Studies have shown that monosodium glutamate (MSG) can enhance satiety and reduce appetite among infants and adults. In a multi-ethnic country such as Malaysia, it is also important to consider whether ethnic variations will influence the effects of MSG on appetite regulation. Thus, this crossover study aimed to investigate the effects of MSG on the subjective appetite and subsequent energy intake among Malaysian children from the three major ethnic groups, namely the Malays, Chinese and Indians. A total of 92 participants aged 9-11 years from the three ethnic groups were recruited for this study. A cup of low-energy vegetable preload soup (100g, with MSG or without MSG) was served to each of the participants on the day of the study, followed by an ad libitum meal 45 min later. Appetite ratings of hunger, fullness, desire to eat and desire to snack were recorded using visual analogue scale (VAS) before the preload, after the preload, before the ad libitum meal and after the ad libitum meal. Results showed that the subjective appetite of the children did not differ between preload conditions (MSG+ or MSG-) throughout the study. Malay, Chinese and Indian children had similar total energy intake during the subsequent meal after the consumption of preload soups. In conclusion, the addition of MSG to low energy preload neither influenced the perception of appetite nor total energy intake in a subsequent ad libitum meal among children. No difference attributable to the participants' ethnicity was observed. Future studies should be conducted to examine whether repeated ingestion of MSG-containing protein-rich preload has potential longer-term effects on appetite and subsequent meal intakes among children from different ethnicities.
Sensitivity to savory taste has been linked to high consumption of savory foods and increased risks of obesity and hypertension. However, there are limited studies that investigate whether obesity indices are correlated with the differences in umami taste perception, particularly in children. This study aimed to investigate the umami detection threshold among children of different ethnicities and the threshold's correlation with obesity indices and blood pressure. A total of 140 subjects were recruited and consisted of a nearly equal distribution of children from three main ethnicities (37.2% Malays, 31.4% Chinese, 31.4% Indians). Umami detection threshold was measured using the two-alternative, forced-choice staircase procedure. Body weight, height, waist circumference and blood pressure of children were measured. Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Mean umami detection threshold was 1.22 ± 1.04 mM and there were no observable differences attributable to the subjects' ethnicities. Body fat percentage was negatively correlated (r = -0.171, p