Associations of food choices and eating behaviors with mechanical and nervous gastric functions in obesity and metabolic and bariatric surgery: a scoping review

Objective : This scoping review aimed to explore the associations of mechanical and nervous gastric functions (i.e., gastric capacity and accommodation, gastric tone, gastric motility and postprandial electrical activity, gastric emptying, satiation), with food choices, food reward, gustation, olfaction, and eating behavior in people with obesity, with or without metabolic and bariatric surgery. Methods : Using PRISMA-ScR guidelines and an artificial-intelligence assistant tool (AS Review), we performed a scoping review for studies that concomitantly observed mechanical or nervous gastric outcomes and food choices, food reward, gustation, olfaction, or disordered eating. Results : Fifteen studies were selected from 8029 abstracts initially screened, with only one study in the metabolic and bariatric surgery population. In patients with obesity, greater gastric capacity and higher food consumption to achieve satiation were associated with higher consumption of carbohydrates and overeating behaviors (e.g., binge eating), while higher gastric emptying speed was associated with overeating behaviors. There were no studies concerning sensory functions. Interventions to increase gastric electrical activity seemed to reduce overeating behaviors. The effect of metabolic and bariatric surgery on these possible associations remains largely unknown. Conclusion : Potential associations of altered gastric functions with food choices and components of eating behaviors in the context of obesity should be further explored.