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Updated: May 26, 2026
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Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults
Published on: July 16, 2016
Taste perception and food choices
Rossella Negri1, Mariarosaria Di Feola, Simone Di Domenico
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy. rosnegri@unina.it
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|December 27, 2011
Summary
Genetic variations in bitter taste perception influence children's vegetable intake. Supertaster children avoid bitter foods more than adults, impacting their dietary choices and potentially body mass index.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Nutrition Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Taste perception, particularly for bitterness, influences food preferences and dietary habits.
- Genetic variations in the TAS2R38 bitter receptor gene are linked to differential taste sensitivity.
- Understanding these links is crucial for addressing dietary restrictions and feeding disorders in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between genetic variations in the TAS2R38 bitter receptor and food choices in Mediterranean children.
- To establish baseline taste sensitivity in healthy adults and children.
- To explore taste sensitivity in obese children and those with functional gastrointestinal diseases.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 98 children, 87 parents, and 120 adults from southern Italy.
- Assessed bitterness sensitivity using a suprathreshold method with 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (6-PTP).
- Genotyped TAS2R38 polymorphisms (A49P, A262V, V296I) and assessed food intake via a food frequency questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Children exhibited higher supertaster frequencies than adults, with differing genetic profiles (heterozygous in children vs. homozygous in adults).
- Taster children were more likely to avoid bitter vegetables than taster adults.
- Taster status correlated with body mass index in boys; no obese boys were supertasters.
Conclusions:
- Increased sensitivity to 6-PTP predicts reduced vegetable preference in children, highlighting genetic influence on food choices.
- Genetic predisposition plays a significant role in shaping children's dietary habits and vegetable consumption.
- The absence of supertasters among obese boys suggests a potential link between taste genetics and weight status.
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