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The journal of nutrition, health & aging
Published in: The journal of nutrition, health & aging 10/2016

01-12-2016

Multidimensional evaluation of endogenous and health factors affecting food preferences, taste and smell perception

Authors: D. Guido, Simone Perna, M. Carrai, R. Barale, M. Grassi, M. Rondanelli

Published in: The journal of nutrition, health & aging | Issue 10/2016

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Abstract

Objective

This study, by taking a holistic approach, investigates the relationships between taste, smell sensitivity and food preference with prognostic (endogenous and health) factors including age, gender, genetic taste markers, body mass, cigarette smoking, and number of drugs used.

Design

Cross sectional study.

Setting

Northern Italy.

Participants

203 healthy subjects (160 women/43 men; mean age: 58.2±19.8 years) were examined.

Measurements

Individual taste sensitivity was determined by saccharose, sodium chloride, acetic acid and caffeine solutions and by 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) responsiveness test. Olfactory sensitivity has been assessed by «Sniffin’ Sticks». Four tag Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in regions of interest were genotyped. Factor analysis and multivariate regression were performed for scaling food preferences and screening prognostic factors, respectively.

Results

Increasing age is associated with decreased responsiveness to NaCl (P=0.001), sweet solutions (P=0.044), and smell perception (P<0.001). Concerning the food preferences, elderly like the “vegetables” and “fruits” but dislike “spicy” more than younger. Regarding number of drugs taken, there is a significant negative effect on smell perception (P<0.001). In addition, drugs reduce both the “vegetables foods” score (P=0.002) and the “milk-product foods” score (P=0.027). With respect to Body Mass Index (BMI), only a significant effect was shown, on sweet perception (P=0.006). Variation in taste receptor genes can give rise to differential perception of sweet, acid and bitter tastes. No effect of gender and smoking was observed.

Conclusions

Our study suggested that age, genetic markers, BMI and drugs use are the factors which affect taste and smell perception and food preferences.
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Metadata
Title
Multidimensional evaluation of endogenous and health factors affecting food preferences, taste and smell perception
Authors
D. Guido
Simone Perna
M. Carrai
R. Barale
M. Grassi
M. Rondanelli
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
Springer Paris
Published in
The journal of nutrition, health & aging / Issue 10/2016
Print ISSN: 1279-7707
Electronic ISSN: 1760-4788
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-016-0703-4

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