Relationship between taste sensitivity including "fat taste" and autonomic nervous activity

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K00827
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Toyo University
• Principal Investigator: Inoue Hiroko 東洋大学, 食環境科学部, 准教授 (60438190)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 桑野 稔子 静岡県立大学, 食品栄養科学部, 教授 (20213647) ; 鈴木 裕一 仙台青葉学院短期大学, リハビリテーション学科, 教授(移行) (50091707)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 味覚 / 食生活 / 生活習慣 / 精神的健康状態

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study analyzed the relationship between adolescent taste discrimination ability and taste sensitivity, and health indicators such as autonomic nervous activity, food intake, and lifestyle habits. Results showed that about 20% of the participants could correctly identify all the tastes. Among female participants, those who could not distinguish taste correctly had significantly lower serum iron levels, suggesting a relationship with potential iron deficiency. Furthermore, it was inferred that each taste sensitivity of sweetness, saltiness, and sourness was related to mental conditions such as stress and depression. The results of this study suggest that taste discrimination ability and taste sensitivity may be barometers for certain health conditions, and they are expected to contribute to the body of evidence linking taste function to health.

Free Research Field

栄養教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

味覚識別や味覚感受性を認知することは、生活習慣病予防の観点からも極めて重要である。
本研究では、青年期男女の味覚識別能力と味覚感受性の実態を詳細に調査し、食習慣や生活習慣、精神的健康状態との関連を明らかにした。本研究成果は、味覚機能と健康状態に関するエビデンスの構築に資する極めて貴重な学術的成果である。また、ヒトの味覚識別能力や味覚感受性が健康状態を反映する指標のひとつとなる可能性に繋がる結果であったことから、社会的意義のある研究成果であると考える。