Abstract MP04: Taste Perception Profiles Are Associated With Patterns Of Adherence To A Mediterranean Diet Among Older Adults With Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Gervis Julie E , Chui Kenneth , Ma Jiantao , Coltell Oscar , Fernández-Carrión Rebeca , Sorlí José V , Barragán Rocío , González José I , Gimenez-Alba Ignacio M , Martinez-Lacruz Raul , Guillem-Saiz Patricia , Pascual-Catelló Eva C , Portolés Olga , Ortega-Azorín Carolina , Corella Dolores , Lichtenstein Alice H 
Published: May 2021

Objective:
Evidence suggests perception of sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and umami tastes may be independently related to food preferences and intake. Our objective was to determine whether a collective measure of taste perception for all 5 tastes—“taste perception profiles”—was related to adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedD).

Methods:
Participants were 367 older adults (55-75 years; 55% female) with metabolic syndrome from PREDIMED-Plus, Valencia. A data-driven clustering approach identified six taste perception profiles from baseline taste perception scores: Low All (
n =
85), High Bitter (
n
= 41), High Umami (
n
= 61), Low Bitter & Umami (
n
= 59), High All But Bitter (
n
= 72) and High All But Umami (
n
= 49). A MedD adherence score was tabulated from a questionnaire which captured adherence to 17 pre-determined MedD criteria (range = 0-17; 1 point per criteria met). Generalized linear models were used to determine the relations between taste perception profiles and MedD adherence scores, with confounder adjustment.

Results:
Across profiles, there were no significant differences in MedD adherence scores (unadjusted mean range = 8.1-8.6; ANOVA, p
=
0.97); however, there were significant differences in the criteria met by each profile. For High All But Bitter and Low All profiles, 71% vs. 42% of individuals, respectively, met criteria for adequate vegetable intake (chi square = 12.8, p = 0.03); and for High All But Umami and High All But Bitter profiles, 95% vs. 65% of individuals, respectively, reported preferring lean over red meat (chi square = 12.5, p = 0.03). After adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, smoking status, diabetes, medication use and energy intake, compared to individuals with Low All (reference), those with High All But Bitter were more likely to meet criteria for adequate vegetable (OR [95% CI] = 2.9 [1.3, 6.6]), adequate sofrito (2.4 [1.1, 5.4]) and moderate wine (4.1 [1.5, 11.3]) intakes, and less likely to meet criteria for low non-whole grain pasta/rice (0.3 [0.1, 0.8]), white bread (0.3 [0.1, 0.6]) and red/processed meat (0.3 [0.2, 0.7]) intakes, and to report preferring lean over red meat (0.3 [0.1, 0.8]) and using extra virgin olive oil as a main cooking fat (0.4 [0.2, 0.95]); individuals with High Bitter were more likely to meet criteria for adequate fruit (2.7 [1.3, 5.5]) and less likely to meet criteria for low sugar-sweetened beverage (0.4 [0.2, 0.8]) intakes, while those with High Umami were more likely to meet criterion for adequate vegetable intake (2.2 [1.1, 4.5]). Neither Low Bitter & Umami nor High All But Umami were significantly associated with MedD adherence.

Conclusions:
Among older adults with metabolic syndrome, taste perception profiles were associated with differential patterns of adherence to a MedD, supporting the use of taste perception profiles when developing individualized dietary modification strategies to improve cardiometabolic risk factors.