Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysis

AimGustatory function plays a fundamental role in various aspects related to nutrition and health, and the decline in taste perception can result in a series of adverse consequences. This is expected with aging due to a decrease in taste buds and other conditions, leading to systemic and oral diseas...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Larisse Santos Mendonça Alves, Júlia Maria de Sousa Munduri, Mariana Caldas de Oliveira Mattos, Cristine Miron Stefani, Naile Dame-Teixeira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Oral Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/froh.2024.1517913/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846140605131915264
author Larisse Santos Mendonça Alves
Júlia Maria de Sousa Munduri
Mariana Caldas de Oliveira Mattos
Cristine Miron Stefani
Naile Dame-Teixeira
author_facet Larisse Santos Mendonça Alves
Júlia Maria de Sousa Munduri
Mariana Caldas de Oliveira Mattos
Cristine Miron Stefani
Naile Dame-Teixeira
author_sort Larisse Santos Mendonça Alves
collection DOAJ
description AimGustatory function plays a fundamental role in various aspects related to nutrition and health, and the decline in taste perception can result in a series of adverse consequences. This is expected with aging due to a decrease in taste buds and other conditions, leading to systemic and oral diseases. We aimed to compare taste sensitivity in the elderly population vs. adults.MethodsThis systematic review was reported according to PRISMA guidelines. The search was performed in four databases, as well as in grey literature. The risk of bias was assessed using the JBI's critical appraisal tools for observational studies. A meta-analysis with subgroups according to each flavor was conducted to obtain differences in means for adults vs. elderly (random-effects model).ResultsOut of the 5,660 studies retrieved, 18 observational studies were included, representing a total of 1,680 aged 18–59 years and 1,048 aged ≥ 60 years. Elderly individuals need higher concentrations to distinguish flavors compared to adults. In a qualitative analysis, all flavors showed differences between the groups, with sweet flavor being the easiest to recognize and the thresholds between the groups not being highly discrepant. However, in the meta-analysis, statistical differences were observed for sweet, salty, and umami flavors, while there were no statistical differences for sour and bitter flavors between the groups.ConclusionsThere are significant differences for distinguishing sweet, salty, and umami flavors between adults and elderly. Bitter and sour flavors did not exhibit differences in elderly.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=463873, PROSPERO (CRD42023463873).
format Article
id doaj-art-3f19db2a5d414430b6bd4fb6816bf43e
institution Kabale University
issn 2673-4842
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Oral Health
spelling doaj-art-3f19db2a5d414430b6bd4fb6816bf43e2024-12-05T06:28:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oral Health2673-48422024-12-01510.3389/froh.2024.15179131517913Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysisLarisse Santos Mendonça AlvesJúlia Maria de Sousa MunduriMariana Caldas de Oliveira MattosCristine Miron StefaniNaile Dame-TeixeiraAimGustatory function plays a fundamental role in various aspects related to nutrition and health, and the decline in taste perception can result in a series of adverse consequences. This is expected with aging due to a decrease in taste buds and other conditions, leading to systemic and oral diseases. We aimed to compare taste sensitivity in the elderly population vs. adults.MethodsThis systematic review was reported according to PRISMA guidelines. The search was performed in four databases, as well as in grey literature. The risk of bias was assessed using the JBI's critical appraisal tools for observational studies. A meta-analysis with subgroups according to each flavor was conducted to obtain differences in means for adults vs. elderly (random-effects model).ResultsOut of the 5,660 studies retrieved, 18 observational studies were included, representing a total of 1,680 aged 18–59 years and 1,048 aged ≥ 60 years. Elderly individuals need higher concentrations to distinguish flavors compared to adults. In a qualitative analysis, all flavors showed differences between the groups, with sweet flavor being the easiest to recognize and the thresholds between the groups not being highly discrepant. However, in the meta-analysis, statistical differences were observed for sweet, salty, and umami flavors, while there were no statistical differences for sour and bitter flavors between the groups.ConclusionsThere are significant differences for distinguishing sweet, salty, and umami flavors between adults and elderly. Bitter and sour flavors did not exhibit differences in elderly.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=463873, PROSPERO (CRD42023463873).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/froh.2024.1517913/fullagingtaste disordersaltered tasteoral healthsalivasystematic review
spellingShingle Larisse Santos Mendonça Alves
Júlia Maria de Sousa Munduri
Mariana Caldas de Oliveira Mattos
Cristine Miron Stefani
Naile Dame-Teixeira
Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Frontiers in Oral Health
aging
taste disorders
altered taste
oral health
saliva
systematic review
title Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysis
title_full Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysis
title_fullStr Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysis
title_short Changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health: a systematic review with meta-analysis
title_sort changes in taste perception in elderly population and its potential impact on oral health a systematic review with meta analysis
topic aging
taste disorders
altered taste
oral health
saliva
systematic review
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/froh.2024.1517913/full
work_keys_str_mv AT larissesantosmendoncaalves changesintasteperceptioninelderlypopulationanditspotentialimpactonoralhealthasystematicreviewwithmetaanalysis
AT juliamariadesousamunduri changesintasteperceptioninelderlypopulationanditspotentialimpactonoralhealthasystematicreviewwithmetaanalysis
AT marianacaldasdeoliveiramattos changesintasteperceptioninelderlypopulationanditspotentialimpactonoralhealthasystematicreviewwithmetaanalysis
AT cristinemironstefani changesintasteperceptioninelderlypopulationanditspotentialimpactonoralhealthasystematicreviewwithmetaanalysis
AT nailedameteixeira changesintasteperceptioninelderlypopulationanditspotentialimpactonoralhealthasystematicreviewwithmetaanalysis