Gene making people crave sugary treats may also reduce body fat

Having a healthy diet is as important as physical activity to maintain a fit body and overall well being. It has been widely believed that eating a lot of sugar is not a great thing for people trying to maintain their fitness.

But there seems to be more to this as scientists have revealed a connection between having a sweet tooth and shedding body fat. They found that a gene which makes people crave sweet treats is also responsible for burning fat.

The gene FGF21 was known to make people consume more carbohydrates and was thought to be responsible for people piling on calories. But it was later discovered that it also leads to reduction in protein and fat intake.

Another expert warned that FGF21 can also trigger redistribution of fat to the upper body.