In a recent study published in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes , researchers compare taste sensitivities and flavor identification between type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients and healthy individuals. Study: Flavor and taste recognition impairments in people with type 1 diabetes . Image Credit: Josep Suria / Shutterstock.
com The importance of taste Taste and flavor significantly impact food choices, which are affected by physiological, social, psychological, metabolic, and hereditary factors. For example, neuropathy, hyperglycemia, drug side effects, oral mucosal inflammation, and decreased saliva output impact taste and flavor perception. Previous studies associate impaired taste perception in T1D with illness duration, peripheral neuropathy, and an age-related reduction in taste function.
However, studies investigating taste function in T1D patients have produced inconsistent results. Flavor is the primary neurosensory function that influences food choice and preference. Therefore, defective flavor identification can cause issues with food recognition, oral intake, and enjoyment.
About the study The current study included 72 adult T1D patients and 72 healthy controls. T1D patients were recruited from regular check-up visits at Federico II University Diabetes Unit. The control group comprised healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, smoking status, and body mass index (BMI).
Any individuals with BMI values exceeding 35 kg/m 2 , nasal polyps, sinusitis, seasonal or viral rhinit.