Preference for Stronger Taste Associated with a Higher Risk of Hypertension: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study in Northwest China

BACKGROUND: Dietary modulation is a primary lifestyle approach for reducing the risk of hypertension. However, evidence of the potential role that a dietary taste preference plays in the risk of hypertension remains limited. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted based on the Shaanxi baseline survey of the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study. We used self-reported salt consumption and intensity preferences for sourness and spiciness to calculate the taste preference score, which was categorized into bland, moderate, and strong. A generalized linear mixed model and quantile regression were performed to estimate associations between taste preferences and hypertension/blood pressure. RESULTS: Among 27,233 adults, 72.2% preferred a moderate taste and 21.4% preferred a strong taste. Compared with a bland taste, a stronger taste preference might be associated with a higher risk of hypertension (adjusted OR for a moderate taste = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.49; adjusted OR for a strong taste = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.71; P(trend) = 0.002), especially in females (adjusted OR for a moderate taste = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.66; adjusted OR for a strong taste = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.32, 1.83; P(trend) < 0.001). Quantile regression showed that the taste preference was positively associated with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (P(5)-P(80)) in females, with an average increase of 3.31 mmHg for a strong taste (β = 3.31, P < 0.001) and 1.77 mmHg for a moderate taste (β = 1.77, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: A preference for stronger multitastes of salty, sour, and spicy might be associated with a higher risk of hypertension, especially in females. This relationship possibly occurs through increasing DBP. Dietary modulation with the promotion of a bland taste is encouraged.