A Study on Prevalence of Phenyl Thiocarbamide (PTC) Taste Blindness Among Obese Individuals

Abstract

Introduction: Taste blindness to the phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) is an inherited trait that is shown to influence our food and dietary preferences which in turn influence our body weight. Obesity is a global epidemic issue known to be on rise among the developing countries. Relating taste perception to obesity, the present study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) taste blindness among obese individuals. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and fifty individuals of age group 20-40 y were recruited from the local community for the present cross sectional study. Anthropometric measurements were taken and BMI was calculated. Subjects were classified as underweight, normal, overweight and obese based on their BMI. Normal, overweight and obese individuals were then asked to taste the commercially available PTC test papers and classified as non tasters and tasters of PTC. Results: Out of 350 individuals, mean age group of 30±6.02 y, based on their BMI they were divided into 4 groups, Group A-underweight (16%), Group B-normal (35%), Group C-overweight (28%) and Group D-obese (21%) individuals. In group B, 28% were non tasters of PTC and 65% were tasters. In group C, 82% were non tasters and 13% were tasters and in Group D, 81% were non tasters and 19% were tasters of PTC. The PTC non taster phenotype individuals showed higher BMI as compared with the tasters’ phenotype. Conclusion: Exploring the novel connections between taste perception and obesity would help us to gain a control over the global epidemic-Obesity, which is the crux factor for various other health problems. The study advocates the usage of PTC tasting as a reliable indicator of weight gain susceptibility.

Keywords

• diet
• obesity
• taste perception