Journal Article

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

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

2016

Overview

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. Cross sectional study. Northern Italy. 203 healthy subjects (160 women/43 men; mean age: 58.2±19.8 years) were examined. 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. 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. Our study suggested that age, genetic markers, BMI and drugs use are the factors which affect taste and smell perception and food preferences.

• Publisher: Elsevier Masson SAS,Springer Paris,Springer Nature B.V,Elsevier
• Subject: acetic acid / Adult / Age / Aged / Aging / Body Mass Index / Caffeine / Cross-Sectional Studies / Drugs / elderly / Endocrinology / factor analysis / Female / Food / food choices / Food Preferences / foods / Forensic medicine / Fruit / fruits / Gender / genes / genetic markers / genotyping / Genotyping Techniques / Geriatrics/Gerontology / Health care / Humans / Italy / Laboratories / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / men / Middle Aged / Multivariate Analysis / Neurosciences / Nutrition / Nutrition research / Olfactory Perception / Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Preferences / Primary Care Medicine / prognostic factors / propylthiouracil / Public health / Quality of Life Research / screening / sex / single nucleotide polymorphism / Smell / smoke / Smoking / smoking (habit) / sodium chloride / Taste / Taste Perception / taste receptors / taste sensitivity / Vegetables