Differentiating Taste Perception Between Pre-diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: A Comparative Analysis

Introduction Taste perception influences food choices and may contribute to the development and progression of metabolic disorders. Altered taste sensitivity has been reported in individuals with impaired glucose regulation, but comparative data across stages of dysglycemia remain limited. The present study aimed to compare taste sensitivity for sweet, sour, salty, and bitter modalities among healthy controls, pre-diabetic individuals, and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted in 45 participants divided into three groups: healthy controls (n = 15), pre-diabetics (n = 15), and T2DM subjects (n = 15). Taste thresholds were assessed using standardized solutions of sucrose (sweet), citric acid (sour), sodium chloride (salty), and quinine hydrochloride (bitter). Data were analyzed using ANOVA to compare taste thresholds across groups and Pearson correlation to evaluate associations with HbA1c levels. Results Sensitivities to sweet and sour tastes decreased significantly from controls to pre-diabetic and T2DM participants (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed for salty or bitter taste sensitivity (p > 0.05). Higher HbA1c levels showed strong negative correlations with sweet (r = -0.89) and sour (r = -0.85) taste sensitivity (p < 0.001). Conclusions Sweet and sour taste perception declines progressively with worsening glycemic status. Taste testing may serve as a simple, non-invasive adjunct tool for the early detection of dysglycemia and for individualized dietary counseling in diabetes management.