Effect of physiological factors, pathologies, and acquired habits on the sweet taste threshold: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

Sweet taste perception is a key factor in the establishment of the food pattern with nonstatic thresholds. Indeed, taste sensitivity can be influenced by physiological factors (age and sex), pathologies (obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus), and acquired habits (tobacco and alcohol consumption). In order to elucidate how these variables influence the sucrose detection threshold (DT) and recognition threshold (RT), a systematic review and meta-analysis of the relevant literature were performed. After a comprehensive search in the PubMed and Scopus databases, a total of 48 studies were qualitatively considered, and 44 were meta-analyzed. The factors of aging (standard mean difference [SMD]: −0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI), −0.74 to −0.19; I 2 : 73%; Tau 2 : 0.18) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (SMD: 0.30; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.55; I 2 : 0%; Tau 2 : 0.00) were found to significantly increase the sucrose RT, whereas the DT only increased in subjects with a higher body mass index (SMD: 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.82; I 2 : 0%; Tau 2 : 0.00). No effects of sex and tobacco smoking were found, and associations with alcohol consumption could not be assessed, as it was included as a variable in only one study. Feasible mechanisms underlying changes in sucrose thresholds include the modulation of hormones involved in energy and body weight homeostasis, taste bud abundance, taste brain signaling, and the gut-brain axis. The present work provides insights into the variables that should be considered when

Association of phenylthiocarbamide perception with anthropometric variables and intake and liking for bitter vegetables

“…PTC non-taster status has been associated with a higher accumulation of adiposity [10,14], and unhealthy food preferences and dietary habits (e.g., a higher consumption and acceptance of fat) [33,38] that favor the development of chronic non-communicable diseases (e.g., diabetes, obesity) and certain types of cancer. Interestingly, our findings suggest that these health-impacting tendencies can also be related to a lower sensitivity to other basic tastes involved in calory intake, such as sweetness, as reported previously by our group [39], and umami. Furthermore, the effects of weight loss interventions or dietary restraint on BMI may vary according to the PTC phenotype [11,40].…”

You Eat How You Think: A Review on the Impact of Cognitive Styles on Food Perception and Behavior

“…Three general segments of literature that have been able to attempt to answer this universal question of human perception and behavior include physiological, psychological, and environmental factors [1][2][3][4][5]. There is an expanding number of studies investigating and discussing the effects of the diversity of environmental and physiological factors influencing how individuals perceive and respond to food stimuli under varying conditions [4][5][6][7][8]. In comparison, there are relatively fewer peer-reviewed journal articles seeking to explain the impact of psychological variables on how consumers perceive their food.…”

Behavioral and Metabolic Effects of a Calorie-Restricted Cafeteria Diet and Oleuropein Supplementation in Obese Male Rats

“…Moreover, sensory Nutrients 2021, 13, 4474 2 of 17 taste (including sweetness, saltiness, sourness, umaminess, bitterness, and oleic acid, a fatty stimulus), olfactory function, and eating behavior have been shown to improve after bariatric surgery [4]. In a recent meta-analysis investigating how physiological factors, pathologies and acquired habits influence taste sensitivity, the only factor increasing the sucrose detection threshold was a high body mass index (BMI), while aging and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were found to exhibit an increased sucrose recognition threshold [5]. However, whether these changes are associated with the metabolic consequences of obesity or are the consequence of the sucrose consumption per se remain unclear [6].…”