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Gustation as a determinant of ingestion: methodological issues
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|April 1, 1985
Summary
Taste perception influences dietary choices, but individual taste measures poorly predict nutrient intake. Combined taste profiles, however, offer insights into preferred food tastes and calorie consumption.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Sensory Science
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Understanding the link between sensory perception and dietary habits is crucial for public health.
- Previous research suggests taste plays a role in food selection, but its precise contribution to overall nutrient intake remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between taste function (sensitivity, intensity perception, preference) and specific dietary intake parameters.
- To determine if taste responses can predict nutrient and calorie consumption from carbohydrate, protein, and fat.
Main Methods:
- Assessed taste sensitivity, perceived intensity, and preference for sweet (sucrose) and bitter (urea) stimuli in 35 healthy adults.
- Utilized both aqueous solutions and food-based tastants for comprehensive taste assessment.
- Correlated taste measures with 7-day diet records, analyzing calorie and macronutrient contributions.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between individual taste measures and specific dietary intake parameters.
- Taste profiles, combining multiple taste ratings, explained approximately one-third of the variance in sweet and bitter calorie consumption.
- Nutrient intake levels could not be reliably predicted from taste responses alone.
Conclusions:
- Taste function appears to play a secondary role compared to other factors influencing food and nutrient intake.
- Comprehensive taste profiles, rather than single taste measures, may offer predictive value for an individual's dietary preferences and consumption patterns.