[Texture perception and masticatory function in individuals with high and normal body mass index]

Food choice is a critical factor contributing to the rise of obesity. Sensory perception, combined with environmental influences, plays a pivotal role in shaping dietary preferences, often favoring foods that provide pleasure rather than health benefits. Individuals with overweight or obesity experience alterations in sensory perception, including decreased sensitivity of taste receptors and delayed gustatory cortex activation, which affect food selection and predisposition to weight gain. Food texture, perceived via multiple sensory modalities, regulates chewing behavior, salivation, and masticatory muscle activity, thereby influencing bolus characteristics and sensory experience. Prior studies have identified correlations between masticatory function and body mass index (BMI), underscoring the necessity to investigate texture perception and chewing function in individuals with elevated BMI. The aim of this prospective study was to assess texture perception and masticatory function in healthy adults with normal and overweight BMI.

Thirty-five healthy participants (18-50 years old) were divided into two groups based on BMI ranges: 18.5-25 kg/m2, n=20 (normal weight) and 25-30 kg/m2, n=15 (overweight). A potato puree product modified with κ-carrageenan (0.6%) was used for sensory and masticatory assessments. During each experimental visit, participants underwent three test sessions (4 g of product per session), which were performed in a sensory room. These sessions included sensory evaluation of textural (hardness, homogeneity, moisture, stickiness, and cohesion) and hedonic propert ies (aroma, taste, texture, and overall liking), analysis of chewing parameters and salivation, and characterization of the bolus formed during chewing. Sensory analysis was conducted using a visual analog and 9-point hedonic scales. Surface electromyography of the masticatory muscles (musculus Masseter, musculus Temporalis, musculi Suprahyoid) was recorded to assess chewing duration, the number and duration of chewing cycles, and muscle activity. Salivation intensity was determined gravimetrically, and the degree of food bolus grinding was analyzed using the sieving method. Textural properties of the bolus were assessed using a TA-XT2 texture analyzer.

Participants with overweight rated the product as firmer (by 58%, p=0.010) and stickier (by 71%, p=0.021) compared to normal-weight counterparts; however hedonic ratings did not differ significantly between groups. Notably, overweight participants exhibited fewer chewing cycles (by 33%, p=0.02) and reduced activity in temporal and suprahyoid muscles. No significant differences were observed in chewing duration or salivation rates. Textural properties of the bolus prior to swallowing were comparable across groups.

Alterations in texture perception and chewing behavior among individuals with overweight do not affect overall product acceptability but reflect the complex interplay between sensory perception, mastication, and eating behavior. These findings highlight the need for further research targeting sensory preferences and chewing functionality as potential interventions for obesity management.