Food choices, microstructure of ingestive behavior and sensory perceptions after bariatric surgery in women: A cross-sectional study.

Unlabelled: Results regarding the impact of bariatric surgery (BS) on food choices are inconsistent between studies based on self-reported questionnaires, and those using direct measurements. Moreover, the determinants of the modifications of food choices after BS, if any, are still poorly understood. This study compared food choices, food liking, microstructure of ingestive behavior and sensory perceptions between women who had BS in the last 18 months (BS group, n = 19; Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy) and women with BMI ≥35 kg m (OB group, n = 17) in ecological conditions and explored the associations of food choices with sensory perceptions and food liking.

Methods: Food choices and liking were assessed using a standardized ad-libitum buffet. Taste Strips and Scratch and Sniff cards were used to measure sensory perceptions. Microstructure of ingestive behavior of solid foods was studied using video recordings while eating the ad-libitum buffet.

Results: Women in the BS group consumed half as many calories at the buffet (p = .004) as the OB group, taking smaller bites (7.5 ± 1.9 vs 9.7 ± 2.4 g/bite; p = .020) at a slower ingestion rate (2.1 ± .7 vs 3.8 ± 1.1 bites/min; p = .035). No differences were found in food choices, food liking and sensory perceptions. In the BS group, consuming very high energy density foods was negatively associated with salt taste perceived intensity (p = .021) and the liking of fruits and vegetables (p = .045).

Conclusion: This is the first study that assessed the microstructure of ingestive behavior of solid foods in a population who has had BS. Ingestive behavior, but not food choices or liking, were different in women who had BS compared to women with obesity who did not have BS. However, only women with BS had their food choices associated with gustatory perceptions and food liking. Whether taste perceptions or types of food appreciations should be used as healthy-food choice predictors following BS should be further explored in future research.