Examination of Food Flavor in Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa: Procedure for a Non-Randomized, Cross-Sectional Study to Determine if Food Aversion or Enhanced Taste Pleasure Exists in Eating Disorders
In a groundbreaking study, researchers are delving into the world of taste preferences and their connection to eating disorders, specifically Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN). The research will utilise signal detection theory to analyse taste preferences and aversions, with the aim of understanding if these issues are linked to food avoidance in AN and if increased hedonic valence of sweet, caloric-dense foods may trigger binge-eating episodes in BN.
The role of cognitions influencing these mechanisms will also be examined in the studies.
Individuals with AN often perceive food intake as excessive and show reduced food craving and potentially diminished hedonic response to taste stimuli, which suggests altered gustatory perception and lowered pleasure from food. In contrast, while direct detailed comparisons between BN and healthy controls on gustatory perception are not extensively covered in the retrieved sources, bulimic behaviours (including binge episodes) have been linked to higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods, which are typically more palatable and may elicit stronger hedonic responses relative to AN. This implies BN individuals might have a different, possibly heightened or dysregulated hedonic taste response compared to AN and healthy controls.
In healthy individuals, normal gustatory function allows appropriate detection of taste qualities and a balanced hedonic evaluation, generally contributing to regulated eating behavior. By comparison, individuals with AN and BN show dysfunctional taste-related reward processing that influences eating behaviour variably: AN is characterised by food aversion and lower hedonic response; BN may be associated with enhanced responsiveness to palatable foods but also maladaptive control mechanisms.
The expected results of the study will provide valuable insights into the cognitive mechanisms influencing food hedonics, complementing current models and contributing to the refinement of interventions to change cognitive aspects of taste aversions, establish functional food preferences, and manage food cravings associated with binge-eating episodes.
The research will be carried out in two stages. Study 1 will present four mixtures of sweet-fat stimuli to patients with AN and BN, using a sensory two-alternative forced-choice test. The responses of currently-ill AN and BN patients will be compared to those who have recovered from AN and BN, and also to those of healthy normal-weight and underweight individuals without any eating disorder pathology.
Study 2 will assess subtle hedonic changes in AN and BN patients through a full-scale taste reactivity test, including psychophysiological and behavioural measures. If taste response profiles are differentially linked to ED types, future studies may investigate whether taste responsiveness could be a useful diagnostic measure in the prevention, assessment, and treatment of eating disorders.
The research protocol has been approved by the Swiss ethics committee (CER-VD, n° 2016-02150) and the Ethics Review Panel of the University of Luxembourg. No trial registration was required for this protocol.
References:
[1][2]: Critical review highlighting reduced food craving and hedonic response in AN. [4]: Association of bulimic behavior with preference for ultraprocessed, palatable foods indicating altered hedonic taste perception.
- The groundbreaking study in health-and-wellness, focusing on science and mental-health, aims to examine eye tracking as a means to understand the connection between taste preferences and eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN).
- The research further explores how fitness-and-exercise, nutrition, and cognitive mechanisms like signal detection theory influence these taste preferences and their impact on food hedonics and eating behaviors.
- By comparing the taste responses of currently-ill AN and BN patients, recovered patients, and healthy individuals, the study aims to determine if eye tracking could be a useful diagnostic measure in the prevention, assessment, and treatment of eating disorders.
