Thirst interoception and its relationship to a Western-style diet

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Nutrition Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Reduced interoceptive sensitivity for hunger and fullness is linked to diets high in saturated fat and added sugar.
• Interoception, the sense of the internal state of the body, plays a crucial role in regulating physiological functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether healthy young adults consuming diets rich in saturated fat and added sugar exhibit diminished thirst interoception.
• To explore the relationship between diet, thirst sensitivity, interoceptive awareness, and cognitive functions like memory.

Main Methods:

• Participants with varying dietary habits were induced with thirst using salted chips.
• Thirst ratings were collected throughout the study, alongside self-report measures of interoceptive awareness, eating habits, memory, and executive function.
• Dietary intake was categorized, distinguishing between high saturated fat/added sugar (HFS) diets and others.

Main Results:

• A diet richer in saturated fat and added sugar (HFS diet) was significantly associated with less sensitive thirst interoception.
• Individuals on HFS diets also showed greater attention to somatic signs and evidence of poorer hippocampal-sensitive learning and memory.
• Poorer sensitivity to interoceptive cues was a reliable correlate of an HFS diet.

Conclusions:

• Reduced sensitivity to interoceptive cues, specifically thirst, is a reliable correlate of consuming a diet high in saturated fat and added sugar.
• The findings suggest a potential link between HFS dietary patterns, altered interoception, and cognitive function, warranting further investigation into causal mechanisms.