Eureka! Institutional Repository

This project aims to examine if BMI (Body Mass Index) could be a valid indicator of people’s food taste choices. The goal was to evaluate if there are existing differences between 2 groups of people with different BMI, Group 1 included people with BMI ≤ 25 kg/m² and Group 2 included people with BMI > 25 kg/m². Subjects involved were 20-55 years old (mean age = 28.03 years). This has been done by examining the food choices of 251 subjects, based on 24h dietary recalls. Upon examination of these factors, it became clear that there are significant differences between the two groups concerning the taste choices as well as the amount of consumption. Specifically, people with higher BMI consume more frequently salty foods (p = 0.03) while people with lower BMI consume more frequently sweet foods (p = 0.01). The amount of consumption though tended to be significantly higher for people with higher BMI, since they consume higher amounts of fat foods (p = 0.053), sweet foods (p = 0.018) and sour foods (p = 0.027). On the other hand, people with lower BMI consume higher amounts of bitter foods (p = 0.011). Based on our findings, people with lower BMI consume more frequently tea and in higher amounts, while people with higher BMI consumed mainly coffee. The amount of consumption of salty foods is similar for both groups. Specific food products consumed more frequently by the total population are milk semi-fat, coffee, banana, apple, multi grain bread and soup with vegetables which are included in dominant taste categories of fat, bitter, sweet, salty and umami respectively. The relationship of frequency of choice and taste intensity differs as well. The relationship between the amount of consumption the dominant taste is also different for the two groups, as mentioned before. Our findings suggest that the relationship of frequency of choice and dominant taste, is different for people with BMI ≤ 25 kg/m² and BMI > 25 kg/m². In conclusion, to answer to the aim of this research, BMI is a valid indicator of people’s food taste choices.