Sweet tooth reconsidered: Taste responsiveness in human obesity

Abstract

Taste responses of normal-weight, obese, and formerly obese individuals for sucrose and fat containing stimuli were examined using a mathematical modelling technique known as the Response Surface Method. The subjects accurately rated intensities of sweetness, fatness, and creaminess of 20 different mixtures of milk, cream, and sugar, and no mixture phenomena or inter-group differences were observed. In contrast, hedonic taste responses varied across subject groups, and were affected differentially by the sucrose and lipid content of the stimuli. Normal-weight subjects optimally preferred stimuli containing 20% lipid and less than 10% sucrose. Obese subjects preferred high-fat stimuli (greater than 34% lipid) that contained less than 5% sucrose, while formerly obese subjects showed enhanced responsiveness to both sugar and fat. Hedonic responsiveness as measured by the optimal sugar/fat ratio was negatively correlated with the degree of overweight (body mass index: weight/height). We hypothesize that sensory preferences for dietary sugars and fats aren determined by body-weight status and may affect the patterns of food consumption.

Odour and taste sensitivity is associated with body weight and extent of misreporting of body weight

“…On the one hand, elevated preferences for sweet and high-fat foods have been linked with obesity and weight gain in humans (Drewnowski, 1997;Astrup, 2001). On the other hand, some investigators have found either inverse or no relationship between sweet preference and obesity (Grinker, 1978;Malcolm et al, 1980;Drewnowski et al, 1985;Rolls, 1995).…”

Dose–response effects of a novel fat emulsion (Olibra™) on energy and macronutrient intakes up to 36 h post-consumption

“…It is possible that methodological differences between study designs may have contributed to this controversy (Rolls et al, 1988;de Graaf et al, 1992). Differences in meal type (Kissileff, 1984), energy density and macronutrient composition (Prentice & Poppitt, 1996;Westerterp-Plantenga et al, 1996;Bell et al, 1998), duration of time between a preload and a test meal (Rolls et al, 1991a;Horn et al, 1996;Melanson et al, 1999) and characteristics of subject populations (Drewnowski et al, 1985;Mela & Sacchetti, 1991) have all been shown to influence the satiating efficiency of fat. Furthermore, different physicochemical properties of fats could influence their satiating properties.…”

Fat preferences, dietary fat intake and body composition in children

“…Studies in obese adults have shown that they prefer fat-rich, sugar-rich, or fat-rich sugar rich foods (Rodin et al, 1976;Gates et al, 1975;Drewnowski & Greenword, 1983;Drewnowski et al, 1985). Because taste is the primary determinate of food choice in children a key to fat reduction may be to provide reduced fat foods that mimic the full fat versions (Cross et al, 1994).…”