TY - JOUR

T1 - Positive association between bitter taste threshold and preference of vegetables among adolescents

AU - Hald, Mathias

AU - Onat Hald, Mine

AU - Stankovic, Jelena

AU - Niklassen, Andreas

AU - Ovesen, Therese

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - Aim: Better understanding of aspects of taste in adolescents is needed since it has bearings on food policies, food industry and pharmaceutical design. Furthermore, taste preferences likely play a role in overeating and anorexia. We aimed to validate a questionnaire about taste preferences and dietary habits along with measurements of sense of smell and taste. Methods: We included adolescents from nearby schools in Aarhus, Denmark, from 2017 to 2019. Scoring preferences and habits on a Likert scale, they completed a food item questionnaire. Their chemosensation was tested by the Sniffin’ Sticks and Taste Drop Test. Results: We included 100 adolescents: 53 males, 47 females; average age: 15.9 years (12-17 years). Retest of the questionnaire showed good reliability (Cohen's kappa: 0.5953). Snacks scored the highest average liking (4.48), whereas starches had the highest frequency of consumption (3.64). Bitter taste threshold was positively associated with liking and familiarity with vegetables (P =.032; P =.012), respectively. Healthy self-reported dietary habits were associated with a higher self-reported consumption of vegetables and a decreased consumption of snacks. Conclusion: Adolescents preferred unhealthy food items, but they also reported more frequent consumption of healthy than unhealthy food items. A higher threshold for the bitter taste, that is, being less sensitive to bitter taste, was associated with higher liking and familiarity of vegetables.

AB - Aim: Better understanding of aspects of taste in adolescents is needed since it has bearings on food policies, food industry and pharmaceutical design. Furthermore, taste preferences likely play a role in overeating and anorexia. We aimed to validate a questionnaire about taste preferences and dietary habits along with measurements of sense of smell and taste. Methods: We included adolescents from nearby schools in Aarhus, Denmark, from 2017 to 2019. Scoring preferences and habits on a Likert scale, they completed a food item questionnaire. Their chemosensation was tested by the Sniffin’ Sticks and Taste Drop Test. Results: We included 100 adolescents: 53 males, 47 females; average age: 15.9 years (12-17 years). Retest of the questionnaire showed good reliability (Cohen's kappa: 0.5953). Snacks scored the highest average liking (4.48), whereas starches had the highest frequency of consumption (3.64). Bitter taste threshold was positively associated with liking and familiarity with vegetables (P =.032; P =.012), respectively. Healthy self-reported dietary habits were associated with a higher self-reported consumption of vegetables and a decreased consumption of snacks. Conclusion: Adolescents preferred unhealthy food items, but they also reported more frequent consumption of healthy than unhealthy food items. A higher threshold for the bitter taste, that is, being less sensitive to bitter taste, was associated with higher liking and familiarity of vegetables.

KW - adolescents

KW - chemosensation

KW - children and nutrition

KW - food intake habits

KW - taste preferences

KW - DISCRIMINATION

KW - GENETICS

KW - TAS2R38

KW - FOOD PREFERENCES

KW - IDENTIFICATION

KW - AGE

U2 - 10.1111/apa.15483

DO - 10.1111/apa.15483

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32681564

VL - 110

SP - 875

EP - 880

JO - Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)

JF - Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)

SN - 0803-5253

IS - 3

ER -