PROP SENSITIVITY AND OBESITY AMONG ETHNIC CHILDREN

摘要：肥胖的成因是多方面的。虽然能量失衡是肥胖的最近端使用，但有许多因素影响能量失衡。基因决定的对苦味的敏感性(对丙基硫氧嘧啶(PROP)的敏感性)与成人肥胖和幼儿肥胖的先兆(如总能量)成反比。作为对这些关系的可能解释，道具也与对苦味蔬菜的偏好、辛辣食物(如辣椒素)和膳食脂肪摄入量成反比。因此，道具敏感性对可能导致儿童肥胖的行为具有遗传决定的影响。虽然关于白人成年人对道具敏感的文献越来越多，但在儿童或少数族裔中发表的文献很少。目前还没有确定这种由基因决定的特征是否在出生时就表现出来，并在一生中保持不变，或者是否存在对其表达的发育影响。全球范围内关于苦味敏感性的早期研究表明，这种敏感性在各大洲之间存在很大差异，因此不同的种族群体也不同。然而，没有数据表明，在美国，道具敏感症的流行率是否因种族而异。因此，在一个样本中，本研究将评估三个年龄段和三个民族的儿童中道具敏感性的患病率，并在第二个样本中评估道具敏感性与肥胖状况的关系，本研究还将评估道具敏感性与BMI变化的关系，从4岁或5岁到12至16岁。此外，这两项研究都将测试在控制了能量消耗和其他可能的因素后，饮食摄入量是否会调节这种关系 混杂因素以及心理社会变量是否中介道具状态与FV摄入量的关系。了解不同年龄的道具敏感症的流行程度，将明确不同年龄的基因表达可能存在的差异。不同种族患病率的差异可以解释肥胖的种族差异。 了解道具敏感度如何与肥胖和食物摄入量相关，可以提供一个容易确定的分层变量，以便为饮食干预量身定做。

Abstract: Obesity is multifactorial in origin. While energy imbalance is the proximal c# use of obesity, many factors influence energy imbalance. The genetically determined sensitivity to bitter taste (sensitivity to propylthiouracil (PROP)) has been inversely related to obesity among adults and to precursors of obesity (e.g. total energy) among young children. As a possible explanation for these relationships, PROP has also been inversely related to preferences for vegetables with a bitter taste, spicy foods (e g. capsaicin) and dietary fat intake. Thus, PROP sensitivity provides a genetically determined influence on behaviors which may lead to obesity among children. While there is a growing literature on PROP sensitivity in white adults, very little has been published among children or among ethnic minorities. It has not teen established whether this genetically determined trait is expressed at birth and remains constant through life, or if there are developmental influences on its expression. Early work on sensitivity to bitter tastes around the globe suggested large differences in this sensitivity across continents, and thereby ethnic groups. There; are no data, however, on whether the prevalence of PROP sensitivity differs by ethnic group in the US. Thus in one sample this research will assess the prevalence of PROP sensitivity among children in three age arid three ethnic groups, and assess the relationship of PROP sensitivity to adiposity status In a second sample, this research will also assess the relationship of PROP sensitivity to change in BMI over a 7 to 12 year period from 4 or 5 years of age to 12 to 16 years. In addition, both studies will test whether component; dietary intake mediate this relationship after controlling for energy expenditure and other possible confounding factors and whether psychosocial variables mediate the relationship of PROP status to FV intake. Knowing the prevalence of PROP sensitivity by age will specify possible differences in genetic expression by age. Differences in the prevalence by ethnic group could explain ethnic differences in obesity. Understanding how PROP sensitivity relates to obesity and food intake could provide an easily determined stratifying variable to which dietary interventions could be tailored.