Abnormal Eating and Taste Perception in Subjects With Obesity

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
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.

Official Title
-----------------
Food Addiction, Binge Eating Disorder and Taste Perception in Subjects With Obesity

Conditions
-----------------
Obesity

Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: BMI>30 kg/m2 and <45 kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria: uncooperative patients heavy smokers pregnancy or recent (in the last 6 months) childbirth thyroid disorders presence of endocrine abnormalities associated with obesity current or recent oral, nasal or sinus infections major psychiatric disorder even in pharmacological compensation patients who had undergone bariatric surgery

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------
What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| sweet taste recognition threshold | The sweet taste recognition threshold is assessed in subjects without eating disorders, with FA,with BE and FA+ BE | baseline | 
| salt taste recognition threshold | The salt taste recognition threshold is assessed in subjects without eating disorders, with FA,with BE and FA+ BE | baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| prevalence of binge eating (BE) | percentage of subjects recruited with BE | baseline | 
| prevalence of Food Addiction (FA) | percentage of subjects recruited with FA | baseline | 
| prevalence of Food Addiction (FA) + Binge Eating (BE) | percentage of subjects recruited with FA+BE | baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Taste; Obesity; Food addiction; Binge eating; sweet; salty