Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Charité Children's Hospital, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany.
Arch Dis Child. 2012 Dec;97(12):1048-52. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2011-301189. Epub 2012 Sep 20.
Taste sensitivity varies between individuals. Several studies describe differences between obese and non-obese subjects concerning their taste perception. However, data are partly contradictory and insufficient. Therefore, in this study taste sensitivity of obese and non-obese children/adolescents was analysed.
In a cross-sectional study gustatory sensitivity of n=99 obese subjects (body mass index (BMI) >97th percentile) and n=94 normal weight subjects (BMI <90th percentile), 6-18 years of age, was compared. Sensitivity for the taste qualities sweet, sour, salty, umami and bitter was analysed by means of impregnated 'taste strips' in different concentrations. A total score was determined for all taste qualities combined as well as for each separately. Furthermore, the possible influence of sex, age and ethnicity on taste perception was analysed. An intensity rating for sweet was performed on a 5-point rating scale.
Obese subjects showed-compared to the control group-a significantly lower ability to identify the correct taste qualities regarding the total score (p<0.001). Regarding individual taste qualities there was a significantly lower detection rate for salty, umami and bitter by obese subjects. Furthermore, the determinants age and sex had a significant influence on taste perception: older age and female sex was associated with better ability to identify taste qualities. Concerning the sweet intensity rating obese children gave significantly lower intensity ratings to three of the four concentrations.
Obese and non-obese children and adolescents differ in their taste perception. Obese subjects could identify taste qualities less precisely than children and adolescents of normal weight.
个体间的味觉敏感度存在差异。有几项研究描述了肥胖者和非肥胖者在味觉感知方面的差异。然而，这些数据存在部分矛盾且不充分。因此，本研究分析了肥胖和非肥胖儿童/青少年的味觉敏感度。
在一项横断面研究中，比较了 n=99 名肥胖受试者（体重指数（BMI）>第 97 百分位）和 n=94 名正常体重受试者（BMI<第 90 百分位）的味觉敏感性。通过不同浓度浸渍的“味觉条”分析了对甜味、酸味、咸味、鲜味和苦味的敏感性。对所有味觉质量的综合评分以及每个味觉质量的单独评分进行了测定。此外，还分析了性别、年龄和种族对味觉感知的可能影响。对甜味的强度评分采用 5 分制评分。
与对照组相比，肥胖组在识别正确味觉质量的总评分方面表现出显著较低的能力（p<0.001）。就个别味觉质量而言，肥胖组的咸味、鲜味和苦味的检测率显著较低。此外，年龄和性别等决定因素对味觉感知有显著影响：年龄较大和女性与更好的味觉识别能力相关。关于甜味强度评分，肥胖儿童对四种浓度中的三种给出的强度评分明显较低。
肥胖和非肥胖儿童和青少年的味觉感知存在差异。肥胖组在识别味觉质量方面的准确性低于正常体重儿童和青少年。
