Taste Perception and Eating Behavior in People With Obesity
Studies taste sensitivity in adults with obesity, with and without binge eating or food addiction.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Abnormal Eating and Taste Perception in Subjects With Obesity
Key facts
- Where
- Milan, ItalySee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 60 years old?
Source: NCT05772052, who can take part
Where in Italy
- Istituto Auxologico ItalianoMilan, ItalyTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano
- Trial code
- NCT05772052
- Record updated
- 3 October 2025
- Original description
The identification of safe and effective strategies for weight loss and long-term maintenance is critical to reduce the alarming prevalence of obesity worldwide and mitigate obesity-associated health risks. Specifically, Binge Eating (BE) and Food Addiction (FA) behaviors are well known causes of failed weight loss and weight regain. The definitions of their clinical phenotypes are currently evolving. Recent evidence suggests that food choices, behavior and reward may be driven also by taste perception.Read full original descriptionShow less
Food Addiction, Binge Eating Disorder and Taste Perception in Subjects With Obesity
The identification of safe and effective strategies for weight loss and long-term maintenance is critical to reduce the alarming prevalence of obesity worldwide and mitigate obesity-associated health risks. Specifically, Binge Eating (BE) and Food Addiction (FA) behaviors are well known causes of failed weight loss and weight regain. The definitions of their clinical phenotypes are currently evolving. Recent evidence suggests that food choices, behavior and reward may be driven also by taste perception.
The hypothesis of this study is that subjects with dysfunctional eating behavior have different taste thresholds compared to obese subjects without eating disorders, and that this characteristic influences food choice and eating behavior. Identifying a difference in the taste thresholds between obese with and without eating disorder will allow us to understand why certain individuals over-consume or binge on densely caloric foods and to give them a tailored dietary treatment so as to maintain weight loss for a long time.
The Binge eating and Food Addiction is assessed using Binge Eating Scale and Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0. Subjects with obesity recruited are divided in 4 groups: without eating disorder, with food addiction (FA), with binge eating (BE) and with FA + BE. In these groups sweet and salty taste will be measured with the 3-Alternative-Forced-Choice method.
Inclusion: BMI>30 kg/m2 and <45 kg/m2.
Exclusion: patients who had undergone bariatric surgery; thyroid disorders; current or recent oral, nasal or sinus infections; major psychiatric disorder even in pharmacological compensation; uncooperative patients; heavy smokers; pregnancy or recent (in the last 6 months) childbirth; presence of endocrine abnormalities associated with obesity.