The effect of cinnamon supplementation on eating disorder indices among people suffering from binge eating disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Binge eating disorder is one of the main eating disorders that is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes that lead to complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, dyslipidemia, etc. Many psychological and biological factors can lead to binge eating disorder and one of the main physiological reasons is insulin resistance. Cinnamon is an old favorite that has positive effects on insulin sensitivity. So, we examined the effect of cinnamon on binge eating disorder in this study. METHODS: This study was conducted on 40 binge eating disorder patients with a BMI between 25 and 39.9 kg/m2. They were divided into two groups one of them consumed 6 g of cinnamon per day while the other group consumed 6 g of white wheat as a placebo. Before and after the study we examined weight, height, Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and Binge Eating Scale (BES) scale in all participants and did the statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics, gender, height, weight, BMI, education, and marriage status between the two groups. There were no significant changes between BSQ, BES, weight, and height after the study either. CONCLUSION: According to our findings, although the weight of the patients in the cinnamon group decreased significantly, after the end of the study, no significant difference was observed in the weight, BMI, and BAS and BSQ indices between the two groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was registered in the Iran Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) center (IRCT code: IRCT20090822002365N26, Registration date: 2021/11/7).

The Effect of Selenium, Zinc, and their Combined Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Biomarkers-comparing their Effects in the Energy Restriction and High-fat Diet Methods in Obese Rats.

INTRODUCTION: The fat distribution in the body determines the risk of cardiometabolic problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Some dietary supplements, such as selenium and zinc, possess lipolytic and anti-angiogenic functions, which may be a useful strategy in reducing the risk of cardiometabolic complications. This study evaluated the effect of zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), and their combined supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors in male Wistar rats in two nutritional models, including caloric restriction (CR) and high-fat diet (HFD). METHODS AND MATERIALS: The 48 male Wistar rats were divided into three diet groups (HFD and CR and normal diet (ND)). The HFD group was subdivided into four groups (N=8 rats in each group) that received (HFD+Se), (HFD+Zn), (HFD+Zn+Se), and HFD alone as the control group, respectively. After 8 weeks of intervention, biochemical tests were performed on serum levels, including measurement of lipid profile (triglyceride, Cholesterol, LDL and HDL) and glycemic indices (fasting blood sugar, insulin and insulin sensitivity markers). RESULTS: The results showed that supplementation significantly improved the lipid profile (P <0.001). A comparison of glucose homeostasis indices in the study groups also showed a significant difference. The serum level of glucose was higher in the HFD group than in the intervention groups (P <0.001). Also, the rate of improvement of lipid profile and glycemic indexes in the group receiving the combination of two supplements showed a better trend than those receiving zinc and selenium alone. However, the values were statistically significant only for glucose homeostasis indices (P <0.001). CONCLUSION: Although obesity is a multifactorial condition, controlling other risk factors, zinc and selenium and their combined supplementation can lead to promising solutions for the treatment of obesity-induced glucose and lipid homeostasis disorders.

Parent-child correlation in energy and macronutrient intakes: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

In the current study, we aimed to review the evidence from twin and family-based studies that have assessed the familial similarity in intakes of energy and macronutrients among various parent-child pairs. The online literature databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, were searched up to December 2022 to find potentially eligible studies. We converted Pearson's, Spearman's, or intra-class correlation coefficients to z's using Fisher's z transformation to obtain approximate normality and then calculated a mean and standard error (SE) of transformed correlation weighted by the sample sizes in the studies. We reported pooled r and 95% CI as our final results in five groups, including parent-child, mother-daughter, mother-son, father-daughter, and father-son. Twenty-one eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis, in which the sample size ranged from 33 and 4310. Our analysis showed that family resemblance in the intake of energy and macronutrients in various parent-offspring pairs was weak to moderate which could be different based on family pairs, nutrients, and studies. The highest similarity in dietary intakes was observed among the mother-daughter pair, which was for carbohydrate and protein intake, respectively. The lowest correlations in dietary intakes were found between mother-son or father-son pairs. Our meta-analysis suggested that family similarity for intakes of energy and macronutrients was not strong in parent-child pairs. The highest correlation in dietary intake was mostly found in mother-daughter pairs. The weak similarities in dietary intake among parent-child pairs indicate the noticeable effect of the environment outside the family on individuals' dietary choices.

Energy and macronutrient intake heritability: A systematic review and meta-analysis of twin and family-based studies.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The current meta-analysis aimed to examine the heritability and familial resemblance of dietary intakes, including energy and macronutrients in both twin and family-based studies. METHODS: The online literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched comprehensively until 2023 to identify the relevant studies. The heritability index in family studies was h2 and the heritability indices for twin studies were h2, A2, and E2. Three weighted methods were used to calculate the mean and SE of heritability dietary intakes. RESULTS: Eighteen papers including 8 studies on familial population and 12 for twin population studies were included in the present meta-analysis. The heritability of dietary intakes in twin studies (range of pooled estimated h2, A2, and E2 was 30-55%, 14-42%, and 52-79%, respectively) was higher than family studies (range of pooled estimated h2 = 16-39%). In family studies, the highest and lowest heritability for various nutrients was observed for the fat (%Kcal) (h2 range:36-38%) and carbohydrate in g (h2 range:16-18%), respectively. In twin studies, based on mean h2, the highest and lowest heritability for various nutrients was reported for the fat (%Kcal) (h2 range:49-55%) and protein intake in g (h2 range:30-35%), respectively. Also, based on the mean of A2, the highest and lowest heritability was observed for carbohydrates (% Kcal) (A2 range:42-42%), and protein (% Kcal) (A2 range:14-16%), respectively. Furthermore, in twin studies, the highest and lowest mean of E2 was shown for saturated fats (E2 range:74-79%) and energy intake (E2 range:52-57%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our analysis indicated that both environmental factors and genetics have noticeable contributions in determining the heritability of dietary intakes. Also, we observed higher heritability in twins compared to family studies.

Relationship between Breastfeeding and Obesity in Childhood.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the weight status and the relationship of infant-feeding variables, birthweight and birth order with BMI in a group of Iranian children. Five hundred and eleven students of both sexes at the first grade in elementary schools (aged 7 years) were recruited randomly from all 19 educational districts of Tehran. Weights and heights of children and their mothers were measured. Data on breastfeeding (BF), formula-feeding, the timing of introduction of complementary foods (CF), birthweight, and birth order were collected from the mothers. The 2007 WHO reference value was used for determining child’s weight status. Regression analysis in single and a 2-level linear regression models was used for examining the independent relationships of infant-feeding variables , birthweight and birth order with childhood BMI. The prevalence of underweight and overweight in this group of children was 7.6% and 19.7%, respectively. Total time of BF and duration of exclusive BF were not associated with childhood BMI. The timing of introduction of CF was inversely related to childhood BMI after controlling for other variables (β:-0.34; 95% CI:-0.58,-0.10). Children with an early introduction of CF had significantly higher mean BMI (p for linear trend=0.012). Birth order and birthweight were related to childhood BMI significantly. These data suggest that overweight and obesity are nutritional problems among 7 years old Teharani children. The timing of introduction of CF, birth order, and birthweight were independent predictors of childhood BMI. Neither total time of BF nor duration of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with adiposity in children.