Food Preference Patterns Research Articles

Traditional Wild Food Plants Gathered by Ethnic Groups Living in Semi-Arid Region of Punjab, Pakistan

Wild edible food plants (WFPs) are valuable resources in the traditional food systems of many local cultures worldwide, particularly in underdeveloped regions. Understanding patterns of food preferences requires conducting cross-cultural food studies among various ethnic groups in a specific area. In this context, the current study aimed to record WFP use among five ethnic groups in Punjab, Pakistan, by interviewing 175 informants selected through snowball sampling. The indicator food species for different ethnic groups were calculated using indicator analysis based on the percentage of citations. A total of 71 wild food plants (WFPs) belonging to 57 genera and 27 families were observed in the study area. A high proportion of these wild food plants (WFPs) belonged to Fabaceae with eleven species (15%), followed by Moraceae with seven species (9%). Fruits were most widely used (43%), followed by leaves (19%), and shoots (16%). The majority (35 species, 49%) of plants of WFPs were eaten as cooked vegetables. A cross-cultural comparison revealed that four species overlapped among five ethnic groups (Arain, Jutt, Rajpot, Mewati, and Dogar). The Arain ethnic group gathered and consumed a remarkable number of wild plants (35 species), possibly due to a special connection with the general abundance of the local flora, and being close to nature by adopting professions more allied to WFPs in the study area. The analysis of indicator species revealed distinct significant indicator values (p ≤ 0.05) between the main food species among the various ethnic groups. Amaranthus viridis was a common indicator of food in all five ethnic groups, while Ziziphus nammularia was a common indicator food plant of the Mewati, Rajpot, and Jutt ethnic groups; these plants are important in local diets, especially during times of food scarcity brought on by disease or drought. In addition, the current study reports 20 WFPs that have been rarely documented as human food in Pakistan's ethnobotanical literature. Future development plans should consider biocultural heritage and pay appropriate attention to local ecological knowledge, dynamics, and historical exchanges of traditional food systems.

The perfect is simply not good enough – Fifty years of innovating in the world of traditional foods

The paper presents a personal history of the author's efforts and experiences to innovate traditional foods in the intertwined worlds of science and business. The history divides into five sections. One: The prelude to today's world, including the evolving importance of product quality and product acceptability in an increasingly peaceful, prosperous first world. Two: The emergence of technique for product evaluation as a tool from the world of applied science, and the growing ‘processization’ of the tool, with scientific efforts lagging, and the processes leading. Three: The emergence of psychophysical thinking, and experimental design, leading to the emergence of systematic product optimization to improve product quality and consumer acceptance. Four: The taming of variability across people to reveal underlying basic differences in patterns of food preferences. Five: The wholesale transference of the systematized approach from ingredients of products to ideas about products, creating new opportunities for science and business.

Genetic preferences for food

Genetic preferences for food

Do children favor snacks and dislike vegetables? Exploring children’s food preferences using drawing as a projective technique. A cross-cultural study

ObjectiveTo avoid the rising spread of childhood obesity and preserve resources within planetary boundaries, healthy and sustainable eating habits and the consumption of adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged. Children's food preference was found to be an important determinant for food choice and consumption. The aim of this study was to explore children's food preferences using drawing as a projective technique in terms of healthy and sustainable eating and compare food preference patterns in Denmark and Lithuania. MethodIn total 484 children, aged between 8 and 13 years old, participated in the study (147 in Denmark and 337 in Lithuania). Participants were asked to fill the food preference questionnaire and answer questions about their daily intake of fruits, vegetables, and snacks and draw their favorite meal afterward. Sociodemographic questions about children's age, gender, parents' employment, and family composition were also included in the questionnaire. ResultsFruits, vegetables, highly-processed and animal-based foods were not included in a large part of children's most preferred meal composition. Favorite meals' composition varied among children in both countries and included different products from separate food groups. Vegetables were more likely to be present in the children's favorite meals together with meat products. Girls in both countries had more expressed vegetable preferences than boys. Boys in Lithuania had a relatively more expressed preference for highly-processed foods, while Danish girls had a more expressed preference for animal-based products. ConclusionsChildren's preferences for foods such as meat and animal-based products expressed in children's drawings, might be considered as relatively positive in terms of sustainable eating. However, children's preferences and intake of fruits and vegetables should still be encouraged among young consumers. Cultural and gender differences in children's food preferences should be considered while creating interventions and marketing strategies for promoting healthy and sustainable eating among young consumers.

Food Preferences and Their Perceived Changes Before and After Bariatric Surgery: a Cross-sectional Study.

Changes in food preferences, taste, and smell following bariatric surgery have been previously described but with inconsistent results. We aimed to describe current food preferences and their perceived changes before and after the surgery. We further compared food preferences between patients with and without taste or smell alterations, before and above 2 years follow-up, and concerning the success or failure of their surgery. This cross-sectional study was conducted with a self-administered online questionnaire. Two years was the cut-off between short- and long-term follow-up. Success was defined as an excess weight loss (EWL) greater or equal to 50%. In total, 220 postoperative patients answered the questionnaire. Patients with taste alterations (64%) had significantly lower preferences for red meat, milk, cheese, desserts, fried foods, and water (all p < 0.05) relative to the non-taste alteration group, while those with smell alterations (38%) had significantly lower preference for cheese only (p < 0.05) relative to the non-smell alteration group. Patients with a ≥ 2-year follow-up had a higher liking for desserts, fried foods, fat, bread, hot drinks, and alcohol compared to patients with a < 2-year follow-up (all p < 0.05). Patients having success in surgery had higher liking scores for green vegetables and lower liking scores for starchy foods, milk, and sweet dairy products (all p < 0.05). Our study suggests that patients who underwent bariatric surgery have different food preference patterns according to their sensory perceptions, the duration of their follow-up, and the success of bariatric surgery.

Comparing the impact of two types of bariatric surgery on food preferences: The BARIATASTE pilot study

AbstractIntroduction:Up to day, the most effective treatment for obesity is bariatric surgery. Nevertheless, weight regain may occur in almost 20% of the patients. Furthermore, nutritional complications such as protein malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies remain common. Clinical experience and scientific literature suggest changes in food preferences after bariatric surgery, which may contribute to weight loss and/or weight regain independently of the surgically-induced reduction of energy intake. Yet, there is inconsistency among the studies as they do not always use objective measures to assess food preferences and only few considered and compared the different types of surgical technics. Our objective was to study the impact of the type of bariatric surgery on the liking and wanting of consuming certain foods varying in composition and appearance.Materials and methods:We conducted a cross-sectional clinical trial among 90 patients followed at the Integrated Center for Obesity/Hospital of Lyon. The patients were divided into three groups according to whether they had an unoperated severe obesity (OB), a sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) or a gastric bypass (RYGB). We assessed food preferences using the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire (LFPQ), a behavioral computer task. Binge eating, impulsivity and food addiction were assessed with self-report questionnaires. Statistical analysis of food preferences included ANOVAs, post-hoc comparisons of groups two-by-two and linear regressions to adjust results for potential confounders. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were performed to determine food preference patterns and groups of individuals with similar food preferences.Results:Our results showed a significant difference in liking scores, with the OB group having higher scores for high-fat savory (HFSA), high-fat sweet (HFSW) and low-fat sweet foods (LFSW) (p &lt; 0.0001) relative to LSG and RYGB groups. Additionally, LSG had greater score of liking for HFSA than RYGB (p = 0.001). There was a high correlation between the binge eating score and the liking scores for HFSA, HFSW and LFSW (p &lt; 0.001).Discussion:Our study expands the knowledge regarding changes in food preferences after bariatric surgery and may help to better understand potential underlying mechanisms by comparing two different surgical technics. This pilot study will be followed by a prospective study of food preferences after bariatric surgery using the LFPQ, a buffet type food in an experimental restaurant and sensory measurements. Eventually, our project may contribute to modulate post-operative nutritional interventions in order to facilitate the adoption of a healthy diet.

The Food Environment, Preference, and Experience Modulate the Effects of Exendin-4 on Food Intake and Reward.

The obesogenic food environment facilitates access to multiple palatable foods. Exendin-4 (EX4) is a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) agonist that inhibits food intake and has been proposed as an obesity therapy. This study tested whether the composition of the food environment and experience with palatable foods modulate the effects of EX4 on food intake and reward. Mice fed a cafeteria (CAF) or control diet were tested for the anorectic effects of EX4 when simultaneously offered foods of varying individual preference and in a conditioned place preference (CPP) test for chocolate. Plasma glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) and hypothalamic GLP1R mRNA were analyzed post mortem. Mice fed a CAF diet developed individual food preference patterns. Offering mice either novel or highly preferred foods decreased the potency of EX4 to inhibit food intake compared to low preference foods or chow. Compared to the control diet, CAF diet intake blocked the decrease in chocolate CPP caused by EX4 and decreased the expression of hypothalamic GLP1R mRNA without altering the plasma GLP1 concentration. The composition of the food environment, food preference, and experience modulate the ability of EX4 to inhibit food intake and reward. These data highlight the significance of modeling the complexity of the human food environment in preclinical obesity studies.

A Retrospective Study on Changes in Food Preferences of Japanese High School Students from Childhood to the Present Day

Background: To conduct a retrospective study for investigating changes in food preferences of high school students from childhood to the present day.Methods: The study included 1,300 students aged 16–18 years who responded to a questionnaire regarding food items that they disliked at present and in their childhood; they selected a list of 55 foods and responded to 35 questions regarding their food habits. The distribution was categorized into four patterns of food preferences based on whether a particular student had disliked a particular food item during childhood (+) and during high school at present (+). Food preference at present was examined for all other items using logistic regression analysis after adjusting for gender and age. Results: In total, 66.9% of the subjects reported (+) to (+), 12.5% reported (+) to (−), 6.5% reported (−) to (+), and 14.1% reported (−) to (−). Even in the (+) to (+) group, a significant decrease was observed in the number of disliked foods from childhood (5.5 ± 5.4) to the present day (4.2 ± 4.1) (P &lt; 0.001, ANOVA). No dislike for any food item at present was related to no dislike for any food item during childhood [odds ratio (OR), 12.57; 95% confidence interval (CI), 8.3–19.1]] and talking positively about food (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.11–1.49) but inversely related to the limited use of smartphone while eating (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.75–0.98). Conclusion: Decreasing the dislike for foods at present as well as no dislike for any food item during childhood may be crucial for developing future good food habits in high school students. In addition, to improve current food preferences, students may need to eat together.

Food Preference Patterns in a UK Twin Cohort.

Food liking-disliking patterns may strongly influence food choices and health. Here we assess: (1) whether food preference patterns are genetic/environmentally driven; and (2) the relationship between metabolomics profiles and food preference patterns in a large population of twins. 2,107 individuals from TwinsUK completed an online food and lifestyle preference questionnaire. Principle components analysis was undertaken to identify patterns of food liking-disliking. Heritability estimates for each liking pattern were obtained by structural equation modeling. The correlation between blood metabolomics profiles (280 metabolites) and each food liking pattern was assessed in a subset of 1,491 individuals and replicated in an independent subset of monozygotic twin pairs discordant for the liking pattern (65 to 88 pairs). Results from both analyses were meta-analyzed. Four major food-liking patterns were identified (Fruit and Vegetable, Distinctive Tastes, Sweet and High Carbohydrate, and Meat) accounting for 26% of the total variance. All patterns were moderately heritable (Fruit and Vegetable, h(2)[95% CI]: 0.36 [0.28; 0.44]; Distinctive Tastes: 0.58 [0.52; 0.64]; Sweet and High Carbohydrate: 0.52 [0.45, 0.59] and Meat: 0.44 [0.35; 0.51]), indicating genetic factors influence food liking-disliking. Overall, we identified 14 significant metabolite associations (Bonferroni p < 4.5 × 10(-5)) with Distinctive Tastes (8 metabolites), Sweet and High Carbohydrate (3 metabolites), and Meat (3 metabolites). Food preferences follow patterns based on similar taste and nutrient characteristics and these groupings are strongly determined by genetics. Food preferences that are strongly genetically determined (h(2) ≥ 0.40), such as for meat and distinctive-tasting foods, may influence intakes more substantially, as demonstrated by the metabolomic associations identified here.

Examining Junior High and High School Students' Willingness to Consume Foods and Beverages Recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Understanding adolescents' willingness to consume foods and beverages is important because preferences impact consumption. This study examined junior high and high school students' willingness to consume 9 foods and beverages recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines For Americans and 9 high fat and sugar alternatives to these items. 288 students completed the survey (67.4% junior high, 51.7% female, 76% white). Willingness data were gathered using a 4‐point Likert‐type scale ranging from “always unwilling” to “always willing,” with an option to select “never eaten.” Exploratory Factor Analysis using Principal Axis factoring with a Promax (oblique) rotation returned 3 factors. Factor 1 included ice cream, French fries, pizza, chips, fried chicken, donuts, and cookies (22.6% of the variance). Factor 2 included whole‐wheat pasta and whole‐wheat toast (13.5% of the variance). Factor 3 included 100% fruit juice, raw vegetables, and fresh fruit (6.6% of the variance). Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha (Factor 1 = .802, Factor 2 = .724, Factor 3 = .558). Group mean scores for Factors 2 and 3 were significantly higher for high school students compared to junior high students (t = .47, p &lt; .05 and t = .31, p &lt; .001, respectively). This preliminary study provides valuable insight into food preference patterns, and therefore eating behaviors, of adolescents.Funded in part by Hatch Act Funds # LAB 93846

Examining middle school children's willingness to consume energy‐dense foods and sweetened beverages (808.16)

It is important to understand children’s willingness to consume foods and beverages because preferences impact behavior change. This study examined children’s willingness to eat energy‐dense foods, energy‐dilute foods, sweetened beverages and unsweetened beverages. 312 children attending 4‐H summer camp were recruited to participate. 307 provided their gender and grade and 305 provided their race/ethnicity. Children were in the following grades: 4th, n = 71 (23.1%), 5th, n = 130 (42.3%), and 6th, n = 106, and 184 were female (59.9%). 251 children (82.3%) were white, 41 were black (13.4%), 13 were from other racial groups. Surveys were distributed by one trained investigator using a standard protocol. Student willingness data gathered from a 7‐point Likert‐type scale were collapsed into three categories: 1 = unwilling, 2 = neither unwilling nor willing and 3 = willing. Race/ethnicity was categorized as white or non‐white. Mean scores were compared using the Welch’s F test. Males were more willing than females (F = 4.846; p = 0.03) and white children were more willing than non‐white (F = 4.489; p = 0.04) to consume energy‐dense foods. Differences in willingness to consume items in other food/beverage groups were not observed. This study provides valuable insight into food preference patterns, and therefore eating behaviors, of children for the purpose of future nutrition interventions.

Learning to eat: birth to age 2 y

During the first 2 y of life, development is rapid and includes dramatic changes in eating behavior. Individual patterns of food preferences and eating behaviors emerge and differ depending on the foods offered and on the contexts of feeding during this early period of dietary transition. In this review, we discuss evidence on ways in which early learning influences food preferences and eating behavior, which, in turn, shape differences in dietary patterns, growth, and health. Although the evidence reviewed indicates that this early period of transition provides opportunities to influence children's developing intake patterns, there is no consistent, evidence-based guidance for caregivers who are feeding infants and toddlers; the current Dietary Guidelines are intended to apply to Americans over the age of 2 y. At present, the evidence base with regard to how and what children learn about food and eating behavior during these first years is limited. Before developing guidance for parents and caregivers, more scholarship and research is necessary to understand how infants and toddlers develop the food preferences and self-regulatory processes necessary to promote healthy growth, particularly in today's environment. By the time they reach 2 y of age, children have essentially completed the transition to "table foods" and are consuming diets similar to those of other family members. This article discusses parenting and feeding approaches that may facilitate or impede the development of self-regulation of intake and the acceptance of a variety of foods and flavors necessary for a healthy diet. We review the limited evidence on how traditional feeding practices, familiarization, associative learning, and observational learning affect the development of eating behavior in the context of the current food environment. Areas for future research that could inform the development of anticipatory guidance for parents and caregivers responsible for the care and feeding of young children are identified.

Feeding ecology of stream-dwelling Characidae (Osteichthyes: Characiformes) from the upper Tocantins River, Brazil

In this contribution we studied the trophic ecology of four Characidae species from the Cavalo Stream, upper Tocantins River, considering diet overlap and trophic niche breadth. The diet of the four species was composed of adult and immature insects, both autochthonous and allochthonous in origin. Autochthonous items dominated the diet of Moenkhausia dichroura (Kner, 1858), Bryconamericus sp., and Creagrutus atrisignum Myers, 1917. By contrast, allochthonous items were dominant in the diet of Astyanax bimaculatus (Linnaeus, 1758). Trophic niche breadth varied among species, with the highest value recorded for M. dichroura (0.48), followed by Bryconamericus sp. (0.39), A. bimaculatus (0.33) and C. atrisignum (0.29). Similarity analysis revealed two groups with different patterns of food preference. The first group was composed of insectivorous and the second by omnivorous species. The overlap in food items consumed by the four species studied was high. We suggest that resources are not limited in this stream and that competition might not be regulating these populations. This is one more case corroborating the general pattern registered for Tropical environments, where resource partitioning and specialization are responsible by the organization of fish communities.

BIOINVASÃO MARINHA: OS BIVALVES EXÓTICOS DE SUBSTRATO CONSOLIDADO E SUAS INTERAÇÕES COM A COMUNIDADE RECEPTORA

Research on invasive species has increased over the past few years, since onus generated by these species can result in economic, ecological and social damage. Rocky shore marine bivalves, introduced in many parts of the world, can influence ecological relationships among native species and modify the structure and development of receiving communities. Therefore, the goal of this study is to summarize the available information in the literature related to rocky shore marine bivalve introductions and their influence on the ecological relations among the receiving community organisms. Among these, the competition by substratum will be analyzed since it is a limiting resource on rocky shores that could create a spatial segregation between native and exotic species. However, some invasive species can function as ecosystem engineers providing secondary space and microhabitats, besides increasing local diversity. In addition, once established in their new environment, exotic bivalves can be incorporated to the local food chain as prey, causing modifications in the diet and patterns of food preference of native predators. The majority of the research studies have examined the records of introduction, distribution, structure and population dynamic of the invasive bivalve species. The interactions established among rocky shore invasive bivalves and the receiving community is poorly studied; however, in the past five years there has been an increasing interest in this subject. Mytilus galloprovincialis is the best studied invasive bivalve. In Brazilian rocky shores five exotic bivalve species have been identified ( Perna perna , Isognomon bicolor, Mytilopsis leucophaeta, Crassostrea gigas e Myoforceps aristatus ). Despite the existence of studies (theses, dissertations and monographs) related to these species ecology in Brazil, few are available as scientific papers. During this review it was observed that the effects of invasive bivalves seem to vary according to the invaded site. Therefore, these studies deserve special attention from the Brazilian scientific community. The research on these invasive species are extremely important to evaluate the possible impacts caused by them and to identify the most sensible and potentially threatened natural resources, in order to develop control plans and, when possible, eradicate the exotic species.

Couples' Gender Role Preferences and Management of Family Food Preferences

Objective To learn how couples stratified by gender role preference (GRP) manage food preferences. Design One-time individual semistructured qualitative interview with each partner in a couple representing 1 of 3 GRP pairings. Settings/Participants Volunteers were recruited using advertising and snowball sampling and met the criteria of both parents living at home, wife no older than 40 years, and at least one child under age 6 years and, if present, all others under age 18 years. Both partners in volunteer couples completed a 31-item GRP scale, and the scores of each partner were categorized as traditional (lowest 25% of possible scores), transitional (middle 50%), or egalitarian (top 25%). No traditional couples volunteered. A purposeful sample of 10 transitional and 10 egalitarian wives representing 20 couples was interviewed. Variables Measured Each partner was asked how food preference patterns were established and how family member food preferences affect foods served at evening meals now. Analysis Thematic content analysis, constant comparison, and consensus produced the final thematic analysis. Results Transitional wives married to transitional husbands established a pattern of deference to the husband's preferences that could make alteration of food choices difficult. Egalitarian wives married to egalitarian husbands established a fairer pattern of balancing partner's food preferences. Conclusions and Implications Nutrition education for transitional and egalitarian couples should use different approaches.

Factor-analytic structure of food preferences in four-year-old children in the UK

Studying the correlative structure of young children's food preferences may help us to understand the influences on the development of eating habits. We investigated patterns of food preferences in 214 same-sex twin pairs aged 4 to 5 years. Mothers completed a questionnaire of their children's likes and dislikes for 94 common foods. The proportion of children having tried each food, and their liking for it, were examined. These two measures were strongly positively correlated (r=0·61). Principal components analysis was used to examine the inter-relationships among preferences for 76 foods that had been tried by at least 75% of the children. Four factors emerged, interpreted from food factor loadings as “Vegetables”, “Desserts”, “Meat and Fish”, and “Fruit”, explaining 24% of the variance. Thus, children tended consistently to like or dislike foods within each of these factor categories, independently of patterns of liking in the other factors. Factor loadings were unrelated to average liking for or likelihood of exposure to these foods. The distribution of factor loadings refutes the common assumption that simple sensory properties such as sweetness, saltiness or fattiness predict food preferences. Instead, a preference structure may develop for more complex multimodal sensory syntheses, which could have both biological and learnt bases. Future work comparing the food preference structure of mono- and dizygotic twins should help determine the relative contribution of genetic and environmental influences.

Patterns of Food Preferences in Mourning Doves

Patterns of food preference in mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) are not well-established, and the role of seed nutrient content in diet selection by mourning doves is poorly understood. We documented preferences of captive and wild (free-flying) mourning doves for cultivated and wild foods. Additionally, we evaluated relationships between food preferences and specific nutrients and minerals. Captive mourning doves foraged selectively; white proso millet, dove proso millet, and browntop millet were the first, second, and third most-preferred foods, respectively. Wild mourning doves also foraged selectively, although preferences were not as clear as in the captive setting. Food preferences did not vary seasonally. All nutrients varied among foods each year. Food selection was positively related to nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and negatively related to cellulose-lignin (C-L) levels in foods, although contents of these components did not completely explain mourning dove food selection. Seed physical characteristics, secondary compound levels, and/or metabolic efficiencies may have influenced food selection in our study. Managers should evaluate attractiveness of new foods to mourning doves based on relative NFE and C-L levels until the relationships of food attractiveness to seed physical characteristics, secondary defensive compounds, and metabolic efficiency are determined.

I-23. Gateways to reward: Chewing and swallowing

The paper presents a personal history of the author's efforts and experiences to innovate traditional foods in the intertwined worlds of science and business. The history divides into five sections. One: The prelude to today's world, including the evolving importance of product quality and product acceptability in an increasingly peaceful, prosperous first world. Two: The emergence of technique for product evaluation as a tool from the world of applied science, and the growing ‘processization’ of the tool, with scientific efforts lagging, and the processes leading. Three: The emergence of psychophysical thinking, and experimental design, leading to the emergence of systematic product optimization to improve product quality and consumer acceptance. Four: The taming of variability across people to reveal underlying basic differences in patterns of food preferences. Five: The wholesale transference of the systematized approach from ingredients of products to ideas about products, creating new opportunities for science and business.

The Contribution of Chemosensory Factors to Individual Differences in Reported Food Preferences

A new psychometric instrument, the Food Attitude Survey (FAS), was developed to identify individual differences in general response patterns or attitudes toward foods. The FAS consists of food preference ratings (like, neutral, dislike, never tried but would try, never tried and won't try) for 455 foods and beverages, including some unusual and fictitious foods. In addition, it includes a 20-item questionnaire concerning attitudes toward food and eating. Using the FAS, people who reported liking an unusually high number of foods (likers) were compared to those who disliked many foods (dislikers) and those who were unwilling to try many foods (won't tryers). The characteristics of the three groups were evaluated using several sensory tests to assess the contribution of perceptual factors to individual differences in food attitudes and preferences. Intensity and hedonic ratings of olfactory stimuli were generally lower for the won't tryers than for the likers, with dislikers in between. In addition, the ideal taste intensities of likers were higher than those of dislikers or won't tryers. On the basis of these initial studies, it is concluded that the FAS provides a reliable index of individual differences in food preference patterns, making the FAS a useful tool for investigating "personality of eating". The present studies also provide evidence that differences in chemosensory responses may be associated with biases toward food acceptance or rejection.

Chemosensory Function, Food Preferences and Appetite in Human Liver Disease

We evaluated chemosensory function, food preferences, and appetite in 88 patients with liver disease including those with hepatitis, cirrhosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and sclerosing cholangitis. Reported chemosensory disturbances were common in the patients with liver disease: over 40% reported recent taste changes, and 27% reported recent changes in smell, compared to only 6% of healthy, age- and gender-matched controls with no history of marked chemosensory malfunction. Compared to controls, a greater proportion of liver patients reported food cravings (47 vs. 17%) and food aversions (33 vs. 16%). Foods with a predominantly bitter taste were specifically less preferred in patients with liver disease compared to healthy controls. Patients were also more likely to report poor to fair appetite than controls (37 vs. 5%). Groups of patients with different types of liver pathology showed varying patterns of food preferences, suggesting that dietary recommendations to liver patients might be tailored to the altered preferences associated with a particular type of hepatic dysfunction.