Free
60mins
Sweet taste exposure, preference, and health
What does the evidence tell us?
Richard Mattes, Kees de Graaf
Wednesday 28 January 2026 19:00–20:00 GMT
Sweet taste exposure, preference, and health
What does the evidence tell us?
Richard Mattes, Kees de Graaf
Wednesday 28 January 2026 19:00–20:00 GMT
Free
60mins
CONTENT AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Sweetness is a fundamental part of human eating behaviour, yet its role in health continues to be debated. Both nutritive sugars and low/no calorie sweeteners contribute to overall sweet taste exposure, raising questions about their potential links with weight gain, appetite regulation, glycaemic control and broader health outcomes. Understanding what the evidence truly shows is essential for healthcare professionals navigating complex questions from patients and the public.
Emerging research also explores whether habitual exposure to sweetness shapes long-term flavour preferences, and whether dietary strategies can help adjust sweet taste inclination over time. Evidence suggests sensory cues, food matrices and individual sweeteners may influence physiological and behavioural responses differently – emphasising the need for nuanced, critical interpretation of studies in this area.
This webinar brings together the latest science on sweet taste exposure and preference, including new findings from the Sweet Tooth Trial – a 6-month randomised controlled study investigating how low, regular and high sweet taste exposure affects liking, food intake and weight-related outcomes. The session will offer clear, evidence-based guidance to support clinical practice and patient counselling.
This webinar will cover:
- The potential to modify preferred flavour profiles through dietary manipulation
- How sensory properties of foods influence sweet preference and intake
- New insights from the Sweet Tooth Trial
- The role of low/no calorie sweeteners in appetite, glycaemia, food intake and body weight
- Differences between individual low/no calorie sweeteners and their potential health effects
- How to critically interpret research in this evolving field
- Practical approaches to advising patients on sweetener use and food choices
Gain understanding of
- The potential to modify preferred flavour profiles through dietary approaches
- How generalised sweet taste preference is measured, and how sweetness exposure can influence this preference
- Describe the role of low/no calorie sweeteners in appetite regulation, glycaemia, food intake and body weight
Be aware of
- The importance of sensory properties of foods in shaping sweet taste responses
- The developmental trajectory of sweetness preference – high at birth, declining into adulthood, and then remaining relatively stable
- The role of taste and sensory-specific satiation in dietary behaviour
- How taste exposure, texture and food matrix influence energy intake, including why sugar-sweetened beverages contribute more readily to excess energy intake
- Differences between individual low/no calorie sweeteners and their potential health effects
Be able to
- Critically appraise scientific literature on low/no calorie sweeteners and sweetness exposure
- Counsel patients effectively on sweetener use and food choices using evidence-based strategies
- Address common narratives around sweetness and obesity, replacing misconceptions with accurate, evidence-informed explanations
- Apply sensory-based strategies – such as adjusting energy density and eating rate – to help moderate energy intake
Help us to continue providing expert nutrition learning
If MyNutriWeb has helped you deepen your knowledge of dietary and nutritional subjects, join us to help support and educate people to eat well for themselves and the planet. Read more...
CHAIR
Dr Duane Mellor
Senior Specialist Dietitian (Children’s Diabetes) and Honorary Associate Professor, University of Canberra
Dr Duane Mellor, Senior Specialist Dietitian (Children’s Diabetes) and Honorary Associate Professor, University of Canberra
Duane is an experienced clinical dietitian and researcher having worked both in the NHS and academia. He works to support public understanding of science and nutrition alongside editing academic journals and texts alongside helping develop nutritional policies.
EXPERT SPEAKER
Richard D Mattes
MPH, PhD, RD
Professor of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, USA
Dr. Mattes is a Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science at Purdue University and Head of the Ingestive Behavior Research Center. His research focuses on the areas of taste function, hunger and satiety, food preferences, regulation of food intake in humans and human cephalic phase responses.
Emeritus Professor of Sensory Science and Eating Behaviour, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
Kees de Graaf has focused his research on the role of sensory signals, like the taste, smell and texture of foods, in eating behavior. A large part of the work has been focused on the role of sweetness on energy intake. > 300 papers and about 20 K citations.
CHAIR
Tanya Haffner
CEO RD Founder of MyNutriWeb – The Nutrition Education Hub
Healthy Sustainable Diets Campaigner
Tanya is a registered dietitian, CEO, and founder of MyNutriWeb educational hub and Nutrilicious consultancy and communications. With 30+ years of experience working across healthcare and the food sector, she supports professionals, organisations and brands to deliver on nutrition, health and sustainability. She is current Chair of the British Dietetic Association’s Sustainable Diets Group, supporting members to embed sustainability across dietetic and nutrition practice.
CPD CERTIFICATE & LEARNING MATERIALS
This webinar is awaiting approval for CPD by the AfN
Webinar slides and links to other key resources will be sent within 2 weeks of viewing the webinar, along with a separate personalised CPD certificate to save for your files. Add hello@mynutriweb.com to your safe senders to ensure you receive them.
This webinar is kindly supported by The International Sweeteners Association (ISA)
About The International Sweeteners Association (ISA)
The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) is an international non-profit organisation with scientific aims representing suppliers and users of low/no calorie sweeteners. It aims to inform and to educate on the most up-to-date nutritional and scientific information on the role and benefits of low/no calorie sweeteners, and the foods and beverages that contain them.
Please note, approval of each sponsor and activity is carefully assessed for suitability on a case by case basis. Sponsorship does not imply any endorsement of the brand by MyNutriWeb, its organisers, its moderators or any participating healthcare professional, or their association. Sponsorship funds are reinvested into the creation and promotion of professional development opportunities on MyNutriWeb.
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