scholarly journals Taste Sensitivity and Taste Preference among Malay Children Aged 7 to 12 Years in Kuala Lumpur—A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-256
Author(s):  
Ler Sheang Lim ◽  
Xian Hui Tang ◽  
Wai Yew Yang ◽  
Shu Hwa Ong ◽  
Nenad Naumovski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Taste Preference ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Taste Sensitivity ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Control Study

The taste and food preferences in children can affect their food intake and body weight. Bitter and sweet taste sensitivities were identified as primary taste contributors to children’s preference for consuming various foods. This pilot study aimed to determine the taste sensitivity and preference for bitter and sweet tastes in a sample of Malaysian children. A case–control study was conducted among 15 pairs of Malay children aged 7 to 12 years. Seven solutions at different concentrations of 6-n-propylthiouracil and sucrose were prepared for testing bitterness and sweet sensitivity, respectively. The intensity of both bitter and sweet sensitivity was measured using a 100 mm Labelled Magnitude Scale (LMS), while the taste preference was rated using a 5-point Likert scale. The participants were better at identifying bitter than sweet taste (median score 6/7 vs. 4/7). No significant differences were detected for both tastes between normal-weight and overweight groups [bitter: 350 vs. 413, p = 0.273; sweet: 154 vs. 263, p = 0.068], as well as in Likert readings (bitter 9 vs. 8: p = 0.490; sweet 22 vs. 22: p = 0.677). In this sample of Malay children, the participants were more sensitive to bitterness than sweetness, yet presented similar taste sensitivity and preference irrespective of their weight status. Future studies using whole food samples are warranted to better characterize potential taste sensitivity and preference in children.

scholarly journals Effect of Food Preference and Mothers Nutritional Knowledge on Obesity in Schoolgirls in Saudi Arabia: A Case-Control Study

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Zainab Jaffar Al-Nass ◽  
Zeidan Abdu ZeidanAli ◽  
Hayfaa Abdelmageed Ahmed Wahabi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Nutritional Knowledge ◽  
Obese Children ◽  
Control Study

Background: Childhood obesity is a major public health challenge of the 21st century. Obese children have double the risk of being obese adults than children who are of normal weight. Obese children bhave increased risks of developing hypertension, dyslipidemia, and other cardio-metabolic morbidities. Objectives: to investigate the effect of the children food knowledge and preferences on their BMI and the effects of mothers’ nutritional knowledge on their children’s BMI. Methods: A school-based case-control study design was carried out in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. Data collection was carried out from November 2017 to February 2018. A multistage stratified cluster random sampling technique was used. Four clusters (schools) were selected based on size and equal numbers of participants were included from each cluster. From each of grade 4th, 5th, and 6th, one class was selected randomly. The weight and height of each girl were recorded, BMI calculated, and the students were divided into obese/ overweight group and the normal weight group from which cases and control randomly selected thereafter. Out of total 442 students measured BMI, 348 were included in the study, 116 cases and 232 controls. Data were collected by face to face interview with the girl, and a self-administrated questionnaire was sent to the same student's mother. Determinants of girls' obesity were calculated using regression analysis. Results were presented as adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Result: After controlling for the confounding variables, more healthy food preferences in children and higher mother's knowledge were associated with 77% and 51% reduced odds of overweight-obesity (aOR = 0.23 95% CI 0.09–0.64 and aOR = 0.49 95% CI 0.33–0.71). Conclusion: Healthy food preferences among girls and adequate nutritional knowledge among their mothers were significantly associated with decreased obesity in girls. Limitations: The main limitations were its inability to assess causation and the potential for recall bias, especially in the questions related to behaviors; namely, physical activity and diet recall.

scholarly journals Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lénia Rodrigues ◽  
Rosa Espanca ◽  
Ana Rodrigues Costa ◽  
Célia Miguel Antunes ◽  
Clarinda Pomar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bitter Taste ◽  
Taste Receptor ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Taste Perception ◽  
Taste Sensitivity ◽  
Threshold Detection ◽  
Leptin Receptors ◽  
Whole Saliva

The satiety inducing hormone leptin acts not only at central nervous system but also at peripheral level. Leptin receptors are found in several sense related organs, including the mouth. A role of leptin in sweet taste response has been suggested but, until now, studies have been based on in vitro experiments, or in assessing the levels of the hormone in circulation. The present study investigated whether the levels of leptin in saliva are related to taste perception in children and whether Body Mass Index (BMI) affects such relationship. Sweet and bitter taste sensitivity was assessed for 121 children aged 9-10 years and unstimulated whole saliva was collected for leptin quantification, using ELISA technique. Children females with lower sweet taste sensitivity presented higher salivary leptin levels, but this is only in the normal weight ones. For bitter taste, association between salivary leptin and caffeine threshold detection was observed only in preobese boys, with higher levels of salivary hormone in low sensitive individuals. This study is the first presenting evidences of a relationship between salivary leptin levels and taste perception, which is sex and BMI dependent. The mode of action of salivary leptin at taste receptor level should be elucidated in future studies.

GLUT2 and TAS1R2 Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Dental Caries

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydie Izakovicova Holla ◽  
Petra Borilova Linhartova ◽  
Svetlana Lucanova ◽  
Jakub Kastovsky ◽  
Kristina Musilova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dental Caries ◽  
Glucose Transporter ◽  
Taste Receptor ◽  
Taste Preference ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Allelic Discrimination ◽  
Czech Population ◽  
Multifactorial Diseases ◽  
The Common ◽  
Control Study

Objective: Dental caries is one of the most frequent multifactorial diseases. Among the numerous factors influencing the risk of caries, genetics plays a substantial role, with heritability ranging from 40 to 60%. Gene variants affecting taste preference and glucose transport were recently associated with caries risk. The aim of this study was to analyze two common polymorphisms in the sweet taste receptor (TAS1R2) and glucose transporter (GLUT2) genes in children with dental caries and healthy controls in the Czech population. Methods: A total of 637 unrelated Caucasian children, aged 11-13 years, were included in this case-control study. One hundred and fifty-five subjects were caries-free (with decayed/missing/filled teeth, DMFT = 0) and 482 children were caries-affected (DMFT ≥ 1). The TAS1R2 (Ile191Val, rs35874116) and GLUT2 (Thr110Ile, rs5400) genotypes were determined using the 5′ nuclease TaqMan® assay for allelic discrimination. Results: Compared with subjects with the common Thr allele, carriers of the Ile allele of GLUT2 had significantly more frequently dental caries (p < 0.05, OR = 1.639, 95% CI: 1.089-2.466). Similarly, children with the Val allele for the TAS1R2 Ile191Val polymorphism were more frequently affected by caries than children who carried the Ile allele (p < 0.05, OR = 1.413, 95% CI: 1.014-1.969). In contrast, no significant associations between GLUT2 and/or TAS1R2 polymorphisms and fillings were found, but allele frequencies of the TAS1R2 variant were marginally significantly different between children with DMFT = 0 and DMFT ≥1 (p = 0.053, OR = 1.339, 95% CI: 0.996-1.799). However, no significant interaction between both genes and risk of dental caries was found. Conclusions: In conclusion, GLUT2 and TASR1 polymorphisms may influence the risk of caries in the Czech population.

scholarly journals Basic taste sensitivity, eating behaviour, and propensity of dairy foods of preadolescent children: How are they related?

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 127
Author(s):  
Ervina Ervina ◽  
Ingunn Berget ◽  
Siv Borghild Skeie ◽  
Valérie L. Almli
Keyword(s):  
Monosodium Glutamate ◽  
Detection Threshold ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Taste Sensitivity ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Eating Practices

Background: Taste sensitivity has been reported to influence children’s eating behaviour and contribute to their food preferences and intake. This study aimed to investigate the associations between taste sensitivity and eating behaviour in preadolescents. Methods: Children’s taste sensitivity was measured by detection threshold with five different concentration levels of sweetness (sucrose), sourness (citric acid), saltiness (sodium chloride), bitterness (caffeine, quinine), and umami (monosodium glutamate). In addition, the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ), the Food Propensity Questionnaire (FPQ), and the children’s body weight and height were completed by the parents. Children conducted the sensory evaluation test at schools while parents completed the questionnaires online. Results: A total of 69 child-parent dyads participated. Taste sensitivity was significantly associated with eating behaviour in food responsiveness, emotional overeating, and desire to drink. Children who were less sensitive to caffeine bitterness (higher detection threshold) had higher food responsiveness scores, while those who were less sensitive to sweetness and caffeine bitterness had higher emotional overeating scores. In addition, children who were less sensitive to sourness and bitterness of both caffeine and quinine demonstrated to have higher scores in desire to drink. There was no association between taste sensitivity and FPQ, but significant differences were observed across children’s body mass index (BMI) regarding their FPQ of dairy food items, indicating higher consumption of low-fat milk in the overweight/obese compared to the normal-weight subjects. There was no significant difference in taste sensitivity according to BMI. Children’s eating behaviour differed across BMI, demonstrating a positive association between BMI and food approach, and a negative association between BMI and food avoidance. Conclusions: This study contributes to the preliminary understanding of the relationships between taste sensitivity and eating behaviour in preadolescents which could be used to develop effective strategies to promote healthy eating practices in children by considering their taste sensitivity.

scholarly journals Preferences for Sweet and Fatty Taste in Children and Their Mothers in Association with Weight Status

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Sobek ◽  
Edyta Łuszczki ◽  
Mariusz Dąbrowski ◽  
Katarzyna Dereń ◽  
Joanna Baran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Status ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Body Height ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance ◽  
Taste Preference ◽  
Impedance Analysis ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Taste Preferences ◽  
Fat Taste

Strong preferences for sweet and fat tastes (characters) are associated with the consumption of foods high in calories. The taste preferences, especially the sweet and fat tastes (characters), might be one of the factors predisposing children to become overweight and/or develop obesity. The aim of the study is to assess taste preferences in children and their mothers in association with their weight status. In the study, 150 children aged 8–15 were included; among them, 75 had overweight and/or obesity, and 150 mothers of whom 69 were overweight and/or obese. Body composition estimates were obtained using a bioelectrical impedance analysis-body height was measured using a stadiometerSeca 213. Sensory tests were carried out using apple juice of various sugar content and crackers of various fat content. Results show that children prefer a sweet taste more often than their mothers (50.0% vs. 35.3%, p = 0.009). In the group of children who preferred the high-sweet taste, there were twice as many obese children when compared to the group who preferred the low-sweet taste. Similar relationships applied to mothers. Preferences for fat taste (character) among mothers increased the risk of obesity among their children (39% vs. 20%; p = 0.039). Taste preferences, especially a sweet taste preference, seem to be one of the important factors determining overweight and obesity in children and adults. The fat taste(character) preferences in mothers correlate with the overweight and/or obesity of their children, while such preferences among children were not significantly different irrespective of body weight status.

Taste Responsiveness in Anorexia Nervosa

1993 ◽  
Vol 162 (2) ◽  
pp. 244-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Simon ◽  
France Bellisle ◽  
Marie-Odile Monneuse ◽  
Bertrand Samuel-Lajeunesse ◽  
Adam Drewnowski
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Taste Preference ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Preference Ratings

Preferences for sugar/fat mixtures were examined in 12 anorectic females and in 14 normal-weight volunteer controls. The subjects, recruited at an eating-disorders clinic in Paris, were tested after an overnight fast and 2 hours after lunch. Anorectic patients disliked the taste of foods rich in fat more than did controls. Perceptions and preferences for sweet taste did not differ between anorectic females and controls. After lunch, taste preference ratings were equally reduced in both groups, suggesting that satiety aversion to sucrose is present even in anorexia nervosa.

scholarly journals Neuropsychological and Neurophysiological Indicators of General and Food-Specific Impulsivity in Children with Overweight and Obesity: A Pilot Study

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricarda Schmidt ◽  
Caroline Sebert ◽  
Christine Kösling ◽  
Martin Grunwald ◽  
Anja Hilbert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Wave Band ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior ◽  
Band Activity

Impulsivity, particularly towards food, is a potential risk factor for increased energy intake and the development and maintenance of obesity in children. However, neuropsychological and neurophysiological indicators of general and food-specific impulsivity and their association with children’s weight status are poorly understood. This pilot study examined electroencephalography (EEG) frequency band profiles during eyes-closed and eyes-open resting state in n = 12 children with overweight or obesity versus n = 22 normal-weight controls and their link to child- and parent-reported and experimentally assessed impulsivity of children (e.g., risk-taking behavior, approach-avoidance behavior towards food). The main results indicated that children with overweight/obesity versus normal weight showed significantly increased delta and decreased alpha band activity during eyes-closed resting state. Across the total sample, EEG slow-wave band activity was particularly linked to self- and parent-reported impulsivity and greater risk-taking behavior, but not to approach behavior towards food, after controlling for children’s age and weight status. The identification of specific EEG patterns in children with excess weight may provide a new basis for developing neurophysiological diagnostic and treatment approaches for childhood obesity. Future studies with larger samples and longitudinal designs are needed to replicate the present findings and test their stability over time.

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