Mwakyoma Tuku, Graham Catherine Anna-Marie, Hamooya Benson M, Muchaili Lweendo, Ngosa Memory, Povia Joreen P, Pilic Leta, Masenga Sepiso K
Livingstone University Teaching Hospital Laboratory Department, Livingstone, Zambia.
Precision Nutrition, Lake Lucerne Institute (LLUI), Vitznau, Switzerland.
PLoS One. 2025 Jul 18;20(7):e0328172. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328172. eCollection 2025.
Sweet taste perception and preference play crucial roles in dietary habits and health outcomes. Understanding the genetic basis of taste thresholds and preferences can provide insights into individual differences in dietary behavior and susceptibility to metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In Zambia, there is paucity of data concerning taste perception and preference in relation to genetics among diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the genotype and sweet taste thresholds, among individuals with and without T2DM in Zambia.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 89 adults at Livingstone University Teaching Hospital (42 non-diabetic and 47 diabetics). Saliva samples were used to determine the TRPV1 rs4790522, and TAS1R3 rs307355 genotype. We assessed sweet taste threshold and preference using a series of aqueous sucrose solutions. Demographic characteristics, anthropometrics, lifestyle factors, and dietary habits were collected using a structured questionnaire.
Sweet taste threshold positively correlated with preferred concentration in both groups (p < 0.05). A higher proportion of PwT2D with elevated preferred sweet concentrations carried one or both homozygous risk alleles (77.8%, TT/AA). When compared to healthy controls, PwT2D had higher BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate. They also exhibited higher taste thresholds but lower preferred concentrations, though this group was significantly older, potentially confounding results.
These findings suggest taste perception and genetic variation may differ in PwT2D, highlighting the need for further research in Sub-Saharan African populations to inform personalized, cost-effective treatment strategies. However, studies with a larger sample size are required to validate our findings.
甜味感知和偏好对饮食习惯及健康结果起着关键作用。了解味觉阈值和偏好的遗传基础有助于洞察个体饮食行为差异以及对2型糖尿病（T2DM）等代谢紊乱疾病的易感性。在赞比亚，关于糖尿病患者和非糖尿病患者味觉感知和偏好与遗传学关系的数据匮乏。本研究旨在确定赞比亚患有和未患有T2DM的个体中基因型与甜味阈值之间的关系。
在利文斯通大学教学医院对89名成年人进行了一项横断面研究（42名非糖尿病患者和47名糖尿病患者）。采集唾液样本以确定瞬时受体电位香草酸亚型1（TRPV1）基因rs4790522位点以及味觉受体1型成员3（TAS1R3）基因rs307355位点的基因型。我们使用一系列蔗糖水溶液评估甜味阈值和偏好。通过结构化问卷收集人口统计学特征、人体测量学数据、生活方式因素和饮食习惯。
两组中甜味阈值均与偏好浓度呈正相关（p < 0.05）。偏好甜味浓度升高的T2DM患者中，较高比例携带一个或两个纯合风险等位基因（77.8%，TT/AA）。与健康对照组相比，T2DM患者的体重指数、收缩压、舒张压和脉搏率更高。他们还表现出更高的味觉阈值但更低的偏好浓度，不过该组年龄明显更大，可能会混淆研究结果。
这些发现表明T2DM患者的味觉感知和基因变异可能存在差异，这凸显了在撒哈拉以南非洲人群中开展进一步研究以为个性化、低成本治疗策略提供依据的必要性。然而，需要更大样本量的研究来验证我们的发现。
