Taste but not smell sensitivities are linked to dietary macronutrient composition

Sashie Abeywickrema; Rachel Ginieis; Indrawati Oey; Tracy Perry; Russell S J Keast; Mei Peng

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2022.106385

Taste but not smell sensitivities are linked to dietary macronutrient composition

Appetite. 2023 Feb 1:181:106385. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106385. Epub 2022 Nov 25.

Authors

Sashie Abeywickrema¹, Rachel Ginieis¹, Indrawati Oey², Tracy Perry³, Russell S J Keast⁴, Mei Peng⁵

Affiliations

¹ Sensory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
² Sensory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Riddet Institute, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
³ Division of Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
⁴ School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
⁵ Sensory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Riddet Institute, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Electronic address: mei.peng@otago.ac.nz.

PMID: 36442612
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106385

Abstract

Macronutrient intake and composition of diets (i.e., carbohydrate, protein, and fat) can vary substantially across individuals. Chemosensory functions are hypothesised to play a key role in modulating nutrient choices and intake. The present study tests links between individual gustatory or olfactory supra-threshold sensitivities and dietary macronutrient intake. A total of 98 European males (N = 81 for final analyses; age: 20-40 yo; BMI: 18.9-48.1 kg∙m^-2) were tested for supra-threshold sensitivities (d') to 3-gustatory (i.e., Sucrose, MSG, Dairy fat) and 3-olfactory stimuli (i.e., Vanillin, Methional, Maltol/Furaneol), followed by a 4-day weighed Food Record to give measures of macronutrient intake (kJ) and composition (%). With multivariate analyses (i.e., K-mean clustering, PCA, and Hierarchical Regression), gustatory and olfactory d' were compared across groups of individuals with distinct macronutrient composition or intake. Significant differences in gustatory d' were found across the clusters based on macronutrient composition (p < 0.05), but not for clusters based on intake. Hierarchical regressions suggested that gustatory d' played a significant role in predicting dietary carbohydrate composition and intake, with one-unit d' increase predicting reduction of 3%-4.66% (R² = 0.21, F_(5,75) = 5.38, p = 0.001). Moreover, every one-unit increase in d' to MSG increased protein composition by 3.45% (R² = 0.10, F_(5,75) = 2.83, p = 0.022) and intake by 392 kJ (R² = 0.08, F_(5,75) = 2.41, p = 0.044). By contrast, olfactory d' showed little association to macronutrient composition or intake (p > 0.05). Overall, we present intriguing new evidence that gustatory, but not olfactory, sensitivities are linked to dietary macronutrient composition, with relatively little effect on actual intake. These findings highlight possible action of a sensory-mediated mechanism guiding food choices.

Keywords: Discriminability; Gustation; Macronutrient intake; Obesity; Olfaction; Sensitivity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Diet*
Dietary Carbohydrates
Dietary Fats
Dietary Proteins
Energy Intake
Humans
Male
Nutrients
Smell
Taste*
Young Adult

Substances

Dietary Carbohydrates
Dietary Fats
Dietary Proteins