Type and strength of food preferences of individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome.

The results of these experiments indicate that, contrary to popular belief, individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome demonstrate definite food preferences. These data are consistent with and extend recent findings of Caldwell & Taylor (1983). The general conclusions are that the foods preferred by most individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome are sweet, and that the strength of the food preference is related to the level of cognitive ability (the higher the cognitive level, the stronger the preference). A comparison of the food preferences of an obese, non-Prader-Willi group with similar cognitive deficiencies would be worthy of empirical investigation.