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

Abstract

Individuals 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.