Gustation as a determinant of ingestion: methodological issues.

To better characterize the relationship between taste function and dietary intake, measures of taste sensitivity, perceived intensity and preference for sweet (sucrose) and bitter (urea) stimuli were assessed in 35 healthy adults using aqueous and food tastants. Observations were then correlated with the proportions of calories contributed by carbohydrate, protein, fat and foods characterized by subjects as predominantly sweet or bitter on 7-day diet records. No significant association was noted among single measures of taste function and any of the five intake parameters, although taste profiles comprised of multiple taste ratings accounted for approximately a third of the variance in sweet and bitter calorie consumption. Levels of nutrient intake could not be predicted at better than chance levels using taste responses. Taste function plays a subordinate role to other determinants of food and nutrient intake, although taste profiles may facilitate the prediction of preferred tastes of diets.