Cultural determinants of food attitudes in anosmic patients

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Robert Pellegrino - , University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Thomas Hummel - , Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Rosa Emrich - , Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Rakesh Chandra - , Vanderbilt University (Author)
  • Justin Turner - , Vanderbilt University (Author)
  • Timothy Trone - , Vanderbilt University (Author)
  • Cindy Dorminy - , Vanderbilt University (Author)
  • Curtis R. Luckett - , University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Author)

Abstract

The decrease in food enjoyment is a major factor why patients suffer from depression when having anosmia, or total loss of smell. While we have some knowledge about how food preferences and attitudes change with dysosmia, these findings are limited because other factors such as culture are not factored in. It is likely that the culture in which an anosmic patient identifies with will influence how their smell loss impacts their relationship with food. This study examined the current attitudes within the United States and Germany towards foods, focusing on the comparison between anosmic patients (N = 53) and those with a healthy sense of smell (N = 121). A survey was used to collect free responses for liking on a variety of foods (N = 15) that were also rated for their overall liking. Additionally, individuals rated and ranked their liking for sensory attributes in relation to their enjoyment of food. Free responses were classified into categories and subcategories, the frequency of those responses were then compared across groups. The patient population of each culture gave lower importance to aroma and flavor; however, the U.S.A. patient population showed a larger decrease from their healthy counterparts. Furthermore, anosmic patients from the U.S.A. showed less overall liking towards the food stimuli compared to their healthy counterparts, while no such effect observed among the German population. Reasons to enjoy a food were largely explained by the culture, and patients within a culture took on different compensation strategies which we use to explain their effectiveness.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number104563
JournalAppetite
Volume147
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2020
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 31863844
ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/151982944

Keywords