Prefrontal cortex transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) temporarily reduces food cravings and increases the self-reported ability to resist food in adults with frequent food craving.

This study examined whether a 20-min session of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) (anode over the right prefrontal cortex and cathode over the left prefrontal cortex) would reduce food cravings and increase the self-reported ability to resist foods in 19 healthy individuals who reported frequent food cravings. Participants viewed computerized images of food and used computerized visual analogue scales to rate food cravings and inability to resist foods before, during, and after receiving either real or sham tDCS. This study employed a randomized within-subject crossover design; participants received both real and sham tDCS and were blind to the condition. Food cravings ratings were reduced in both conditions, however, the percent change in cravings ratings from pre- to post-stimulation was significantly greater for real stimulation than for sham. The percent change in inability to resist food from pre- to post-stimulation also showed a greater decrease in the real condition than for sham. Post hoc analyses suggest that active prefrontal tDCS acutely and significantly decreased food cravings ratings for sweet foods and carbohydrates more so than sham tDCS. No significant differences were seen in the amount of food ingested between real and sham tDCS. These findings in healthy subjects indicate that tDCS is able to temporarily reduce food cravings and improve the self-reported ability to resist foods.

Examining Food Addiction and Acculturation Among a Hispanic Bariatric Surgery-Seeking Participant Group.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined food addiction (FA) and acculturation among a Hispanic bariatric surgery-seeking sample. SETTING: University hospital. METHOD: Four hundred forty-four (n = 215 English-speaking; n = 229 Spanish-speaking) Hispanic adults seeking bariatric surgery completed established self-report measures examining food addiction and acculturation. RESULTS: 35.8% met criteria for FA, which was significantly associated with acculturation level to the USA. Participants who endorsed greater acculturation also endorsed a significantly higher level of FA symptoms compared with those who endorsed less acculturation. Acculturation level was significantly associated with FA and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: FA rate in this bariatric surgery-seeking Hispanic patient group is similar to rates reported among bariatric candidates of varying ethnic backgrounds. Our results suggest a relationship between FA symptom expression and acculturation to the USA. Improving understanding of the onset and progression of severity of FA symptoms may have clinical implications for Hispanic patients seeking bariatric surgery.

Executive control circuitry differentiates degree of success in weight loss following gastric-bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE: While overall success rates of bariatric surgery are high, approximately 20% of patients either regain or never lose the expected amount of weight. The purpose of this study was to determine whether, after gastric-bypass surgery, the degree of weight loss can be differentiated based on the neural response to food cues. DESIGN AND METHODS: In this functional MRI study, 31 post-surgical patients viewed food and neutral images in two counterbalanced runs during which they were either instructed to "crave" or to "resist" craving. The neural response to food cues was assessed within and between runs for all participants, and further analyzed between more successful (n = 24) and less successful (n = 7) groups. More successful was defined by meeting 50% excess weight loss. RESULTS: Overall, instructions to "crave" elicited significant activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) whereas "resist" elicited significant activity in the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC). Between groups there was no brain difference when instructed to "crave." The more successful participants however had significantly more activity in the DLPFC when instructed to "resist." CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the ability to mobilize neural circuits involved in executive control post-gastric-bypass surgery may be a unique component of successful outcome post-surgery.

The role of family variables in fruit and vegetable consumption in pre-school children.

ABSTRACT: Most Americans, including children, continue to eat fewer fruit and vegetables than is recommended, putting themselves at increased risk of various health conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of several family environment variables (food availability and accessibility, modelling of food consumption, parenting style, and family mealtime environment) in predicting children's consumption of fruit and vegetables in a sample of pre-school children from low income, predominantly ethnic minority families. Two hundred and twenty-nine primary caregivers and their pre-school children were recruited from Head Start programmes in New York and New Jersey. Caregivers gave their consent to the study, completed a series of paper and pencil questionnaires, and had both their height and weight and their children's height and weight measured. Higher availability, accessibility, and parental modelling were associated with higher consumption of fruit and vegetables in children. Availability and Accessibility were the best predictors, but Parental Modelling significantly enhanced prediction over the other variables. Public health interventions should be geared toward helping poorer families increase the availability of fruit and vegetables in their homes, advising parents on how to make them accessible, and encouraging parents to model their consumption. FUNDING: RLG receives research funding from Covidien.

The Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait in a bariatric surgery seeking population and ability to predict post-surgery weight loss at six months.

Food cravings have been understudied in bariatric surgery patients and the Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait has not been validated in this population. Reliability and validity of the FCQ-T were examined and a regression analysis was run to determine whether or not preoperative scores on individual subscales of the instrument could predict weight loss at 6 months. The FCQ-T demonstrated excellent internal consistency in bariatric surgery-seeking patients, and individual subscales measuring emotion and mood were correlated with other measures of depression and anxiety. Endorsement of binge eating or emotional eating behaviors during a clinical interview was correlated with similar subscales on the FCQ-T. Higher scores on the subscale 'cues that may trigger food cravings' were associated with greater weight loss at 6 months post-surgery and higher scores on the subscale 'guilt from cravings and/or giving into them' was associated with less weight loss. Management of external cues may predict successful outcomes while emotional impact of cravings may indicate the need for further intervention to help manage specific food craving traits.

More than black and white: differences in predictors of obesity among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders and European Americans.

Although Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders exhibit the highest rates of obesity and associated chronic diseases of any racial/ethnic group, they remain vastly underrepresented in health research. In a cross-sectional survey of college students (N = 402) we examined BMI and health outcomes in an ethno-racially diverse rural sample of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (25.1%), Asian Americans (39.8%), and European Americans (35.1%). Measures assessed BMI, health status, health behaviors, frequency of exercise, and symptoms of psychiatric disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and substance abuse and dependence). Regression analyses revealed that an overall model of five predictors (gender, race, regular exercise, difficulty sleeping, and anxiety) was significantly associated with obesity (P < 0.001) and correctly classified 84.2% of cases. A 30.7% of Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were obese as compared with 9.2% of European Americans and 10.6% of Asian Americans. These findings suggest that Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islanders are at high risk for obesity and associated medical comorbidities, but that regular physical activity may ameliorate this risk. Further, these results support the consideration of Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders as a distinct racial/ethnic subgroup separate from other Asian populations.