RESUMEN
Sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) is an inherited trait. Although some people find PROP to be extremely bitter, others cannot distinguish PROP solutions from plain water. In a series of studies, greater PROP sensitivity was linked with lower acceptability of other bitter compounds and with lower reported liking for some bitter foods. Women, identified as "super-tasters" of PROP, had lower acceptance scores for grapefruit juice, green tea, Brussels sprouts, and some soy products. Many of these foods contain bitter phytochemicals with reputed cancer-protective activity. These include flavonoids in citrus fruit, polyphenols in green tea and red wine, glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables, and isoflavones in soy products. Consumer acceptance of these plant-based foods may depend critically on inherited taste factors. This review examines the role of genetic taste markers in determining taste preferences and food choices.
Asunto(s)
Flavanonas , Preferencias Alimentarias , Propiltiouracilo/administración & dosificación , Umbral Gustativo , Anticarcinógenos/administración & dosificación , Flavonoides/administración & dosificación , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Dietary guidelines for athletes emphasize complex carbohydrates. This study examined dietary intakes of elite figure skaters relative to current recommendations in sports nutrition. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were male (n=80) and female (n=81) figure skaters taking part in a series of training camps held in Colorado between 1988 and 1995. Mean age was 18 years for men and 16 years for women. DESIGN: Measures of height, weight, and skinfold thickness were used to calculate body mass index and percent body fat. Blood samples were drawn for analysis of nutritional status. Energy and nutrient intakes were based on 3-day food records. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Multivariate regression model and correlation analyses used the SPSS for Windows program. RESULTS: Values of body mass index and percent body fat were similar to those obtained for elite athletes in other studies. Plasma chemistries were in the normal range. Energy intakes (2,329 kcal/day for men and 1,545 kcal/day for women) were below recommended values for sex and age. The skaters derived approximately 50% of their daily energy from sugars and fat. Sugars alone accounted for 25% of daily energy intakes--the skaters consumed between 100 g (women) and 142 g of sugars per day. Sugar and fat intakes, when expressed as percent of daily energy, were inversely linked, providing evidence of a fat-sugar seesaw. Higher-energy diets were higher in fat but lower in carbohydrate and protein. APPLICATIONS: High consumption of sugars and fat by elite athletes was not associated with overweight or excess body fat. Although recommended diets are usually built around complex carbohydrates, dietetics professionals can address the increased energy needs of elite athletes by recommending energy-dense foods. Sugars and fats are efficient sources of energy per unit volume.
Asunto(s)
Composición Corporal , Grasas de la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Sacarosa en la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Ingestión de Energía/fisiología , Estado Nutricional , Patinación/fisiología , Adolescente , Fenómenos Fisiológicos Nutricionales de los Adolescentes , Adulto , Estatura , Índice de Masa Corporal , Peso Corporal , Niño , Carbohidratos de la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Proteínas en la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Necesidades Nutricionales , Valor Nutritivo , Análisis de Regresión , Grosor de los Pliegues CutáneosRESUMEN
Identifying major influences on food choice is an important component of nutrition intervention research. Sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and self-reported preferences for meats, fats, vegetables, and fruit were examined in 329 female breast care patients. Intakes of fat, saturated fat, fiber, folate, and vitamin C, established using 4-day food diaries, were the chief health outcome variables. The strongest predictor of food preferences was age. Preferences were linked to food intakes. Older women consumed less energy and saturated fat and more dietary fiber and vitamin C than did younger women. Age-related decline in taste sensitivity to PROP was associated with increased liking for bitter cruciferous vegetables. Age-associated changes in food preferences and eating habits have implications for the dietary approach to cancer prevention and control.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Mama/prevención & control , Dieta , Preferencias Alimentarias , Umbral Gustativo/fisiología , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Grasas de la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Fibras de la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Femenino , Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estado Nutricional , VerdurasRESUMEN
This study tested the hypothesis that genetic sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) is associated with greater sensitivity to sugar and fat in foods. Subjects were 118 young women from different ethnic backgrounds, mean age 26.9 years and mean body mass index (BMI) 23.4. The women were classified as nontasters (n = 39), medium tasters (n = 48), or supertasters (n = 31) of PROP. Nontasters of PROP had thresholds of 1.8 x 10(-4) mol/L PROP or greater, whereas tasters had thresholds below 1.0 x 10(-4) mol/L PROP. PROP tasters were divided into medium tasters and supertasters, based on the ratio of intensity ratings of suprathreshold PROP solutions relative to NaCl solutions. Supertasters were defined as those with PROP/NaCl ratios of 1.90 or more. The pattern of sensory responses to sweetened dairy products of varying sugar and fat contents closely replicated data obtained in other studies. Genetic sensitivity to PROP was not associated with enhanced perception or altered hedonic response profiles for this range of 15 sugar/fat mixtures. Separating subjects into "likers" and "dislikers" of sweetened dairy products failed to reveal significant links to PROP taster status in this all-female sample.
Asunto(s)
Apetito/genética , Grasas de la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Sacarosa en la Dieta/administración & dosificación , Genotipo , Gusto/genética , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Motivación , Propiltiouracilo , Umbral GustativoRESUMEN
Genetic sensitivity to the bitter taste of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) has been linked with a greater number of food aversions and reported rejection of some bitter foods. Healthy young women (n = 121) were divided into nontasters, tasters and supertasters of PROP according to their PROP detection thresholds and the ratio of intensity ratings of PROP versus NaCl solutions. Hedonic response profiles to sucrose solutions distinguished between likers and dislikers of sweet. All subjects completed a 171-item food preference checklist. Food preference data were reduced by factor analyses, subscales of which were tested for reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Greater PROP sensitivity was associated with lower acceptance of coffee, cruciferous vegetables, tart citrus fruit, dark breads, and selected fats. In contrast, liking for sucrose solutions was linked to liking for sugar in tea and coffee, but not to any special pattern of food acceptance. Strategies aimed at increasing the consumption of grains, vegetables, and fruit should consider the role of inherited taste makers and their potential impact on dietary habits.
Asunto(s)
Preferencias Alimentarias/fisiología , Trastornos del Gusto/diagnóstico , Gusto/fisiología , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Femenino , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Propiltiouracilo , Sacarosa , Umbral GustativoRESUMEN
Genetic sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) has been reported to predict hedonic response to sweet taste in both women and men. This study was based on a sample of 159 women of different ethnic backgrounds, mean age 27.0 years, and mean body mass index (BMI) 23.2. The women were classified as nontasters (n = 43), regular tasters (n = 70), or supertasters (n = 46) of PROP on the basis of their PROP detection thresholds and the scaling of 5 suprathreshold solutions of PROP and NaCl. Nontasters had thresholds > 1.8 x 10(-4) mol/L PROP and PROP/NaCl ratios < 1.60. Supertasters had thresholds < 3.2 x 10(-5) mol/L PROP and PROP/NaCl ratios > 1.60. Genetic sensitivity to PROP failed to predict sweetness intensity ratings or hedonic response profiles for sucrose solutions. Separating subjects into sucrose "likers" and "dislikers" failed to reveal any significant links to PROP nontaster, taster, or supertaster status in this all-female sample.