The relationship of attitudes and experiences of Finnish youths to their hedonic responses to sweetness in soft drinks

Attitudes to sugar and previous experience (liking and use at present and in childhood) of sweet foods as well as hedonic responses to two levels of sweetness in soft drinks were determined in a young adult population (112 males, 112 females). Females were more negative in their attitudes but they reported greater liking of sweet foods. Sugar attitudes were not related to hedonic responses to normal sweetness (9%) in either sex group, but in the case of lower sweetness (5%) negative attitudes increased along with the rated pleasantness, particularly among males. Reported liking and use of soft drinks had some significant correlations with hedonic responses to both sweetness levels, but experiences of other sweet foods were not related to the hedonic responses to sweetness in soft drinks.