Browsing by Author "Fernandes, Ana B."
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- Enhanced sweet taste perception in obesity: joint analysis of gustatory data from multiple studiesPublication . Ribeiro, Gabriela; Torres, Sandra; Fernandes, Ana B.; Camacho, Marta; Branco, Teresa L.; Martins, Sandra S.; Raimundo, Armando; Oliveira-Maia, Albino J.Introduction: While sweet taste perception is a potential determinant of feeding behavior in obesity, the supporting evidence is inconsistent and is typically associated with methodological limitations. Notably, possible associations between sweet taste perception and measures of food reward remain undetermined. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis comparing 246 individuals with severe obesity and 174 healthy volunteers using a validated method for taste perception assessment. We included gustatory variables, namely intensity and pleasantness ratings of sour, salt, sweet, and bitter tastants, and taste thresholds assessed by electrogustometry. Reward-related feeding behavior, including hedonic hunger, food addiction, feeding behavior traits, and acceptance of foods and alcohol, was evaluated using self-rated scales for comparison with gustatory measures. Result: In logistic regressions adjusted for age, gender, educational level, and research center, we found that a greater likelihood of belonging to the obesity group was associated with higher sweet intensity ratings (OR = 1.4, P = 0.01), hedonic hunger, food addiction symptoms, restrained and emotional eating (1.7 < OR ≤ 4.6, all P ≤ 0.001), and lower alcohol acceptance (OR = 0.6, P = 0.0002). Using principal component analysis, we found that while hedonic hunger, food addiction, and emotional eating were strongly interrelated, they were not associated with sweet intensity perception that, in turn, had a closer relationship with alcohol acceptance and restrained eating. Conclusion: We found that individuals with obesity report higher sweet taste intensity ratings than healthy controls. Furthermore, while psychological measures of reward-related feeding behavior assess a common construct, sweet intensity perception may represent a different obesity-related dimension.
- Reward-related gustatory and psychometric predictors of weight loss following bariatric surgery : a multicenter cohort studyPublication . Ribeiro, Gabriela; Camacho, Marta; Fernandes, Ana B.; Cotovio, Gonçalo; Torres, Sandra; Oliveira-Maia, Albino J.Background: Reward sensitivity has been proposed as a potential mediator of outcomes for bariatric surgery. Objectives: We aimed to determine whether gustatory and psychometric measures of reward-related feeding are predictors of bariatric-induced weight loss. Methods: A multicenter longitudinal cohort study was conducted in patients scheduled for bariatric surgery (surgical group), assessed at baseline and 2 follow-up assessments. Predictions of % weight loss from baseline (%WL) according to baseline gustatory measures, including intensity and pleasantness ratings of sweet and other tastants, and psychometric measures of reward-related feeding behavior, including hedonic hunger scores, were assessed with multivariable linear regression. Exploratory analyses were conducted to test for associations between %WL and changes in gustatory and psychophysical measures, as well as for comparisons with data from patients on the surgery waiting list (control group). Results: We included 212 patients, of whom 96 in the surgical group and 50 in the control group were prospectively assessed. The groups were similar at baseline and, as expected, bariatric surgery resulted in higher %WL (BTreatment-Time = 2.4; 95% CI: 2.1-2.8; P < 0.0001). While variation in gustatory measures did not differ between groups, in the surgery group baseline sweet intensity predicted %WL at the primary endpoint (11 to 18 months postoperatively; β = 0.2; B = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.3; P = 0.02), as did hedonic hunger scores (β = -0.2; B = -2.0, 95% CI: -3.8 to -0.3; P = 0.02). Furthermore, at this endpoint, postsurgical reduction of sweet taste intensity and acceptance of sweet foods were associated with %WL (β = -0.3; B = -3.5, 95% CI: -5.8 to -1.3; P = 0.003, and β = -0.2; B = -4.7, 95% CI: -8.5 to -0.8; P = 0.02, respectively). The use of sweet intensity as a predictor of weight change was confirmed in another bariatric cohort. Conclusions: Sweet intensity ratings and hedonic hunger scores predict %WL after surgery. The variability of sweet intensity ratings is also associated with %WL, further suggesting they may reflect physiological processes that are variably modulated by bariatric surgery, influencing clinical outcomes.