Results

Out of 24,537 interviewees from the pooled NHANES 2011–2014 cycles, the final survey-weighted analytical sample included 3,595 adults (14.7 %) aged 20 years or older who provided a definitive “Yes” or “No” response to the taste problem question. Of these, 219 (6.1 %) reported taste problems, and 3,376 (93.9 %) did not.

There were significant demographic differences between the two groups based on age, educational attainment, and country of birth (Table 1). Participants who reported taste problems were older than those without taste problems (mean age 60.3 years± 1.2 vs. 57.5 years ± 0.3; p=0.025).

Demographic variable | With taste problems (n=219) | Without taste problems (n=3,376) | p-Value
Age (years at screening), mean (SE) | 60.3 (1.2) | 57.5 (0.3) | 0.025
Gender |  |  | 0.282
Male | 46.8 % | 47.2 % | 
Female | 53.2 % | 52.8 % | 
Race/hispanic origin |  |  | 0.070
Mexican American | 4.9 % | 5.4 % | 
Other Hispanic | 4.4 % | 5.6 % | 
Non-Hispanic White | 74.4 % | 71.3 % | 
Non-Hispanic Black | 12.9 % | 10.6 % | 
Non-Hispanic Asian | 2.6 % | 4.7 % | 
Other/multi-racial | 0.8 % | 2.4 % | 
Educational attainment (adults 20+) |  |  | 0.026
Less than 9th grade | 8.5 % | 6.8 % | 
9th–11th grade (no HS diploma) | 17.4 % | 11.1 % | 
High school graduate/GED | 17.8 % | 21.7 % | 
Some college/associate degree | 27.5 % | 29.5 % | 
College graduate or above | 28.5 % | 30.8 % | 
Annual household income |  |  | 0.052
Low income (<$20,000) | 22.4 % | 15.2 % | 
Lower-middle ($20,000–$44,999) | 36.4 % | 27.0 % | 
Middle ($45,000–$74,999) | 12.0 % | 20.3 % | 
High income (≥$75,000) | 26.6 % | 34.4 % | 
Marital status |  |  | 0.603
Married or living with a partner | 60.6 % | 65.2 % | 
Previously married | 28.6 % | 25.9 % | 
Never married | 10.8 % | 9.0 % | 
Country of birth |  |  | 0.022
United States | 88.6 % | 83.9 % | 
Outside United States/other | 11.0 % | 16.0 % | 

Regarding educational attainment, the proportion of those who did not complete high school was higher among those with taste problems (25.9 % vs. 17.9 %, p=0.026). There was also a higher proportion of individuals born within the US among those with taste problems compared to those without (88.6 % vs. 83.9 %, p=0.022).

The proportion of households with annual income less than $75,000 was higher among the taste problems group (70.8 % vs. 62.5 %), but it did not reach statistical significance. There was no difference between the groups in the proportion of females or by race.