Testing for bi-directional rejection thresholds to sweetness and their links to sugar intake and sweet-taste drink consumption

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Background and Aims Sugar intake has been linked to obesity, however, the relationship between individual sugar perception and dietary choice remains unclear. The current study aims to measure individual bi-directional rejection thresholds and compare these measures to sugar intake and consumption patterns of sweet-taste beverages. Methods A cross-section design will be used to analyse the relationship between sweetness perception, sucrose liking, and dietary intake. Participants will attend laboratory sessions to assess sucrose liking, ascending and descending rejection thresholds, and detection thresholds, and complete a 4-day weighed food-diary to assess dietary intake. ANCOVA will be used to test for differences in detection threshold and hedonic VAS ratings between the liking and disliking group, with age, gender, and BMI as covariates. A generalised linear mixed-models will be applied to test for differences in individual ascending versus descending rejection threshold across the two sweet liker status groups. Regression models will be used to test the role of ascending versus descending rejection thresholds on predicting sugar and sweet-taste beverage consumption. Discussion More research focusing on links between individual sweetness perception and sugar intake will be important for elucidating the mechanism underpinning sensory effects on dietary behaviour.