Obese Kids Less Sensitive to Tastes

Obese children have a less-sensitive sense of taste compared with kids of normal weight, a new study suggests. Their blunted ability to distinguish the five tastes (bitter, sweet, salty, sour and umami) may prompt obese children to eat larger quantities of food to register the same taste sensation, the researchers said. The results are based on a study of 94 normal weight and 99 obese children ages 6 to 18, who were in good health and not taking any medications known to affect taste and smell. Archives of Disease in Childhood, Sept 2012