A person’s genetic make-up significantly influences their ability to maintain a strict vegetarian diet, a study has found.
“There might be something hard-wired in many of us that affects our dietary choices,” said Nabeel Yaseen, professor emeritus of pathology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
“While many aspire to be vegetarians, not everyone can stick to it. This could be due to their genes.”
The team delved into the genetic make-up of 5,324 strict vegetarians, comparing their data with 329,455 controls.
Three genes strongly linked to vegetarianism were identified, with another 31 showing potential association.
Several of these genes, particularly NPC1 and RMC1, play roles in lipid metabolism or brain function.
“One highly speculative possibility is that meat may contain unique lipid nutrient(s) that those genetically predisposed to vegetarianism are able to synthesise endogenously while non-vegetarians need to obtain them from their diet,” Dr Yaseen told The National.
The global rise of vegetarianism has often been attributed to religious, moral and health reasons.
Yet vegetarians only make up a small portion of the global population: 3-4 per cent in the US and 2.3 per cent of adults in the UK.
Dr Yaseen believes that beyond taste, how our bodies metabolise food and drink significantly affects our dietary preferences.
Drawing parallels with how some acquire tastes for substances such as alcohol or coffee, he suggests a similar mechanism might be at play for meat.
But what does this mean for those who choose vegetarianism for religious or moral reasons?
“Our data show that genetics also play a part, but the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to the ability to adhere to a strict vegetarian diet are likely to vary from person to person,” he told The National.
“We hope that future research will identify critical genetic determinants that enable adherence to a vegetarian diet and therefore enable us to provide personalised dietary recommendations according to a person's genotype”.
This study, titled Genetics of Vegetarianism: A Genome-Wide Association Study, was conducted in partnership with scientists from Washington University in St Louis and Edinburgh, UK, and published in the journal PLOS One.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
The biog
Born November 11, 1948
Education: BA, English Language and Literature, Cairo University
Family: Four brothers, seven sisters, two daughters, 42 and 39, two sons, 43 and 35, and 15 grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and traveling
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
