Taste perception profiles are associated with adherence to empirically derived dietary patterns among older adults with metabolic syndrome

Authors: GERVAIS, JULIE - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University; FERNANANDEZ-CARRION, REBECA - University Of Valencia; CHUI, KENNETH - Tufts University; MA, JIANTAO - Tufts University; COLTELL, OSCAR - University Jaume I Of Castellon; SORLI, JOSE - University Of Valencia; BARRAGAN, ROCIO - University Of Valencia; GONZALEZ, JOSE - University Of Valencia; GIMENEZ-ALBA, IGNACIO - University Of Valencia; MARTINEZ-LACRUZ, RAUL - University Of Valencia; GUILLEM-SAIZ, PATRICIA - University Of Valencia; PASCUAL-CATELLO, EVA - University Of Valencia; PORTOLES, OLGA - University Of Valencia; CORELLA, DOLORES - University Of Valencia; LICHTENSTEIN, ALICE - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: Current Developments in Nutrition
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2021
Publication Date: 6/7/2021
Citation: Gervais, J., Fernanandez-Carrion, R., Chui, K., Ma, J., Coltell, O., Sorli, J.V., Barragan, R., Gonzalez, J.I., Gimenez-Alba, I., Martinez-Lacruz, R., Guillem-Saiz, P., Pascual-Catello, E.C., Portoles, O., Corella, D., Lichtenstein, A.H. 2021. Taste perception profiles are associated with adherence to empirically derived dietary patterns among older adults with metabolic syndrome. Current Developments in Nutrition. 5:407. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab038_019.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab038_019

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Objectives: Understanding individual-level drivers of food intake is critical when personalizing dietary guidance. One likely driver is taste perception; yet, limited data relate perception of all 5 tastes (sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami) to dietary patterns (DPs). Our aim was to determine whether a multivariable measure of taste perception, taste perception profiles, was associated with adherence to empirically derived DPs. Methods: Participants were three hundred sixty seven community-dwelling adults with metabolic syndrome from PREDIMED-Plus, Valencia (55–75 years; 55 percent female). Six taste perception profiles were derived from 5 taste perception scores via a data-driven clustering approach: Low All (23 percent), High Bitter (16 percent), High Umami (17 percent), Low Bitter & Umami (20 percent), High All But Bitter (13 percent) and High All But Umami (11 percent). DPs were derived via principal component analysis using food groupings tabulated from food frequency questionnaires. Generalized linear models were used to examine relations between taste perception profiles and DP adherence, adjusting for confounders. Results: Three DPs were identified, explaining 25 percent of total variance: a high fruit, vegetable and whole grain DP (Fruit/Veg), a high fat, sugar and refined grain DP (Fat/Sug) and a high alcohol, salt and processed meat DP (Alch/Salt). Adherence to the DPs differed by profile. Across all profiles, High Bitter and Low All individuals were most likely to follow the Alch/Salt DP (44% and 39% in highest tertial of adherence, respectively; P = 0.03), while those with High All But Bitter and High Umami tended to follow the Fat/Sug DP (42% and 39% in highest tertial, respectively; P = 0.08). Compared to Low All individuals, after adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, diabetes and BMI, those with Low Bitter & Umami adhered less to the Alch/Salt DP (ß [95% CI] = -0.3 [-0.6,-0.03]) while those withHighUmami adheredmore to the Fat/Sug DP (0.4 [0.1, 0.8]). Conclusions: Among older adults with metabolic syndrome, taste perception profiles were differentially associated with adherence to empirically derived DPs, suggesting the benefit of using taste perception profiles when customizing risk reduction dietary guidance.