A new perspective on obesity: perception of fat taste and its relationship with obesity

Background: Obesity, which results from a long-term positive energy balance, is affected by many factors, especially nutrition. The sensory properties of foods are associated with increased food intake through hedonic appetite. Taste perception, a component of flavor, is also responsible for increased consumption, through reward and hedonic mechanisms. Foods with high fat and energy content are among the foods that create the reward perception. The perception of fat taste, the primary taste that has recently entered the literature, may also be associated with increased food consumption and body weight. Therefore, in this review, the relationship between fat taste and obesity is examined, using the latest literature.

Different hypotheses have been proposed regarding the mechanism of the relationship between fat-taste perception and obesity, such as hedonic appetite, microbiota, decreased taste perception, and increased taste threshold level. In addition, some studies examining this relationship reported significant associations between the level of fat-taste perception and obesity, whereas others did not find a significant difference.

Considering the prevalence and contribution to obesity of Western-style nutrition, characterized by high amounts of fat and sugar consumption, elucidating this relationship may be an essential solution for preventing and treating obesity.