Grazing Is Associated with ADHD Symptoms, Substance Use, and Impulsivity in a Representative Sample of a Large Metropolitan Area in Brazil.

Grazing is a clinically relevant eating behaviour, especially when it presents with a sense of loss of control (compulsive grazing). There is evidence that other disordered eating patterns are associated with problematic substance use and impulsivity-related conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This overlap contributes to higher psychopathology and treatment complications. Less is known about grazing, and most information originates in high-income countries. Hence, we sought to investigate relationships between grazing, tobacco and alcohol use, ADHD, and impulsivity in a large representative sample from Brazil. Data were collected by trained interviewers from adults (N = 2297) through an in-person household survey based on a stratified and clustered probability sample. We found significant associations between compulsive grazing and problematic alcohol use (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.65, 5.53), ADHD (OR = 8.94, 95% CI: 5.11, 15.63), and smoking (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.47), with impulsivity contributing to the first two relationships. The substantial association with ADHD suggests that other executive functions may promote disordered eating, possibly expressed through difficulties in adhering to regular meals. Clinically, these findings highlight the importance of assessing problematic eating patterns, such as compulsive grazing, in those presenting with difficulties with substance use or impulsivity, and vice versa.

Grazing Prevalence and Associations with Eating and General Psychopathology, Body Mass Index, and Quality of Life in a Middle-Income Country.

Research from high-income countries has shown that grazing is a common but problematic eating pattern, particularly when associated with a sense of loss of control. However, it is unclear whether these patterns hold globally. Thus, the goal of this study was to extend previous research by examining the prevalence and clinical correlates of compulsive grazing (CG) and non-compulsive grazing (NCG) in a middle-income country. Participants (N = 2297) comprised adult residents from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Recruitment of this population-based household survey occurred from September 2019 to February 2020. The short inventory of grazing was used to operationalise grazing subtypes. Chi-square analyses, logistic regression, and univariate tests were conducted using the complex samples procedure. The point prevalence of regular CG was 10.2% (n = 239) and was consistent with high-income countries, while NCG was 29.8% (n = 679) and was less frequent than reported in high-income countries. Additionally, similar to high-income countries, CG was associated with a higher body mass index and higher odds of eating disorders, eating disorder symptomatology, depression, anxiety, and a lower physical and mental health-related quality of life, than no grazing and NCG. Overall, this study demonstrated that grazing patterns in high-income countries extend to middle-income countries.

Effects of cortisol on female-to-male sex change in a wrasse.

Sex change occurs as a usual part of the life cycle for many teleost fish and the modifications involved (behavioural, gonadal, morphological) are well studied. However, the mechanism that transduces environmental cues into the molecular cascade that underlies this transformation remains unknown. Cortisol, the main stress hormone in fish, is hypothesised to be a key factor linking environmental stimuli with sex change by initiating gene expression changes that shift steroidogenesis from oestrogens to androgens but this notion remains to be rigorously tested. Therefore, this study aimed to experimentally test the role of cortisol as an initiator of sex change in a protogynous (female-to-male) hermaphrodite, the New Zealand spotty wrasse (Notolabrus celidotus). We also sought to identify potential key regulatory factors within the head kidney that may contribute to the initiation and progression of gonadal sex change. Cortisol pellets were implanted into female spotty wrasses under inhibitory conditions (presence of a male), and outside of the optimal season for natural sex change. Histological analysis of the gonads and sex hormone analyses found no evidence of sex change after 71 days of cortisol treatment. However, expression analyses of sex and stress-associated genes in gonad and head kidney suggested that cortisol administration did have a physiological effect. In the gonad, this included upregulation of amh, a potent masculinising factor, and nr3c1, a glucocorticoid receptor. In the head kidney, hsd11b2, which converts cortisol to inactive cortisone to maintain cortisol balance, was upregulated. Overall, our results suggest cortisol administration outside of the optimal sex change window is unable to initiate gonadal restructuring. However, our expression data imply key sex and stress genes are sensitive to cortisol. This includes genes expressed in both gonad and head kidney that have been previously implicated in early sex change in several sex-changing species.

Correlates and impact of DSM-5 binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa and recurrent binge eating: a representative population survey in a middle-income country.

PURPOSE: Binge eating disorder (BED), bulimia nervosa (BN) and recurrent binge eating (RBE) are binge eating spectrum conditions causing a significant impact in individual's health and functioning. Information regarding those conditions came mostly from high-income countries. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of DSM-5 BED, BN and RBE and correlates in a representative sample from a metropolitan area of a middle-income country. METHODS: The data were obtained from a cross-sectional population-based household survey in two stages in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Noninstitutionalized residents aged 18-60 years were assessed by lay interviewers using the Questionnaire of Eating and Weight Patterns-5 (QEWP-5). Positive cases and a paired sample screen-negative cases were reassessed by phone with the Eating Disorders Section of SCID-I-P (adapted for DSM-5). The data were collected from September 2019 to February 2020. RESULTS: Overall, 2297 individuals were interviewed. Prevalence of BED was 1.4%, BN 0.7%, RBE 6.2%. Psychiatric comorbidities, such as depression, anxiety and ADHD were significantly more prevalent in people with BED, BN and RBE than in people without these eating problems. Several medical conditions, when controlling for body mass index, were significantly more prevalent in people with BED, BN and RBE. People with BED and BN had marked impairments in work/school, social and family life, reduced mental and physical HRQoL and under half had sought treatment. CONCLUSION: As in high income countries, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, BED, BN and RBE are prevalent conditions and are associated with elevated BMI, functional impairment, psychiatric and medical comorbidity and poorer HRQoL.