Gustatory Acquisition in Children: Theory And Studies

Abstract

Objective: To approach the discussion and experimental research on the acquisition of taste (sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami) in child’s education and how it is reflected in the mental development through early interactions between the baby, the environment and the mother.

Methods: To achieve these goals, a search was carried out in the Health Inter-University Library databases in Paris - France and in the ScienceDirect search engine.

Results: Newborns and children have an innate palatability for sweet (including fat). The preference for sweet decreases from childhood to adulthood. The mother learns to recognize the needs of the infant, thanks to hunger signals and of facial mimicry. Recognition of the baby’s needs and the provision of the appropriate response is essential for the prevention of eating disorders in adulthood. The child’s food preferences begins in the womb, studies demonstrate that the mother’s consumption of fruits and vegetables during pregnancy and breastfeeding decreases child’s risk of rejection of these types of food later.

Conclusion: Gustatory acquisition in children is a rich theme and has been little explored in the scientific literature. Therefore, it is expected that this study may increase experimental studies in the Brazilian population, in order to establish perspectives in the area of taste learning and health of children.