Two-month administration of methylphenidate improves olfactory sensitivity and suppresses appetite in individuals with obesity.

Olfaction contributes to feeding behaviour and is modulated by changes in dopamine levels. Methylphenidate (MPH) increases brain dopamine levels and has been shown to reduce appetite and promote weight loss in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The objectives of this study were to test the effect of MPH on olfaction, appetite, energy intake, and body weight (BW) on individuals with obesity. In a randomized, double-blind study, 12 participants (age 28.9 ± 6.7 years) with a body mass index (BMI) of 36.1 ± 4.5 kg/m2 were assigned to MPH (0.5 mg/kg) (n = 5) or placebo (n = 7) twice daily for 2 months. Appetite (visual analog scale), odour threshold (Sniffin' Sticks®), energy intake (food menu), and BW (DEXA scan) were measured at day 1 and day 60. MPH intake significantly increased odour threshold scores (6.3 ± 1.4 vs. 9.4 ± 2.1 and 7.9 ± 2.3 vs. 7.8 ± 1.9, respectively; p = 0.029) versus placebo. There was a significantly greater suppression of appetite sensations (desire to eat (p = 0.001), hunger (p = 0.008), prospective food consumption (p = 0.003)) and an increase in fullness (p = 0.028) over time in the MPH versus placebo. MPH suppressed appetite and improved olfactory sensitivity in individuals with obesity. These data provide novel findings on the favourable effects of MPH on appetite and weight regulation in individuals living with obesity.

Interindividual differences in energy intake after sleep restriction: The role of personality and implicit attitudes toward food.

Sleep restriction (SR) often leads to an increase in energy intake (EI). However, large variability in EI after SR is often observed, which suggests that individual characteristics may affect food intake. The objective of this study was to explore the influence of characteristics generally associated with risk-taking (sensitivity to reward and personality traits: impulsiveness, sensation seeking) and implicit attitudes toward food on EI after sleep loss. 17 subjects completed the NEO-PI-3, an Implicit Association Test measuring implicit attitudes towards healthy and unhealthy foods, and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire. 24h Ad libitum EI was assessed following a habitual sleep night, a 50% SR with an advanced wake time, and a 50% SR with a delayed bedtime. Changes in EI between each SR condition and the control condition (ΔEI) were calculated for each subject. Despite no changes in overall EI between sleep conditions, results showed large interindividual variations (-669 to +899 kcal) across SR conditions. Regression modeling showed that a lower sensation seeking and higher favorable implicit attitudes towards unhealthy food were significantly associated with increased ΔEI in the advanced wake time condition. For the delayed bedtime, lower sensation seeking was associated with increased ΔEI while controlling for age, sex, REM sleep, and implicit attitudes. These results suggest that certain personality traits and implicit attitudes toward food are associated with changes in EI after sleep loss.

Acute Ingestion of Ketone Monoesters and Precursors Do Not Enhance Endurance Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

There has been much consideration over whether exogenous ketone bodies have the capacity to enhance exercise performance through mechanisms such as altered substrate metabolism, accelerated recovery, or neurocognitive improvements. This systematic review aimed to determine the effects of both ketone precursors and monoesters on endurance exercise performance. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL for randomized controlled trials investigating endurance performance outcomes in response to ingestion of a ketone supplement compared to a nutritive or nonnutritive control in humans. A meta-analysis was performed to determine the standardized mean difference between interventions using a random-effects model. Hedge's g and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. The search yielded 569 articles, of which eight were included in this review (80 participants; 77 men and three women). When comparing endurance performance among all studies, no significant differences were found between ketone and control trials (Hedges g = 0.136; 95% CI [-0.195, 0.467]; p = .419). Subanalyses based on type of endurance tests showed no significant differences in time to exhaustion (Hedge's g = -0.002; 95% CI [-0.312, 0.308]; p = .989) or time trial (Hedge's g = 0.057; 95% CI [-0.282, 0.395]; p = .744) values. Based on these findings, exogenous ketone precursors and monoesters do not exert significant improvements on endurance exercise performance. While all studies reported an increase in blood ketone concentrations after ingestion, ketone monoesters appear to be more effective at raising concentrations than precursors.

Associations among eating behaviour traits, diet quality and food labelling: a mediation model.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations among eating behaviour traits, food label use and diet quality and to evaluate if the association between eating behaviour traits and diet quality is mediated by food label use. DESIGN: Eating behaviour traits were assessed using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), the Restraint Scale and the Intuitive Eating Scale, whereas food label use was measured with the Label Reading Survey. Diet quality (Canadian Healthy Eating Index) was assessed with an FFQ. SETTING: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Adults (n 385; mean (sd): BMI = 26·0 (4·9) kg/m2, age = 41·1 (15·0) years) involved in two previous experimental studies. RESULTS: When controlling for potential covariates, general food label use (ß = 1·18 (se 0·26), P < 0·0001) was the main determinant of diet quality, explaining 6·7 % of its variance. General food label use partly mediated the association between TFEQ-cognitive restraint and diet quality; the indirect effect (ßindirect (se); 95 % CI) was stronger in men (0·32 (0·10); 0·15, 0·55) than women (0·16 (0·05); 0·08, 0·27). General food label use also partly mediated the negative association between unconditional permission to eat and diet quality; the indirect effect (ßindirect (se); 95 % CI) was also stronger in men (-1·88 (0·55); -3·11, -0·96) than women (-1·03 (0·33); -1·81, -0·49). CONCLUSIONS: General food label use was the main determinant of diet quality and partly mediated the association between eating behaviour traits and diet quality. The stronger mediating effect observed in men suggests they rely more on food labelling when attempting to restrained themselves, which translates into better diet quality.

Energy depletion by 24-h fast leads to compensatory appetite responses compared with matched energy depletion by exercise in healthy young males.

Although there is a growing interest for the effects of intermittent fasting on energy balance, this study aimed to compare appetite, energy intake and food reward responses with an energy depletion induced either by 24-h food restriction or an equivalent deficit with exercise in healthy males. In all, twelve healthy lean males (21·5 (sd 0·5) years old; BMI: 22·5 (sd 1·7) kg/m2) participated in this study. Body composition, aerobic capacity, food preferences and energy intake were assessed. They randomly completed three conditions: (i) no depletion (CON); (ii) full 24-h energy restrictions (Def-EI); and (iii) exercise condition (Def-EX). Ad libitum energy intake and food reward were assessed at the end of each session. Appetite feelings were assessed regularly. Ad libitum energy intake was higher on Def-EI (7330 (sd 2975) kJ (1752 (sd 711) kcal) compared with that on CON (5301 (sd 1205) kJ (1267 (sd 288) kcal)) (P<0·05), with no difference between CON and Def-EX (6238 (sd 1741) kJ (1491 (sd 416) kcal) (P=0·38) and between Def-EX and Def-EI (P=0·22). There was no difference in the percent energy ingested from macronutrients. Hunger was lower on CON and Def-EX compared with Def-EI (P<0·001). Satiety was higher on CON and Def-EI compared with that on Def-EX (P<0·001). There was a significant interaction condition × time for food choice fat bias (P=0·04), showing a greater preference for high-fat v. low-fat food during Def-EI and Def-EX. Although 24-h fasting leads to increased energy intake at the following test meal (without total daily energy intake difference), increased hunger profile and decreased post-meal food choice fat bias, such nutritional responses are not observed after a similar deficit induced by exercise.

The effects of partial sleep restriction and altered sleep timing on appetite and food reward.

We examined the effects of partial sleep restriction (PSR) with an advanced wake-time or delayed bedtime on measures of appetite, food reward and subsequent energy intake (EI). Twelve men and 6 women (age: 23 ± 4 years, body fat: 18.8 ± 10.1%) participated in 3 randomized crossover sessions: control (habitual bed- and wake-time), 50% PSR with an advanced wake-time and 50% PSR with a delayed bedtime. Outcome variables included sleep architecture (polysomnography), ad libitum EI (validated food menu), appetite sensations (visual analogue scales), satiety quotient (SQ; mm/100 kcal) and food reward (Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire and the relative-reinforcing value (RRV) of preferred food task). Increased fasting and post-standard breakfast appetite ratings were noted following PSR with an advanced wake-time compared to the control and PSR with a delayed bedtime sessions (Fasting hunger ratings: 77 ± 16 vs. 65 ± 18 and 64 ± 16; P = 0.01; Post-meal hunger AUC: 5982 ± 1781 vs. 4508 ± 2136 and 5198 ± 2201; P = 0.03). Increased explicit wanting and liking for high- relative to low-fat foods were also noted during the advanced wake-time vs. control session (Explicit wanting: -3.5 ± 12.5 vs. -9.3 ± 8.9, P = 0.01; Explicit liking: -1.6 ± 8.5 vs. -7.8 ± 9.6, P = 0.002). No differences in the RRV of preferred food, SQ and ad libitum lunch intake were noted between sessions. These findings suggest that appetite sensations and food reward are increased following PSR with an advanced wake-time, rather than delayed bedtime, vs. CONTROL: However, this did not translate into increased EI during a test meal. Given the increasing prevalence of shift workers and incidences of sleep disorders, additional studies are needed to evaluate the prolonged effects of voluntary sleep restriction with altered sleep timing on appetite and EI measurements.

Energy Density is Not a Consistent Correlate of Adiposity in Women During the Menopausal Transition.

PURPOSE: The association between the energy density (ED) of foods and adiposity has been reported previously. However, whether the contribution of ED to adiposity remains significant when controlled for energy intake (EI) and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) remains to be clearly established. We aimed to investigate the independent contribution of ED to variations in body composition in women during the menopausal transition. METHODS: Sixty-seven women from the MONET cohort study were analyzed. Seven-day food records were used to assess EI and ED. Body composition (body fat mass (FM) and trunk-fat mass (TFM)) was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; PAEE was assessed with accelerometers. This secondary analysis of data included measurements obtained at years 1 and 5 of the study. RESULTS: Mean ED was correlated with FM (r = 0.22; P = 0.04) and TFM (r = 0.22; P = 0.04) at year 1, but not at year 5. The multiple regression analysis showed that EI and ED contributed to 14% of the variance in FM and TFM at year 1. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ED is a modest but inconsistent determinant of adiposity in healthy women at the time of the menopause transition.

Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain 5 genotype is associated with body composition changes in response to lifestyle interventions in postmenopausal women with overweight and obesity: a genetic association study on cohorts Montréal-Ottawa New Emerging Team, and Complications Associated with Obesity.

BACKGROUND: Genetic studies on Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long-Chain 5 (ACSL5) demonstrate an association between rs2419621 genotype and rate of weight loss in women with obesity in response to caloric restriction. Our objectives were to (1) confirm results in two different populations of women with overweight and obesity (2) study rs2419621's influence on body composition parameters of women with overweight and obesity following lifestyle interventions. METHODS: rs2419621 genotype was determined in women with overweight and obesity who participated in the Montréal-Ottawa New Emerging Team (MONET n = 137) and Complications Associated with Obesity (CAO n = 37) studies. Genotyping was done using TaqMan MGB probe-based assay. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to test for associations. RESULTS: When studying women with overweight and obesity, rs2419621 [T] allele carriers had a significantly greater decrease in visceral fat, absolute and percent fat mass and a greater increase in percent lean mass in response to lifestyle intervention in comparison to non-carriers. Studying only individuals with obesity showed similar results with rs2419621 [T] allele carriers also displaying a significantly greater decrease in body mass index following the lifestyle intervention in comparison to non-carriers. CONCLUSION: Women with overweight and obesity carrying the ACSL5 rs2419621 [T] allele are more responsive to lifestyle interventions in comparison to non-carriers. Conducting such genetic association studies can aid in individualized treatments/interventions catered towards an individual's genotype.

Associations between sleep parameters and food reward.

This study examined the effects of acute, isocaloric aerobic and resistance exercise on different sleep parameters, and whether changes in these sleep parameters between sessions were related to next morning food reward. Fourteen men and women (age: 21.9 ± 2.7 years; body mass index: 22.7 ± 1.9 kg m(-) ²) participated in three randomized crossover sessions: aerobic exercise; resistance exercise; and sedentary control. Target exercise energy expenditure was matched at 4 kcal kg(-1) of body weight, and performed at 70% of VO2peak or 70% of 1 repetition-maximal. Sleep was measured (accelerometry) for 22 h following each session. The 'wanting' for visual food cues (validated computer task) was assessed the next morning. There were no differences in sleep parameters and food 'wanting' between conditions. Decreases in sleep duration and earlier wake-times were significantly associated with increased food 'wanting' between sessions (P = 0.001). However, these associations were no longer significant after controlling for elapsed time between wake-time and the food reward task. These findings suggest that shorter sleep durations and earlier wake-times are associated with increased food reward, but these associations are driven by elapsed time between awakening and completion of the food reward task.

Impact of nutritional labelling on 10-d energy intake, appetite perceptions and attitudes towards food.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of nutritional labelling on energy intake, appetite perceptions and attitudes towards food. During a 10-d period, seventy normal-weight (BMI<25 kg/m2) and seventy-one obese women (BMI≥30 kg/m2) were given three meals per d under ad libitum conditions. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental labelling groups in which the only difference was the label posted on lunch meal entrée: (1) low-fat label, (2) energy label (energy content of the entrée and average daily needs) and (3) no label (control). Average energy intake was calculated by weighing all foods before v. after daily consumption. Hunger and fullness perceptions were rated on visual analogue scales immediately before and after each meal. Satiety efficiency was assessed through the calculation of the satiety quotient (SQ). The appreciation and perceived healthiness of the lunch entrées were rated on eight-point Likert scales. There was no difference in energy intake, SQ and attitudes towards food between the three labelling groups. Fasting hunger perception was higher in the low-fat label group compared with the two others groups (P=0·0037). No interactions between labelling groups and BMI categories were observed. In conclusion, although labelling does not seem to influence energy intake, a low-fat label may increase women's fasting hunger perceptions compared with an energy label or no label.

The effects of a single bout of aerobic or resistance exercise on food reward.

It is unknown whether an acute bout of calorie-matched aerobic and resistance exercise alters food reward in a similar manner. Thus, we examined the effects of isocaloric resistance and aerobic exercise sessions on acute food reward. Sixteen men and women (age: 21.9 ± 2.6 years; BMI: 22.8 ± 1.8 kg/m(2)) participated in three randomized crossover sessions: aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and sedentary control. The target exercise energy expenditure was matched at 4 kcal/kg of body weight, and performed at 70% of VO2peak or 12 repetition-maximum (equivalent to 70% of 1 repetition-maximum). A validated computer task assessed the wanting and liking for visual food cues following exercise, and following an ad libitum lunch. Decreases in the relative preference for high vs. low fat foods were noted following exercise compared to the control session, and this was independent of modality (aerobic: P = 0.04; resistance: P = 0.03). Furthermore, the explicit liking for high vs. low fat foods was lower following resistance exercise compared to the control session (P = 0.04). However, these changes in food reward were not correlated with changes in energy intake (EI) between sessions. Exercise, independent of modality, led to decreases in the relative preference for high fat relative to low fat foods. Additionally, decreases in the hedonic "liking" of high fat foods following resistance, but not aerobic, exercise may imply that modality does influence acute food hedonic responses. However, these decreases in food hedonics were not related to lower EI, thus suggesting that a dissociation may exist between food hedonics and actual EI.

Children and youth do not compensate for an imposed bout of prolonged sitting by reducing subsequent food intake or increasing physical activity levels: a randomised cross-over study.

The behavioural impact of an imposed bout of prolonged sitting is yet to be investigated in the paediatric population. The objective of the present study was to determine the acute effect of prolonged sitting on ad libitum food intake and spontaneous physical activity (PA) levels in healthy children and youth. A total of twenty healthy youth (twelve males and eight females) aged 10-14 years, with a mean BMI of 18·6 (sd 4·3) kg/m², were exposed to three experimental conditions in a random order: (1) a day of uninterrupted sitting (Sedentary); (2) a day of sitting interrupted with a 2 min light-intensity walk break every 20 min (Breaks); (3) a day of sitting interrupted with a 2 min light-intensity walk break every 20 min as well as 2 × 20 min of moderate-intensity PA (Breaks+PA). Food intake (ad libitum buffet meal) and PA (accelerometry for 24 h) were assessed following exposure to each experimental condition. Despite significant differences in sedentary behaviour and activity levels during the three in-laboratory sessions (all P< 0·01), we did not observe any differences in ad libitum food intake immediately following exposure to each experimental condition or any changes in the levels of sedentary behaviour or PA in the 24 h following exposure to each experimental condition (all P>0·25). These findings suggest that children and youth may not compensate for an imposed bout of sedentary behaviour by reducing subsequent food intake or increasing PA levels.

Gut peptides before and following Roux-En-Y gastric bypass: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic search was conducted in Medline Ovid, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up until March 2021 following PRISMA guidelines. Studies included evaluated ghrelin, GLP-1, PYY or appetite sensation via visual analogue scales (VASs) before and after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in adults. A multilevel model with random effects for study and follow-up time points nested in study was fit to the data. The model included kcal consumption as a covariate and time points as moderators. Among the 2559 articles identified, k = 47 were included, among which k = 19 evaluated ghrelin, k = 40 GLP-1, k = 22 PYY, and k = 8 appetite sensation. Our results indicate that fasting ghrelin levels are decreased 2 weeks post-RYGB (p = 0.005) but do not differ from baseline from 6 weeks to 1-year post-RYGB. Postprandial ghrelin and fasting GLP-1 levels were not different from pre-surgical values. Postprandial levels of GLP-1 increased significantly from 1 week (p < 0.001) to 2 years post-RYGB (p < 0.01) compared with pre-RYGB. Fasting PYY increased at 6 months (p = 0.034) and 1 year (p = 0.029) post-surgery; also, postprandial levels increased up to 1 year (p < 0.01). Insufficient data on appetite sensation were available to be meta-analyzed.

Effects of 2 months of methylphenidate on energy expenditure in individuals with obesity: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Methylphenidate (MPH) has been previously shown to increase resting energy expenditure (REE) in individuals of normal weight; however, the effects on individuals living with obesity are currently unknown. Ten individuals living with obesity were randomly assigned to undergo 60 days of MPH administration with a daily dose of 0.5 mg/kg body weight or a placebo control. REE was measured before and after the 60-day intervention. There was a trend toward significance for group × time interaction on REE (p = 0.082) with a large effect size (η2 = 0.331), with MPH administration increasing REE compared to a decrease in placebo control. Preliminary findings from this pilot study show that MPH has the potential to counter the adaptive thermogenic process commonly seen in weight loss. This is a unique finding among pharmacotherapies, as no approved obesity drugs measurably impact REE.

Synergistic associations of physical activity and diet quality on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.

Healthy diet and physical activity are associated with a lower cardiometabolic risk (CMR). Little is known about whether they interact to improve CMR. The purpose of the present study was to determine the synergistic associations of diet quality and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) on CMR factors. The present study was an a posteriori analysis of two cross-sectional studies on 124 inactive non-diabetic postmenopausal women with a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m². The following factors were measured: diet quality (assessed by the Canadian Healthy Eating Index (C-HEI) from a 3 d food record); PAEE (doubly labelled water); body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography scan); lipoprotein profile (total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C), non-HDL-C, total cholesterol:HDL-C, TAG, apoA1, apoB, apoA1:apoB and LDL-C:apoB); insulin sensitivity (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp); inflammatory markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), haptoglobin, orosomucoid, IL-6 and leucocyte count). The association of the interaction PAEE × C-HEI and CMR factors was evaluated by hierarchical regressions. Fat mass-adjusted ANCOVA determined the interaction between PAEE and the C-HEI. In hierarchical regressions, the interaction PAEE × C-HEI was a correlate of more favourable values of HDL-C, apoB, apoA1:apoB and LDL-C:apoB ratios, and hs-CRP, while only PAEE was a negative correlate of haptoglobin. Compared with those in the low-PAEE/low-C-HEI group, women in the high-PAEE/high-C-HEI group had 10 % higher HDL-C, 13 % lower apoB, 11 % larger LDL particles and 28 % lower hs-CRP concentrations (P< 0·05). PAEE and the C-HEI have a synergistic association with the CMR profile. These results support the integration of both diet quality and physical activity in the management of CMR.

Daily energy balance in children and adolescents. Does energy expenditure predict subsequent energy intake?

Both physical and sedentary activities primarily impact energy balance through energy expenditure, but they also have important implications in term of ingestive behavior. The literature provides scarce evidence on the relationship between daily activities and subsequent nutritional adaptations in children and adolescents. Sedentary activities and physical exercise are generally considered distinctly despite the fact that they represent the whole continuum of daily activity-induced energy expenditure. This brief review paper examines the impact of daily activities (from vigorous physical activity to imposed sedentary behaviors) on acute energy intake control of lean and obese children and adolescents, and whether energy expenditure is the main predictor of subsequent energy intake in this population. After an overview of the available literature, we conclude that both acute physical activity and sedentary behaviors induce food consumption modifications in children and adolescents but also that the important discrepancy between the methodologies used does not allow any clear conclusion so far. When considering energy intake responses according to the level of energy expenditure generated by those activities, it is clear that energy expenditure is not the main predictor of food consumption in both lean and obese children and adolescents. This suggests that other characteristics of those activities may have a greater impact on calorie intake (such as intensity, duration or induced mental stress) and that energy intake may be mainly determined by non-homeostatic pathways that could override the energetic and hormonal signals.

The TaqIA RFLP is associated with attenuated intervention-induced body weight loss and increased carbohydrate intake in post-menopausal obese women.

INTRODUCTION: Polymorphisms of the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) gene have been associated with obesity phenotypes. Our aim was to examine if the genotype of TaqIA Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFPL) was related to an attenuated weight loss response or to changes in energy expenditure (EE) and food preference before and after weight loss. methods: Obese post-menopausal women (age=57.1 ± 4.6 yr, weight=85.4 ± 15.4 kg and BMI=32.8 ± 4.5 kg/m(2)) were genotyped for TaqIA (n=127) by using PCR-RFLP analysis and categorized as possessing at least one copy of the A1 allele (A1(+)) or no copy (A1(-)). Women were randomized into two groups, caloric restriction (CR) and caloric restriction+resistance training (CRRT) and in this study were further classified as follows: A1(+)CR, A1(+)CRRT, A1-(-)CR and (-)A1(-)CRRT. Body composition, total daily EE, physical activity EE, Resting EE (REE), and energy intake were obtained at baseline and post-intervention using DXA, doubly-labeled water, indirect calorimetry, and 3-day dietary records, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, all of the anthropometric variables and REE significantly decreased post-intervention (p<0.001). Women in the CRRT group lost significantly more fat mass (FM) than the CR women (p<0.05). There were significant time by group by allele interactions for attenuated body weight (BW), BMI, and FM loss for A1(+) (vs. A1(-)) in CRRT (p<0.05) and for increased % carbohydrate intake (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: TaqIA genotype was associated with body weight loss post-intervention; more specifically, carriers of the A1 allele lost significantly less BW and FM than the A1(-) and had increased carbohydrate intake in the CRRT group.

Dietary pulses as a means to improve the gut microbiome, inflammation, and appetite control in obesity.

A dysbiotic intestinal microbiome has been linked to chronic diseases such as obesity, which may suggest that interventions that target the microbiome may be useful in treating obesity and its complications. Appetite dysregulation and chronic systemic low-grade inflammation, such as that observed in obesity, are possibly linked with the intestinal microbiome and are potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity via the microbiome. Dietary pulses (e.g., common beans) are composed of nutrients and compounds that possess the potential to modulate the gut microbiota composition and function which can in turn improve appetite regulation and chronic inflammation in obesity. This narrative review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the connection between the gut microbiome and obesity, appetite regulation, and systemic and adipose tissue inflammation. More specifically, it highlights the efficacy of interventions employing dietary common beans as a means to improve gut microbiota composition and/or function, appetite regulation, and inflammation in both rodent obesity and in humans. Collectively, results presented and discussed herein provide insight on the gaps in knowledge necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the potential of beans as a treatment for obesity while highlighting what further research is required to gain this understanding.

Reproducibility of a food menu to measure energy and macronutrient intakes in a laboratory and under real-life conditions.

Given the limitations associated with the measurement of food intake, we aimed to determine the reliability of a food menu to measure energy intake (EI) and macronutrient intake within the laboratory and under free-living conditions. A total of eight men and eight women (age 25·74 (sd 5·9) years, BMI 23·7 (sd 2·7) kg/m²) completed three identical in-laboratory sessions (ILS) and three out-of-laboratory sessions (OLS). During the ILS, participants had ad libitum access to a variety of foods, which they chose from a menu every hour, for 5 h. For the OLS, the foods were chosen from the menu at the start of the day and packed into containers to bring home. There were no significant differences in total EI (6118·6 (sd 2691·2), 6678·8 (sd 2371·3), 6489·5 (sd 2742·9) kJ; NS) between the three ILS and three OLS (6816·0 (sd 2713·2), 6553·5 (sd 2364·5), 6456·4 (sd 3066·8) kJ; NS). Significant intraclass correlations (ICC) for total energy (r 0·77, P<0·0001), carbohydrate (r 0·81, P<0·0001), dietary fat (r 0·54, P<0·0001) and protein (r 0·81, P<0·0001) intakes for the ILS and significant ICC for total energy (r 0·85, P<0·0001), carbohydrate (0·85, P<0·0001), dietary fat (0·72 P<0·0001) and protein (0·80, P<0·0001) intakes for the OLS were noted. The average within-subject CV for total EI was 18·3 (sd 10·0) and 16·1 (sd 10·3) % for the ILS and OLS, respectively, with a pleasantness rating for foods consumed of 124 (sd 14) mm out of 150 mm (83 %). Overall, the food menu produces a relatively reliable measure of EI inside and outside the laboratory. The results also underscore the difficulties in capturing a representative image of food intake given the relatively high day-to-day variation in the amount and composition of foods consumed.

Fasting for 24 h improves nasal chemosensory performance and food palatability in a related manner.

Changes in smell function can modify feeding behaviour but there is little evidence of how acute negative energy balance may impact olfaction and palatability. In a within-subjects repeated measures design, 15 subjects (nine male; six female) aged 28.6±4.5 years with initial body weight (BW) 74.7±4.9 kg and body mass index (BMI) 25.3±1.4 kg/m(2) were randomized and tested at baseline (FED) and Post Deprivation (FASTED) for nasal chemosensory performance (Sniffin' Sticks) and food palatability (visual analogue scale). Significant main effects for time indicated improvements in the FASTED session for odor threshold, odor discrimination, and total odor scores (TDI), and for increased palatability. There were significant positive correlations between initial BW and the change in odor threshold (r=.52) and TDI scores (r=.53). Positive correlations were also noted between delta identification score and delta palatability (r=.68). When the sample was split by sex, only for females were there significant correlations between delta palatability and: delta BW (r=.88); delta odor identification (r=.94); and delta TDI score (r=.85). Fasting for 24h improved smell function and this was related to increased palatability ratings and initial BW. Further studies should confirm the role of BW and sex in the context of olfaction, energy deprivation and palatability.