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Obesity May Alter Taste Perception
Publish Date : 1395/5/23 Time 15:57:35

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Obesity May Alter Taste Perception

Taste plays an important role in determining our appetites and how we regulate our diets.  New research shows obesity may alter our taste buds and the ability to determine sweetness in particular.

Study Overview

In a recent article published by PLOS One, Dr. Kathryn Medler of the University of Buffalo studied the effects of obesity on the ability to taste.  The team compared overweight mice to their slimmer counterparts to determine the differences in peripheral taste receptor cells.

The results show a decreased number of taste cells within the obese mice that are capable of detecting sweetness.  Even more, the cells that did respond to sweet stimuli reacted relatively weak compared to the average-weight mice.

“What we see is that even at this level — at the first step in the taste pathway — the taste receptor cells themselves are affected by obesity,” Dr. Medler stated in an article on Science Daily.

Study in Depth

In the study, Dr. Medler and her team measured the calcium signaling pathways in 25 control mice and 25 diet-induced mice.  To determine when a mouse would “recognize” a certain taste, the team closely monitored the slight changes in calcium within their cells.

While the cells of both groups of mice reacted the same to umami, or a savory taste sensation, the study reported a weakened response in the obese mice to sweetness and bitterness.  “Our findings demonstrate the diet-induced obesity significantly influences peripheral taste receptor cell signals, which likely leads to changes in the central taste system and may cause altered taste perception,” the team concluded.

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Relationship with Food

The study turns a new leaf in the understanding of the effects of obesity on our relationship with food.  Previous studies have shown obesity leads to possible alteration of the brain and the nerves that control the peripheral taste system, but this study takes a first look at the cells on the tongue that actually make contact with the food.

Taste cells on the tongue are obviously more accessible than cells within the body and therefore present a new option in treatment forms of obesity.  Dr. Medler mentions the importance of understanding the connection between taste, appetite, and obesity to discover new methods of encouraging healthy eating habits.

What do you think of the study’s results?  Do you think that a decreased ability to taste sweetness could lead to overeating to obtain the same payoff?  What could this mean for the future of treating obesity?  Share your thoughts below.

The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA) was founded in 1909 and is the national association of the U.S. flavor industry.  FEMA’s membership is comprised of flavor manufacturers, flavor users, flavor ingredient suppliers, and others with an interest in the U.S. flavor industry.  The association is committed to ensuring a safe supply of flavor ingredients used in foods and beverages enjoyed by billions of men, women, and children around the world.