Big ‘McMice’ show human-like genetic traits

MICE fed a diet of McDonald’s burgers and fries not only put on weight but start to develop human-like genetic traits, scientists have found.

The same effect is not seen when mice are given a typical chimpanzee diet of raw fruit and vegetables.

Most of the changes seen in the mice occurred in the liver, where a number of genes linked to metabolism became more active.

McDonald’s fast food, but not cooked cafeteria food, also affected the brain.

According to the German researchers, the findings support the theory that food choices helped to make us human.

Although humans and chimps evolved from the same ancestor, they have very different diets.

Chimps are almost vegetarian, while humans consume large amounts of animal protein and fat, and also cook their food.

It has been suggested human evolution may have been assisted by diet and food preparation.

Diet is well known to influence genetic adaptations — for instance, by causing changes that have allowed people to tolerate dairy foods and starch.

The study, conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, involved feeding laboratory mice three experimental diets.

One group received the typical raw vegetable and fruit diet given to chimps in zoos, while another had cooked food of the sort eaten in the institute’s cafeteria. The next group was fed fast food from a local branch of McDonald’s.

Within two weeks, both human diets had effects on the liver that were not seen in mice given the chimpanzee diet.

Mice given the McDonald’s diet experienced significant weight gain, said the scientists, whose findings are reported in the online journal PLoS ONE.