How obesity relates to socio-economic status: identification of eating behavior mediators.

BACKGROUND: Socio-economic status (SES) is a strong determinant of eating behavior and the obesity risk. OBJECTIVE: To determine which eating and lifestyle behaviors mediate the association between SES and obesity. METHODS: We performed a case-control study of 318 obese people and 371 non-obese people in northern France. Ten eating behavior traits were assessed using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire Revised 21-Item and an eating attitude questionnaire (on plate size, the number of servings, reasons for stopping eating and the frequency of eating standing up, eating in front of the television set (TV) and eating at night). The SES score (in three categories) was based on occupation, education and income categories. Mediation analysis was performed using the test of joint significance and the difference of coefficients test. RESULTS: The age- and gender-adjusted obesity risk was higher for individuals in the low-SES groups (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.82 (1.48-2.24), P<0.0001). Additional servings were associated with a higher obesity risk (OR=3.43, P<0.0001). Cognitive restraint (P<0.0001) and emotional eating (P<0.0001) scores were higher in obese participants than in non-obese participants but did not depend on SES. Of the 10 potential factors tested, eating off a large plate (P=0.01), eating at night (P=0.04) and uncontrolled eating (P=0.03) significantly mediated the relationship between SES and obesity. CONCLUSION: Our results highlighted a number of obesogenic behaviors among socially disadvantaged participants: large plate size, uncontrolled eating and eating at night were significant mediators of the relationship between SES and the obesity risk.

Phase II preclinical drug screening in human tumor xenografts: a first European multicenter collaborative study.

In a European joint project carried out in 6 laboratories a disease-oriented program was set up consisting of a panel of 7 tumor types, each represented by 4 to 8 different human tumor lines, for secondary screening of promising anticancer drugs. Human tumor lines were selected on the basis of differences in histology, growth rate, and sensitivity to conventional cytostatic agents. Xenografts were grown s.c. in nude mice, and treatment was started when tumors reached a mean diameter of 6 mm in groups of mice where at least 6 tumors were evaluable. Drugs were given at the maximum tolerated dose. For evaluation of drug efficacy, median tumor growth curves were drawn, and specific growth delay and treated/control x 100% were calculated. Doxorubicin (8 mg/kg i.v. days 1 and 8) was effective (treated/control < 50%, and specific growth delay > 1.0) in 0 of 2 breast cancers, 1 of 3 colorectal cancers, 2 of 5 head and neck cancers, 3 of 6 non-small cell lung cancers, 4 of 6 small cell lung cancers, 0 of 3 melanomas, and 3 of 6 ovarian cancer lines. Amsacrine (8 mg/kg i.v. days 1 and 8) was not effective, while datelliptium (35 mg/kg i.p. days 1 and 8) was active against 2 of 6 small cell lung cancer lines. Brequinar sodium (50 mg/kg i.p. days 1-5) showed efficacy in 4 of 5 head and neck cancers, 5 of 8 non-small cell lung cancers, and 4 of 5 small cell lung cancer lines. The project has been shown to be a feasible approach. Clinical activity for doxorubicin and inactivity for amsacrine against solid tumor types was confirmed in the human tumor xenograft panel. Additional anticancer drugs will be studied in the European joint project to further define the reliability of this novel, promising screening approach.

Psychotoxicology: the return of the mad hatter.

Psychiatrists have not been attentive to the huge and expanding capacity of neurotoxic substances to induce symptoms of emotional and behavioral dysfunction. The psychiatric implications of exposure to heavy metals, volatile solvents, pesticides and behavioral teratogens is reviewed. Case histories reflect the risk of misdiagnosing psychotoxic episodes and the futility of standard interventions. The variability of behavioral responses to psychotoxic agents challenges a psychiatric nomenclature based on specific disease categories. Psychiatrists should routinely inquire about exposure to toxic substances. The issues raised will result in confrontation with social and economic forces usually ignored by clinicians.