Vienna  - Three out of four children aged between 10 and 13 are unable to distinguish between basic flavours sweet, sour, bitter and salty, a study by an Austrian university found recently.

Only 27.3 of children recognized all flavours while 23.6 per cent recognized only one, researchers from Vienna's University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences said.

In addition, 8.1 per cent of the children did not recognize any flavour.

The results were significantly lower than those achieved by adults or university students in similar surveys.

The researchers said they established a possible connection between a fast food diet and the seemingly degenerating tastebuds of Austria's children.

The test results of students, who said that they never or almost never ate fast food, were "significantly better" than those who regularly consumed fast food.

Children from rural regions and students in grammar schools scored better results than children from urban regions and secondary schools.

Better results were achieved by those who consumed less white bread and ate fruit and vegetables regularly, the study said.

Not surprisingly almost three-quarters of the testers could determine the flavour "sweet", while only 44.9 per cent were able to recognize salty flavours.

Again, students who said they preferred neutrally-flavoured drinks were far better at identifying sweet flavours than those with a sweet tooth. Only 63 per cent of children who liked sweet drinks could identify the flavour, compared to 83 per cent of those who preferred less sugary drinks.

In the study commissioned by AMA, Austria's marketing agency for farm produce, 385 children from all over the country were tested by using sniffer tests with 11 different flavours and flavoured liquids.

There was a close link between bad eating habits and bad results in the flavour and smell identification tests, the study authors said.

But in order to pin down a causal relationships more studies, including examining possible genetic factors influencing taste perception and eating habits, were necessary, they added. (dpa)