About this Research Topic
Genes play an important role in taste and smell perception affecting food preference and ultimately nutrient intake. It is suggested that food preference may be a better predictor of health outcomes than measures of taste or smell sensitivity since these do not necessarily translate into food intake. Therefore, understanding the drivers of food preferences may facilitate a better understanding of the relationship between diet and health outcomes.
Furthermore, a potential limitation in sensory research is that it has mostly focused on exploring individual receptors and how these influence each taste or smell separately. Similar to limitations in the exploration of individual nutrients as opposed to dietary patterns, complex interactions between different receptors and phenotypes suggest it is important to evaluate these collectively for a more comprehensive understanding of the links between genes, taste or smell perception and food preference.
Finally, age, ethnicity and disease status are just some of the factors that can affect taste or smell perception as well as food preferences, and further research that addresses these factors is needed.
Therefore, the aim of this research topic is to highlight the research that explores genetic determinants of taste, smell and other factors influencing food preferences. We also aim to highlight research that comprehensively analyses genetic determinants of food preference and explores these across the lifespan (e.g. elderly or children), in different ethnicities or in clinical populations.
Original research and review articles exploring the following topics will be included:
• Genetic determinants of taste, smell and food preference and associated dietary outcomes
• Genetic variation impacting food reward systems
• The associations between genetic variations and taste/smell perception or food preference using polygenic scores (combining the effects of several genetic variants)
• The associations between genetic variations and taste/smell perception or food preference profiles (a multivariable measure of perception/preference)
• The role of the above in clinical populations (e.g. type 2 diabetes, cancer, renal disease etc).
• The role of the above based in different ethnicities or age groups
Furthermore, a potential limitation in sensory research is that it has mostly focused on exploring individual receptors and how these influence each taste or smell separately. Similar to limitations in the exploration of individual nutrients as opposed to dietary patterns, complex interactions between different receptors and phenotypes suggest it is important to evaluate these collectively for a more comprehensive understanding of the links between genes, taste or smell perception and food preference.
Finally, age, ethnicity and disease status are just some of the factors that can affect taste or smell perception as well as food preferences, and further research that addresses these factors is needed.
Therefore, the aim of this research topic is to highlight the research that explores genetic determinants of taste, smell and other factors influencing food preferences. We also aim to highlight research that comprehensively analyses genetic determinants of food preference and explores these across the lifespan (e.g. elderly or children), in different ethnicities or in clinical populations.
Original research and review articles exploring the following topics will be included:
• Genetic determinants of taste, smell and food preference and associated dietary outcomes
• Genetic variation impacting food reward systems
• The associations between genetic variations and taste/smell perception or food preference using polygenic scores (combining the effects of several genetic variants)
• The associations between genetic variations and taste/smell perception or food preference profiles (a multivariable measure of perception/preference)
• The role of the above in clinical populations (e.g. type 2 diabetes, cancer, renal disease etc).
• The role of the above based in different ethnicities or age groups
Keywords: Genetic determinants, food preferences, smell and taste, clinical populations, polygenic scores
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
