Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Taste, Enjoyment, and Desire of Flavors Change After Sleeve Gastrectomy-Short Term Results

  • Original Contributions
  • Published:
Obesity Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) incidence continues to increase worldwide because of its efficacy and low surgical risks. This study aimed to investigate satisfaction with eating and the change in taste perception, desire, and enjoyment of flavor changes and associations with extent of percentage excess weight loss (%excess weight loss (EWL)) post-LSG.

Methods

One hundred six participants completed an online questionnaire 4 to 6 weeks as well as 6 to 8 months post-LSG bariatric surgery. The questionnaire included study-specific questions about changes in taste, desire, and enjoyment of eight major categories of flavor, as well as the Suter Quality of Alimentation Questionnaire to measure satisfaction with eating.

Results

The majority of participants reported a post-surgery increase in the intensity of the flavor of sweet (60, 55%) and fatty (57, 70%) at both time points, respectively. Participants also reported a decreased enjoyment for sweet (77, 61%) and fatty (77, 83%) flavors and decreased desire for fatty (83, 84%) and sweet (82, 68%) flavors at both time periods. This study found an increase in intensity of flavor of all eight taste modalities and a decrease in desire and enjoyment of all taste modalities except salty and savory flavors following surgery. Participants reported an increased acuity of spicy flavors and fatty tastes over time, and the desire and enjoyment of sweet, bitter, and metallic flavors increased over time. Changes in savory enjoyment over a 6- to 8-month period post-LSG were weakly associated with extent of % EWL at 6 months post-surgery. The participants reported average (40, 37%), good (33, 42%), and excellent (15, 11%) satisfaction with eating at both time points.

Conclusion

This preliminary study indicates that subjective changes in taste, desire, and enjoyment of flavors of eight taste modalities are very common after LSG.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhang Y, Ju W, Sun X, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy versus laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity and related comorbidities: a meta-analysis of 21 studies. Obes Surg. 2015;25(1):19–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Gumbs AA, Pomp A, Gagner M. Revisional bariatric surgery for inadequate weight loss. Obes Surg. 2007;17(9):1137–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Helmiö M, Victorzon M, Ovaska J, et al. Comparison of short-term outcome of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass in the treatment of morbid obesity: a prospective randomized controlled multicenter Sleevepass study with 6-month follow-up. Scand J Surg. 2014;103(3):175–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Diamantis T, Apostolou KG, Alexandrou A, et al. Review of long-term weight loss results after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2013;10(1):177–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Graham L, Murty G, Bowrey DJ. Taste, smell and appetite change after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Obes Surg. 2014;24(9):1463–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Tichansky DS, Boughter Jr JD, Madan AK. Taste change after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2006;2(4):440.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Berthoud H-R, Zheng H. Modulation of taste responsiveness and food preference by obesity and weight loss. Physiol Behav. 2012;107(4):527–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Bartoshuk LM, Duffy VB, Hayes JE, et al. Psychophysics of sweet and fat perception in obesity: problems, solutions and new perspectives. Philos Trans Royal Soc B: Biol Sci. 2006;361(1471):1137–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Donaldson LF, L. B, S. B, Melichar JK. Taste and weight: is there a link? 2009(1938-3207 (Electronic)).

  10. Behary P, Miras AD. Food preferences and underlying mechanisms after bariatric surgery. Proc Nutr Soc. 2015;74(4):419–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Janse Van Vuuren M, Strodl E, White KM, et al. Psychosocial presentation of female bariatric surgery patients after multiple revisional surgeries: a qualitative study. J Health Psychol. 2016.

  12. Ammon BS, Bellanger DE, Geiselman PJ, et al. Short-term pilot study of the effect of sleeve gastrectomy on food preference. Obesity Surgery. 2015 (1708-0428 (Electronic)):1094-7.

  13. Suter M, Calmes J-M, Paroz A, et al. A new questionnaire for quick assessment of food tolerance after bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2007;17(1):2–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Wilson-Perez HE, Chambers AP, Sandoval DA, et al. The effect of vertical sleeve gastrectomy on food choice in rats. Int J Obes. 2012;37(2):288–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Himpens J, Dapri G, Cadière GB. A prospective randomized study between laparoscopic gastric banding and laparoscopic isolated sleeve gastrectomy: results after 1 and 3 years. Obes Surg. 2006;16(11):1450–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Miras AD, le Roux CW. Bariatric surgery and taste: novel mechanisms of weight loss. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2010;26(2):140–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bertenshaw EJ, Lluch A Fau - Yeomans MR, Yeomans MR. Satiating effects of protein but not carbohydrate consumed in a between-meal beverage context. (0031-9384 (Print)).

  18. Martens EA, Lemmens S, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Protein leverage affects energy intake of high-protein diets in humans. 2013 (1938-3207 (Electronic)).

  19. Weigle DS, Breen M, Matthys CH, et al. A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations. (0002-9165 (Print)).

  20. Schweiger C, Weiss R, Keidar A. Effect of different bariatric operations on food tolerance and quality of eating. Obes Surg. 2010;20(10):1393–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sioka E, Tzovaras G, Oikonomou K, et al. Influence of eating profile on the outcome of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Obes Surg. 2013;23(4):501–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the participants for partaking in this study and the bariatric surgeons for allowing access to their patients for this research study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Michele A. Janse Van Vuuren, Esben Strodl, Katherine M. White & Philip David Lockie

  2. School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Level 6, B Wing West, O Block, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4005, Australia

    Michele A. Janse Van Vuuren

Authors
  1. Michele A. Janse Van Vuuren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Esben Strodl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Katherine M. White
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Philip David Lockie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michele A. Janse Van Vuuren.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Considerations

Ethics approval was obtained from the university’s Human Research Ethics Committee.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Van Vuuren, M.A.J., Strodl, E., White, K.M. et al. Taste, Enjoyment, and Desire of Flavors Change After Sleeve Gastrectomy-Short Term Results. OBES SURG 27, 1466–1473 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2497-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2497-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation