Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Observational Ages 18 to 60

Taste perception and eating behavior in people with obesity

Official title: Food Addiction, Binge Eating Disorder and Taste Perception in Subjects With Obesity

Run by Istituto Auxologico Italiano · NCT05772052 · Data updated 2026-11-12

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 typeObservational
Ages18 Years to 60 Years
SexAll
Enrollment300 (estimated)
SponsorIstituto Auxologico Italiano
Academic / other
Locations1 site (Milan)
StatusRecruiting
StartedNovember 2, 2020
Main results expectedDecember 31, 2026
Study endsDecember 31, 2026
Registry record updatedOctober 3, 2025
Trial IDNCT05772052 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a 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.

Probably 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.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

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.

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 gone: 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.

Who can join: the full rules

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 it's running

  • Istituto Auxologico Italiano
    Milan, Italy
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.