Discrimination of sweet‐fat ingredients in people with weight‐ and eating‐related problems using a signal detection theory

Abstract

AbstractIndividuals with impaired gustatory perception may have altered ingestive behaviors, which contribute to unhealthy weight status and disordered eating. Whether and to what extent weight status or eating symptomatology depend on flavor perception is still a controversial issue. Thus, the ability to discriminate among different levels of sweetness/fat content was compared in three studies using two‐alternative forced‐choice tasks and the standardized metrics of signal detection theory (SDT). In Study 1, three body mass index groups were included: underweight, healthy normal weight, and overweight. In Study 2, volunteers were currently‐ill and recovered (anorexia/bulimia nervosa) patients, and two age‐ and weight‐matched control groups. In Study 3, SDT metrics of both populations were compared. Results showed that SDT measures identified difficulties of underweight individuals to discriminate fat levels in sugary products, while patients with eating disorders exhibited outstanding discrimination of fat ingredients. Judgment biases were also detected in both populations. This highlights importance of using SDT methodology in flavor perception research in people with weight−/eating‐related problems.Practical ApplicationsThis paper may serve as a starting point for the establishment of a consensual methodology in the field of flavor perception using the SDT approach. Especially in populations with eating‐ and weight‐related problems, it is both of considerable interest and a necessity to establish and promote standard metrics to provide more consistent and comparable results on the perception of sweet and fat inputs. On the one hand, SDT may be a valuable tool to deal with current methodological limitations and heterogeneity in methods used across studies. On the other, this should facilitate further study of the relationship between oral sensations and unhealthy eating and drinking behaviors to improve individuals' nutritional status and quality of life.