Ear infections are a painful rite of passage for many children. New research suggests the damage caused by chronic ear infections could be linked to people's preference for fatty foods, which increases their risk of being overweight as they age. Scientists from around the country presented their findings on this unexpected connection at the American Psychological Association's 116th Annual Convention here Thursday.
"Middle ear infection is a common childhood disease and obesity is a growing problem worldwide," said Linda Bartoshuk, PhD, of the University of Florida College of Dentistry. "Any potential association between these two public health issues is of considerable interest." Bartoshuk presented some preliminary findings that a strong link between localized taste damage from chronic middle ear infections, or otitis media, and an increased preference for high-fat foods.
A series of studies address this issue. In one, 6,584 people who attended a lecture series responded to a series of health questions that determined their history of middle ear infections and their body mass index (BMI). The participants, mostly academics, were between 16 and 92 years old. The findings showed that those with a moderate to severe history of otitis media were 62 percent more likely to be obese. Bartoshuk noted that the overall rate of obesity in this sample was less than the general population.
John Hayes, PhD, of Brown University and his collaborators at the University of Connecticut, found associations between otitis media exposure, taste, food choice and obesity. Among middle-aged women, those with taste functioning consistent with taste nerve damage preferred sweet and high fat foods more and were more likely to have larger waists. In another study, they found preschoolers with a severe history of ear infections ate fewer vegetables and more sweets and tended to be heavier. "This suggests that taste damage from ear infections may alter food choice and thus lead to obesity risk." said Hayes.