EATING something fattening and delicious creates long- term memories of the experience that may contribute to bad eating habits, say scientists.

The memories are triggered by a compound derived from oleic acids in fatty food and made in the small intestine.

Oleoylethanolamide (OEA) is known to send hunger-curbing chemical messages to the brain that increase feelings of fullness.

High levels of OEA can cut appetite, help promote weight loss, and lower levels of cholesterol and triglyceride blood fats.

But the same compound also sets off memory consolid-ation, a process by which superficial short-term mem-ories are turned into meaning-ful long-term ones, scientists have now discovered.

As a result, the experience of eating a satisfying rich meal sticks in the memory.

Once, when such foods were scarce, this may have been a helpful trait, motivating early humans to seek out fatty meals that enhanced their survival.

But, in today’s world, with its abundance of high-calorie foods, it could encourage over-eating and obesity, say the scientists.

Researcher Dr Daniele Piomelli, from the University of California, said: “OEA is part of the molecular glue that makes memories stick.

“By helping mammals remember where and when they have eaten a fatty meal, OEA’s memory-enhancing activity seems to have been an important evolutionary tool.

“It makes sense that mammals have this capability.”