Taste, food intake and obesity.

Research in human eating behaviour prior to 1990 has shown that taste impacts the palatability and selection of food for intake; sensory-specific satiety; satiation; and thermic effect of food. Research in the last decade has added information to these areas; expanded the field to comparisons of the impact of 'wanting' vs. 'liking' food on intake, and provided insight into the relationship of food intake and brain functioning through new imaging techniques. This article will review literature from the last decade on research in the area of taste and its impact on food intake. Emphasis will be placed on differences seen between lean and obese humans and how these may contribute to the development of human obesity. Suggestions for future research directions will also be discussed.