Background and Objectives. The present study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between taste identification ability and body mass index (BMI) by studying the response to the administration of different taste stimuli to both sides of the tongue in three different groups of subjects. Subjects and Methods. Thirty healthy normal-weight volunteers, 19 healthy overweight subjects, and 22 obese subjects were enrolled. For each subject, the lateralization Oldfield score, body weight, height, and blood pressure were determined. The taste test is based on filter paper strips soaked with 4 taste stimuli presented at different concentrations to evoke 4 basic taste qualities (salty, sour, sweet, and bitter); pure rapeseed oil and water were also administered to evoke fat and neutral taste qualities. The stimuli were applied to each side of the protruded tongue. Subjects were asked to identify the taste from a list of eight descriptions according to a multiple choice paradigm. Results. The results showed a general lowering of taste sensitivity with the increase of BMI, except for the taste of fat with rapeseed oil as the stimulus. Other variables affecting taste sensitivity are age (negative association), gender (women generally show higher sensitivity), and taste stimuli concentration (positive association). Conclusions. Our findings could provide important insights into how new therapies could be designed for weight loss and long-term weight maintenance and how diets could be planned combining the correct caloric and nutritional supply with individual taste preferences.

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In recent years, there has been an increased incidence of gestational diabetes (GDM), defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with the onset or first recognition during pregnancy with or without remission after the end of pregnancy. The most significant risk factors are: age >25 years, obesity, high parity, family history of DM, past history of GDM or macrosomic infant. GDM therapy should be based on a healthy diet, exercising and glycemic control, with or without insulin. The presence of GDM has important implications for both the baby and the mother. As regard baby complications, GDM is associated with a significantly increased risk of macrosomia, shoulder dystocia, birth injuries as well as neonatal hypo glycemia and hyperbilirubinemia, genetic risk for the development of obesity, diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome in childhood. As regard mother complications, GDM is a strong risk factor for the development of permanent diabetes later in life (40% in 10 subsequent years) and GDM in successive pregnancies (35%), stress urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence, doubled risk for overactive bladder during premenopausal period, cardiovascular morbidity. This review briefly examine the risk factors, diagnostic criteria, best therapy and management, short and long term complications for the mother and the fetus associated with such pathology.

Background: The inter-individual differences in taste perception find a possible rationale in genetic variations. We verified whether the presence of four different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding for bitter (TAS2R38; 145G > C; 785T > C) and sweet (TAS1R3; −1572C > T; −1266C > T) taste receptors influenced the recognition of the basic tastes. Furthermore, we tested if the allelic distribution of such SNPs varied according to BMI and whether the associations between SNPs and taste recognition were influenced by the presence of overweight/obesity. Methods: DNA of 85 overweight/obese patients and 57 normal weight volunteers was used to investigate the SNPs. For the taste test, filter paper strips were applied. Each of the basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) plus pure rapeseed oil, and water were tested. Results: Individuals carrying the AV/AV diplotype of the TAS2R38 gene (A49P G/G and V262 T/T) were less sensitive to sweet taste recognition. These alterations remained significant after adjustment for gender and BMI. Moreover, a significant decrease in overall taste recognition associated with BMI and age was found. There was no significant difference in allelic distribution for the investigated polymorphisms between normal and overweight/obese patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that overall taste recognition depends on age and BMI. In the total population, the inter-individual ability to identify the sweet taste at different concentrations was related to the presence of at least one genetic variant for the bitter receptor gene but not to the BMI.