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CTV.ca | Ear infections linked to increased risk of obesity

Damage caused by chronic ear infections may be linked to an increased taste for fatty foods, which could increase a person's risk for obesity later in life, new research suggests.

A team of American researchers reviewed several studies and found evidence that damage [to] a person's ability to taste, caused by ear infections, was linked to an increased intake of high-fat foods.

The scientists presented their findings Thursday at the American Psychological Association's annual convention in Boston.

In one study of more than 6,500 people between the ages of 16 and 92, researchers in Florida found that those with a history of chronic middle ear infections were 62 per cent more likely to be obese.

"Middle ear infection is a common childhood disease and obesity is a growing problem worldwide," Linda Bartoshuk, of the University of Florida College of Dentistry, said in a statement. "Any potential association between these two public health issues is of considerable interest."

Researchers at Brown University and the University of Connecticut also found links between ear infections and poor food choices.

In one study, middle aged women who had some taste nerve damage ate sweet and high-fat foods more often than healthier foods and were more likely to have larger waistlines. In another study, preschoolers with a history of severe ear infections ate more sweets and fewer vegetables and weighed more than kids who did not get ear infections.

"This suggests that taste damage from ear infections may alter food choice and thus lead to obesity risk," Brown University's John Hayes said in a statement.

The researchers also found a link between having the tonsils removed and an increased risk for weight problems.

They found that more than 13,000 kids between the ages of six and 17 who took part in the United States National Health Examination Survey were more likely to be overweight if they had their tonsils removed.

In fact, younger children between the ages of six and 11 who had their tonsils removed were 40 per cent more likely to be overweight. And teenaged girls who had their tonsils out were 30 per cent more likely to be overweight.

"This data suggests that there are lingering effects of tonsillectomies on taste nerves and that can affect eating habits," epidemiologist Howard Hoffman said in a statement.

The researchers did not speculate how the nerve damage of ear infections could influence food choices.