Sweet Foundations: Early sweet taste exposure and its impact on sweet hedonics and food intake in children

Summary

High free sugar consumption in children remains a significant public health concern. It is widely believed that repeated sweet taste exposure would promote subsequent sweet food intake. The rationale behind this is that exposure to any kind of sweetness, regardless of its origin, would maintain or heighten children’s desire for sweetness, manifested as a preference for sweeter tastes (sweetness preference) and a stronger liking for sweet products (sweetness liking). However, it is unclear whether this proposed link exists and whether early exposure to sweet-tasting foods affects later dietary patterns. This thesis delves into the complexities and research gaps surrounding sweetness in children from complementary feeding to 7 years. It explores whether and how exposure, preference, liking, and dietary patterns are intertwined and whether restricting children’s access to sweet products is related to their desire for sweetness and a lower free sugar intake.