FGF21 Is a Sugar-Induced Hormone Associated with Sweet Intake and Preference in Humans.

The liking and selective ingestion of palatable foods-including sweets-is biologically controlled, and dysfunction of this regulation may promote unhealthy eating, obesity, and disease. The hepatokine fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) reduces sweet consumption in rodents and primates, whereas knockout of Fgf21 increases sugar consumption in mice. To investigate the relevance of these findings in humans, we genotyped variants in the FGF21 locus in participants from the Danish Inter99 cohort (n = 6,514) and examined their relationship with a detailed range of food and ingestive behaviors. This revealed statistically significant associations between FGF21 rs838133 and increased consumption of candy, as well as nominal associations with increased alcohol intake and daily smoking. Moreover, in a separate clinical study, plasma FGF21 levels increased acutely after oral sucrose ingestion and were elevated in fasted sweet-disliking individuals. These data suggest the liver may secrete hormones that influence eating behavior.

IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in healthy 9 month old infants from the SKOT cohort: breastfeeding, diet, and later obesity.

BACKGROUND: High IGF-I concentrations in infancy have been associated with later obesity but the interactions between diet, IGF-I concentrations and growth in early life are complex and involve programming of the IGF-I axis. OBJECTIVE: This paper examines how IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations measured at age 9 months are related to diet and growth in infancy. DESIGN: In the Danish SKOT cohort healthy term infants were included at age 9 months with follow-up at age 18 months. Total 252 infants had a full data set and were included in the analysis. Measurements include weight, length, skinfold thickness, waist circumference, 7-d food records, and blood analysis of IGF-I, and IGFBP-3. RESULTS: Infants not being breastfed at 9 months of age (46%) had higher median IGF-I concentration than breastfed infants (51.6 vs. 44.2 ng/mL, P=0.0005) and there was a negative dose response effect of daily numbers of breastfeedings on IGF-I concentration. IGF-I concentration was negatively associated with birth weight and positively related to increase in weight, length and BMI between birth and 9 months. Between 9 months and 18 months of age increase in length was positively and increase in BMI was negatively related to IGF-I concentration. CONCLUSION: Breastfeeding has a strong negative effect on IGF-I concentrations in late infancy. Although IGF-I concentrations at 9 months of age were negatively associated with change in BMI during the following 9 months we speculate that this could reflect an early adiposity rebound and thereby an increased risk of obesity later in life.