Food selection and taste changes in humans after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery: A direct-measures approach

It has been suggested that the weight loss seen in individuals who receive Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery may be due, at least in part, to changes in patient food selection, and that this change may stem from effects of the operation on the sense of taste. In this review, we evaluate the literature examining postoperative changes in food intake and food choice. While some evidence suggests that gastric bypass leads to altered food selection and taste perceptions, a clear picture regarding these changes remains to be elucidated and is blurred by inconsistencies, which may be rooted in the diverse subject pools within and between studies as well as in the indirect measures used to assess ingestive behavior. We argue that complementing current assessment tools with more direct measures of intake, food selection, and taste-related behavior might help provide some clarity and also facilitate translation between findings from animal models, in which similar measures are available, and clinical research.

► Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) may affect food selection and taste processes.
► We examine the RYGB literature regarding changes in taste function and food choice.
► We propose more direct measures to complement current assessment tools.
► We propose psychophysical techniques to measure taste function after RYGB.
► These measures may facilitate translation between basic and clinical research.