New Study Links Aversion to Bitter Foods with Obesity

Sharon Moore December 16, 2013

New research published in the journal Appetite sought to explain why people who are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight tend to eat differently from thinner people. It found that having a higher body mass index (BMI) is linked to an aversion to bitter foods.

The researchers theorised that people with higher BMI dislike bitter foods and consequently avoided them. Since bitter foods are usually fruits and vegetables, avoiding them could affect weight.

For the study, 28 females and 12 males who had no history of eating disorders, aversions, allergies or illnesses were divided into two groups: low BMI and high BMI. They all tasted two bitter drinks – 5 ml of grapefruit juice and 5 ml of bitter chocolate drink, both contained in 10 ml plastic cups.

To gauge the participants’ subjective reaction, they were asked to fill out a survey detailing their preference and consumption of bitter substances. They rated each drink on a scale of zero to 100 – zero being “not at all bitter” and 100 being “extremely bitter”. The researchers also measured the participants’ facial expressions by videotaping them and comparing the degree to which their expression changed from before tasting to afterward.

Their findings showed that bitter-tasting drinks "elicited significantly more intense disgust reactions" in participants with high BMI than those with low BMI.

Researchers acknowledged the fact that taste, aversive or otherwise, is just another factor that could predict obesity or the likelihood of becoming obese. According to them, BMI is a ‘complex variable’, and more intense responses to bitter flavours, which can lead to avoidance of some healthy foods, is just one possible cause.

Currently, there are a number of factors associated with obesity. These include genetics, inactivity, unhealthy diet and eating habits, family lifestyle, sleep deprivation, use of certain medications, age, medical problems, and social and economic status.

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Higher Body Mass Index, Dislike Of Bitter Foods Linked In New Study