Sensory perception in obese subjects with eating disorders : a matter of taste?

Obesity is now considered a multifactorial disease, where various metabolic, functional and socio-environmental components contribute to its development. However, the emotional component and the relationship with food remain an important component and the link between obesity and various eating disorders is becoming increasingly clear. The aetiology and maintenance of eating-disorder symptoms are not well understood. Since some evidence suggests that there may be gustatory alterations in this kind of patients, the aim of this work is to investigate taste perception in patients suffering from obesity diagnosed with eating disorders. Methods: The taste thresholds of sweet and salty were assessed in a sample of 85 subjects through an ISO13301:2018 methodology, i.e. 3-Alternative-Forced-Choice (3-AFC). A general index of bitter taste sensitivity was also measured through the responsiveness to 6-n- propylthiural (PROP). Results: preliminary data showed that control subjects are characterized by a greater sensitivity for both sweet and salty taste while, in the obese group, subjects with eating disorders seem to present low sensitivity for salty taste. No significant differences were highlighted for PROP, probably due to the actually sample size dimension. Looking at the effect of gender, women seem to present lower thresholds (higher sensitivity) for sweet taste than men, independently of their nutritional status or presence of eating disorders. Discussion: Despite the preliminary nature of these data regarding interindividual differences in taste perception, these results will contribute to increase the knowledge on sensory perception’s role in eating behavior. Moreover, this study could provide novel indications for a personalized dietary intervention effective for weight loss in obese patients affected by eating disorders.