This finding, that a couple of sweet drinks a day over a short time can dramatically change taste, was a real surprise.
The research by academics at the universities of Bristol and Bangor has shown for the first time that overweight and obese people have a dulled sensitivity to the sweetness of soft drinks but an enhanced subconscious liking of sweet food. The findings also found that even if people are not overweight, drinking two sugary drinks a day for just four weeks is sufficient to both dull sensitivity to the taste sensation, and increase preference for sweeter tastes, particularly in people who did not already have a 'sweet tooth'. There are health implications from the study for people who have a sweet tooth. As the sweet 'treat' becomes less rewarding, so people tend to look for more sweet food or drink and a vicious circle of eating sweet and calorie-laden food is established. When discussing soft drinks people are not considering the worst examples of sugar-laden carbonated drinks. Levels of sugar found in fruit cordial or 'squash' and natural fruit juice as well as carbonated drinks are all too high in sugar and too sweet. Dr Hans-Peter Kubis at the University of Bangor's School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences , who led the study, said: 'This has serious implications for public health.
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