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Umami taste disorder is a novel predictor of obesity

Hypertension Research volume 44, pages 595–597 (2021)Cite this article

Gustation is categorized into five primary tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Umami is one of most attractive tastes for humans [1,2,3] since umami taste stimulates the amygdala in the brain, leading to food satisfaction [4]. Recently, a clinical study found that the umami taste sensitivity of obese Western women was dull [4]. Thus, the regulation of umami sensitivity may contribute to the control of food intake and thereby to reduced obesity. Here, we studied the correlation between umami taste sensitivity and obesity in Japanese adults. In addition, we investigated the influence of low umami taste sensitivity on physical condition or dietary composition in a prospective study for one year.

We recruited 47 Japanese adults, and diabetic patients and those taking oral anti-hypertension drugs that have been reported to influence gustation were excluded. There were more women (33 subjects) than men (14 subjects), and the subjects were relatively young, with a mean age of 37.4 years. Subjects with a body mass index >25 were classified into the obese group. Fasting blood samples were collected on the examination day. Participants with a current smoking habit were classified into the smoking group, while those with a current alcohol consumption habit were classified into the alcohol consumer group. Insulin resistance was determined by a homeostasis model assessment as an index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) level >2.5. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was diagnosed based on the guidelines established by eight academic societies, including the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine (JSIM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Sanin Rosai Hospital, Tottori, Japan

    Einosuke Mizuta

  2. Department of Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan

    Yoshiharu Kinugasa & Kazuhiro Yamamoto

  3. Department of Pathobiological Science and Technology, School of Health Science; Major in Clinical Laboratory Science, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan

    Masahiko Kato

  4. Department of Community-based Family Medicine, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan

    Toshihiro Hamada

  5. Department of Genetic Medicine and Regenerative Therapeutics, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Tottori University Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori, Japan

    Ichiro Hisatome

Authors
  1. Einosuke Mizuta
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  2. Yoshiharu Kinugasa
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  3. Masahiko Kato
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  4. Toshihiro Hamada
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  5. Kazuhiro Yamamoto
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  6. Ichiro Hisatome
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Einosuke Mizuta.

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Conflict of interest

The author EM has no conflicts of interest. The coauthor, IH, has received lecture and/or manuscript fees from Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd., Teijin Pharma, Ltd., Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Fujiyakuhin Co., Ltd. The other coauthors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Mizuta, E., Kinugasa, Y., Kato, M. et al. Umami taste disorder is a novel predictor of obesity. Hypertens Res 44, 595–597 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-020-00588-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-020-00588-9

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