Individual Differences in Adaptation to Sweet Taste

Abstract Objectives Over-consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with obesity and related conditions, but low-calorie alternatives are rejected by most consumers. Individual differences in sensitivity to off tastes of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) have been considered as a factor in consumer choice. However, potential differences in adaptation, i.e., the tendency for sweetness to wane with repeated sips, has received less attention. This study measured sweetness adaption to a sugar and two LCS in the same sample of healthy adults to determine if there are stable individual differences in sweet adaptation. Methods Stimuli included three sweeteners at concentrations corresponding to the low (500 mM glucose, 246 µM sucralose, and 303 µM RebA) and high (1.08 M glucose, 870 µM sucralose, and 823 µM RebA) end of the sweetness spectrum for most commercially sold beverages in the US. Each trial participants (n = 38) tasted seven, 10 mL samples of the same stimulus (10 s between samples). For each sample, participants rated sweetness intensity using a general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Tests for all stimuli were repeated three times, on separate days, to assess stability. Results All sweeteners showed significant reduction in sweetness with repeated sips, with the exception of the higher concentration glucose (no significant decrease across repeated sips). Sweetness waned with repeated sips more profoundly for the two LCS than for glucose, as expected given previous results. Importantly, there were substantial and stable (across test sessions) individual differences in sweet adaptation. Conclusions Sweetness faded more rapidly and completely for LCS than for glucose, and some individuals were more susceptible to sweetness adaptation than others. Whether these individual differences are stable across longer periods of time, or contribute to individual differences in acceptance of beverages sweetened with LCS is currently unclear. Funding Sources Funded by a consortium of food and ingredient companies, including Asahi, Kellogg, Kraft, Mondelez, and Suntory. The views expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.

Download Full-text

Individual Differences in Sweetness Ratings and Cross-Modal Aroma-Taste Interactions

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods9020146 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 146 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anne Sjoerup Bertelsen ◽

Line Ahm Mielby ◽

Niki Alexi ◽

Derek Victor Byrne ◽

Ulla Kidmose

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Product Development ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Initial Screening ◽

Enhancing Effect ◽

Food And Beverages ◽

Sweetness Intensity ◽

Sugar Reduction

Aroma-taste interactions, which are believed to occur due to previous coexposure (concurrent presence of aroma and taste), have been suggested as a strategy to aid sugar reduction in food and beverages. However, coexposures might be influenced by individual differences. We therefore hypothesized that aroma-taste interactions vary across individuals. The present study investigated how individual differences (gender, age, and sweet liker status) influenced the effect of aroma on sweetness intensity among young adults. An initial screening of five aromas, all congruent with sweet taste, for their sweetness enhancing effect was carried out using descriptive analysis. Among the aromas tested, vanilla was found most promising for its sweet enhancing effects and was therefore tested across three sucrose concentrations by 129 young adults. Among the subjects tested, females were found to be more susceptible to the sweetness enhancing effect of vanilla aroma than males. For males, the addition of vanilla aroma increased the sweet taste ratings significantly for the 22–25-year-olds, but not the 19–21-year-olds. Consumers were clustered according to their sweet liker status based on their liking for the samples. Although sweet taste ratings were found to vary with the sweet liker status, aroma enhanced the sweetness ratings similarly across clusters. These results call for more targeted product development in order to aid sugar reduction.

Download Full-text

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Fruit Juice, and Low-Calorie Beverages, and All-Cause Mortality Risk Among Dutch Adults: The Lifelines Cohort Study Within the SWEET Project

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab053_059 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 1066-1066

Author(s):

Novita Naomi ◽

Elske Brouwer-Brolsma ◽

Marion Buso ◽

Sabita Soedamah-Muthu ◽

Johanna Geleijnse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Lower Risk ◽

Fruit Juice ◽

Cohort Analysis ◽

Dietary Factors ◽

Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽

Low Calorie ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

All Cause Mortality

Abstract Objectives To examine prospective associations between intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), fruit juice, and low-calorie beverages (LCB), and all-cause mortality among Dutch adults participating in the Lifelines Cohort Study. Methods A total of 118,439 participants aged 45 ± 13 years (60% women) were included in a prospective cohort analysis. Dietary intake at baseline was assessed using an extensive semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Uni- and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses, including substitution analyses, were performed adjusted for demographics, self-reported diseases and lifestyle, and dietary factors. The association was modelled continuously in each 1 glass (or 150 mL)/day intake increment and in four categories of each beverages intake (no intake, ≤2 glass/week, >2--<7 glass/week, and ≥1 glass/day). Results Of the total participants, 63% were SSB consumers, 76% were fruit juice consumers, and 56% were LCB consumers. The median intake among consumers was 0.4 [0.2–1.0] glass/day for SSB, 0.3 [0.1–0.7] glass/day for fruit juice, and 0.5 [1.2–1.1] glass/day for LCB. During a follow-up period of 8.3 [7.5–9.3] y, 2,023 (1.8%) deaths were recorded. Compared to no intake, ≥1 glass SSB/day was associated with a higher risk of mortality (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05, 1.46), whereas LCB intake was not associated with all-cause mortality risk. Theoretical replacement of 1 glass/day of SSB with the same amount of LCB was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83, 0.98). Finally, compared to no intake, moderate fruit juice intake (≤2 glass/week and >2--<7 glass/week) was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72, 0.90 and HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.76, 0.95 respectively). Conclusions SSB intake was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in the general Dutch adult population, whereas moderate fruit juice intake showed the opposite. Replacing SSB with LCB was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality Funding Sources This EU-project under the acronym “SWEET” has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The material presented and views expressed here are the responsibility of the author(s) only. The EU Commission takes no responsibility for any use made of the information set out.

Download Full-text

Turning Points in the Assessment and Clinical Applications of Individual Differences in Attachment

Psychology ◽

10.1093/obo/9780199828340-0271 ◽

2021 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Patricia Crittenden ◽

Susan J. Spieker ◽

Steve Farnfield

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Clinical Work ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Clinical Applications ◽

Future Research ◽

Central Research ◽

Funding Sources ◽

The Us

Attachment may have reached a turning point in which two sometimes incompatible approaches to individual differences in attachment are being compared. The outcome could influence future work in attachment. This article focuses on individual differences because applications of attachment are predicated on the consequences of individual differences for adaptation and well-being. The issue is which model is better suited to future research and clinical applications. Both models augment the original Ainsworth ABC model that everyone agrees is not sufficiently differentiated to cover the range of human behavior. The two models are “ABC+D” (the model that has disorganization (D) as its fourth category) and “DMM” (the model that expands the A and C categories from two subcategories each to a total of eight each, plus A/C combinations). The current disagreement has two sources: (a) the increasing acceptance outside the United States of the DMM, particularly in clinical and forensic settings, while the US remains largely unaware of the DMM; and (b) the recent announcement by prominent ABC+D researchers from Europe and the US that D is not a suitable category for clinical or forensic use. ABC+D researchers have not proposed an alternative, and some US funding sources and courts eschew attachment altogether, believing the theory itself lacks validity and utility, thus weakening attachment’s potential to inform clinical research and decision-making. This article proposes DMM as a viable alternative to both ABC+D and psychiatric diagnoses and examines the development and contributions of each model for the purpose of creating a model of individual differences in attachment that is scientifically robust, open to change as new evidence becomes available, and applicable to troubled individuals and families. Notably, attachment theory has engendered controversy from its beginnings. When John Bowlby offered attachment as a universal human characteristic that promoted species and individual survival, he was criticized by others in his field. When Mary Ainsworth identified the ABC categories of individual differences in attachment, her ideas were attacked from outside attachment theory. While the “first generation” issue around the existence of attachment has largely died away, a second generation of attachment theorists is disputing the nature of individual differences, their focus on individuals (ABC+D) or interpersonal systems (DMM Family Functional Formulations), and their relevance to clinical work. The ABC+D and DMM models that expand Ainsworth’s work were developed by two of her students, Mary Main (ABC+D) and Patricia Crittenden (DMM). They and their colleagues have worked separately for half a century producing two large and sometimes discrepant bodies of work, which have now become the topic of open debate. This bibliography focuses on the conceptual and empirical bases for that exchange. Part I outlines the roots of the ABC+D and DMM models, together with comparative validating information. Part II presents the central research findings on individual differences in attachment from four decades of research with each model. The authors wish to thank Robbie Duschinsky, Udita Iyengar, and Andrea Landini for their helpful comments on this bibliography.

Download Full-text

Level of Neighborhood Deprivation Predicts Fruit & Vegetable and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in Children Aged 12–24 Months

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab035_021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 113-113

Author(s):

Shannon Conrey ◽

Allie Cline ◽

Alexandra Piasecki ◽

Cole Brokamp ◽

Sarah Couch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Deprivation Index ◽

Median Income ◽

Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽

Sugar Sweetened Beverage ◽

Funding Sources ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

Food And Beverage ◽

Control And Prevention

Abstract Objectives The first USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans for children under 2 were released in December, 2020, and recommend a diverse diet rich in fruits and vegetables (FV), whole grains and lean protein and avoidance of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). We analyzed data for children 12–24 months enrolled in the CDC-funded PREVAIL Cohort in Cincinnati, OH to assess adherence to FV and SSB recommendations by the socioeconomic position (SEP) of their neighborhoods. Methods Diet was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and daily servings of FV and SSB were calculated. Home addresses were geocoded and merged with the Deprivation Index, a validated measure of census tract-level SEP, with residence then classified as being High SEP (least deprived), Low SEP (most deprived) or the middle quartiles of deprivation score. Comparisons of FV and SSB intake were made using logistic or Poisson regression and generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results Dietary data was available for N = 207 children from research visits at 12 (n = 155), 18 (n = 196), and 24 (n = 171) months. Residents in High SEP neighborhoods were 86% white with a median household income of ≥$50,000; residents of Low SEP neighborhoods were 86% Black with a median income of ≤$25,000. Children in High SEP consumed the most and those in Low SEP the least FV per day (mos. 12, 18, 24: High: 3.8, 3.8, 4.5; Low: 2.1, 2.7, 3.2; all P < 0.05). While only 16.8% of children consumed any SSB at month 12, Low SEP children were 13.4 times more likely to consume any SSB than High SEP (37.8% vs 4.4%, P = 0.001). At month 24, 27.4% of High SEP children consumed any SSB and 7.8% consumed SSB at least once daily compared to 58.4% and 27.8%, respectively, in Low SEP children (P < 0.05). In univariate GEE models, children in Low SEP neighborhoods averaged 1/3 fewer FV but 4.6-times more SSB (all P < 0.01) compared to children in High SEP neighborhoods. The middle quartiles of deprivation index were intermediate in their FV and SSB intake. Conclusions In the PREVAIL Cohort, children in more deprived neighborhoods consumed significantly fewer fruits and vegetables and more sugar-sweetened beverages than those in more affluent neighborhoods. Efforts to improve diet quality should focus on promoting and enabling healthy food and beverage consumption in low SEP neighborhoods. Funding Sources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Download Full-text

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Artificially Sweetened Beverages, and Breast Cancer Risk: Results From Two Prospective US Cohorts

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab036_018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 276-276

Author(s):

Andrea Romanos-Nanclares ◽

Walter Willett ◽

Bernard Rosner ◽

Laura C. Collins ◽

Frank Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Breast Cancer Risk ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Health Study ◽

Luminal A ◽

Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽

Funding Sources ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

Artificially Sweetened Beverages

Abstract Objectives Whether consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) or artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) is associated with risk of breast cancer is of public health interest. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate associations between consumption of SSBs and ASBs with risk of total and subtype-specific breast cancer. Methods We followed 80,677 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS; 1980 to 2016) and 86,115 women from the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII; 1991 to 2017) who were free from breast cancer at baseline. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results We documented 10,248 breast cancer cases during 3,990,008 person-years of follow-up. Consumption of SSBs or ASBs were not associated with total breast cancer risk; pooled HR (95% CI) comparing extreme categories were 1.05 (0.97, 1.15) and 0.97 (0.91, 1.03), respectively. In cohort-specific analysis, SSBs were associated with a higher risk of breast cancer in NHS (HR ≥1/day vs. < 1/month 1.12; 95% CI 1.00, 1.24; P-trend = 0.03). We observed a significant interaction by BMI (P-interaction = 0.02), where a modestly higher risk of breast cancer with each serving per day increment of SSBs was found in lean women (BMI < 25 kg/m2) (HR, 1.06, 95% CI, 1.01, 1.12), but not among overweight or obese women (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) (HR, 0.98, 95% CI, 0.93, 1.04). Moreover, in the pooled, fully adjusted analysis, compared to infrequent consumers (<1/month), those who consumed ≥ 1 serving of ASBs per day had a lower risk of luminal A breast tumors (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78, 0.99; P-trend = 0.01). Conclusions Although no significant associations were observed overall, consumption of SSBs was associated with a modest higher risk of breast cancer among lean women. This finding could have occurred by chance and needs confirmation. Our findings also suggest no substantial increase in risk of breast cancer with consumption of ASBs. Funding Sources This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. ARN was supported by a fellowship from the Spanish Association Against Cancer Scientific Foundation (FC AECC). The funding sources did not participate in the design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis or interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.

Download Full-text

Low-Calorie Sweetened Beverages and Cardiometabolic Health: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association

Circulation ◽

10.1161/cir.0000000000000569 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 138 (9) ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Rachel K. Johnson ◽

Alice H. Lichtenstein ◽

Cheryl A.M. Anderson ◽

Jo Ann Carson ◽

Jean-Pierre Després ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Drug Administration ◽

High Intensity ◽

Food And Drug Administration ◽

The United States ◽

Cardiometabolic Health ◽

Low Calorie ◽

Writing Group ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

The Us

In the United States, 32% of beverages consumed by adults and 19% of beverages consumed by children in 2007 to 2010 contained low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs). Among all foods and beverages containing LCSs, beverages represent the largest proportion of LCS consumption worldwide. The term LCS includes the 6 high-intensity sweeteners currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and 2 additional high-intensity sweeteners for which the US Food and Drug Administration has issued no objection letters. Because of a lack of data on specific LCSs, this advisory does not distinguish among these LCSs. Furthermore, the advisory does not address foods sweetened with LCSs. This advisory reviews evidence from observational studies and clinical trials assessing the cardiometabolic outcomes of LCS beverages. It summarizes the positions of government agencies and other health organizations on LCS beverages and identifies research needs on the effects of LCS beverages on energy balance and cardiometabolic health. The use of LCS beverages may be an effective strategy to help control energy intake and promote weight loss. Nonetheless, there is a dearth of evidence on the potential adverse effects of LCS beverages relative to potential benefits. On the basis of the available evidence, the writing group concluded that, at this time, it is prudent to advise against prolonged consumption of LCS beverages by children. (Although water is the optimal beverage choice, children with diabetes mellitus who consume a balanced diet and closely monitor their blood glucose may be able to prevent excessive glucose excursions by substituting LCS beverages for sugar-sweetened beverages [SSBs] when needed.) For adults who are habitually high consumers of SSBs, the writing group concluded that LCS beverages may be a useful replacement strategy to reduce intake of SSBs. This approach may be particularly helpful for persons who are habituated to a sweet-tasting beverage and for whom water, at least initially, is an undesirable option. Encouragingly, self-reported consumption of both SSBs and LCS beverages has been declining in the United States, suggesting that it is feasible to reduce SSB intake without necessarily substituting LCS beverages for SSBs. Thus, the use of other alternatives to SSBs, with a focus on water (plain, carbonated, and unsweetened flavored), should be encouraged.

Download Full-text

Sugar-sweetened Beverages and Chronic Kidney Disease

US Endocrinology ◽

10.17925/use.2015.11.1.41 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (01) ◽

pp. 41 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ke Wang ◽

Ashish Upadhyay ◽

◽

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Epidemiologic Studies ◽

Sugar Consumption ◽

Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽

Direct Role ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

The Us

Increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has occurred in parallel with the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the US. Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, particularly with fructose, has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperuricemia, and nephrolithiasis, all of which are risk factors for CKD. However, the direct role of sugarsweetened beverages in the progression of CKD remains unclear. To date, five epidemiologic studies have examined the association between sugar consumption and kidney outcomes, with two showing statistically significant positive associations between higher sugar intake and adverse kidney outcomes. Even though the direct causal relationship between sugar-sweetened beverages and CKD has not been definitely established, it is advisable to counsel individuals with CKD and those at risk for CKD to limit the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages in light of its known detrimental effects on CKD risk factors.

Download Full-text

A Healthier Beverage Choice is Based on a Subjective Assessment of Sweet Taste

Journal of Food Research ◽

10.5539/jfr.v10n2p47 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 47

Author(s):

Ester Reijnen ◽

Swen J. Kühne ◽

Reto Ritter

Keyword(s):

Subjective Assessment ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Sugar Consumption ◽

Online Experiment ◽

Sugar Sweetened Beverages ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

The Difference ◽

Sugar Beverage ◽

The Way

Despite promising interventions to lower people’s daily sugar consumption, such as health- or taste-focused labels, the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) continues to rise. To improve the effectiveness of existing labels, the way people process sugar amounts in grams (g) as displayed on beverages seems to merit elucidation. For example, do people perceive the difference in the amount of sugar, and thus in the subjective sweet taste, between two beverages according to Weber’s law? Additionally, is that perceived difference the cause of their beverage choice? In order to investigate these questions, participants in this online experiment first had to estimate the sugar difference between two beverages based on grams and then decide whether they would switch to a lower-sugar beverage. We found that participants’ different estimates followed Weber’s law. The choice of the lower-sugar beverage, however, depended on how large they personally perceived that difference. In other words, the choice was independent of the ratio. These results show that future labels, rather than indicating the total amount of sugar, should indicate whether the reduction, for example in the amount of sugar compared to another beverage, was perceived as significant by others.

Download Full-text