Chemosensory function and food preferences of children with cystic fibrosis

• Published in: Pediatric pulmonology 2010-08, Vol.45 (8), p.807-815
• Main Authors: Laing, David G., Armstrong, Jessica E., Aitken, Maggie, Carroll, Alistair, Wilkes, Fiona J., Jinks, Anthony L., Jaffé, Adam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Child; Child, Preschool; children; cystic fibrosis; Cystic Fibrosis - physiopathology; Errors of metabolism; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; food preferences; Food Preferences - physiology; Forced Expiratory Volume; General aspects; gustation; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Miscellaneous hereditary metabolic disorders; Odorants; olfaction; Pneumology; Smell - physiology; Taste - physiology
• ISSN: 8755-6863; 1099-0496
• DOI: 10.1002/ppul.21261

A major problem for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is the maintenance of adequate nutrition to maintain normal growth. The hypotheses that poor nutrition could be due to smell and/or taste dysfunction has been pursued in several studies with contradictory results. None, however, investigated whether inadequate nutrition is due to CF patients having different liking for foods compared to healthy children and whether liking can be linked to specific changes in smell or taste function. Here, the relationships between food liking, BMI, and smell and taste function in 42 CF and 42 healthy 5‐ to 18‐year olds is pursued. A three‐choice 16‐item odor identification test and a gustatory identification test involving five concentrations of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty tastes, were used to assess chemosensory function. Food liking was assessed using a 94‐item questionnaire. Patients identified significantly fewer odors than controls (89.8% vs. 95.7% correct; P