Background Genetically mediated sensitivity to bitter taste has been associated with food preferences and eating behavior in adults and children. The aim of this study was to assess the association between TAS2R38 bitter taste genotype and the first complementary food acceptance in infants.Parents of healthy, breastfed, term-born infants were instructed, at discharge from the nursery, to feed their baby with a first complementary meal of 150 mL at 4 to 6 months of age. They recorded the day when the child ate the whole meal in a questionnaire. Additional data included food composition, breastfeeding duration, feeding practices, and growth at 6 months. Infants' TAS2R38 genotypes were determined at birth, and infants were classified as "bitter-insensitive" (genotype AVI/AVI) and "bitter-sensitive" (genotypes AVI/PAV or PAV/PAV). Results One hundred seventy-six infants and their mothers were enrolled; completed data were available for 131/176 (74.4%) infants (gestational age 39.3 ± 1.1 weeks, birth weight 3390 ± 430 g). Bitter-insensitive were 45/131 (34.3%), and bitter-sensitive were 86/131 (65.6%). Thirty-one percent of bitter-insensitive infants consumed the whole complementary meal at first attempt, versus 13% of bitter-sensitive ones (p = 0.006). This difference was significant independently of confounding variables such as sex, breastfeeding, or foods used in the meal. Growth at 6 months did not differ between the two groups. Conclusions Differences in TAS2R38 bitter taste gene were associated with acceptance of the first complementary food in infants, suggesting a possible involvement in eating behavior at weaning.

中文翻译：

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TAS2R38 苦味基因型与婴儿的补充喂养行为有关。

背景 遗传介导的对苦味的敏感性与成人和儿童的食物偏好和饮食行为有关。本研究的目的是评估 TAS2R38 苦味基因型与婴儿第一次接受辅食之间的关联。健康、母乳喂养、足月出生的婴儿的父母在从托儿所出院时被指示第一次喂养婴儿。在 4 至 6 个月大时补充 150 毫升的膳食。他们在问卷中记录了孩子吃了整顿饭的那一天。其他数据包括食物成分、母乳喂养时间、喂养方式和 6 个月时的生长情况。婴儿的TAS2R38基因型在出生时确定，婴儿分为“苦味不敏感”（基因型AVI/AVI）和“苦味敏感” （基因型 AVI/PAV 或 PAV/PAV）。结果 176名婴儿及其母亲入组；131/176 (74.4%) 名婴儿（胎龄 39.3 ± 1.1 周，出生体重 3390 ± 430 g）的完整数据可用。苦味不敏感者为 45/131 (34.3%)，苦味敏感者为 86/131 (65.6%)。31% 的对苦味不敏感的婴儿在第一次尝试时食用了整个补充餐，而对苦味敏感的婴儿则为 13%（p = 0.006）。这种差异显着独立于性别、母乳喂养或膳食中使用的食物等混杂变量。6个月时的生长在两组之间没有差异。结论 TAS2R38 苦味基因的差异与婴儿接受第一种辅食有关，表明可能与断奶时的饮食行为有关。结果 176名婴儿及其母亲入组；131/176 (74.4%) 名婴儿（胎龄 39.3 ± 1.1 周，出生体重 3390 ± 430 g）的完整数据可用。苦味不敏感者为 45/131 (34.3%)，苦味敏感者为 86/131 (65.6%)。31% 的对苦味不敏感的婴儿在第一次尝试时食用了整个补充餐，而对苦味敏感的婴儿则为 13%（p = 0.006）。这种差异显着独立于性别、母乳喂养或膳食中使用的食物等混杂变量。6个月时的生长在两组之间没有差异。结论 TAS2R38 苦味基因的差异与婴儿接受第一种辅食有关，表明可能与断奶时的饮食行为有关。结果 176名婴儿及其母亲入组；131/176 (74.4%) 名婴儿（胎龄 39.3 ± 1.1 周，出生体重 3390 ± 430 g）的完整数据可用。苦味不敏感者为 45/131 (34.3%)，苦味敏感者为 86/131 (65.6%)。31% 的对苦味不敏感的婴儿在第一次尝试时食用了整个补充餐，而对苦味敏感的婴儿则为 13%（p = 0.006）。这种差异显着独立于性别、母乳喂养或膳食中使用的食物等混杂变量。6个月时的生长在两组之间没有差异。结论 TAS2R38 苦味基因的差异与婴儿接受第一种辅食有关，表明可能与断奶时的饮食行为有关。