title: Patterns of Sweet Taste Liking: A Pilot Study.
abstract: Two distinct patterns of sweet taste liking have been described: one showing a peak liking response in the mid-range of sucrose concentrations and the other showing a monotonic liking response at progressively higher sucrose concentrations. Classification of these patterns has been somewhat arbitrary. In this report, we analyzed patterns of sweet taste liking in a pilot study with 26 adults including 14 women and 12 men, 32.6 ± 14.5 years of age with body mass index 26.4 ± 5.1 kg/m² (mean ± SD). Sweet taste liking was measured for 10 levels of sucrose solutions (0.035 M to 1.346 M). Participants rated their liking of each solution using a visual analog scale with 0 indicating strongly disliking and 100 strongly liking. The cluster analysis demonstrated two distinct groups: 13 liked relatively low sucrose concentrations and liked high sucrose concentrations less, and 13 liked high sucrose concentrations greatly. If we use the 0.598 M sucrose solution alone and a cutoff liking score of 50, we can distinguish the two clusters with high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%). If validated in additional studies, this simple tool may help us to better understand eating behaviors and the impact of sweet taste liking on nutrition-related disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Domino's Farms, Lobby G, Suite 1500, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. kasao@uthsc.edu.|Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 66 N. Pauline Street, Suite. 633, Memphis, TN 38163, USA. kasao@uthsc.edu.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asao
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Domino's Farms, Lobby G, Suite 1500, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. mill2259@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Domino's Farms, Lobby G, Suite 1500, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. leannarcori@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Leann
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arcori
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Medical Professional Building, Room D3202, P.O. Box: 5718, 1522 Simpson Road East, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5718, USA. jlumeng@umich.edu.|The Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Street, 10th Floor, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. jlumeng@umich.edu.|Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. jlumeng@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Julie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lumeng
authors.affiliation: Michigan Clinical Research Unit, Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. hanmark@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Han-Markey
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Domino's Farms, Lobby G, Suite 1500, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. wherman@med.umich.edu.|Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall Street, Room 6108/SPC 5714, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-1912, USA. wherman@med.umich.edu.|Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research, 1000 Wall Street, Room 6108/SPC 5714, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-1912, USA. wherman@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Herman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013395:Sucrose
keywords: liking; sucrose; sweet taste; taste