2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Effects of Colors on Salivary Flow Rate, Taste Threshold and Automatic Nerve System in Meal Environment

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	21890077
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Fundamental nursing
Research Institution	Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Principal Investigator	SASAKI Akiyo Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 大学院・保健衛生学研究科, 助教 (90538018)
Project Period (FY)	2009 – 2010
Keywords	色 / 味覚閾値 / 主観評価 / 食事 / 療養環境
Research Abstract	Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of placemat sized colors stimuli on taste threshold and feelings in meal environment. Methods : Twenty-six healthy women aged 21 to 37 years participated in the experiment for 4 days. White, red, blue, and green papers sized 420 mm × 315 mm were used as color stimuli. The subjects were requested to sit down on a chair and look at the colored paper on a table. The main outcome measure was taste thresholds, which had five ranked concentration. The subjects were also requested to evaluate their feelings before and after the experiment by the Visual Analog Scale. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 for Windows. This study was approved by the ethics committee of the university. Results : The median ranks of salty threshold under red or green stimuli were significantly decreased compared those under white stimulus. Also, the median ranks of sweet threshold under blue or green stimuli were significantly decreased compared those under white stimulus. These results suggested that red and green stimuli made salty threshold sensitive, blue and green stimuli made sweet threshold sensitive. The subjects who become salty threshold sensitive under red stimulus felt more pre-experiment fatigue and unpleasant than those who become salty threshold insensitive. Therefore, we need to pay attention the pre-experiment feelings under red stimulus. Conclusion : Placemat sized color stimuli made taste sensitive and these effects might be related to pre-experiment feelings.