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The health impacts and genetic architecture of food liking in cardio-metabolic diseases

Author

Listed:
  • Wenbo Jiang

    (Harbin Medical University
    The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University)

  • Hang Wang

    (Harbin Medical University
    Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital)

  • Yiding Geng

    (Harbin Medical University
    The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University)

  • Meijuan Guo

    (Harbin Medical University
    The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University)

  • Yingdong Zuo

    (Harbin Medical University)

  • Sijia Han

    (Harbin Medical University
    The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University)

  • Zijie Liu

    (Harbin Medical University
    The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University)

  • Shuaijun Chen

    (Harbin Medical University)

  • Shuzhen Fan

    (Harbin Medical University
    The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University)

  • Shangying Li

    (Harbin Medical University
    The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University)

  • Conghui Qiao

    (Harbin Medical University)

  • Qianzhu Li

    (Harbin Medical University)

  • Bai Li

    (University of Ottawa)

  • Yunpeng Zhang

    (Harbin Medical University)

  • Wei Wei

    (Harbin Medical University)

  • Tianshu Han

    (Harbin Medical University
    The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University
    Harbin Medical University)

Abstract

We evaluated temporal and genetic relationships between 176 food-liking-traits and cardio-metabolic diseases using data from the UK Biobank (N = 182,087) for observational analyses and summary-level GWAS data from FinnGen and other consortia (N = 406,565–977,323) for genetic analyses. Integrating observational and genetic results, we identified two detrimental food-liking-traits (bacon and diet-fizzy-drinks) and three protective food-liking-traits (broccoli, pizza, and lentils/beans). These food-liking-traits are associated with habitual food intake and influence cardio-metabolic proteins and biological processes. Notably, we found three genetic links: diet-fizzy-drinks with heart-failure, bacon with type-2-diabetes, and lentils/beans with type-2-diabetes, identifying 54 pleiotropic single-nucleotide-variants, impacting both phenotypes. Our data show the diet-fizzy-drinks and heart-failure link maybe not direct, as diet-fizzy-drinks liking correlates with sweet food consumption and shares variants linked to BMI, adiposity, platelet count and cardio-metabolic traits. The pleiotropic single-nucleotide-variants map to 251 tissue-specific genes, with four showing high druggability potential, highlighting personalized dietary strategies for cardio-metabolic diseases.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenbo Jiang & Hang Wang & Yiding Geng & Meijuan Guo & Yingdong Zuo & Sijia Han & Zijie Liu & Shuaijun Chen & Shuzhen Fan & Shangying Li & Conghui Qiao & Qianzhu Li & Bai Li & Yunpeng Zhang & Wei Wei &, 2025. "The health impacts and genetic architecture of food liking in cardio-metabolic diseases," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-59945-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59945-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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