Abstract The relationship between sensory characteristics of foods, diets and weight status is not well established. However, such knowledge could assist in better understanding food choices and inform strategies to improve diet quality. The objectives of this study were to examine the sensory characteristics of diets varying in healthiness and to explore differences by demographics, weight status and diet quality. Data were captured using the online CSIRO Healthy Diet Score survey, including 38 questions on the frequency and quantity of foods consumed, facilitating the calculation of an overall diet quality score out of 100. Data from 145,975 Australian adults are reported. Sensory characteristics of 105 foods and beverages representative of the survey’s food groups were described using a trained sensory panel in terms of basic tastes, fatty mouthfeel and flavour strength. Average sensory scores (weighted by frequency of consumption) were calculated for each food group question. Reported intake (in serves) was multiplied by the sensory scores for each food group consumed to estimate the total sensory value of the diet. Higher diet quality was associated with higher sweet and bitter scores, but a greater proportion of this sweetness was from healthy core foods rather than discretionary foods. Salty taste tended to be lower in diets of higher quality, and there were no differences in fatty mouthfeel by diet quality. Overall flavour intensity increased with diet quality. For the first time the sensory characteristics of foods pertaining to recommended healthy diets can be described. Consumers, industry and public health could utilise such knowledge to encourage the adoption of higher quality diets.

中文翻译：

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健康饮食的感官特征是否有所不同？

摘要 食物的感官特征、饮食和体重状态之间的关系尚未确定。然而，这些知识可以帮助更好地了解食物选择并为改善饮食质量的策略提供信息。本研究的目的是检查不同健康饮食的感官特征，并探索人口统计学、体重状况和饮食质量的差异。数据是使用在线 CSIRO 健康饮食评分调查获取的，包括 38 个关于食物消费频率和数量的问题，有助于计算总饮食质量得分（满分 100）。报告了来自 145,975 名澳大利亚成年人的数据。使用训练有素的感官小组根据基本口味描述了代表调查食物组的 105 种食物和饮料的感官特征，脂肪口感和风味强度。计算每个食物组问题的平均感官评分（按消费频率加权）。报告的摄入量（在服务中）乘以所消耗的每个食物组的感官评分，以估计饮食的总感官价值。较高的饮食质量与较高的甜味和苦味得分相关，但这种甜味的更大比例来自健康的核心食物，而不是可自由支配的食物。较高质量的饮食中咸味往往较低，并且饮食质量在脂肪口感上没有差异。总体风味强度随着饮食质量而增加。这是第一次可以描述与推荐的健康饮食有关的食物的感官特征。消费者，