Sweet taste genetic risk score and alignment to diet quality among Puerto Rican adults in Massachusetts

Authors: JULIAN-SERRANO, SACHELLY - University Of Massachusetts, Lowell; POMARES-MILLAN, HUGO - Dartmouth Medical School; MANGANO, KELSEY - University Of Massachusetts, Lowell; NOEL, SABRINA - University Of Massachusetts, Lowell; LI, WENJUN - University Of Massachusetts, Lowell; FOUHY, LIAM - University Of Massachusetts, Lowell; ZHANG, XIYUAN - University Of Massachusetts, Lowell; GERVIS, JULIE - Harvard University; ORDOVAS, JOSE - Tufts University; Lai, Chao Qiang; TUCKER, KATHERINE - University Of Massachusetts, Lowell

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/12/2026
Publication Date: 1/26/2026
Citation: Julian-Serrano, S., Pomares-Millan, H., Mangano, K.M., Noel, S.E., Li, W., Fouhy, L.E., Zhang, X., Gervis, J.E., Ordovas, J.M., Lai, C., Tucker, K.L. 2026. Sweet taste genetic risk score and alignment to diet quality among Puerto Rican adults in Massachusetts. Journal of Nutrition. 156(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101369.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101369

Interpretive Summary: Do your taste genes influence how healthy your diet is? Researchers studied over 580 older Puerto Rican adults living in the Boston area and calculated a “sweet taste” genetic score for each person based on their DNA. They then compared these scores to how closely people followed four healthy diets, including the DASH diet, Mediterranean diet, and others. They found that people with genes linked to stronger sweet taste sensitivity were less likely to follow the DASH diet—a plan designed to help lower blood pressure. However, these genes didn’t affect how well people followed the other healthy diets. This suggests that our genetic makeup may play a small role in shaping our food preferences, especially in relation to sweet tastes. More research in diverse groups is needed to better understand how taste-related genes could impact healthy eating habits and help tailor nutrition advice.

Technical Abstract: Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with perception to sweet taste. The influence of genetic predisposition to sweet taste on diet quality remains poorly understood. Objectives: This study aimed to compare cross-sectional associations between a genetically driven sweet taste polygenic score (PGS) and alignment with diet quality indices in a cohort of Puerto Rican older adults residing in the Boston area. Methods: We used baseline data from Boston Puerto Rican Health Study participants with complete genetic and dietary data (n = 583). A weighted sweet taste PGS was constructed using 38 SNPs from published GWAS with perceived intensity sweet taste outcomes (aspartame, fructose, glucose, neohespedirin dihydrochalcone, sucrose, and sweet substances). We derived 3 diet quality indices using data from a food frequency questionnaire validated for this population: Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Mediterranean diet (MeD). Multiple linear regression models between sweet taste PGS and diet quality indices were used to estimate associations and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: There were 428 females and 155 males, with mean age 52.2 ± 7.5 y. The PGS ranged from 30.0 to 50.1, mean (SD): 39.9 (3.4). There was an inverse association between PGS and DASH: beta (95% CI) -0.03 [-0.05, -0.004, false discovery rate (FDR) = 0.06], but no association was observed with AHEI-2010: -0.02 (-0.04, 0.008), FDR = 0.19; or MeD: -0.02 (-0.04, 0.01), FDR = 0.19. Across all diet quality indices, higher sweet taste PGS was associated with lower alignment to recommendations for whole grain and vegetables. It also tended to be associated with lower intake of nuts/legumes in the AHEI-2010. Conclusions: In Puerto Rican adults, higher sweet taste PGS was associated with lower DASH diet quality, but not the AHEI-2010, or MeD, and with lower intake of whole grains, vegetables, and possibly, nuts/legumes. More research is needed on taste perception and dietary intake across populations to inform future intervention.