Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fat taste sensitivity, food intake and diet quality in 41 male adults, aged 19-54 years, without any eating disorders. Food consumption in five consecutive days was recorded to evaluate food intake, and diet quality was assessed by Health Dietary Indicator-2015. Fat taste thresholds were evaluated with 3-Alternative Forced Choice Methodology. The mean fat taste threshold of the hypersensitive and hyposensitive individuals were 1.48 ± 0.30 mM and 7.87 ± 0.61 mM, respectively. Hypersensitive individuals had lower energy, dietary fat, monounsaturated fatty acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and energy rate from dietary fat (p<0.05). Health Dietary Indicator-2015 score was higher in hypersensitives than hyposensitives (p<0.05). Body weight, body mass index and waist circumference were lower in hypersensitive individuals (p<0.05). These findings show that fat taste sensitivity plays an important role in food intake and diet quality in individuals without eating disorders.
Highlights
The perception of taste has an important effect on food choice
The identification of fatty acid receptors located within taste bud cells in the tongue (CD 36, G-protein-coupled receptors) and the stimulation of taste nerves by these cells provide the basis for considering fat as an alimentary taste (Cartoni et al, 2010; Gilbertson, 1998; Poette et al, 2014)
Individuals with eating difficulty or swallowing disorder or an eating disorder diagnosed by the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT 26) or a body mass index below 18.5 kg/m2 and above 30.0 kg/m2 were excluded from the study
Summary
The perception of taste has an important effect on food choice. The main function of the taste system is to prepare food for digestion and determine whether the food is safe for consumption (Liu et al, 2016). There are five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami (monosodium glutamate) (Besnard et al, 2016). There has been evidence to suggest fat as a distinct taste, together with the five basic tastes (Besnard et al, 2016; Keast & Costanzo, 2015). Manipulating dietary fat intake and FFAR4 expression might help to reduce taste-mediated passive overconsumption of high fat foods (Costanzo et al, 2019)
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