Abstract
TASTE PERCEPTION AND APPETITE ALTERATION IN TYPE II DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: AN EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
This study aimed to investigate taste perception and appetite changes in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and its potential as a prognostic indicator in diabetes. We compared taste perception and appetite alterations between T2DM patients and healthy controls (HC).
A total of 130 T2DM patients and 53 HC were included in this observational comparative study, where their gustatory functions were evaluated using five increasing concentrations of Sweet (sucrose; 0.01-1.00 mol/L), Bitter (quinine hydrochloride; 0.01-1.00 mol/L), Sour (citric acid; 0.032-0.320 mol/L), and Salt (NaCl; 0.01-1.00 mol/L) taste. Taste scores were assessed using a sensory scale, and appetite score was measured using the Council of Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ). After a 12-month study period, it was observed that T2DM patients exhibited lower sweet (p< 0.0001), salty (p< 0.0001), bitter (p< 0.0001), and sour (p< 0.0001) sensations compared to HC. Student t test shown a significant correlation between taste scores and peripheral neuropathy, duration of T2DM, and a noticeable link with nephropathy. Taste identification was found to be impaired in T2DM patients, with sour being perceived as bitter (n=49) and salt as sour (n=7). Appetite scores were notably reduced in T2DM patients compared to HC.
The differences in taste scores between T2DM patients and healthy individuals indicated gustatory abnormalities in T2DM patients. Taste alterations in T2DM patients were significant and suggestive of disease progression and decreased appetite. The impairment in taste identification is a noteworthy discovery with potential for further research.