Threshold detection of the basic tastes analysis in children

Author(s)

Hellen Daniela de Sousa Coelho

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo. , gráficos, ilustrações, tabelas.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP/CIR)
• Defense date: 2002-07-12

Examining board members

Maria Elisabeth Machado Pinto e Silva; Maria Aparecida Azevedo Pereira da Silva; Sonia Buongermino de Souza

• Advisor: Maria Elisabeth Machado Pinto e Silva
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition
• Indexed in: Banco de Dados Bibliográficos da USP-DEDALUS
• Location: Universidade de São Paulo. Biblioteca/Centro de Informação e Referência da Faculdade de Saúde Pública; FSP/612.3 124

Abstract

Introduction: There\'s a few publications about the children\'s basic tastes detection ability. Objectives: ldentify the children\'s threshold detection of the tastes: sour, sweet, salty and bitter, associating the nutritional status, gender, age and the day care\'s location. Metodology: 4 to 7 years old children (n=174) from COSEAS/USP day care were selected. The constant stimuli test was the procedure of choice. A fairy tale was used to enhance the child\'s motivation. Nutritional status was estimated by body mass index (BMI) (NCHS 2000). Threshold detection and the other variables association were analised by logistic regressions considering the point 50% of detection in the concentration scale of the designed solutions used. Results and Discussion: Sweet (2g/l) and salty (0.18g/l) tastes detection hadn\'t association with BMI, neither gender, nor age. Sour (0.030g/l), showed higher probability of detection for girls and younger childs. Bitter (0.025gll) had higher detection probability for Ribeirão Preto\'s day care childrens. There was a huge threshold detection variability among the hole sample of childrens analised in the study. Conclusion: Sweet and salty tastes detection\'s probability wasn\'t influenced by the study\'s variables. Sour taste showed gender as a determinant factor for detection, and bitter detection had the interference of the day care\'s location. The study show it was possible to identify the children\'s threshold detection of the basic tastes, if the global characteristic of the age group and the child\'s motivation are taken into consideration. (AU)