2nd Edition of Public Health World Conference (PHWC) 2026

Abstract

Individual variation in bitter taste perception, partly mediated by polymorphisms in the TAS2R38 receptor, has been proposed as a biological determinant of dietary behaviour and obesity risk. While experimental studies suggest heightened bitterness perception may influence vegetable acceptance, population-level evidence linking bitter sensitivity to overall diet quality and multidimensional eating behaviours remains inconsistent.

This cross-sectional study examined 407 Australian adults classified as phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) tasters (n=211) or non-tasters (n=196). Diet quality was assessed using the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS), a validated index reflecting adherence to national dietary guidelines across core food groups. Eating behaviours were measured using the Adult Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (AEBQ), capturing Food Approach and Food Avoidance traits. Linear regression models estimated adjusted mean differences between tasters and non-tasters, controlling for age, sex, education, income, and smoking status. Heteroskedasticity-consistent (HC3) standard errors were applied, and false discovery rate correction accounted for multiple comparisons.

Adjusted differences were small for BMI (0.77 kg/m²; 95% CI −0.27, 1.82) and overall diet quality (ARFS total −0.82 points; 95% CI −2.74, 1.09). Domain-level differences in fruit and vegetable intake were modest and did not remain statistically significant following correction. AEBQ composite scores showed minimal separation between groups, although Food Responsiveness was nominally higher among tasters.

These findings suggest that TAS2R38-mediated bitter sensitivity exerts limited influence on habitual dietary patterns and appetitive traits in contemporary adult food environments. From a public health perspective, behavioural, environmental, and socio-demographic factors may outweigh sensory-genetic variation in shaping diet quality at the population level.