With the increased focus on sugars and sweeteners, sophisticated research has investigated unsuspected factors impacting sweetness perception, food preferences and health. For example, about one-third of adults in developed countries report failing to meet recommended sleep guidelines. A growing body of research links insufficient sleep to increased risk of obesity. How and why sleep increases this risk is a topic of intense research. This presentation highlighted several potential mechanisms linking sleep and overeating. They include changes in sweet taste preferences for both nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners with subsequent increased susceptibility to food cravings. Results were presented on research exploring how sweet liking differs among groups of individuals and how sweet liking predicts consumption of sweet foods and beverages.
-Robin M. Tucker, Ph.D., RD, FAND, Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University speaking on “Genetics Sweet Preference, Sleep & Food Choices” for the 2020 Sweetener Systems Conference.
