Genetic and environmental influences on how sweet a person in the U.S. likes sugar across different ancestral groups
Official title: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Individual Sweet Preference Across Ancestry Groups in the U.S.
Funded at Brooklyn College · NIH-11379462 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how genetics and environment shape how much people in diverse U.S. groups enjoy sweetness and how that affects sugar intake.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brooklyn College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $196,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM150411-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379462 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older from diverse ancestry groups in the United States who are willing to provide genetic information and report their sugar preferences.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not interested in genetic or dietary research or those outside the targeted ancestry groups may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
We will study how specific genetic variants linked to sweet taste relate to sugar preferences in adults from different ancestry groups in the United States. The study will compare allele frequencies and the strength of associations between genes and sweet liking across populations with varying levels of added sugar intake. By focusing on adults, the researchers hope to reveal whether sugar preference is shaped by both DNA and environment, informing personalized strategies to reduce sugar consumption. The project will involve 428 participants and analyze genetic data alongside reported sugar preferences to understand cross‑group differences.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide personalized dietary recommendations to help reduce added sugar intake and related chronic diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies identified sweet-related SNPs within single ancestry groups; this study tests generalizability across multiple populations and is somewhat novel in its breadth.
Where this research is happening
-
Brooklyn College
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cheung, May Meiyu — Brooklyn College
- Study coordinator: Cheung, May Meiyu
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.