Stop and smell the fat! Exploring the role of olfaction in dietary fat perception.

Summary

The human desire for fatty foods plays a big role in the growing problem of obesity. Although fatty foods are well-known for being high in energy and full of flavour, we know little about how our sense of smell contributes to the perception of fat. Therefore, this PhD research investigated how our noses might be leading us to consume more fat than necessary. It explored how we perceive smells associated with fat, whether these smells can inform us about the fat content in our food, how they might influence our appetite and eating behaviour, and what happens in our brain when we smell fat. Understanding the role of smell in fat perception could open new paths to tackle overeating and obesity.