Associations between taste sensitivity, preference for sweet and salty flavours, and nutritional status of adolescents from public schools

• Autor(a) principal: Melo dos SANTOS, Marize
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Santos MARREIROS, Camila, Santana da SILVA, Herika Brenda, Soares de OLIVEIRA, Ana Raquel, Clímaco CRUZ, Kyria Jayanne
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista de Nutrição
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/7867
• topic: Adolescents; Nutritional status; Taste perception; Adolescentes; Estado nutricional; Percepção gustatória

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the associations between taste sensitivity, preference for sweet and salty flavours, and nutritional status of adolescents in public schools. MethodsWe used a cross-sectional study involving 1,036 adolescents of both sexes, aged 10-19 years. Preference for sweet or salty flavours and preference for foods high in sugar or sodium were evaluated. Measurements of body mass index and taste flavour intensity recognition were conducted. ResultsMost participants were unable to identify the flavours and/or intensities, and only 18.0% of participants were able to correctly identify both the flavour and intensity of the samples. Most participants (82.1%) preferringsweet foods had low sensitivity to this taste, just as a large proportion of individuals preferring saltiness (82.3%) were less sensitive to salt (p<0.001). Preference for saltiness was associated with pre-obesity. ConclusionWe found an association between a preference for sweet or salty flavours and nutritional status, highlighting the importance of poor food choices in the development of obesity and other chronic diseases.