While most children like sweets, those with an extra-sweet tooth may be depressed or at higher risk of future alcohol problems, researchers say.

In the study, 300 children aged 5 to 12, of whom half had a family member with alcohol dependency, were asked to taste five sweet water drinks containing different amounts of sugar.

The children were asked to say which tasted the best and were also asked questions to check for depressive symptoms.

A quarter had symptoms that the researchers believed suggested they might be depressed. 

In the survey liking for sweetness was greatest in 37 children who had both a family history of alcoholism and reported depressive symptoms.

Read more on BBC news 10 Feb 2010