A prospective UK Biobank cohort of 182,181 participants examined five food-liking patterns against mortality, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. High-fat savory or sweet liking was associated with some higher risks, while low-fat savory or sweet patterns were associated with some lower risks.
Key findings
- High-fat savory liking was associated with type 2 diabetes HR 1.14 (95% CI 1.09-1.19) and lung cancer HR 1.10 (1.01-1.20); high-fat sweet with mortality/cancer HRs around 1.03-1.07; low-fat savory with lower risks HR 0.85-0.97 and low-fat sweet HR 0.91-0.96 for selected outcomes. BMI adjustment did not explain most associations.
Why this matters globally
Brief liking measures might segment nutrition communication without complex food diaries, but incremental prediction and behavior-change effectiveness require demonstration.
Thai researcher contribution
A researcher affiliated with Kasetsart University and the University of Glasgow contributed to the international UK Biobank analysis. Participants were UK-based, not a Thai cohort.
Limitations to consider
UK Biobank has healthy-volunteer selection; self-reported liking can change and differs from intake. Residual socioeconomic and behavioral confounding and multiple testing remain, and BMI may be a mediator rather than a simple confounder.