Confection confusion: Interplay between diet, taste, and nutrition

A myriad of evidence demonstrates the impact of dietary composition on food perception, and that genetics play a role in shaping our dietary preferences. However, as taste is a plastic trait that changes due to nutritional composition, illness, and age, the level of evidence regarding the impact of chemosensory plasticity on dietary consumption remains insufficient. In this study by May & Dus (2021), the authors explore recent studies investigating the impact of sugar-rich diets on sweet taste in humans, rodents, and vinegar flies, attempting to understand the underlying neural and molecular mechanisms, in addition to identifying key areas for further research. Moreover, the authors seek to further the understanding behind the relationship between taste, nutrition, feeding, and how dietary chemosensory plasticity impacts the selection and intake of food or contributes to the incidence of metabolic diseases or obesity, and finally, how this knowledge can be used to improve public health interventions. [NPID: Chemosensory plasticity, diet composition, molecular mechanisms, obesity, taste]

Year: 2021

Reference: May, C. E., & Dus, M. (2021). Confection Confusion: Interplay Between Diet, Taste, and Nutrition. Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM, 32(2), 95–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2020.11.011

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