Percepção do peso corporal e dificuldades encontradas pelas pessoas com deficiência visual na aquisição, na preparação e no consumo dos alimentos / Perception of body weight and difficulties encounteredby people with visual impairment in acquiring, preparing and consuming food

Objetivo: investigar a percepção do peso corporal e as dificuldades encontradas pelas pessoas com deficiência visual na aquisição, na preparação e no consumo dos alimentos. Metodologia: estudo observacional transversal, com adultos e idosos com deficiência visual em Pelotas/RS, realizado no período de abril a maio de 2023. Foi utilizado um questionário composto de 42 itens. Os dados coletados foram analisados por análise descritiva e analítica, e apresentados como média ± desvio padrão ou percentual. Resultados: a amostra contou com 20 pessoas, predominantemente do sexo feminino e idosas. Em relação ao consumo alimentar, 50% dos participantes consomem feijão, 75% frutas e hortaliças, 50% bebidas adoçadas, biscoitos recheados e doces. Referente à percepção do peso corporal, percebeu-se que a maior parte do grupo sente que está acima do peso adequado e se sentem "insatisfeitos(as)". Sobre as dificuldades encontradas, 85% dos participantes relataram dificuldade extrema para identificar a validade dos alimentos, 70% para comprar alimentos frescos e perecíveis e 40% para usar a faca para cortar e descascar os alimentos. Conclusão: verificou-se que a maior parte do grupo sente que está acima do peso adequado e estão "insatisfeitos(as)" em relação ao peso corporal. Além disso, dependem de outra pessoa para escolher os alimentos a serem comprados, saber o prazo de validade, preparar alimentos que precisam ser porcionados, servir refeições no prato, cortar carnes, descascar vegetais e frutas, utilizar faca, entre outros. Esta dependência pode influenciar diretamente no seu consumo alimentar quando essas pessoas se encontram sozinhas, optando por consumir alimentos industrializados de fácil preparo ou prontos.

Objective: to investigate the perception of body weight and the difficulties encountered by people with visual impairments in acquiring, preparing and consuming food. Methodology: cross-sectional observational study, with adults and elderly people with visual impairment in Pelotas/RS, carried out from April to May 2023. A questionnaire composed of 42 items was used. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical analysis, and presented as mean ± standard deviation or percentage. Results: the sample included 20 people, predominantly female and elderly. Regarding food consumption, 50% of participants consume beans, 75% fruits and vegetables, 50% sweetened drinks, stuffed cookies and sweets. Regarding the perception of body weight, it was noticed that the majority of the group feels that they are overweight and feel "dissatisfied". Regarding the difficulties encountered, 85% of participants reported extreme difficulty in identifying the expiration date of food, 70% in purchasing fresh and perishable foods and 40% in using a knife to cut and peel food. Conclusion: it was found that the majority of the group feels that they are overweight and are "dissatisfied" with their body weight. Furthermore, they depend on someone else to choose the food to be purchased, know the expiration date, prepare food that needs to be portioned, serve meals on the plate, cut meat, peel vegetables and fruits, use a knife, among others. This dependence can directly influence their food consumption when these people are alone, choosing to consume easily prepared or ready-made processed foods.

Effect of in vitro food oral coating and lubricity on satiety: A randomized controlled trial using milk protein beverages.

We investigated the effects of complex textural attributes of food i.e. lubricity and oral coating, on appetite ratings, food intake, salivary and gut peptides for the first time. Milk protein-rich beverages (whey and casein) were instrumentally analyzed (tribology, viscosity and adsorption, latter representing oral coating) using in vitro measurements. Then these protein beverage preloads differing in their coating properties (low coating, medium coating and high coating) were assessed in two cross-over satiety trials (Study 1, n=37; Study 2, n=15; Total n= 52). Fullness ratings increased in the high coating beverage condition (p < .05) only after 20 min with limited effects on other time points, suggesting a sporadic effect of oral coating on appetite ratings (n=37). There was a correlation between concentration of protein in saliva and appetite ratings; the higher the concentration of protein in saliva the lower the desire to eat (r = - 0.963; p < 0.05) and prospective food consumption ratings (r =- 0.980; p < 0.05). Human saliva was more lubricating after ingesting preload with high coating properties, thus explaining the results on appetite ratings. There was no effect of oral coating on energy intake and gut peptides (n=15), suggesting that complex textural attributes having influence on oral processing might not have any effect on the later parts of the satiety cascade. Oral coating/ lubricity appears to have a subtle and sporadic effect on appetite suppression, which needs further investigation with changing macronutrients/energy load and degree of coating/ lubricity.

Associations between avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder profiles and trauma exposure in veteran men and women.

OBJECTIVE: Trauma exposure, particularly interpersonal trauma, is prevalent among individuals with eating disorders (EDs), and trauma exposure and the subsequent development of posttraumatic stress disorder have been associated with poorer outcomes for ED treatment. To our knowledge, there are no published investigations of trauma exposure among individuals with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a new diagnosis introduced by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. We investigated associations between trauma exposure and ARFID profiles in a sample of U.S. military veteran men and women. METHOD: Participants in this cross-sectional study included 1494 veterans randomly selected from the population of post-9/11 veterans who had separated from military service within the previous 18 months. They completed a survey assessing EDs, including the Nine Item ARFID Screen and trauma exposure. RESULTS: Results revealed that 9.8% of the sample exceeded cutoffs for any ARFID profile, with the picky eating profile being the most common. Trauma exposure was prevalent among participants who exceeded cutoffs for ARFID, particularly the picky eating profile. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight the importance of addressing EDs, including ARFID, in veterans. It will be important to examine the extent to which trauma and trauma-related disorders impact treatment outcomes for individuals with ARFID.

Efficiency of post-meal memory inhibition predicts subsequent food intake.

Memory processes may contribute to appetite regulation. When people look at palatable foods, their desire to consume them depends upon memory retrieval (i.e., recalling if it will taste good). If memory inhibition occurs during satiety, then pleasant eating-related memories will not be retrieved, making eating less likely. In contrast, if memory inhibition is less efficient, pleasant food-related memories will be retrieved, the food will appear desirable, and the chance of consumption increases. Here we tested whether a putative measure of memory inhibition could predict post-meal snack food intake. Study participants looked at palatable snacks and judged their desire to eat them (i.e., a memory-dependent process), and then ate a small sample of each food, and rated them for liking (i.e., an orosensory-dependent process) - all using category rating scales. Following a filling meal, this test was repeated, alongside others. Finally, participants were given the opportunity for ad libitum snack food consumption, in addition to collecting measures such as impulsivity. Poorer memory inhibition (i.e., smaller changes in wanting relative to liking from pre-to post-meal) was associated with greater consumption of snacks on the ad libitum test (Sr2% = 4.4, p = 0.006) after controlling for other variables likely to influence eating (e.g., impulsivity). This effect was maintained even when the memory inhibition measure was based on foods different to those being consumed on the ad libitum snacking test. In conclusion, memory inhibition may contribute to food intake regulation, and when this is less efficient, more palatable food is likely to be eaten in the post-meal period.

On the efficacy and efficiency of treating pediatric feeding disorder.

Inappropriate mealtime behavior (IMB) is a type of feeding challenge within the broader class of food refusal. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the efficacy of interventions for the treatment of IMB through a meta-analysis of research using single-case experimental designs. We examined the extent to which different interventions resulted in decreases in IMB while also producing increases in food acceptance. This meta-analysis was also used to examine the efficiency of different interventions in achieving clinical significance. We identified 38 studies involving 266 cases in which IMB was treated with a behavioral intervention. The results indicated interventions that combined escape extinction and non-escape extinction had greater effect sizes for both reducing IMB and increasing food acceptance than either escape extinction alone or non-escape extinction alone. However, interventions that included escape extinction were slightly less efficient at decreasing IMB than were interventions that did not include escape extinction. We discuss the implications of these findings and provide recommendations for future research.

Intermittent protein restriction elevates food intake and plasma ghrelin in male mice.

Low-protein diets affect body weight, body composition, food intake, and food preferences in mice. Furthermore, single periods of protein restriction can have lasting effects on these parameters. We sought to examine the effect of multiple, short, bouts of protein restriction, relative to long-term maintenance on either a control (NR) or protein-restricted (PR) diet. We found that male mice experiencing intermittent protein restriction (IPR) were indistinguishable from NR mice in terms of body weight and composition, but had food intake and plasma ghrelin as high as mice on PR diet, even when they were returned to control diet. This was not found in female mice. The results of this experiment highlight the importance of diet history on food intake and ghrelin levels in male mice, and the difference in how PR diet might affect male and female mice.

Paraventricular oxytocin neurons impact energy intake and expenditure: projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis reduce sucrose consumption.

Background: The part played by oxytocin and oxytocin neurons in the regulation of food intake is controversial. There is much pharmacological data to support a role for oxytocin notably in regulating sugar consumption, however, several recent experiments have questioned the importance of oxytocin neurons themselves. Methods: Here we use a combination of histological and chemogenetic techniques to investigate the selective activation or inhibition of oxytocin neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (OxtPVH). We then identify a pathway from OxtPVH neurons to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis using the cell-selective expression of channel rhodopsin. Results: OxtPVH neurons increase their expression of cFos after both physiological (fast-induced re-feeding or oral lipid) and pharmacological (systemic administration of cholecystokinin or lithium chloride) anorectic signals. Chemogenetic activation of OxtPVH neurons is sufficient to decrease free-feeding in Oxt Cre:hM3Dq mice, while inhibition in Oxt Cre:hM4Di mice attenuates the response to administration of cholecystokinin. Activation of OxtPVH neurons also increases energy expenditure and core-body temperature, without a significant effect on locomotor activity. Finally, the selective, optogenetic stimulation of a pathway from OxtPVH neurons to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis reduces the consumption of sucrose. Conclusion: Our results support a role for oxytocin neurons in the regulation of whole-body metabolism, including a modulatory action on food intake and energy expenditure. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the pathway from OxtPVH neurons to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis can regulate sugar consumption.

Food intake in an Australian Aboriginal rural community facing food and water security challenges: A cross-sectional survey.

AIMS: Researchers were invited by Aboriginal leaders to collaborate on this study which aimed to assess food intake in the Walgett Aboriginal community to inform long-term community-led efforts to improve food and water security and nutrition. METHODS: Aboriginal adults living in or near Walgett, a remote community in north-west NSW, Australia, completed an adapted Menzies Remote Short-item Dietary Assessment Tool, which was administered verbally and face-to-face in early 2022. Aboriginal people were involved in the survey design, training and collection, and analysis of data. Descriptive statistics were tabulated, overall and by gender, age, and location. Differences by sex, age group (18-44 years versus ≥45 years), and location (Walgett town or other) were determined using a chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of 242 participants completed the survey; 55% were female. Three-quarters of participants reported meeting the recommendations for discretionary foods (73%); however, more than half (56%) exceeded the recommended maximum serves of sugar-sweetened beverages. The proportion of participants meeting core food group guidelines was 72% for meat, 36% for fruit, 20% for bread and cereals, 6% for dairy, and 3% for vegetables. Overall, none of the participants met the recommended serves of all food groups outlined in the Australian Dietary Guidelines. CONCLUSION: Findings show that Walgett Aboriginal community members surveyed were consuming a healthier diet than national data reported for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. However, none of the participants were meeting all of the national dietary guidelines, placing them at increased risk of diet-related chronic disease. Local Aboriginal community-led efforts to improve food and water security should include specific strategies to improve nutrition.

Preliminary findings on the influence of the presence of others' eyes on food intake.

Background: The presence of others' eyes has been shown to influence food evaluation. Aim: The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the presence of others' gaze would lead to a reduction in food intake in accordance with social norms. Methods: In this study, we enlisted the participation of 30 volunteers. During the experiment, participants had the opportunity to consume noodles freely as much as they wanted while viewing one of the three images: (1) featuring a person with open eyes (Open condition), (2) depicting a person with closed eyes (Closed condition), and (3) displaying an image devoid of a person (None condition). Results: Food consumption in each condition was 460.00 ± 20.97 g for the Open condition, 515.57 ± 22.97 g in the Closed condition, and 505.03 ± 21.05 g in None condition. The condition had a statistically significant main effect (F = 4.656, p = .013). The Least-Square means analysis revealed that food consumption in the Open condition was significantly lower than in the other two conditions (Closed and None conditions) (Closed - Open: t = 2.872 [95% CI: 16.844-94.289], p = .006; None - Open: t = 2.328 [95% CI: 6.311-83.756], p = .023). There was no significant difference in food consumption between the Closed and None conditions (Closed - None: t = 0.545 [95% CI: -28.189-49.256], p = .588). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that the presence of others' eyes would reduce food intake in accordance with social norms.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder: Systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrating the impact of study quality on prevalence rates.

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is unclear. This paper is the first to present meta-analysis based estimates of the prevalence of ARFID, and to assess the impact of the quality of the research on these estimates. DESIGN: A pre-registered (Prospero: CRD42023487621) systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, PsychInfo, Web of Science and CINAHL were searched (final date of retrieval 30th July 2024) for peer reviewed papers published between 2013 and 2024. Random-effects and quality effects meta-analyses were used to compute and compare prevalence estimates and to evaluate the impact of study quality on prevalence rates. Subgroups were also considered (gender, age group, clinical status). Loney et al.'s (1998) Critical Appraisal of the Health Research Literature: Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem scale was used to assign each study a quality score across three categories - methodological validity (six points); interpretation of results (one point); and applicability of the results (one point). RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were identified (n = 122,861). Meta-analysis using random-effects indicated a prevalence of 11.14 % (95 % CI 8.16-14.5 %), whereas quality effects prevalence was 4.51 % (95 % CI 0.7-10.68 %). Similar contrasts were evident among subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Even taking the more conservative estimate of 4.51 %, this review demonstrates that ARFID is a common disorder, meriting further research and clinical and service developments. Future research needs to be more methodologically robust (larger samples; standardised diagnostic measures; clearer data presentation).

Research progress on the relationship between Nesfatin-1 and glucose metabolism. / Nesfatin-1ä¸Žç³–ä»£è°¢å ³ç³»çš„ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Nesfatin-1 is a neuropeptide hormone known for its biological functions, including inhibiting food intake, regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, promoting apoptosis, and providing anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. Glucose metabolism is a crucial pathway for the body's energy supply. Current research has demonstrated that Nesfatin-1 can affect glucose metabolism through various mechanisms, such as inhibiting food intake, regulating enzyme activity, and improving insulin resistance, though the findings are not entirely consistent. Investigating the relationship between Nesfatin-1 and glucose metabolism may offer new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to glucose metabolism disorders.

Rethinking the Social Determination of Food in Chile Through Practices and Interactions of Actors in Food Environments: Nonexperimental, Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Food environments are crucial for promoting healthy and sustainable eating and preventing obesity. However, existing food environment frameworks assume an already installed causality and do not explain how associations in food environments are established or articulated, especially from an integrative and transdisciplinary approach. This research attempts to bridge these gaps through the use of Actor-Network Theory, which traces the relationship network between human (and nonhuman) actors in order to describe how these interact and what agencies (direct or remote) are involved. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explain the practices and interactions of actors in food environments in order to approach the problem of unhealthy eating with a transdisciplinary approach. METHODS: This is a nonexperimental, cross-sectional study. Due to the complexity of the study phenomena, a mixed methods approach with 4 consecutive phases will be developed in Chile. Phase 1 involves a systematic literature review of food environment evidence since 2015, following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol; phase 2 involves the application of a shortened version of the Nutrition Environment Measure Scale-Perceptions adapted to Chile (NEMS-P-Ch) in 2 neighborhoods with different socioeconomic levels; in phase 3, six focus groups in each neighborhood will be conducted to address social determinants such as gender, employment status, and migration; and in phase 4, participant observation and in-depth interviews will be used to analyze the direct and empirical exploration of the actors in their daily interaction with food environments. The triangulation and complementarity of the data will allow us to create a practical model about the practices and interactions of actors in their food environments, which reflects the complexity and transdisciplinary nature of the study. RESULTS: We have advanced in phases 1-3 of the study. In phase 1, a total of 109 manuscripts are being revised for data extraction. In phase 2, we applied the NEMS-P-Ch to 785 people, 49.4% (388/785) of whom belong to a low socioeconomic neighborhood. Participants from phase 2 are being contacted to participate in the focus groups (phase 3). By the end of July, we have conducted 6 focus groups with 5-11 participants. CONCLUSIONS: This study will provide a comprehensive understanding of how individuals interact with their food environments, offering deep insights into the factors influencing their food-related decisions. In addition, the study aims to develop a model that more accurately reflects reality by examining not only the food environments themselves but also the interactions among various stakeholders within these environments and their daily practices. The findings of this study will offer evidence-based insights to inform public policies tailored to the specific territories and communities under investigation or those with similar characteristics. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/62765.

Consistent effect of eating rate on food and energy intake across twenty-four ad libitum meals.

Foods consumed at lower eating rates (ER) lead to reductions in energy intake. Previous research has shown that texture-based differences in eating rateER can reduce meal size. The effect size and consistency of these effects across a wide range of composite and complex meals differing considerably in texture and varying in meal occasion have not been reported. We determined how consistently texture-based differences in ER can influence food and energy intake across a wide variety of meals. In a crossover design, healthy participants consumed twelve breakfast and twelve lunch meals that differed in texture to produce a fast or slow ER. A breakfast group (n = 15) and lunch group (n = 15) completed twelve ad libitum meal sessions each (six 'fast' and six 'slow' meals), where intake was measured and behavioural video annotation was used to characterise eating behaviour. Liking did not differ significantly between fast and slow breakfasts (P = 0·44) or lunches (P = 0·76). The slow meals were consumed on average 39 % ± 9 % (breakfast) and 45 % ± 7 % (lunch) slower than the fast meals (both P < 0·001). Participants consumed on average 22 % ± 5 % less food (84 g) and 13 % ± 6 % less energy (71 kcal) from slow compared with fast meals (mean ± SE; P < 0·001). Consuming meals with a slower ER led to a reduction in food intake, where an average decrease of 20 % in ER produced an 11 % ± 1 % decrease in food intake (mean ± SE). These findings add to the growing body of evidence showing that ER can be manipulated using food texture and that this has aits consistent effect on food and energy intake across a wide variety of Hedonically equivalent meals.

Eating concerns in youth with functional abdominal pain disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Adolescents with functional abdominal pain (FAP) often experience pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms in the context of eating, which may place them at risk for eating disorders. This study compared disordered eating and its sequalae in adolescents with FAP to those with chronic headache. METHODS: Participants in this retrospective chart review study were 270 adolescents and young adults (mean age 15.9; standard deviation [SD] = 1.63; 60% female) attending an intensive, interdisciplinary pain treatment program (IIPT), including 135 youth with FAP and an age- and gender-matched control group with a primary pain diagnosis of chronic headache. Information was extracted related to eating- and weight-related symptoms. RESULTS: Independent t-tests and χ2 analyses found that compared with adolescents with chronic headache, patients with FAP showed significantly more eating pathology as reflected by scores on the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) (p < 0.001), endorsement of pain-related restrictive eating (p < 0.01), eating disorder history (p < 0.001), and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) diagnoses (p < 0.001). Compared to those with chronic headache, significantly more patients with FAP had lost 10 pounds or more (p < 0.01) and a higher proportion were underweight (p < 0.001). Among all participants, a history of exclusion diets used to manage symptoms significantly increased the risk for ARFID (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the increased risk of eating-related concerns among youth with FAP, as well as the judicious use of exclusion diets to manage symptoms in these patients.

The interactive effects of gestational obesity and maternal high- and normal-protein diets on food intake, body weight, composition, and glucose metabolism in male offspring of obese Wistar rats.

More than two-thirds of women during childbearing years (20-39 years old) are overweight or obese in the United States, with protein intake among 20-49-year-old women being 1.6 times higher than recommended (75.4 g/day versus 46 g/day) that can be considered as a relatively high-protein diet (HPD). Both gestational obesity and HPDs during gestation adversely affect offspring health. This study investigates the impact of HPDs fed during gestation and lactation on obese mothers and their offspring in Wistar rats. Dams randomized to either a normal-protein diet (NPD) or HPD (n = 12/group). Pups from each maternal group were weaned to either NPD or HPD for 17 weeks (n = 12/group). No effect of maternal or weaning diet on food intake, body weight, or body fat/weight ratio was observed. However, NPD dams exhibited higher glucose area under the curve compared with HPD dams (p < 0.03). At weaning, offspring born to NPD dams showed higher fasting plasma glucose (P < 0.03) and insulin/glucose ratio (P = 0.05) than those born to HPD dams. The Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index was higher in offspring born to NPD dams (P < 0.04) and weaned to NPD (P < 0.05) at week 17. These findings underscore the role of high-protein maternal and weaning diets in pregnancy outcomes for obese mothers, particularly in glucose homeostasis, although gestational obesity may overshadow other parameters. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact on both maternal and offspring health and their underlying mechanisms in this context.

A Diet Containing Animal Source Protein as Fresh, Lean Beef Is More Well Liked and Promotes Healthier Eating Behavior Compared with Plant-Based Alternatives in Women with Overweight.

Background: Despite limited evidence from intervention trials, replacing animal-source protein-rich foods with plant alternatives continues to be recommended as part of a healthy dietary pattern. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine whether a diet containing fresh, lean beef elicits greater satiety, reduces ad libitum food intake, and is more acceptable compared with a diet containing plant alternatives in women with overweight. Methods: Seventeen women with overweight (mean ± SEM, age: 33 ± 1 y; BMI: 27.8 ± 0.1 kg/m2) completed an acute, tightly controlled, crossover design study. Participants were provided with eucaloric, isonitrogenous diets (15% of daily intake as protein) containing either 2 servings/d of fresh lean beef (BEEF) or plant equivalents (PLANT) for 7 d/pattern. During day 6 of each pattern, the participants completed a 10-h controlled-feeding, clinical testing day, which included repeated appetite and satiety questionnaires and blood sampling to assess pre- and postprandial plasma peptide YY (PYY) and GLP-1 across the day. On day 7, the participants completed a free-living testing day in which they consumed their respective protein foods and were provided with additional carbohydrate- and fat-rich foods to consume, ad libitum, during each eating occasion. Energy and macronutrient composition were assessed. A 2- to 3-wk washout period occurred between patterns. Results: No differences in daily satiety were detected between patterns. During the ad libitum testing day, 24-h food intake was not different between patterns (BEEF: 2714 ± 219 compared with PLANT: 2859 ± 147 kcals/d), BEEF led to fewer carbohydrates consumed compared with PLANT (338 ± 34 compared with 370 ± 22 g/d, P < 0.05), especially as sugar (169 ± 73 g compared with 186 ± 57 g, P = 0.05). Furthermore, BEEF was more well liked (i.e., higher flavor, texture, and acceptability) compared with PLANT (all, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Although satiety was similar between patterns, the consumption of animal-source protein-rich foods, such as fresh and lean beef, was more well liked and resulted in voluntary reductions in total carbohydrate and sugar intake in middle-aged women with overweight during a single ad libitum testing day.This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02614729.

Difficulties in Emotion Regulation in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Despite substantial research indicating difficulties with emotion regulation across eating disorder presentations, emotion regulation has yet to be studied in adults with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). We hypothesized that (1) those with ARFID would report greater overall emotion regulation difficulties than nonclinical participants, and (2) those with ARFID would not differ from those with other eating disorders on the level of emotion regulation difficulty. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-seven adults (age 18-30) from an outpatient clinic with ARFID (n = 27), with other primarily restrictive eating disorders (e.g., anorexia nervosa; n = 34), and with binge/purge eating disorders (e.g., bulimia nervosa; n = 51), as well as nonclinical participants (n = 25) recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). We compared DERS scores across groups. RESULTS: In line with expectations, patients with ARFID scored significantly higher than nonclinical participants on the DERS Total (p = 0.01) with a large effect size (d = 0.87). Also as hypothesized, those with ARFID did not differ from those with other primarily restrictive (p = 0.99) or binge/purge disorders (p = 0.29) on DERS Total. DISCUSSION: Adults with ARFID appear to exhibit emotion regulation difficulties which are greater than nonclinical participants, and commensurate with other eating disorders. These findings highlight the possibility of emotion regulation difficulties as a maintenance mechanism for ARFID.

Potatoes Compared with Rice in Meals with either Animal or Plant Protein Reduce Postprandial Glycemia and Increase Satiety in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Crossover Study.

BACKGROUND: Rice and pasta are recommended as healthier than potatoes on the basis of their glycemic index when eaten alone. OBJECTIVES: The study objective was to evaluate postprandial glycemia (PPG), appetite, and food intake (FI) at meals with potatoes or rice when consumed with either meatballs or their vegetarian substitute. METHODS: In a randomized, single-blinded, crossover design, 26 (13 males and 13 females) healthy adults (age: 18-45 y; body mass index [kg/m2]: 18.5-29.9) consumed isocaloric fixed amounts of either meatballs or vegetarian-substitute balls with ad libitum access to either baked French fries (BFF), instant mashed potatoes (IMPs), or rice (control). FI was measured at the meal and at an ad libitum pizza meal served 120 min later. Blood glucose (BG), appetite, and plasma insulin responses were measured within the meal (0-30 min), postmeal (30-120 min), within pizza meal (120-140 min), and post-pizza (140-170 min). Effects of protein source, carbohydrate (CHO) source, and sex and their interactions were analyzed using analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test. RESULTS: Participants consumed 23-25% less treatment meal energy (kcal), 32-34% less CHO energy (kcal), and 13-16% less total energy (kcal) after the BFF and IMP than rice meals (P < 0.0001). Postmeal BG was lower after IMP (6.76 ± 0.15; P < 0.0001) and rice (6.92 ± 0.15; P = 0.0012) compared with BFF (7.19 ± 0.15). Post-pizza BG was higher after rice (6.77 ± 0.09) than that after BFF (6.51 ± 0.09; P = 0.0012) and IMP (6.39 ± 0.09; P < 0.0001). Postmeal meaned insulin was higher after BFF (82.16 ± 8.58) and IMP (77.75 ± 8.60) compared with rice (56.44 ± 8.59; P < 0.002). Insulin during pizza meal was lower after BFF (17.14 ± 6.90) compared with both IMP (39.03 ± 6.90; P = 0.0060) and rice (34.21 ± 6.90; P = 0.0336). Meatballs led to lower BG (6.48 ± 0.09; P = 0.0076) and higher insulin (84.54 ± 5.87; P = 0.0406) post-pizza compared with their plant protein substitute (6.64 ± 0.09 and 73.18 ± 5.87, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Adults consuming meatballs or plant-based substitute with ad libitum IMP had lower PPG post-treatment and at a later pizza meal compared with rice. Both IMP and BFF resulted in lower energy intake than after rice. This trial was registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov (https://register. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S000CKIJ&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0000IA4&ts=2&cx=-uf51kf) as NCT05610124. Protocol ID: 43406 (Postprandial Glycemia and Satiety of Meals with Potatoes, with and without Protein).

Reduced plasma interleukin-6 concentration after transcranial direct current stimulation to the prefrontal cortex.

OBJECTIVES: Transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS) targeted to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) reduces food intake and hunger, but its effects on circulating factors are unclear. We assessed the effect of repeated administration of tDCS to the left DLPFC (L-DLPFC) on concentrations of pro/anti-inflammatory and appetitive hormone concentrations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine healthy adults with obesity (12 M; 42±11 y; BMI=39±8 kg/m2) received 3 consecutive inpatient sessions of either anodal or sham tDCS targeted to the L-DLPFC during a period of ad libitum food intake. Fasting plasma concentrations of IL-6, orexin, cortisol, TNF-α, IL-1ß, ghrelin, PYY, and GLP-1 were measured before the initial and after the final tDCS sessions. RESULTS: IL-6 (ß=-0.92 pg/ml p=0.03) decreased in the anodal group compared with sham, even after adjusting for kcal intake; there were no changes in other hormones. Mean kcal intake was associated with higher IL-1ß and ghrelin concentrations after the ad libitum period (ß=0.00018 pg/ml/kcal, p=0.03; ß=0.00011 pg/ml/kcal, p=0.02; respectively), but not differ by intervention groups. CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 concentrations were reduced following anodal tDCS to the L-DLPFC independent of ad libitum intake. IL-6 concentrations reflect the inflammatory state of adiposity and may affect eating behavior and weight gain. These findings provide evidence of therapeutic benefit of tDCS.

Hypothalamic cannabinoid signaling: Consequences for eating behavior.

In parallel to the legalization of cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes, cannabinoid use has steadily increased over the last decade in the United States. Cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol and anandamide, bind to the central cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor to impact several physiological processes relevant for body weight regulation, including appetite and energy expenditure. The hypothalamus integrates peripheral signals related to energy balance, houses several nuclei that orchestrate eating, and expresses the CB1 receptor. Herein we review literature to date concerning cannabinergic action in the hypothalamus with a specific focus on eating behaviors. We highlight hypothalamic areas wherein researchers have focused their attention, including the lateral, arcuate, paraventricular, and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei, and interactions with the hormone leptin. This review serves as a comprehensive analysis of what is known about cannabinoid signaling in the hypothalamus, highlights gaps in the literature, and suggests future directions.