Food Preferences and Craniopharyngiomas

Condition(s) studied

Study summary

The hypothalamus plays a key role in regulating appetite, satiety, and energy balance. When tumors such as craniopharyngiomas develop in this region, they can disrupt these mechanisms and lead to a form of severe weight gain known as hypothalamic obesity. Several factors play a role in the development of hypothalamic obesity that is often resistant to traditional treatments. Changes in food preferences notably a higher liking for food rich in fat and sugar may be implicated as has been reported in common obesity.

The working hypothesis of the study is that hypothalamic lesions may alter food preferences, leading to an increased preference for high-fat and high-sugar foods, and that these changes in dietary choices contribute among other factors to the development of hypothalamic obesity.

By providing the first evaluation of food preferences in adults treated surgically for craniopharyngiomas, this study will shed light on the role of hypothalamic lesions in modifying dietary choices. The results may help explain why some patients experience rapid and resistant weight gain, and could guide future strategies to better manage hypothalamic obesity.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Psychometric validation of the French food preference questionnaire (FPQ): phase 1 — at baseline
  Validation of the French version of the Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) in an adult population in France. The Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) is the primary tool used to evaluate participants' food preferences for 62 food items, such as meats, dairy products, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and snack foods. For each item, participants indicate their degree of liking using a 6-point response scale from "dislike strongly" to "like strongly" ("Do not like at all", "Dislike moderately", "Neutral", "Like a little", "Like very much", "Not applicable"), allowing quantification of preference intensity across food types. Validity will be evaluated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, while reliability will be assessed using internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) and reproducibility (test-retest).
• Evaluation of scores measuring FPQ: phase 2 — at baseline
  The main objective is to characterize food preferences in patients operated on for a craniopharyngioma by comparing them with two control groups: patients operated on for a pituitary macroadenoma with anterior pituitary insufficiency, and a control population matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), calculated as mass (kg) /(height in m)\^2. The questionnaire validated in phase 1 will be used and questionnaire results will be analyzed quantitatively to identify specific food preference profiles within each group and to explore potential associations with clinical and metabolic parameters.

Trial sites (1)

More Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris trials in France

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