Background: Taste is an important determinant of food consumption, and genetic variations in the sweet taste receptor subunit TAS1R2 may contribute to interindividual variations in sugar consumption.
Objective: We determined whether Ser9Cys and Ile191Val variations in TAS1R2 were associated with differences in the consumption of sugars in 2 populations.
Design: Population 1 included 1037 diabetes-free young adults in whom we assessed dietary intake by using a 1-mo, 196-item food-frequency questionnaire. Population 2 consisted of 100 individuals with type 2 diabetes with dietary intakes assessed by using 2 sets of 3-d food records administered 2 wk apart. Dietary counseling was provided between food records 1 and 2. Dietary intakes between genotypes were compared by using analysis of covariance adjusted for potential confounders.
Results: In population 1, a significant Ile191Val × body mass index (BMI; in kg/m²) interaction was detected for the consumption of sugars, and the effect of genotype was significant only in individuals with a BMI ≥ 25 (n = 205). In comparison with individuals homozygous for the Ile allele, Val carriers consumed fewer sugars (122 ± 6 compared with 103 ± 6 g sugar/d, respectively; P = 0.01). Regression estimates that associated BMI with total sugar consumption by Ile/Ile and Val-carrier genotype intersected at a BMI of 23.5. In population 2, Val carriers also consumed less sugar than did individuals with the Ile/Ile genotype (99 ± 6 compared with 83 ± 6 g sugar/d, respectively; P = 0.04) on food record 2, and sugar was the only macronutrient that decreased significantly (-9 ± 4 g sugar/d, P = 0.02) in Val carriers who received dietary counseling.
Conclusion: Our findings show that a genetic variation in TAS1R2 affects habitual consumption of sugars and may contribute to interindividual differences in changing behaviors in response to dietary counseling.