Mixed messages: Assessing interactions between portion-size and energy-density perceptions in different weight and sex groups

Taste sensitivities mediate differential snack choices across BMI groups: a study with New Zealand young male individuals

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to: 1) test for the link between snack choices and BMI using a novel sensory-based classification method; and 2) elucidate the role of gustatory sensitivity in orienting snack choices.

METHODS

The study employed a dual approach involving sensory and nutritional assessments. Ninety-eight European male individuals were tested for gustatory sensitivities to sweetness, saltiness, umami, and lipid perception. Participant food intake was measured over 4 days. A separate cohort of 327 participants categorized the recorded snacks based on taste patterns, enabling profiling of snack choices across body-weight groups.

RESULTS

Results showed clear differentiations in snack choices across the BMI groups: Individuals with a higher BMI consumed more "Sweet" and "Sweet+Fat" snacks and less "Savory" snacks compared with the lower-BMI group (p < 0.05). Mediation analyses confirmed a significant effect of gustatory sensitivity, showing that the greater choice for "Sweet" and "Sweet+Fat" snacks among those with a higher BMI was mediated by sensitivities to sweetness and lipid perception (p = 0.008-0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed that gustatory sensitivity can mediate the relationship between BMI and energy consumption from different snacks. These findings highlight the significance of taste perception in shaping snack choice, suggesting potential strategies for interventions aimed at addressing gustatory sensitivity to promote healthier dietary preferences.

Olfactory and Gustatory Supra-Threshold Sensitivities Are Linked to Ad Libitum Snack Choice

Snacking is a common eating habit in the modern food environment. Individual snack choices vary substantially, with sweet versus savoury snacks linked to differential health outcomes. The role of olfactory and gustatory sensitivities in snack choices and consumption is yet to be tested. A total of 70 Caucasian young males (age: 21−39 years; BMI: 20.5−40.5 kg∙m−2) were tested for their supra-threshold sensitivities to sweet and savoury associated odours and tastants (vanillin, methional; sucrose, NaCl). The participants also attended an ad libitum task in which their intakes of sweet and savoury snacks were recorded and analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to test for relationships between odour/taste sensitivities and sweet versus savoury snack intake. Results indicated that individual sensitivities to sweet-associated stimuli (e.g., vanillin, sucrose) were negatively linked with intake of the congruent (e.g., sweet) snacks and positively linked with incongruent (e.g., savoury) snacks (p < 0.05). These differences were reflected by energy intake rather than consumption weight (p > 0.05). This study outlines the fundamental roles of olfactory and gustatory sensitivities in snack choices and offers novel insights into inter-individual variability in snack consumption.

Psychometric Testing of a Food Timing Questionnaire and Food Timing Screener

BACKGROUND

Circadian rhythms coordinate multiple biological processes, and time of eating is an important entrainer of peripheral circadian clocks, including those in the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Whereas time of eating can be assessed through valid and reliable tools designed to measure nutrient intake (24-h recalls), currently there is no easily administered, valid, and reliable tool designed to specifically assess both time of food intake and sleep.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to test the validity and reliability of 2 questionnaires developed to measure food and sleep-wake timing, the Food Timing Questionnaire (FTQ) and Food Timing Screener (FTS), and the agreement between these 2 tools.

METHODS

The content validity of these tools was assessed by an expert panel of 10 registered dietitian nutritionists. Adult volunteers (n = 61) completed both tools to assess internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Criterion-related validity was determined through the association of FTQ and FTS with 2 valid instruments, the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour recall (ASA24®) Dietary Assessment tool and the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. Agreement between the FTQ and FTS was tested by calculating the Pearson's correlations for both food and sleep-wake timing.

RESULTS

The content validity indexes for both tools were >0.80, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability coefficients were >0.50 for all meals and sleep-wake times. Correlation coefficients were >0.40 between both tools and criterion measures of food intake and sleep except for snacks. Correlations between the FTQ and FTS for all eating events and sleep were >0.60 except for snack 1.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the FTQ and FTS are valid and reliable instruments for meal timing and sleep. However, further psychometric testing in a more expansive and diverse sample will improve the ability of these tools to accurately assess food timing and sleep and their impact on health outcomes.

Familial factors, diet, and risk of cardiovascular disease: a cohort analysis of the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Both diet and familial factors have a major role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, it remains unclear whether familial predisposition to CVD modifies the association between dietary factors and CVD.

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to assess whether the association between diet and CVD varies with familial predisposition to CVD.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort of the UK Biobank, 462,155 CVD-free participants were included in 2006-2010 and followed for CVD incidence until 2020. Food intake was measured using a short food-frequency questionnaire. Familial predisposition was measured by self-reported family history of CVD and by polygenic risk score (PRS) for CVD based on summary statistics of independent genome-wide association studies.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 11.2 y, 46,164 incident CVD cases were identified. A moderately higher risk of CVD was associated with more frequent processed-meat consumption, with an adjusted HR of 1.07 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.11; highest vs. lowest level). Conversely, intakes of fish, cheese, vegetables, and fruit were each associated with reduced CVD risk [HR (95% CI): 0.92 (0.89, 0.96), 0.90 (0.86, 0.94), 0.98 (0.95, 1.00), and 0.93 (0.89, 0.96), respectively]. Stratification analyses by family history of CVD and by PRS for CVD revealed an inverse association between CVD and intakes of fish and cheese, for both subgroups with and without a familial predisposition to CVD. Notably, while the association between processed-meat intake and CVD was restricted to individuals with a familial predisposition to CVD [e.g., HR: 1.11 (1.05, 1.16) and 1.03 (0.97, 1.10) for with and without a family history, respectively, P-interaction < 0.001], the risk reduction of CVD associated with vegetable and fruit intake was only noted among participants without a CVD familial predisposition [e.g., HR for fruit consumption: 1.00 (0.97, 1.03) and 0.91 (0.87, 0.95), respectively, P < 0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

Familial factors modify the association between diet and CVD, underscoring the need for personalized dietary guidelines for CVD prevention.

Textural Effects on Perceived Satiation and Ad Libitum Intake of Potato Chips in Males and Females

Food texture plays a critical role in influencing an individual’s perceived satiation and ad libitum intake. It remains unclear, however, whether such textural changes can also affect snack consumption. This study aimed to address this question by testing for changes in perceived satiation and ad libitum intake of two types of potato chips with varying hardness. In addition, the observed effect was compared across gender groups. With a crossover design, 74 participants (31 females and 43 males) performed a food consumption task for two types of chips produced from potatoes that were either untreated or treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology. Sensory analyses indicated that these two types of chips had comparable hedonic value, despite a clear textural difference. Across sexes, the results revealed a significant difference in perceived satiation for the two types of chips (p = 0.009), but not in intake. By contrast, analyses of males alone revealed that male participants rated PEF-treated chips to be more satiating than the control chips and correspondingly consumed less (p < 0.05). Overall, findings from the study suggest that modifications of food texture can be a helpful tool in reducing energy intake from snack consumption. The contrasting results from different gender groups highlight the importance of considering gender effects in studies of eating behaviour.