Preferences for Sweet and Fatty Taste in Children and Their Mothers in Association with Weight Status

Sobek, Grzegorz; Łuszczki, Edyta; Dąbrowski, Mariusz; Dereń, Katarzyna; Baran, Joanna; Weres, Aneta; Mazur, Artur

doi:10.3390/ijerph17020538

Cited by 23 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…The present study revealed that 4- to 6-year-olds have a clear preference for sweet-tasting foods, are familiar with a larger number of sweet-tasting foods and dishes, and are less likely to dislike these items. According to Mennella [ 53 ], Lanfer [ 20 ] and Sobek [ 24 ], children prefer sweetened products such as breakfast cereals, juice, soft drinks, sweets and puddings. The present study also demonstrated that children enjoyed fruit which is naturally sweet, and that their preference for fatty taste, in particular fast foods, increased with age.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dietary Habits and Choices of 4-to-6-Year-Olds: Do Children Have a Preference for Sweet Taste?

et al. 2021

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Children develop food preferences by coming into direct contact with various food products through the senses of taste, touch, sight and smell. The aim of this study was to analyze the food preferences of children aged 4 to 6 years and to determine whether age and gender influence children’s food preferences and whether the preference for sweet taste changes with age. The study involved a paper questionnaire containing images of 115 different food products and dishes. The respondents expressed their preferences by choosing the appropriate emoji (happy, sad or neutral face). The study was conducted between 2018 and 2020, and it involved 684 children from 10 kindergartens. Girls chose a significantly higher number of foods and dishes they liked than boys (p = 0.002), and 4-year-olds gave a higher number of “neutral” responses than 5- and 6-year-olds (p = 0.001). Dietary diversity increased with age, and younger children were familiar with fewer foods than 6-year-olds (p = 0.002). Children had a clear preference for sweet taste, regardless of age and gender. Young children (4-year-olds) were more likely to accept healthy foods despite the fact that they were familiar with fewer products and dishes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Food preferences, especially for sweet and fatty taste, and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) could be strong risk factors for increased weight and/or obesity in children [ 24 , 25 ]. Children who consumed SSBs during infancy had higher odds of obesity at 6 years than non-SSB consumers [ 26 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary Habits and Choices of 4-to-6-Year-Olds: Do Children Have a Preference for Sweet Taste?

et al. 2021

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“…It corresponds with the fact that in our own study, the ‘hedonists’ cluster more often declared buying pastries or cakes than two other clusters, both in the female and male subgroups. Such behavior may adversely influence their body weight, as in the study of Sobek et al [ 39 ], it was found that in a group of children and adolescents who preferred the high-sweet taste, the frequency of obesity was twice as high as in a group of individuals with the low-sweet taste preference. Regardless of the gender, the ‘hedonists’ cluster along with the ‘high-preferring’ cluster showed also a high consumption of cream, as the majority of the respondents declared that they often have cream on desserts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association between Food Preferences and Food Habits in a Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

2021

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Food preferences are among the most influential factors of food habits in the vulnerable period of adolescence; in addition, gender-dependent differences in food preferences are also observed. The aim of the present study was to analyze differences in food habits between individuals stratified based on their food preferences in a population-based sample of adolescents aged 15–20. The study was conducted within the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population in a group of 2419 secondary school students who were randomly chosen to participate in the study using a random quota sampling procedure. The food preferences were determined on the basis of a validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) (which enables assessing preference of vegetables, fruit, meat/fish, dairy, snacks, and starches), whereas food habits were determined on the basis of the Adolescents’ Food Habits Checklist (AFHC) (which enables assessing food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits). The analysis involved three homogenous clusters (‘low-preferring’, ‘hedonists’, and ‘high-preferring’), which were identified using the k-means algorithm. It was found that for a number of the assessed food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits, there were statistically significant differences between the ‘low-preferring’, ‘hedonists’, and ‘high-preferring’ clusters. Within food purchase habits, the food preference influenced frequency of buying pastries/cakes and frequency of eating takeaway meals for all the respondents, while for female respondents, it influenced also choice of desserts in restaurants, and for male respondents, it influenced choosing a low-fat lunch away from home (p < 0.05). Within food preparation habits, the food preference influenced the fat content in desserts at home, the frequency of eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad with an evening meal, the frequency of spreading butter/margarine on bread thinly, and the frequency of having cream on desserts for all the respondents; meanwhile, for female respondents, it also influenced the frequency of avoiding fried foods and the frequency of including chocolate/biscuits in their packed lunch (p < 0.05). Within food consumption habits, the food preference influenced the frequency of eating a dessert/pudding, eating at least one serving of fruit a day, eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad a day, avoiding sausages/burgers, trying to ensure they eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and frequency of choosing fruit as a snack for all the respondents; meanwhile, for male respondents, it also influenced the frequency of eating sweet snacks and eating at least three servings of fruit most days (p < 0.05). Taking into account that some improper food habits may be typical for the specific clusters, there is an urgent need to analyze and address them for the purposes of public health and to bear in mind that some of those habits are gender-dependent.

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“…Early experiences with different tastes shape the acquired preferences which are important for the later acceptance of food, especially healthy food. Available studies show that proper nutrition of mothers during pregnancy, lactation, and in the first years of the child's life not only ensures adequate weight gain and optimal nutritional status, but also influences the long-term effects of the so-called health 'programming' of the metabolism, conditioning proper future health, also of the oral cavity [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Improper nutritional behaviors in children change throughout their individual lives, but also have wide-ranging consequences, from behavioral problems related to anorexia, overeating, or nutritional neophobia, to significant health problems such as increased risk of obesity, endocrine problems, anemia, idiopathic shortness of growth, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and other metabolic disorders and ECC [ 4 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. A strong correlation has been proven between excessive sugar supply with the risk of caries [ 24 ], which is considered a social disease of a progressive nature, affecting people of all ages all over the world and which is considered the most common infectious disease among children [ 25 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in Sweet Taste Perception and Its Association with the Streptococcus mutans Cariogenic Profile in Preschool Children with Caries

et al. 2020

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The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis about differences in sweet taste perception in the group of preschool children with and without caries, and to determine its relationship with cariogenic microbiota and the frequency of sweets consumption in children. The study group included of 63 children aged 2–6 years: 32 with caries and 31 without caries. The study consisted of collecting questionnaire data and assessment of dental status using the decayed, missing, filled in primary teeth index (dmft) and the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II). The evaluation of sweet taste perception was carried out using a specific method that simultaneously assessed the level of taste preferences and the sensitivity threshold for a given taste. The microbiological analysis consisted of the assessment of the quantitative and qualitative compositions of the oral microbiota of the examined children. The sweet taste perception of children with caries was characterized by a lower susceptibility to sucrose (the preferred sucrose solution concentration was >4 g/L) compared to children without caries (in the range ≤ 4 g/L, p = 0.0015, chi-square test). A similar relationship was also observed for frequent snacking between meals (p = 0.0038, chi-square test). The analysis of studied variables showed the existence of a strong positive correlation between the perception of sweet taste and the occurrence and intensity of the cariogenic process (p = 0.007 for dmft; and p = 0.012 for ICDAS II), as well as the frequency of consuming sweets (p ≤ 0.001 for frequent and repeated consumption of sweets during the day, Spearman test) in children with caries. Additionally, children with an elevated sucrose taste threshold were more than 10-times more likely to develop S. mutans presence (OR = 10.21; 95% CI 3.11–33.44). The results of this study suggest the future use of taste preferences in children as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of increased susceptibility to caries through microbial dysbiosis towards specific species of microorganisms.

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Preferences for Sweet and Fatty Taste in Children and Their Mothers in Association with Weight Status

Cited by 23 publications

References 59 publications

Dietary Habits and Choices of 4-to-6-Year-Olds: Do Children Have a Preference for Sweet Taste?

Dietary Habits and Choices of 4-to-6-Year-Olds: Do Children Have a Preference for Sweet Taste?

Association between Food Preferences and Food Habits in a Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Differences in Sweet Taste Perception and Its Association with the Streptococcus mutans Cariogenic Profile in Preschool Children with Caries

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