How does fatty mouthfeel, saltiness or sweetness of diets contribute to dietary energy intake?

Abstract

As "taste" is a primary driver of food choice, the objective of this study was to understand how the sensory properties of diets relate to energy intake (EI). A database of 720 frequently consumed foods, described by a trained panel for basic tastes (sweetness, saltiness) and fatty mouthfeel, was systematically applied to all foods reportedly consumed in 24hr recalls as part of the 2011-2012 Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (n = 12,153 adults and children). Food groups were classified according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, and their contribution to total nutrient and sensory intake estimated. There were significant positive correlations between the nutrient and sensory properties of diets, for example, for adults, EI and fatty mouthfeel r = 0.740; EI and saltiness r = 0.623 and EI and sweetness r = 0.517 (all p < 0.01). Core foods (e.g. fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy) can provide similar sensory stimulation whilst being of lower energy content than discretionary foods (e.g. confectionary, snacks). Regression models in adults, controlling for age, sex and BMI, revealed that fatty mouthfeel (β = 0.492), saltiness (β = 0.161) and sweetness (β = 0.138) were significant predictors of EI, explaining 56% variance (p < 0.01). Similar results were found for children. Fatty mouthfeel was the primary driver of energy intake but such sensory stimulation can be derived from core (e.g. dairy foods), rather than discretionary foods, at lower energy content.

Sensory descriptors for pulses and pulse‐derived ingredients: Toward a standardized lexicon and sensory wheel

“…Although these fat‐related sensations were reported as flavors in the aforementioned studies, there is increasing evidence that fat has a taste, termed oleogustus (Andersen et al., 2020; Besnard et al., 2015; Running et al., 2015). Moreover, sensory properties of fat (e.g., creaminess) can be perceived as mouthfeel (Cox et al., 2018; Kindleysides et al., 2017; Weenen et al., 2005).…”

Understanding sweet-liking phenotypes and their implications for obesity: Narrative review and future directions

“…However, although sweetness intensity can be a reliable predictor of sugar content [e.g. 88,89], the reliability of sweet taste as a predictor of overall energy content is questionable [90]. Once scarcely available, an abundance of highly palatable, inexpensive, energy-dense and nutrient-poor food and beverages with high concentrations of added sugars are now increasingly accessible and could therefore play a key role in the obesity epidemic [91][92][93].…”

Sweetness of Chilean Infants’ Diets: Methodology and Description

“…An adaptation of the method described by Cox was used to estimate the sweetness density of the participant’s diet. [ 40 ]. Briefly, the sweetness density of the diet considered the sweetness intensity of each food or beverage consumed in a day, multiplied by the amount consumed, divided by the total amount of energy consumed in the day (in kcal), multiplied by 100.…”