Obese Individuals Have Higher Preference and Sensitivity to Odor of Chocolate

Abstract

The worldwide epidemic of obesity has inspired a great deal of research into its causes and consequences. It is therefore surprising that so few studies have examined such a fundamental part of eating behavior: our sense of smell. The aim of the present study was to examine the differences in olfaction in obese and nonobese individuals. Participants (n = 40) categorized as obese (body mass index ≥ 30) or nonobese (body mass index < 30) completed a standardized olfactory threshold test to an ecologically valid food-related odor (chocolate), followed by a taste test. We found that compared with those not obese, obese individuals rated the chocolate odor as more pleasant and were substantially more sensitive to the odor. There was also evidence that their sense of taste was more acute for sour and salty tastants. Correlational analyses further revealed that those measures of olfaction and taste were positively associated with body mass index. These findings suggest that obese individuals show increased sensitivity and preference for an odor associated with energy dense foods. They also suggest that differences in our sense of smell offer a promising area for future research in obesity.

Non-Conscious Effect of Food Odors on Children’s Food Choices Varies by Weight Status

“…Some studies reported a decrease in olfactory sensitivity with increasing BMI in adults (28–30), whereas another study in children reported an increase in olfactory sensitivity with increasing BMI (31). Moreover, recent studies have shown that adults with obesity were better at detecting food odors than adults without obesity (32, 33). In summary, there is no strong evidence of a difference in the ability to properly identify food odors according to a subject’s weight status, whether the subjects are adults or children.…”

Autistic traits associated with food neophobia but not olfactory sensitivity

“…The odour used for the threshold test was a sweet smelling chocolate odourant (Code 0679, Anglo brands, UK) used in previous work (Stafford and Whittle, 2015) which was diluted in propylene glycol (Fisher Scientific, UK). The odourant was prepared using sixteen 250ml squeeze bottles, in 16 dilution steps, starting at 0.125% (Step 1) with each successive step diluted by a factor of two using serial dilution to the lowest (Step 16) dilution.…”

Fat Sensation: Fatty Acid Taste and Olfaction Sensitivity and the Link with Disinhibited Eating Behaviour

“…This may be due to changes in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), with a decline of OSNs shown to occur over time during high-fat intake in animal studies [ 25 ]. In contrast, another study found participants with obesity had a stronger hedonic response towards the smell of dark chocolate than non-obese participants, rating the odour as significantly more pleasant [ 26 ]. Furthermore, there is emerging evidence that variations in human olfactory receptor gene expression can influence eating behaviour, resulting in increased adiposity [ 27 ].…”