Orthorexia nervosa tendencies and risk of eating disorders among culinary arts students: A comparative study with dietetics students.

BACKGROUND: Students pursuing food-related academic fields such as dietetics have higher orthorexia nervosa (ON) tendencies and are at a greater risk of developing eating disorders (EDs). However, there is limited research available on ON tendencies and on the risk of EDs in the culinary arts field, which also revolves around food. The present study explored ON tendencies and the risk of EDs among culinary arts students and compared them with those of dietetics students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in France, using the eating habits questionnaire (EHQ) to measure ON tendencies, and the SCOFF as well as the eating disorders examination questionnaire (EDEQ) to evaluate the risk of EDs and ED symptoms. The study also included questions about sports practice. In total, 267 students participated in the study, including 144 culinary arts students (51 women, 92 men and one other) and 123 dietetics ones (106 women, 15 men and two others). RESULTS: Culinary arts students exhibited similar means of EHQ scores as dietetics ones (32.99 vs. 33.34) but higher SCOFF scores (52.8% vs. 39.8%). In addition, a gender difference was evidenced: women in culinary arts showed higher EHQ, SCOFF and EDEQ scores than men in culinary arts. Linear regression models showed no effect of the type of academic field (culinary arts vs. dietetics) on the EDEQ score but revealed effects of gender, body mass index and hours of sports practice. CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasises the need to monitor culinary students and implement interventions to prevent EDs. It also suggests a correlation between food-related education and the risk of EDs, which requires further research.

Bias related to overweight and obesity among French psychiatrists: Results of a national survey.

BACKGROUND: According to people with a higher weight, physicians are the second most stigmatizing group related to excess weight. As a result of these weight-related biases, the therapeutic relationship with the patient and the quality of care would be negatively affected. In addition, this stigma could negatively impact the clinical practice related to higher weight and avoidance of care. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the stigma of overweight and obesity among psychiatric residents and psychiatrists in France. Specifically, the study aimed to assess factors that may influence weight-related bias among psychiatrists, to explore the relevance of visual assessment of body mass index, and to determine how they this feature is integrated into their practice. METHOD: An online questionnaire including sociodemographic items, the Fat Phobia Scale, the Beliefs About Obese Persons Scale, the Body Shape Scales, and questions about their clinical practice was distributed via national professional mailing lists and social networks. RESULTS: The survey was answered by 271 seniors or residents in psychiatry. The results indicated a moderate level of weight-related bias among psychiatrists as assessed by the Fat Phobia Scale which was higher in residents than in senior psychiatrists. Over a third of the respondents had no material to assess their patient's weight, and two thirds did not systematically assess overweight or obesity. Finally, the results demonstrate that psychiatrists failed to accurately evaluate overweight or obesity based on male or female silhouettes. CONCLUSION: It appears that measures should be taken to raise awareness among psychiatrists of the stigmatization of individuals living with a higher weight, as well as to enhance the quality of weight gain care in psychiatry.

Sustained improvements in brain health and metabolic markers 24 months following bariatric surgery.

Obesity and its metabolic complications are associated with lower grey matter and white matter densities, whereas weight loss after bariatric surgery leads to an increase in both measures. These increases in grey and white matter density are significantly associated with post-operative weight loss and improvement of the metabolic/inflammatory profiles. While our recent studies demonstrated widespread increases in white matter density 4 and 12 months after bariatric surgery, it is not clear if these changes persist over time. The underlying mechanisms also remain unknown. In this regard, numerous studies demonstrate that the enlargement or hypertrophy of mature adipocytes, particularly in the visceral fat compartment, is an important marker of adipose tissue dysfunction and obesity-related cardiometabolic abnormalities. We aimed (i) to assess whether the increases in grey and white matter densities previously observed at 12 months are maintained 24 months after bariatric surgery; (ii) to examine the association between these structural brain changes and adiposity and metabolic markers 24 months after bariatric surgery; and (iii) to examine the association between abdominal adipocyte diameter at the time of surgery and post-surgery grey and white matter densities changes. Thirty-three participants undergoing bariatric surgery were recruited. Grey and white matter densities were assessed from T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans acquired prior to and 4, 12 and 24 months post-surgery using voxel-based morphometry. Omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were collected during the surgical procedure. Omental and subcutaneous adipocyte diameters were measured by microscopy of fixed adipose tissue samples. Linear mixed-effects models were performed controlling for age, sex, surgery type, initial body mass index, and initial diabetic status. The average weight loss at 24 months was 33.6 ± 7.6%. A widespread increase in white matter density was observed 24 months post-surgery mainly in the cerebellum, brainstem and corpus callosum (P < 0.05, false discovery rate) as well as some regions in grey matter density. Greater omental adipocyte diameter at the time of surgery was associated with greater changes in total white matter density at 24 months (P = 0.008). A positive trend was observed between subcutaneous adipocyte diameter at the time of surgery and changes in total white matter density at 24 months (P = 0.05). Our results show prolonged increases in grey and white matter densities up to 24 months post-bariatric surgery. Greater preoperative omental adipocyte diameter is associated with greater increases in white matter density at 24 months, suggesting that individuals with excess visceral adiposity might benefit the most from surgery.

Validity of the Addiction-like Eating Behavior Scale among Patients with Compulsive Eating.

Food addiction (FA) and binge eating disorder (BED) co-occur and share compulsive eating symptoms. When using an FA measure, it is important to evaluate its performance in a population presenting compulsive eating. The study aims to validate the Addiction-like Eating Behavior Scale (AEBS) among a clinical sample characterized by compulsive eating and overweight/obesity and to evaluate its incremental validity over the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS). Patients seeking help for compulsive eating (n = 220), between January 2020 and July 2023, completed online questionnaires, including FA, compulsive eating, and BMI evaluations. The factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent, divergent, and incremental validity were tested. The sample had a mean age of 44.4 years old (SD = 12.7) and a mean BMI of 38.2 (SD = 8.0). The two-factor structure provided a good fit for the data, with factor loadings from 0.55 to 0.82 (except for item 15) and the internal consistency was high (ω = 0.84-0.89). The AEBS was positively correlated with the YFAS (r = 0.66), binge eating (r = 0.67), grazing (r = 0.47), craving (r = 0.74), and BMI (r = 0.26), and negatively correlated with dietary restraint (r = -0.37), supporting good convergent and divergent validity. For each measure of compulsive eating, linear regression showed that the AEBS "appetite drive" subscale had a unique contribution over the YFAS. This study provided evidence that the AEBS is a valid measure among a clinical sample of patients with compulsive eating and overweight/obesity. However, questions remain as to whether the AEBS is a measure of FA or compulsive eating.

Does Insulin Delivery Technology Change Our Relationship with Foods? A Scoping Review.

Introduction: Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems reduce burden and improve glycemic management for people with type 1 diabetes (PwT1D) by automatically adjusting insulin as a response to measured glucose levels. There is a lack of evidence on AID and nutrition variables such as dietary intake, eating behaviors, and disordered eating. Objectives: This scoping review aims to provide a summary of the literature regarding AID and nutrition variables and to identify gaps that require further investigation. Methods: Two researchers conducted a blinded search of Medline (OVID) and PubMed for studies, including AID use (compared to non-AID use) and nutrition variables. Studies from January 2000 to July 2023 were included, as were PwT1D of all ages. Results: A total of 3132 articles were screened for appropriateness. After exclusions, 7 studies were included (2017-2023): 4 qualitative, 1 crossover, 1 randomized controlled, and 1 observational. Studies included adolescents (n = 1), adults (n = 3) or both (n = 2), and all ages (n = 1). In quantitative studies, AID was associated with lower eating distress (-0.43 ± 0.12, P = 0.004) and higher quality of life (3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.8-5.4, P = 0.01), but not grams of carbohydrates at meals (1.0; 95% CI: -0.7 to 3.0; P = 0.24) and snacks (0.004; 95% CI: -0.8 to 0.8; P = 0.99) compared to non-AID use. In qualitative studies, AID increased the frequency and portions of food intake and led to less dietary control from parents. AID users reported eating foods higher in energy density. PwT1D were less worried about achieving accurate carbohydrate counting (CC) when using AID. Conclusions: AID use appears to influence eating behaviors, dietary patterns, and CC, although evidence was limited. AID may reduce food management burden due to the perception that AID can correct for CC inaccuracy. Significance: Further research needs to determine if AID allows for simplification of CC and improves eating behaviors while maintaining glycemic stability.

Measuring implicit associations between food and body stimuli in anorexia nervosa: a Go/No-Go Association Task.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to explore the implicit associations between food and bodily stimuli in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and control subjects (HC). METHODS: A Go/No-Go Association Task was administrated to 55 participants (28 AN and 27 HC), using food stimuli (low-calorie food vs. high-calorie food) and body stimuli (underweight vs. overweight bodies). RESULTS: We evidenced an implicit association between food and body stimuli in the AN group, whereas the HC group only showed a tendency. AN and HC groups also exhibited different categorization strategies: the AN group tended to categorize stimuli as low-calorie foods and underweight bodies less than the HC group, and they tended to categorize stimuli as high-calorie foods and overweight bodies more than the HC group. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed for the first time specificities of the AN population's implicit association between food and body stimuli in terms of association strength and categorization strategy. Furthermore, the results suggest that combining implicit methodologies with other methods could contribute to a better characterization of the physiopathology of AN. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, experimental study.

When Eating Intuitively Is Not Always a Positive Response: Using Machine Learning to Better Unravel Eaters Profiles.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to identify eaters profiles using the latest advantages of Machine Learning approach to cluster analysis. METHODS: A total of 317 participants completed an online-based survey including self-reported measures of body image dissatisfaction, bulimia, restraint, and intuitive eating. Analyses were conducted in two steps: (a) identifying an optimal number of clusters, and (b) validating the clustering model of eaters profile using a procedure inspired by the Causal Reasoning approach. RESULTS: This study reveals a 7-cluster model of eaters profiles. The characteristics, needs, and strengths of each eater profile are discussed along with the presentation of a continuum of eaters profiles. CONCLUSIONS: This conceptualization of eaters profiles could guide the direction of health education and treatment interventions targeting perceptual and eating dimensions.

High prevalence with no gender difference of likely eating disorders in type 1 mellitus diabetes on insulin pump.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of likely eating disorders and insulin misuse in a prospective cohort of adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated with insulin pump therapy. METHODS: This prospective study was held at the participants' home. The participants completed the SCOFF questionnaire as well as a question related to insulin misuse. Information about lifestyle, medical history, insulin pump and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) data were collected. RESULTS: The analysis covered 198 participants with a median age of 51 [95% CI 38; 62] years. The prevalence of likely eating disorders was 21.7% (95% CI 16.3; 28.2) in the study population and 20.6% (95% CI 14.3; 28.6) and 24.2% (95% CI 14.6; 37.0) in males and females respectively. The prevalence of insulin misuse was 39.0% (95% CI 30.8; 47.7). There was no significant difference in prevalence between males and females for likely eating disorders and insulin misuse. The analysis of CGM data revealed no factors related to glycaemic control associated with likely eating disorders. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of likely eating disorders is high even in a middle-aged population with a T1DM and satisfactory glucose control.

Impact of glycemic variability on cognitive impairment, disordered eating behaviors and self-management skills in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a cross-sectional online study, the Sugar Swing study.

BACKGROUND: People living with type 1 diabetes (PWT1D) are at increased risk for impairments in brain function, which may impact on daily life. Cognitive impairments in PWT1D might contribute to increasing eating disorders, reducing self-management skills, and deteriorating glycemic control. Glycemic variability may be a key determinant of disordered eating behaviors, as well as of cognitive impairments. The main objective of this study is to better understand the impact of glycemic variability in disordered eating behaviors and cognitive impairment, and its consequences on self-management skills in PWT1D. METHOD: We aim to recruit 150 PWT1D with 50% of men and women in this cross-sectional study. Participants will record their glycemic variability over a 10-day period using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) and track their dietary intakes using image-assisted food tracking mobile application (2 days). Over four online visits, eating behaviors, diabetes self-management's skills, anxiety disorders, depression disorder, diabetes literacy and numeracy skills, cognitive flexibility, attention deficit, level of interoception, and impulsivity behaviors will be assessed using self-reported questionnaires. Cognitive functions (i.e., attention, executive functions, impulsivity, inhibition and temporal discounting), will be measured. Finally, medical, biological and sociodemographic data will be collected. To further our understanding of the PWT1D experience and factors impacting glycemic self-management, 50 PWT1D will also participate in the qualitative phase of the protocol which consist of individual in-depth face-to-face (virtual) interviews, led by a trained investigator using a semi-structured interview. DISCUSSION: This study will contribute to highlighting the consequences of blood sugar fluctuations (i.e., "sugar swings"), in daily life, especially how they disrupt eating behaviors and brain functioning. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved could eventually allow for early detection and management of these problems. Our study will also seek to understand the patients' point of view, which will allow the design of appropriate and meaningful recommendations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05487534. Registered 4 August 2022.

Neck circumference is a better correlate of insulin resistance markers than other standard anthropometric indices in patients presenting severe obesity.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated stronger associations between metabolic alterations and neck circumference (NC) than with body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference (WC). However, most of these studies were performed in individuals presenting overweight or mild obesity. OBJECTIVE: To determine which adiposity index among BMI, WC, NC and fat mass (FM) can best predict metabolic alterations in men and women presenting severe obesity. METHODS: Anthropometric and plasma biochemical parameters were measured in 81 participants presenting severe obesity (19 men, 62 women; age: 44.5 ± 8.9 years; BMI: 43.5 ± 4.1 kg/m2). Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the best predictors of metabolic alterations among each adiposity index. RESULTS: NC was positively correlated with fasting insulin concentrations, C-peptide concentrations and HOMA-IR values and negatively correlated with HDL-C concentrations. NC was the best predictor of glucose homeostasis indices and HDL-C concentrations in models also including sex, BMI, WC, and FM. The ROC curve analysis indicated that a NC ≥ 37.8 cm best predicted type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: NC seems a better predictor of insulin resistance and lower HDL-C concentrations in patients presenting severe obesity compared to other standard anthropometric indices, and particularly in women. The small sample size in men prevent us to draw clear conclusions. NC could be useful in targeting patients with metabolic alterations who could benefit from medical or surgical treatment of obesity.

Sinful Foods: Measuring Implicit Associations Between Food Categories and Moral Attributes in Anorexic, Orthorexic, and Healthy Subjects.

Recently, neurocognitive studies have shown that food categorization is sensitive to both the properties of the food stimuli (e.g., calorie content) and the individual characteristics of subjects (e.g., BMI, eating disorders) asked to categorize these stimuli. Furthermore, groups of patients with eating disorders (ED) were described as relying more on moral criteria to form food categories than were control subjects. The present studies built on these seminal articles and aimed to determine whether certain food properties might trigger moral categories preferentially in subjects suffering from ED and in the general population. Using a Go/No-Go Association Task, Study 1 focused on the extent to which food categories are laden with moral attributes in ED patients compared to control subjects. Study 2 was a follow-up with a different design (an Implicit Association Test), another food variable (calorie content), and two non-clinical subgroups (orthorexic and healthy control subjects). Results revealed for the first time implicit associations between food variables cueing for energy density and moral attributes in the general population, the population suffering from anorexia nervosa, and subjects suffering from disordered eating such as orthorexia nervosa. These findings suggest that moralization of food is a pervasive phenomenon that can be measured with methods reputed to be less vulnerable to self-presentation or social desirability biases.

Food Reward after Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss Outcomes: An Exploratory Study.

Changes in food preferences after bariatric surgery may alter its effectiveness as a treatment for obesity. We aimed to compare food reward for a comprehensive variety of food categories between patients who received a sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and to explore whether food reward differs according to weight loss. In this cross-sectional exploratory study, food reward was assessed using the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire (LFPQ) in patients at 6, 12, or 24 months after SG or RYGB. We assessed the liking and wanting of 11 food categories. Comparisons were done regarding the type of surgery and total weight loss (TWL; based on tertile distribution). Fifty-six patients (30 SG and 26 RYGB) were included (women: 70%; age: 44.0 (11.1) y). Regarding the type of surgery, scores were not significantly different between SG and RYGB, except for 'non-dairy products-without color' explicit liking (p = 0.04). Regarding TWL outcomes, explicit liking, explicit wanting, and implicit wanting, scores were significantly higher for good responders than low responders for 'No meat-High fat' (post-hoc corrected p-value: 0.04, 0.03, and 0.04, respectively). Together, our results failed to identify major differences in liking and wanting between the types of surgery and tended to indicate that higher weight loss might be related to a higher reward for high protein-content food. Rather focus only on palatable foods, future studies should also consider a broader range of food items, including protein reward.

[Psychiatric disorders and bariatric surgery]. / Troubles psychiatriques et chirurgie bariatrique.

PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS AND BARIATRIC SURGERY Psychiatric disorders are common in people with obesity and their lifetime prevalence is estimated to range from 30 % to 70 %. The most frequently reported disorders are mood and anxiety disorders, attention deficit disorder, and binge eating disorder. These disorders will usually improve after bariatric surgery and do not appear to have a significant negative impact on weight loss. However, increased attention is needed regarding some aspects of these disorders (e. G., emotional dysregulation, impulsivity) as well as regarding the increased risk of developing a substance abuse disorder or increased suicide risk after bariatric surgery. As well as a high quality pre-operative psychiatric assessment is required, post-operative psychiatric follow-up is required.

TROUBLES PSYCHIATRIQUES ET CHIRURGIE BARIATRIQUE Les troubles psychiatriques sont fréquents en cas d'obésité, et leur prévalence est estimée entre 30 et 70 %. Les plus fréquents sont les troubles de l'humeur, les troubles anxieux, le trouble du déficit de l'attention, et l'hyperphagie boulimique. La plupart d'entre eux s'améliorent après une chirurgie bariatrique et ne semblent pas affecter de façon importante le pronostic pondéral. Cependant, un regain de vigilance s'impose quant à certaines composantes de ces troubles (par exemple la dysrégulation émotionnelle, l'impulsivité) et devant une augmentation des risques de développer une addiction et de suicide après une chirurgie bariatrique. Au-delà de la nécessité d'une évaluation psychiatrique préopératoire de qualité, un suivi psychiatrique postopératoire apparaît de plus en plus nécessaire, ne serait-ce que pour identifier les risques émergents.

Association between Visceral Adiposity Index, Binge Eating Behavior, and Grey Matter Density in Caudal Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Severe Obesity.

Visceral adipose tissue accumulation is an important determinant of metabolic risk and can be estimated by the visceral adiposity index (VAI). Visceral adiposity may impact brain regions involved in eating behavior. We aimed to examine the association between adiposity measurements, binge eating behavior, and grey matter density. In 20 men and 59 women with severe obesity, Grey matter density was measured by voxel-based morphometry for six regions of interest associated with reward, emotion, or self-regulation: insula, orbitofrontal cortex, caudal and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Binge eating behavior, depression and impulsivity was assessed by the Binge Eating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale, respectively. Men and women were distinctively divided into two subgroups (low-VAI and high-VAI) based on the mean VAI score. Women with high-VAI were characterized by metabolic alterations, higher binge eating score and lower grey matter density in the caudal ACC compared to women with low-VAI. Men with high-VAI were characterized by a higher score for the sensation-seeking subscale of the UPPS-Impulsive Behavior Scale compared to men with low-VAI. Using a moderation-mediation analysis, we found that grey matter density in the caudal ACC mediates the association between VAI and binge eating score. In conclusion, visceral adiposity is associated with higher binge eating severity in women. Decreased grey matter density in the caudal ACC, a region involved in cognition and emotion regulation, may influence this relationship.

Evaluation of Dietary Assessment Tools Used in Bariatric Population.

Severe obesity is associated with major health issues and bariatric surgery is still the only treatment to offer significant and durable weight loss. Assessment of dietary intakes is an important component of the bariatric surgery process. OBJECTIVE: To document the dietary assessment tools that have been used with patients targeted for bariatric surgery and patients who had bariatric surgery and explore the extent to which these tools have been validated. METHODS: A literature search was conducted to identify studies that used a dietary assessment tool with patients targeted for bariatric surgery or who had bariatric surgery. RESULTS: 108 studies were included. Among all studies included, 27 used a dietary assessment tool that had been validated either as part of the study per se (n = 11) or in a previous study (n = 16). Every tool validated per se in the cited studies was validated among a bariatric population, while none of the tools validated in previous studies were validated in this population. CONCLUSION: Few studies in bariatric populations used a dietary assessment tool that had been validated in this population. Additional studies are needed to develop valid and robust dietary assessment tools to improve the quality of nutritional studies among bariatric patients.

Cognitive function in binge eating disorder and food addiction: A systematic review and three-level meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: An extensive body of recent research has focused on the contribution of cognitive functioning to eating behaviors. In binge eating disorder (BED) and food addiction (FA), the extent of cognitive impairment is still unclear. This study aimed to characterize, among those with BED and FA, neurocognitive functions using performances based on neuropsychological tasks in the context of neutral stimuli in adults. METHOD: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL and gray literature (ProQuest and OpenGrey) were used to identify studies that reported neurocognitive assessments in BED or FA up to December 2019. A three-level meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: A significant overall effect was found for global cognitive impairments, suggesting that individuals with BED or FA have poorer performances when completing cognitive tasks. Analyses for specific cognitive domains revealed that individuals with BED showed poorer performances at tasks assessing cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, attention and planning. Analyses regarding FA were inconclusive due to a lack of studies. Thus, the results were described qualitatively. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis highlighted the cognitive weaknesses that seem to come with BED and the necessity to integrate them in the assessment and treatment of this condition. It also stressed the lack of quality studies surrounding the cognitive features of FA.

Spontaneous neural activity changes after bariatric surgery: A resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic disorders associated with obesity could lead to alterations in brain structure and function. Whether these changes can be reversed after weight loss is unclear. Bariatric surgery provides a unique opportunity to address these questions because it induces marked weight loss and metabolic improvements which in turn may impact the brain in a longitudinal fashion. Previous studies found widespread changes in grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) after bariatric surgery. However, findings regarding changes in spontaneous neural activity following surgery, as assessed with the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and regional homogeneity of neural activity (ReHo), are scarce and heterogenous. In this study, we used a longitudinal design to examine the changes in spontaneous neural activity after bariatric surgery (comparing pre- to post-surgery), and to determine whether these changes are related to cardiometabolic variables. METHODS: The study included 57 participants with severe obesity (mean BMI=43.1 ± 4.3 kg/m2) who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG), biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD), or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), scanned prior to bariatric surgery and at follow-up visits of 4 months (N = 36), 12 months (N = 29), and 24 months (N = 14) after surgery. We examined fALFF and ReHo measures across 1022 cortical and subcortical regions (based on combined Schaeffer-Xiao parcellations) using a linear mixed effect model. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) based on T1-weighted images was also used to measure GM density in the same regions. We also used an independent sample from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) to assess regional differences between individuals who had normal-weight (N = 46) or severe obesity (N = 46). RESULTS: We found a global increase in the fALFF signal with greater increase within dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, precuneus, inferior temporal gyrus, and visual cortex. This effect was more significant 4 months after surgery. The increase within dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, temporal gyrus, and visual cortex was more limited after 12 months and only present in the visual cortex after 24 months. These increases in neural activity measured by fALFF were also significantly associated with the increase in GM density following surgery. Furthermore, the increase in neural activity was significantly related to post-surgery weight loss and improvement in cardiometabolic variables, such as blood pressure. In the independent HCP sample, normal-weight participants had higher global and regional fALFF signals, mainly in dorsolateral/medial frontal cortex, precuneus and middle/inferior temporal gyrus compared to the obese participants. These BMI-related differences in fALFF were associated with the increase in fALFF 4 months post-surgery especially in regions involved in control, default mode and dorsal attention networks. CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery-induced weight loss and improvement in metabolic factors are associated with widespread global and regional increases in neural activity, as measured by fALFF signal. These findings alongside the higher fALFF signal in normal-weight participants compared to participants with severe obesity in an independent dataset suggest an early recovery in the neural activity signal level after the surgery.

The Impact of Restrictive and Non-restrictive Dietary Weight Loss Interventions on Neurobehavioral Factors Related to Body Weight Control: the Gaps and Challenges.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Restrictive diets, such as low-calorie diets, are difficult to maintain in the long term. For this reason, their popularity has decreased compared to non-restrictive approaches, which instead promote healthy eating strategies. Since both strategies may entail different neurobiological mechanisms, this review will examine the current evidence on the effects of restrictive and non-restrictive interventions on neurobehavioral factors. RECENT FINDINGS: Restrictive diets appear to improve eating behaviors, and the evidence reviewed argues against the notion that they may worsen the severity of binge eating. Moreover, they may lead to short-term changes in brain structure and improvements in cerebrovascular markers which, in turn, could impact eating behaviors. Non-restrictive interventions may have a positive effect on weight management and eating behaviors. However, evidence of their neural effects is scarce. Small sample sizes, short follow-ups, and the absence of control groups are limitations of the studies targeting both interventions. Rigorous long-term randomized studies are needed to examine the neurobehavioral effects of restrictive and non-restrictive approaches.

A systematic review and meta-analyses of food preference modifications after bariatric surgery.

This systematic review and meta-analyses aimed to synthesize evidence of the link between bariatric surgery and changes in food preferences, considering the method of assessment. MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Cinahl, PsychINFO, ProQuest, and Open grey were searched incorporating two blocks of terms ("Intervention" and "Food Preferences"). Interventional or observational studies involving patients (BMI ≥ 35 kg m-2 ) with sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) and a control group were included. Meta-analyses were performed comparing the standardized daily mean percentage energy from proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids between preoperative and postoperative patients. Fifty-seven studies concerning 2,271 patients with RYGB and 903 patients with SG met the inclusion criteria, of which 24 were eligible for meta-analysis. Despite a total reduction in macronutrient intakes, the meta-analyses revealed a postoperative increase in percentage energy from proteins at 12 months (0.24, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.46, {I2 } = 73%) and a decrease in percentage energy from fat at 1 month (-0.47, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.09, {I2 } = 72%), up to 24 months (-0.20, 95% CI: -0.31, 0.08, {I2 } = 0%). In conclusion, the present systematic review and meta-analyses showed changes of food preferences in terms of macronutrient, food selection and, overall food appreciation up to 5 years following bariatric surgery.

Deciphering the Association Between Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity and Obesity: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Both the cortisol awakening response (CAR; corresponding to the state measurement) and hair cortisol concentration (HCC; corresponding to the trait measurement) are considered reliable markers of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Because cortisol has long been associated with adiposity, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to summarize and compare the literature around CAR and HCC and their association with obesity or fat distribution indices. METHODS: The PubMed, Web of Science (Web of Science Core Collection and Medline), EBSCO Information Services, Embase, and PsycNET databases were searched, and full-text articles investigating the association between CAR or HCC and markers of adiposity in humans were included. Meta-analyses were then performed to compare studies associating CAR or HCC with BMI (a marker of general adiposity) and waist circumference (a marker of fat distribution). RESULTS: The results of this review highlight inconsistencies in cortisol sampling and CAR computation, which makes comparisons between studies difficult. It was found that adiposity indices are not associated with CAR but that they correlate significantly and positively with HCC. The subgroup analysis hinted to possible age differences in the magnitude of the association between HCC and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Trait rather than state measurement of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity is associated with increased general and abdominal adiposity in humans.