Tastes Can Be Influenced by Experiences in the Womb, Essay Example

Over the years, there has been a lot of research that has been used in developing the evidence in which suggests that senses are shaped during their embryonic phase. According to longitudinal and exploratory research, it starts during the first few weeks of gestation and then starts to mature at varying rates. Despite the fact that there are some hereditary variables that cause contrasts in taste discernment, similitudes in taste preferences significantly all the more normally reflect comparable encounters with sorts of flavors and nourishments. This is due to the eating habits of pregnant women, to what the mother eats or drinks during pregnancy or post-delivery when breastfeeding, and how the genetic makeup is formed to predisposed children into having choosing certain foods over others. The following paper will discuss several studies in which support the evidence in which describe the cause of taste differences, and the shaping of taste preferences. This information will coincide with the effect in which postnatal preferences are modeled by prenatal exposure to certain flavors.

It has been revealed through studies that all the human senses are developed through the womb. The experiences in the womb have been found to influence the taste of individuals through the consideration of taste pathways. This is considered from the study by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, in which they found that eating junk food when pregnant can be an indicator that your child will more likely be an addict to junk food. (Federation of American Societies, 2013) While it might be presumptuous to come to this conclusion, based on the studying of groups of rats, it found that the group that was fed junk food during pregnancy and lactation, their pups were more susceptible to wanting sugar and fat intake. This study has been an indication in which junk food addiction is a truly an addiction. It impacts junk food addicts in similar ways in which addicts will feign for heroin, morphine, and opium. It is with this conclusion that supports that pregnant women who take in absorbent amounts of junk food will likely have children that will be addicted to junk food. This is an indication in which to believe that tastes are usually formed in the womb.

Looking at other studies that expounds more on the likelihood of food addiction, is that a maternal junk food diet may alter the development of opioid pathway in the offspring. Expounding more on the study of by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, the research by the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, studied all the factors of drinking and eating behavior. Their research showed that the consumption of a diet based on junk food during pregnancy would impact the opioid signaling pathway in the brain of the fetus, and alter permanently the way in which the system will operate after the birth. (Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, 2013) This is significant because opioid signaling pathway are responsible for the release of dopamine, in which makes an individual “feel” good. However, when there is an excessive amount of junk food being eaten, the brain is less sensitive to opioids in which the woman would have to consume more junk foods in order to obtain the same feel good emotion. It is with this evidence that suggests;the overconsumption of junk food will mold the preferences of their children, and run the risk of negative metabolic results.

Just like the consumption of junk food, diets that are high in fat also contribute negatively to increased weight of the offspring. It has been researched by the Endocrine Society that the exposure to a diet in the womb and after birth that is high in fat could change permanently the brain cells that control the intake of food. (Endocrine Society, 2013) This creates habits in which people will overeat and have an over consumption for sugary and fatty foods. This is also another supporting determinant in which links the ability for human taste preferences to be formed during the prenatal stage. The study by the Endocrine Society also found that women that were obese during or before pregnancy is strongly linked to the body mass index (BMI) of their offspring. (Endocrine Society, 2013) The research found that diet that is high in fat would subsequently alter the fetal development of neurons, which would lead to an increased weight in offspring. These elements impact in which the way the brain develops, and carries to the fetus during developed.

The development of taste preferences after birth have also been linked to a mother’s breast milk. The breast milk in mothers is cultivated by what the mother ingests. Depending on what the mother ingests such as fruit or vegetables, the offspring will most steer to when they are presented with similar foods. This is why it shown that children will be attached deeply to foods that are within their culture. In looking at the information from Monell Chemical Senses Center experiments, it draws many of the conclusions that the behaviors as well as the taste preferences of infants are determined by the factors in which their mothers chose to ingest during pregnancy.(Holden, 2000) When they ingested certain foods or drinks during pregnancy, their offspring influenced in the womb, also chose these foods over others.

The research explored in the essay demonstrate the evidence in which supports that taste preferences are formed during prenatal development, as well as influenced during post natal. Taste preferences, as well as all human senses are formed in the womb, and are impacted by the behaviors of the mother, as it will be a factor throughout their lives. The information gathered from these sources suggest that mothers can influence a more healthy taste, by learning which foods that will help in the development of healthy food patterns, and healthy choices.

References

Endocrine Society. (2013). High-fat diet during pregnancy contributes to offspring’s increased weight.ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130617142033.htm

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. (2013). Eating junk food while pregnant may make your child a junk food addict.Science Daily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130228103443.htm

Holden, Constance. (2000). Cultivating Tastes in the Womb. Science Mag.Retrieved from http://news.sciencemag.org/2000/07/cultivating-tastes-womb

Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. (2013). A maternal junk food diet alters development of opioid pathway in the offspring. Science Daily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130730091407.htm