Earlier sexual debut as a risk factor for substance use among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kazakhstan.

Background: Limited research have examined predictors of illicit use of drugs and binge drinking among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. This study examines earlier sexual debut as a risk factor for lifetime and recent substance use behaviors among MSM in Kazakhstan. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of self-reported data from a NIDA-funded HIV prevention trial including 902 adult cisgender MSM in Kazakhstan who completed structured screening interviews. Logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between earlier sexual debut (ages 16 and older as the reference group) and lifetime and recent substance use, with covariance adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: The majority of MSM in our sample reported lifetime binge drinking behavior (73%) and illicit use of drugs (65%). Participants with an earlier sexual debut before 13 years old had significantly higher odds of lifetime binge drinking and any illicit use of drugs (aOR= 2.3, 95%CI: 1.2-4.5; aOR=3.0, 95%CI: 1.6-5.8). MSM who reported an earlier sexual debut between 13-15 years old had significantly higher odds of lifetime binge drinking and illicit use of any drugs (aOR=1.6, 95%CI: 1.1-2.3; aOR=1.6, 95%CI: 1.1-2.3); as well as recent binge drinking behavior (aOR=1.6, 95%CI: 1.2-2.3). Conclusion: Future research should examine pathways between earlier sexual experiences and substance use behaviors among sexually diverse populations. Earlier sexual experiences during childhood and adolescence may be relevant contextual information for interventions aimed at substance use risk prevention, treatment, and recovery among MSM populations.

High-intensity interval training vs. yoga in improving binge eating and physical fitness in inactive young females.

Yoga is effective in binge eating disorder (BED) treatment, but it does not seem effective enough to improve low physical fitness. In contrast, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is effective in improving physical fitness but has never been studied in the context of BED. In the study, 47 young inactive females with mild to moderate BED were recruited and randomly assigned to a HIIT group (HIIT), a Yoga group (YG), or a control group (CG; age, 19.47 ± 0.74, 19.69 ± 0.874, and 19.44 ± 0.63 years; BMI, 21.07 ± 1.66, 21.95 ± 2.67, and 20.68 ± 2.61 kg/m2, respectively). The intervention groups participated in 8-week specific exercises, while the CG maintained their usual daily activity. Before and after the training, participants were evaluated for BED using the binge eating scale (BES) and for physical fitness. The obtained data were compared within groups and between groups, and a correlation analysis between BES and physical fitness parameters was performed. After the training, the YG presented significant improvements in BES (- 20.25%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.408), fat mass (FM, - 3.13%, p = 0.033, ηp2 = 0.269), and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max, 11.51%, p = 0.000, ηp2 = 0.601), whereas the HIIT showed significant improvements in body weight (BW, - 1.78%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.433), FM (- 3.94%, p = 0.033, ηp2 = 0.285), and BMI (- 1.80%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.428), but not in BES. Comparisons between groups revealed that both HIIT and YG had significantly higher VO2max levels than CG (HIIT 12.82%, p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.088; YG: 11.90%, p = 0.009, ηp2 = 0.088) with no difference between HIIT and YG. Additionally, YG presented significantly lower BES than both HIIT (15.45%, p = 0.02, ηp2 = 0.03) and CG (11.91%, p = 0.022, ηp2 = 0.03). In conclusion, Yoga is an effective treatment for BED, but HIIT is not, despite its high efficacy in improving physical fitness.

Affective dynamics surrounding craving, non-heavy alcohol use and binge drinking in female patients with alcohol use disorder and controls: An experience sampling method study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Studies show that higher levels of positive affect (PA) and lower levels of negative affect (NA) are related to craving and alcohol consumption at a daily level in men, but little is known on these associations at a momentary level, and whether they are present in women. This study measured the dynamics of within-person NA and PA surrounding craving, non-heavy alcohol use and binge drinking in women with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and female controls without AUD. METHODS: 53 female patients with AUD and 75 female controls, all recruited in Belgium, were included in an experience sampling study where they reported on momentary NA, PA, craving and alcohol use in daily life over a period of 12 months. Assessments occurred eight times a day on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in seven bursts of three weeks. RESULTS: Within-person NA at a previous assessment (t-1) predicted craving at the current assessment (t0) in patients with AUD in a positive linear [ß = 0.043; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.002, 0.057; P = 0.041] and quadratic fashion (ß = 0.034; CI = 0.011, 0.057; P = 0.004). Within-person PA at t-1 predicted craving at t0 in patients with AUD with a positive quadratic relation (ß = 0.042; CI = 0.08, 0.065; P < 0.001). Within-person NA at t-1 negatively predicted non-heavy alcohol use at t0 in a linear fashion in controls (ß = -0.495; CI = -0.677, -0.312; P < 0.001) and patients with AUD (ß = -0.276; CI = -0.421, -0.132; P < 0.001). Within-person PA at t-1 significantly predicted non-heavy alcohol use at t0 with a positive linear term (ß = 0.470; CI = 0.329, 0.610; P < 0.001) in controls, but with a positive linear term (ß = 0.399; CI = 0.260, 0.454; P < 0.001) and a positive quadratic term (ß = 0.203; CI = 0.060, 0.347; P = 0.003) in patients with AUD. Within-person NA at t-1 predicted binge drinking at t0 in patients with AUD with a significant quadratic term (ß = 0.236; CI = 0.060, 0.412; P = 0.008), but not for controls. Within-person PA at t-1 predicted binge drinking at t0 in patients with AUD with a significant quadratic term (ß = 0.378; CI = 0.215, 0.542; P < 0.001), and this was also the case for controls (ß = 0.487; CI = 0.158, 0.770; P < 0.001). Non-heavy alcohol use at t0 predicted lower levels of NA at t+1 in both patients with AUD (ß = -0.161; SE = 0.044; CI = -0.248, 0.074; P = 0.001) and controls (ß = -0.114; CI = -0.198, -0.029; P = 0.010). Non-heavy alcohol use at t0 also predicted higher levels of PA at t+1 in both patients with AUD (ß = 0.181; CI = 0.088, 0.274; P < 0.001) and controls (ß = 0.189; CI = 0.101, 0.278; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The momentary relation between affect and craving or alcohol use seems to be non-linear in female patients with alcohol use disorder, whereby a worse mood predicts subsequent alcohol use, though more for binge drinking than for non-heavy alcohol use.

Binge ethanol consumption can be attenuated by systemic administration of minocycline and is associated with enhanced neuroinflammation in the central amygdala.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has a complicated pathophysiology. Binge ethanol intoxication may produce long-lasting changes throughout extended amygdala neurocircuitry including neuroinflammation, often leading to relapse. Therefore, understanding the role of binge drinking induced neuroinflammation on extended amygdala neurocircuitry is critically important for treatment. We sought to understand the role of neuroinflammation in a naturalized form of rodent binge ethanol drinking (Drinking in the Dark (DID)). In a 5-week DID paradigm, we demonstrate that acute intraperitoneal (IP) injection of the anti-inflammatory drug minocycline significantly reduced binge drinking repeatedly in male and female Cx3CR1-GFP and C57BL/6J mice. Importantly, IP administration transiently decreased intermittent access sucrose consumption, was not observed on the second IP injection, but did not significantly alter food or water consumption, suggesting that minocycline may produce initial acute aversive effects and may not alter long-term consumption of natural rewards. Examination of rodent behaviors post ethanol binge drinking reveals no lasting effects of minocycline treatment on locomotion or anxiety-like behavior. To assess neuroinflammation, we developed a novel analysis method using a Matlab image analysis script, which allows for non-biased skeletonization and evaluation of microglia morphology to determine a possible activation state in Cx3CR1-GFP knock-in mice after repeated DID. We observed significant morphological changes of microglia within the CeA, but no differences in the BLA. Taken together, this study demonstrates repeated binge ethanol consumption can produce significant levels of microglia morphology changes within the CeA, and that immunomodulatory therapies may be an intriguing pharmacological candidate for the treatment of AUD.

Associative memory in alcohol-related contexts: An fMRI study with young binge drinkers.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-related cues are known to influence craving levels, a hallmark of alcohol misuse. Binge drinking (BD), a pattern of heavy alcohol use, has been associated with cognitive and neurofunctional alterations, including alcohol attentional bias, memory impairments, as well as disrupted activity in prefrontal- and reward-related regions. However, literature is yet to explore how memories associated with alcohol-related cues are processed by BDs, and how the recall of this information may influence their reward processing. AIMS: The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study aimed to investigate the neurofunctional signatures of BD during an associative memory task. METHOD: In all, 36 university students, 20 BDs and 16 alcohol abstainers, were asked to memorize neutral objects paired with either alcohol or non-alcohol-related contexts. Subsequently, neutral stimuli were presented, and participants were asked to classify them as being previously paired with alcohol- or non-alcohol-related contexts. RESULTS: While behavioral performance was similar in both groups, during the recall of alcohol-related cues, BDs showed increased brain activation in two clusters including the thalamus, globus pallidus and dorsal striatum, and cerebellum and occipital fusiform gyrus, respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that BDs display augmented brain activity in areas responsible for mental imagery and reward processing when trying to recall alcohol-related cues, which might ultimately contribute to alcohol craving, even without being directly exposed to an alcohol-related context. These results highlight the importance of considering how alcohol-related contexts may influence alcohol-seeking behavior and, consequently, the maintenance or increase in alcohol use.

Dorsomedial striatal AMPA receptor antagonism increases alcohol binge drinking in selectively bred crossed high alcohol preferring mice.

Crossed high alcohol preferring (cHAP) mice have been selectively bred to consume considerable amounts of alcohol resulting in binge drinking. The dorsomedial striatum (DMS) is a brain region involved in goal-directed action selection, and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) is a brain region involved in habitual action selection. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) may involve a disruption in the balance between the DMS and DLS. While the DLS is involved in binge drinking, the reliance on the DMS and DLS in binge drinking has not been investigated in cHAP mice. We have previously demonstrated that glutamatergic activity in the DLS is necessary for binge-like alcohol drinking in C57BL/6J mice, another high drinking mouse. Because of this, we hypothesised that DLS glutamatergic activity would gate binge-like alcohol drinking in cHAP mice. cHAP mice underwent bilateral cannulation into the DMS or DLS and were allowed free-access to 20% alcohol for 2 h each day for 11 days. Mice were microinjected with the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) antagonist, NBQX, into the DMS or DLS immediately prior to alcohol access. AMPAR protein expression was also assessed in a separate group of animals in the DMS and DLS following an 11-day drinking history. We found that intra-DMS (but not intra-DLS) NBQX alters binge alcohol drinking, with intra-DMS NBQX increasing alcohol consumption. We also found that the ratio of GluA1 to GluA2 differs across dorsal striatal subregions. Together, these findings suggest that glutamatergic activity in the DMS may serve to limit binge drinking in cHAP mice.

The Impact of Negative Emotional Dysregulation on the Outcome of Bariatric Surgery in Patients with Severe Obesity: An Observational One-Year Follow-Up Study.

Background: Psychiatric symptoms are highly prevalent in patients with severe obesity, often representing pivotal factors in the development and progression of this condition. This study examines the association between negative emotional dysregulation (NED) and weight loss following bariatric surgery. Methods: Ninety-nine patients were consecutively enrolled at the Obesity Center of the Pisa University Hospital between March 2019 and February 2021, during a routine psychiatric evaluation before bariatric surgery. Psychopathological dimensions were assessed using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), the Reactivity, Intensity, Polarity, and Stability questionnaire in its 40-item version (RIPoSt-40), the Wender-Reimherr Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (WRAADDS) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Based on a RIPoSt-40 cut-off score of 70, subjects were divided into two groups: with (NED+) and without (NED-) NED. Results: NED+ subjects had a higher rate of psychiatric comorbidities and eating disorders than NED- patients. Of the total sample, 76 underwent bariatric surgery, and 65 of them were re-evaluated one-year after surgery. Among them, 10 of 28 NED+ subjects (37.5%) had inadequate weight loss one year after surgery compared to 5 of 37 NED- subjects (13.5%) (p = 0.035, OR 3.55, 95%, C.I. 1.05-12.03). Conclusions: Our results suggest a significant association between NED and inadequate weight loss at one-year post surgery.

Weight stigma and binge eating related to poorer perceptions of healthcare provider interaction quality in a community-based sample.

BACKGROUND: Weight stigma refers to the social rejection, discrimination, and ideological devaluation of individuals because of body size and is a direct result of weight bias and anti-fat attitudes. Individuals with higher weight may be less likely to seek healthcare due to weight stigma, and if or when they do present for care, medical providers with weight bias may fail to provide high quality care. Little, however, is known about the intersectionality of weight stigma and perceptions of healthcare interactions as experienced by individuals who also binge eat. METHODS: Community-based adults completed online self-report questionnaires regarding generalized weight stigma (Attitudes Towards Obese Persons1), healthcare interaction quality (Patient Perceptions of Healthcare Provider Interaction Quality; PPH), and disordered eating (Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire) via Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. For this cross-sectional study, participants were categorized by the presence and absence of regular binge episodes. Pearson's correlations, T-tests, ANOVA/ANCOVA, and a multivariate regression were used to examine relationships among demographic variables, weight stigma, disordered eating, and the PPH. RESULTS: Participants (N = 648) primarily identified as female (65.4%) and White, non-Hispanic (72.7%). Participants' average age and body mass index (BMI) were 37.5 (SD = 12.3) years old and 27.3 (SD = 6.9) kg/m2, respectively. Higher healthcare provider interaction quality ratings (PPH) were significantly related to lower BMI (r(648)=-0.098,p = 0.012), less weight stigma (r(648) = 0.149,p < 0.001), and identifying as a woman (t(514) = 2.09, p = 0.037, Cohen's d = 0.165) or White, non-Hispanic (t(646)=-2.73, p = 0.007, Cohen's d=-0.240). Participants reporting regular binge eating endorsed significantly worse perceptions of healthcare provider quality than those who did not, even after accounting for BMI, F(1, 645) = 8.42, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.013. A multivariate linear regression examining the PPH as dependent, and weight stigma and binge eating as independent, variable/s, was significant even after accounting for covariates (sex, race, BMI), F(95, 640) = 7.13,p < 0.001, R2 = 0.053 (small effect). CONCLUSIONS: More negative experiences with healthcare providers was associated with worse weight stigma, higher BMI, regular binge eating and overall disordered eating, and for participants identifying as male or a Person of Color. These data have implications for non-clinical community populations and are particularly important as experiencing poorer quality of interactions with healthcare providers may decrease individuals' likelihood of seeking needed care for both disordered eating and health-related concerns. TRIAL REGISTRATION: N/A.

Weight stigma refers to the discrimination towards individuals because of body size. Individuals who identify as a Person of Color and who experience binge eating may experience additional discrimination, resulting in barriers to receiving healthcare. To examine these relationships, a community-based sample (N = 648) completed health- and eating-related questionnaires online. Participants who had higher weight rated their perceptions of their interactions with healthcare providers as lower quality. People of Color and men reported lower quality of perceptions of their healthcare provider interactions compared to White, non-Hispanic and female participants, respectively. Participants reporting less weight stigma also reported more positive interactions with their healthcare providers. Participants who reported regular binge eating episodes reported worse quality of interactions with their healthcare providers compared to those who did not report regular binge eating, regardless of their weight. Participants endorsing more stigmatizing views of individuals with higher weight and those reporting regular binge eating were more likely to report poorer perceived quality of interactions with healthcare providers, regardless of their weight, race/ethnicity, or sex. These findings are of particular importance as experiencing poor quality interactions with healthcare providers may be a barrier to receiving needed healthcare.

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.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)+ cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus: relationship with binge-type eating in male and female mice.

RATIONALE: Both the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) and the neuropeptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), are thought to be involved in food intake. Importantly, PACAP is expressed in cells of the PVT. OBJECTIVES: To determine if PACAP in cells of the PVT might mediate some of the involvement of the PVT with palatable food intake. METHODS: In male and female C57BL/6 J mice and PACAP-Cre transgenic mice on a C57BL/6 J background, limited access to Milk Chocolate Ensure Plus® was used to establish a model of binge-type eating. Next, using quantitative real-time PCR, gene expression of PACAP in the PVT was measured in relation to this binge-type eating. Finally, using chemogenetics in PACAP-Cre transgenic mice, the effect of activation of PVT PACAP+ cells on binge-type eating was determined. RESULTS: Males and females both engaged in binge-type eating with Ensure, although females engaged in this behavior to a greater degree than males. While females also had a higher baseline level of PVT PACAP mRNA than males, only males showed an increase in levels of PACAP after a history of exposure to Ensure, and only males showed a reduction in levels of PACAP immediately prior to a binge session. Conversely, activation of PACAP+ cells in the PVT reduced binge-type eating of Ensure, specifically in male mice. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings indicate that PVT PACAP+ cells influence and are influenced by binge-type eating. Thus, PACAP in the PVT might mediate some of the known involvement of the PVT with palatable food intake.

The role of impulsivity and binge eating in outpatients with overweight or obesity: an EEG temporal discounting study.

BACKGROUND: Binge eating (BE) is associated with a range of cognitive control deficits related to impulsivity, including lower response inhibition, preference for immediate gratification, and maladaptive decision-making. The aim was to investigate whether impulsivity and BE may interact with the decision process and underlying brain activity in outpatients with overweight or obesity who are starting a treatment to achieve weight loss. METHODS: A sample of 26 treatment-seeking outpatients with overweight or obesity was evaluated for impulsivity, BE, and temporal discounting rates. Impulsivity was measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), according to which two groups were composed: high BIS and low BIS; BE was assessed with the eating disorders module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM5-Research Version, according to which two groups were composed: with (BE group) or without BE (NBE group). Changes in subjective value of rewards were measured with the Temporal Discounting Task (TDt) where participants had to choice between sooner but smaller vs. later but larger monetary rewards. These choices were made in two differently delayed conditions ("Now" and "Not-now"). Brain rhythms were recorded through high-density electroencephalogram (hd-EEG) during the TDt. RESULTS: Patients with BE reported more impulsive tendencies and perceived sooner rewards as more gratifying when both options were delayed (Not-now condition, p = 0.02). The reward choice in the TDt was accompanied by a general EEG alpha band desynchronization in parietal areas observed without differences between experimental conditions and patients groups. No effects were observed within the Now condition or in the other EEG bands. CONCLUSIONS: The tendency to favor immediate rewards may constitute an obstacle to adhering to treatment plans and achieving weight loss goals for outpatients with overweight or obesity. Clinicians are therefore encouraged to include psychological factors, such as impulsivity and dysfunctional eating behaviors, when designing weight loss programs. By addressing these psychological aspects, clinicians can better support patients in overcoming barriers to adherence and achieving sustainable weight loss. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences of the University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara (Prot. n. 254 of 03/14/2017).

Age, period and cohort effects of heavy episodic drinking by sex/gender and socioeconomic position in Canada, 2000-2021.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Heavy episodic drinking (HED) trends have not been comprehensively examined in Canada. We measured age, period and birth cohort trends in HED in Canada by sex/gender and socioeconomic position. DESIGN AND SETTING: We analyzed repeat cross-sectional data from the 10 provinces in the Canadian Community Health Surveys from 2000 to 2021 using hierarchical cross-classified random effects logistic regression. PARTICIPANTS: 1 167 831 respondents aged 12+ . MEASUREMENTS: HED was defined as 4+ standard drinks for women or 5+ for men at least monthly in the past 12 months. Socioeconomic position was measured using household income and education. FINDINGS: We observed steeper HED decreases in young adult men (aged 18-29) than women (by 14.4% and 8.7%, respectively, from 2015 to 2021) and HED increases in middle adult women (ages 50-64) (by 8.0% from 2000 to 2014). Sex/gender-specific age-period-cohort models revealed strong age and birth cohort effects. In women and men, respectively, HED peaked in young adulthood (18.2% and 33.8%) and decreased with age, and HED was greatest in the 1980-1989 cohort (20.7% and 35.8%) and decreased in the most recent cohort born in 1990-2009 (15.6% and 19.8%), particularly in men. Higher household incomes had greater HED across age, periods and cohorts, while trends varied by education. Compared with lower education groups, people with a bachelor's degree or above had the lowest HED in middle adulthood. People with a bachelor's degree or above had low HED in earlier cohorts, which converged with other education groups in recent cohorts due to a pronounced HED increase, particularly in women. CONCLUSION: The sex/gender gap in heavy episodic drinking (HED) appears to be converging in Canada: current young adult men are reducing HED, while high-risk cohorts of women are aging into middle adulthood with greater HED. Recent birth cohorts with a bachelor's degree or above experienced pronounced HED increases, which among women suggests greater educational attainment contributes to the converging gender gap in HED.

Parental Binge Eating and Child Binge Eating and Weight-Control Behaviors: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Findings From the EAT 2010-2018 Study.

OBJECTIVE: In cross-sectional and retrospective research, parental binge eating is associated with their children's eating psychopathology. The current study extended the evidence by cross-sectionally and longitudinally examining the relation between parental binge eating and binge eating and weight-control behaviors in the next generation of their adolescent children and young adult children in a population-based sample. METHODS: Adolescents (Time 1: M = 14.5, SD = 2.0 years) (n = 2367), followed into adulthood (Time 2: M = 22.1, SD = 2.0 years), and their parents (n = 3664) were enrolled in EAT 2010-2018 and Project F-EAT 2010. The current study examined parental binge eating, and child binge eating and weight-control behaviors. Adjusted models covaried for child gender, age, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Approximately 7% of adolescents at Time 1 had at least one parent who reported binge eating with no differences by child's age, gender, or race/ethnicity. Having at least one parent experiencing binge eating at Time 1 (vs. not) was associated cross-sectionally with adolescent children's use of extreme weight-control behaviors (9.6% vs. 4.8%; Risk Difference [RD] = 4.9%) and associated longitudinally with binge eating during young adulthood (21.1% vs. 11.6%; RD = 9.5%). Other associations did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Children of parents with binge eating appear to have elevated risk of extreme weight-control behaviors during adolescence and binge eating in young adulthood. Clinicians should assess whether eating psychopathology extends to other family members, and offer additional support to parents with binge eating. Further research is needed to identify risk factors in the children of parents with binge eating and to assess strategies for prevention.

Exploring Dietary Restraint as a Mediator of Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments on Outcomes for Patients With Binge-Eating Disorder With Obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To explore dietary-restraint as a mediator of binge eating and weight-loss outcomes within a randomized controlled trial comparing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and behavioral weight loss (BWL) for binge-eating disorder (BED) with obesity. METHODS: Ninety participants were randomly assigned to CBT or BWL and assessed by evaluators blinded to conditions at pretreatment, throughout-, and post-treatment (6 months). Three dietary-restraint measures (Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire [EDE-Q]-Restraint, Three-Factor Flexible-Restraint and Rigid-Restraint) were administered at pretreatment and after 2 months of treatment. Regression models examined whether changes at 2-months in the restraint scales mediated the effects of treatment (CBT versus BWL) on binge eating and weight-loss outcomes at post-treatment. RESULTS: CBT and BWL had similar binge-eating outcomes and similar changes in EDE-Q-restraint and flexible-restraint. BWL had greater 2-month increases in rigid-restraint and greater weight-loss at posttreatment than CBT, with results suggesting 2-month changes in rigid-restraint mediated the greater difference (>7 pounds) in weight-loss. The observed mediation effect of 2.92 suggests 39% of total treatment-effect on weight-loss was mediated through 2-month increases in rigid-restraint. DISCUSSION: This secondary analysis within a trial comparing CBT and BWL for BED suggests early-change in rigid-restraint has a mediating effect of BWL on weight-loss. Findings indicate that BWL improves binge eating and challenge views that dietary-restraint might exacerbate binge eating in BED with obesity. Findings require confirmation using hypothesis-testing in future trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00537758 ("Treatment for Obesity and Binge Eating Disorder").

Alcohol habits and alcohol-related health conditions of self-defined lifetime abstainers and never binge drinkers.

BACKGROUND: Prior research has shown that using lifetime abstainers as the reference group to examine the association between alcohol use and health-related consequences has several disadvantages. The aim of the present study was to examine the consistency of self-reported lifetime abstention and never-binge drinking, respectively, using national, longitudinal data collected in 2019 and 2020. Additionally, the prevalence of alcohol-related morbidity among lifetime abstainers was examined by linking survey data to alcohol-related morbidity data in a national patient register. METHODS: Data come from the Danish Health and Wellbeing Survey in 2019 and from a follow-up survey of the same individuals in 2020. A random sample of 14,000 individuals aged 15 years or older was drawn in mid-August 2019. Data were collected between September and December 2019. All those who were invited to the survey in 2019 and who were still alive and living in Denmark were invited to participate in a follow-up survey in 2020. Data in both waves were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Both questionnaires included the standard questions on alcohol consumption from the European Health Interview Survey model questionnaire. Information on alcohol-related morbidity was obtained from the Danish National Patient Register. RESULTS: In all, 5000 individuals completed the questionnaire in both waves. Approximately half (44.4%) of the individuals who declared that they were lifetime abstainers in 2020 (n = 252) had reported in 2019 to have drunk at some point in their life. Moreover, 39.7% contradicted earlier reported binge drinking. Furthermore, 2.4% of the respondents who defined themselves as lifetime abstainers in 2020 had earlier been diagnosed with an alcohol-related health condition. CONCLUSION: The present research reaffirms previous studies which have found self-reported lifetime abstainers to be unreliable as a consistent reference group. Additionally, the results indicated that a non-negligible proportion of lifetime abstainers had been diagnosed with an alcohol-related health condition.

Investigating the Impact of Ashwagandha and Meditation on Stress Induced Obesogenic Eating Behaviours.

Obesity has been identified as a rapidly rising pandemic within the developed world, potentially increasing the risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Various studies have identified a positive association between stress, elevated cortisol levels and obesity. Mechanisms of the stress response lead to hyperpalatable food preference and increased appetite through the activation of the HPA axis, elevated cortisol and the resulting interactions with the dopaminergic system, neuropeptide Y, ghrelin, leptin and insulin. The methodology of this review involved a Systematic Search of the Literature with a Critical Appraisal of papers considering ashwagandha, mediation and mindfulness in relation to mechanisms of the stress response. It incorporated 12 searches yielding 330 hits. A total of 51 studies met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised with ARRIVE, SIGN50 and Strobe checklists. Data from the 51 studies was extracted, coded into key themes and summarized in a narrative analysis. Thematic analysis identified 4 key themes related to ashwagandha and 2 key themes related to meditation. Results provide an overview of evidence assessing the efficacy of ashwagandha and meditation in relation to weight loss interventions by supporting the stress response and the pathways highlighted. Results of Clinical studies indicate that ashwagandha supports weight loss through reduced stress, cortisol and food cravings. Pre-clinical studies also suggest that ashwagandha possesses the capacity to regulate food intake by improving leptin and insulin sensitivity and reducing addictive behaviors through dopamine regulation. Clinical studies on meditation indicate it may enhance a weight loss protocol by reducing the stress response, cortisol release and blood glucose and improving eating behaviors.

Chronic exposure to stress may promote obesogenic eating behaviors through the activation of the HPA axis and the resulting interactions between cortisol and the dopaminergic system, neuropeptide Y, ghrelin, leptin and insulin.Ashwagandha may support weight loss via appetite regulation through stress reduction, enhance leptin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and dopamine regulation.Withaferin A, ashwagandha's primary withanolide, may be the active compound responsible for its capacity to regulate leptin and insulin.Meditation may support weight loss through stress and cortisol reduction, improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and regulate eating behavior.

Chronic binge alcohol mediated hepatic metabolic adaptations in SIV-infected female rhesus macaques.

AIMS: As the interactions of alcohol and HIV/SIV infection and their impact on liver metabolic homeostasis remain to be fully elucidated, this study aimed to determine alcohol-mediated hepatic adaptations of metabolic pathways in SIV/ART-treated female rhesus macaques fed a nutritionally balanced diet. METHODS: Macaques were administered chronic binge alcohol (CBA; 13-14 g ethanol/kg/week for 14.5 months; n = 7) or vehicle (VEH; n = 8) for 14.5 months. Livers were excised following an overnight fast. Gene and protein expression, enzymatic activity, and lipid content were determined using frozen tissue and histological staining was performed using paraffin-embedded tissue. RESULTS: CBA/SIV macaques showed increased hepatic protein expression of electron transport Complex III and increased gene expression of glycolytic (phosphofructokinase and aldolase) and gluconeogenic (pyruvate carboxylase) enzymes and of genes involved in lipid turnover homeostasis (perilipin 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, carbohydrate responsive binding protein, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase B) as compared to that of livers from the VEH/SIV group. Plasma triglyceride concentration had a significant positive association with liver triglyceride content in the CBA/SIV group. CONCLUSIONS: These results reflect CBA-associated alterations in expression of proteins and genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism homeostasis without significant evidence of steatosis or dysglycemia. Whether these changes predispose to greater liver pathology upon consumption of a high fat/high sugar diet that is more aligned with dietary intake of PWH and/or exposure to additional environmental factors warrants further investigation.

Gender differences in the association between body shame and binge eating: Body image flexibility as a moderator in women.

BACKGROUND: Body shame is an established antecedent and maintaining factor of binge eating, beyond global negative affect and body weight, and partly through the effects of dietary restriction. These associations have mainly been established in women and are understudied in men. Body image flexibility, a concept from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, may be a protective psychological process against the effects of negative body image on binge eating. METHODS: Using structural equation modeling and a non-clinical sample of 244 women and 185 men, this cross-sectional study tested an integrated model of the association between body shame and binge eating, mediated by dietary restriction and moderated by body image flexibility, controlling for depressive symptoms and BMI. RESULTS: Body shame predicted binge eating in women but not in men, whereas depressive symptoms predicted binge eating in men but not in women. Body image flexibility moderated the association between body shame and binge eating in women. CONCLUSIONS: These cross-sectional findings highlight the importance of considering gender differences in current negative affect models of binge eating, and further support the role of body image flexibility in attenuating the influence of body shame on binge eating in women. Longitudinal studies are required to examine the temporal dynamics between these variables.

The predictive value of emotion regulation difficulties and negative mood on short and long-term treatment outcomes in an online guided self-help programme for adults with binge-eating disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) online guided self-help programs represent efficacious and accessible treatment options for adults with binge-eating disorder (BED), but research on predictors of treatment outcome is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of emotion regulation difficulties relative to that of negative mood on short- and longer-term treatment outcomes in an online guided self-help programme for BED above and beyond other predictors (age, sex, baseline BED severity). METHODS: Participants were 63 adults (87% female, mean age 37.2 years) with BED. Data was analysed using a hierarchical model approach. RESULTS: Emotion regulation difficulties better predicted both weekly binge-eating frequency and eating disorder (ED) pathology at posttreatment than negative mood, after controlling for the effect of age, sex and baseline BED severity. At 6-month follow-up, neither emotion regulation difficulties nor negative mood further added to the prediction of weekly binge-eating frequency, whereas negative mood, but not emotion regulation difficulties, did so for ED pathology. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that emotion regulation difficulties at treatment begin might be a relevant predictor of immediate treatment outcome in online guided self-help for adults with BED but might have lower impact on longer-term treatment outcome than negative mood. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTER NUMBER: The clinical trial register number is not given in this version of the manuscript due to anonymisation.

Childhood Maltreatment and Physical Health in College Students: Physical Activity and Binge Eating as Moderators.

Child maltreatment leads to pervasive physical health problems. For individuals with a child maltreatment history, physiological risk factors for future disease are apparent by young adulthood. The current study explored the role that physical activity and binge eating may have in the trajectory from child maltreatment to poor adult health. We administered the following measures to 100 female and male college students: resting heart rate assessment, symptoms of illness, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) to assess maltreatment history. After this session, participants wore a Fitbit that provided physical activity data (low, moderate, and vigorous activity, and total steps) in a free-living environment for a period of 10 days. Physical activity moderated the pathway between maltreatment history and both resting heart rate and symptoms of illness. In individuals with higher CTQ scores, more low-intensity physical activity and total steps were related to fewer symptoms of illness and lower resting heart rate, respectively. Binge-eating behavior moderated the pathway between maltreatment and symptoms of illness, such that greater binge-eating behavior was associated with more self-reported illness symptoms in participants with higher CTQ scores. These findings suggest that on-campus interventions targeting physical activity and healthy eating behaviors will improve the long-term health of young adults with maltreatment history.