Gabriel. S. S. Tofani, Benjamin Valderrama, Klara Vlckova, Suzanne L.
Dickson, Aonghus Lavelle, Catherine Stanton, R. Paul Ross, John F. Cryan,
Timothy G. Dinan, Gerard Clarke, Siobhain M. O’Mahony, Harriët
Schellekens. Bifidobacterium longum and prebiotic interventions
restore early-life high-fat/high-sugar diet-induced alterations in feeding
behavior in adult mice. Nature Communications, 2026; 17
(1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68968-2
