Taste perception and eating behavior in people with obesity
Food Addiction, Binge Eating Disorder and Taste Perception in Subjects With Obesity
This project will test whether people with obesity who have binge eating or food addiction taste sweet and salty differently than people with obesity without those behaviors.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 300 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 60 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Istituto Auxologico Italiano Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Milan) |
| Trial ID | NCT05772052 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is an observational comparison of taste thresholds and eating behavior in adults with obesity. Researchers will measure taste sensitivity (including sweet and salty thresholds) and collect questionnaires about binge eating and food-addiction behaviors. Participants will be adults with BMI between 30 and 45 kg/m2 who meet inclusion and exclusion criteria and will undergo in-person taste testing and behavioral assessment at the research center. No drug or surgical interventions are involved; the aim is to link taste perception to eating patterns.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults with BMI >30 and <45 kg/m2 who can attend in-person visits, are cooperative, not pregnant or recently postpartum, without thyroid or other endocrine causes of obesity, no major psychiatric disorders, and no prior bariatric surgery.
Not a fit: People outside the BMI range, those with endocrine or thyroid disorders, recent pregnancy, heavy smokers, major psychiatric illness, prior bariatric surgery, or those unable to attend in-person testing are unlikely to benefit from this observational work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help personalize dietary advice by identifying taste-related drivers of overeating and bingeing to improve weight-management strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has suggested links between taste perception and food reward, but using taste thresholds to distinguish binge-eating or food-addiction phenotypes remains relatively novel and not yet proven.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion 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
Where this trial is running
Milan
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano — Milan, Italy (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Luisa Gilardini, MF
- Email: l.gilardini@auxologico.it
- Phone: +0261911
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.