Taste Perception and Chronic Disease Risk

The purpose of the Taste Perception Study is to assess variations in the ability to taste and perceive sensations from various stimuli in younger (18-49 years) and older (50-85 years) volunteers. The study's goal is to determine how these sensations influence what one likes to eat, and what one chooses to eat, and whether there is an association with dietary intake, body composition and chronic disease. Another objective of the study is to determine the association between variations in oral sensations and genes mediating sensory perception and dietary behaviours.

The objective of the Taste Perception Study is to assess variations in oral sensations in younger (18-49 years; n=35) relative to older (50-85 years; n=35) subjects, and determine the association between variations in oral sensations and measures of chronic disease risk factors, body composition, habitual dietary intake and selected genes mediating sensory perception and dietary behaviors. Subjects who are participating in the Glycemic Index study (IRB #7196) will be asked for voluntarily participation in the proposed study. These volunteers will undergo 1-2 hours of standardized testing. These tests will involve tasting or smelling certain foods/beverages or ingredients in foods/beverages and rating the degree of liking/disliking, intensity and flavor or odor using a validated general Labeled magnitude scale. Volunteers will also be asked to complete a food preference survey and eating inventory questionnaire, as well as provide a DNA sample from a cheek swab or blood sample. These data will then be merged with the measures of chronic disease risk factors, body composition and habitual dietary intake data generated from the Glycemic index study in order to better understand if variations in oral sensations influence food preferences and patterns and subsequently chronic disease risk.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* men and women;
* aged 18 to 85 years old;
* free of known chronic disease;
* BMI \< 35 kg/ m2.

Exclusion criteria:

* BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2;
* renal or liver disease;
* untreated hypertension;
* irritable bowel syndrome;
* malabsorptive, esophageal and gastrointestinal motility disorders;
* chronic pancreatitis, or history of acute pancreatitis within the last year;
* hypothyroidism or hypothyroidism, as defined as screening TSH outside of normal ranges;
* anemia, as defined by screening hematocrit of 34% for women and 38% for men;
* smoking within the past 6 months;
* diabetes;
* fasting glucose ≥ 125 mg/dL;
* pregnancy or breastfeeding;
* history of polycystic ovary syndrome;
* history of autoimmune or other connective tissue disorders associated with chronic inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis; alcohol consumption \> 7 drinks/ week;
* use of medications known to affect glucose or lipid metabolism;
* established CVD (myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, coronary artery bypass, graft, stenosis \> 50%, peripheral arterial disease);
* unwillingness to adhere to study protocol;
* weight gain or loss of more than 15 lbs within 6 months prior to enrollment and other abnormal screening laboratory analysis results.