These studies examined the differences in sweet taste perception and implicit attitude toward sweet
between normal-weight and overweight/obese adults; and tested the effects of soft drink consumption
on sweet taste, explicit preference and implicit attitude toward sweet in normal-weight subjects. In
study 1, normal-weight (n = 22) and overweight/obese (n = 11) adults were assessed for sweet taste
intensity and pleasantness. Implicit attitude toward sweet was assessed by implicit association test
(IAT). In study 2, normal-weight, lightly active adults (n = 12) underwent one month soft drink
supplementation (760 ml/day). This increased their daily carbohydrate intake by 2.1 0.2 g/kg body
weight. Sweet taste perception, explicit preference and implicit attitudes to sweet were assessed. In both
studies salty taste was also assessed as a contrasting perception. Overweight/obese subjects perceived sweet
and salty tastes as less intense (23% and 19%, respectively) and reported higher IAT scores for sweet than
normal-weight controls (2.1-fold). The supplementation changed sweet intensity/pleasantness ratings and it
increased explicit preference (2.3-fold) for sweet in a subgroup of initial sucrose-dislikers. In conclusion,
overweight/obese individuals are more implicitly attracted to sweet. One month of soft drink
supplementation changed sweet taste perception of normal-weight subjects