Taste Preferences and Taste Sensitivity: Associations with Food Preferences, Dietary Intake and Body Composition

Abstract

Taste sensitivity, or the ability to detect the degree of bitterness, sweetness or saltiness, has been associated in previous studies with preferences for a limited number of single- item foods. However, it is unknown whether sensitivity or preference for these flavors predict preferences for typical mixed foods, dietary intake or percent body fat (%BF). Healthy, non-smoking adults (8 M/10 F; 18–49 y; BMI 26.4±4.4 kg/m2) tasted 112 foods [32 fruits/vegetables, (F/V); 65 mixed dishes/snacks, (M/S); and 15 desserts, (D)] and 4 concentrations each of bitter (6-n-thiopropylthiouracil, PROP), sweet (sucrose) and salty (sodium chloride) solutions, on 4 occasions over ~3 wk period. Subjects rated their taste sensitivity and taste preference of each solution on a standard 9-point hedonic scale. Dietary intake (mean of 3 multiple-pass 24-hour recalls) and %BF (BOD POD) were also assessed. A higher preference for bitter taste was associated with a higher taste rating for D and M/S (r =0.51–0.53) (p≤0.05). In addition, a higher minimum preference for any of the sweet solution was associated with a high percent energy from total sugar in the diet (r=0.49; p≤0.05). A higher %BF was positively associated with a lower preference for bitter solutions and higher sensitivity to sweet solutions (r= −0.50 and 0.49; p≤0.05). No association of preference or sensitivity for salty solutions was seen with any outcome variable. Preference and sensitivity for sweet and bitter solutions may predict some components of dietary intake and %BF. [Supported by 5T32 AT00815-03 and DK062400]