Taste responses and food preferences in obese women: effects of weight cycling.

Taste preferences for sensory stimuli composed of sugar and fat are predictive of some food preferences and may help distinguish between potential subtypes of human obesity. A sample of 37 obese females was divided into high-flux and low-flux groups according to the magnitude of fluctuations in body weight. Variability in body weight is thought to be indicative of the weight cycling syndrome. The subjects tasted and rated five sucrose solutions in water and nine ice creams of varying sugar and fat content. Perceptions and preferences for sweet solutions were the same for both groups. In contrast, the high-flux group showed higher preferences for ice cream stimuli than did the low-flux group. High-flux females also rated sweet desserts higher on a food preference questionnaire than did low-flux females. Prior consumption of milkshake pre-loads did not affect preference ratings for sweet solutions. However, hedonic preferences for ice creams after pre-load consumption were reduced in the high-flux group. The weight cycling syndrome may be associated with elevated hedonic preferences for sweet and high fat foods.