Genetic variants of the hypoxia-inducible factor 3 alpha subunit (Hif3a) gene in the Fat and Lean mouse selection lines.

BACKGROUND: Adipose tissue hypoxia and members of the hypoxia-inducible factor alpha (HIFA) are involved in development of obesity. However, the mechanism and functions of HIF3A, one of three HIFA paralogs, in fat deposition have not been sufficiently studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the present study, we investigated whether Hif3a sequence variants are associated with divergent fat deposition in mouse selection lines for fatness and leanness. Sequencing and RFLP were used to analyse sequence variants within Hif3a. To identify candidate regulatory variants, we performed literature screening and used databases and bioinformatics tools like Ensembl, MethPrimer, TargetScanMouse, miRDB, PolyAsite, RISE, LncRRIsearch, RNAfold, PredictProtein, CAIcal, and switches.ELM Resource. There are 90 sequence variants in Hif3a between the two mouse lines. While most Fat line variants locate within intronic regions, Lean line variants are mainly in 3' UTR. We constructed a map of Hif3a potential regulatory regions and identified 39 regulatory variants by integrating data on constrained and regulatory elements, CpGs, and miRNAs and lncRNAs binding sites. Moreover, 3' UTR and two exonic variants may influence mRNA stability, translation rate and protein functionality. We propose as priority candidates for further functional studies a missense (rs37398126) and synonymous (rs37739792) variants, and intronic (rs47471302) variant that overlap conserved element in promoter region and predicted lncRNAs binding site. CONCLUSION: The results indicate a potential involvement of Hif3a in fat deposition. Additionally, approach used in the present study may serve as a general guideline for constructing an integrative gene map for prioritizing candidate gene variants with phenotypic effects.

Relationships between body image and mental health in white, cisgender college students.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have suggested that drive for leanness (DL) may be less maladaptive than drive for thinness (DT) or drive for muscularity (DM). However, no studies have examined whether there might be gender differences in the relationships between these three drives and mental health variables. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, we wanted to examine DL in the context of mental health and to see if it is less maladaptive than DT and DM. Second, we wanted to examine gender differences in the relationships between body dissatisfaction (DT, DM, DL) and mental health in a sample of college students. METHODS: A sample of 988 White, heterosexual, cisgender college students (76.8% female) completed an omnibus survey measuring body image (DL, DT, DM) and mental health (generalized anxiety, social physique anxiety, self-esteem) variables. Regression analyses evaluated associations between these drives and mental health variables. RESULTS: DT predicted all three mental health outcomes in both men and women. DM predicted generalized and social physique anxiety in women but only generalized anxiety in men. DL predicted social physique anxiety only in women. CONCLUSION: Because we found gender differences in body image and relationships between body image and mental health, future studies should take gender into account when exploring body image and related variables. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Definition and diagnosis of constitutional thinness: a systematic review.

The existing literature about the definition and diagnostic criteria of constitutional thinness (CT) appears equivocal. The present work systematically reviewed the criteria used in the diagnosis of adult individuals with CT (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019138236). Five electronic bibliographic databases were searched between December 2018 and November 2019: MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL (Cochrane Library), Google Scholar and Clinical Trials. Search terms were combined with Medical Subject Headings terms. The search strategy included any clinical trials that enrolled adults with CT. Studies were systematically excluded if the state of thinness was not due to a well-identified constitutional origin. From the 689 references after duplicate removal, 199 studies were excluded based on title and 164 based on abstract. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 291 other studies were removed. Finally, thirty-five studies remained at the end of the process. The analysis of these studies showed high heterogeneity in the diagnostic criteria of CT. A real need emerged to adopt a common terminology and to systematically exclude potential non-constitutional origins of thinness such as eating disorders, associated pathology or over-exercising, with validated tools. Weight history, physiological menses and weight gain resistance are also important criteria to consider. The present systematic review revealed that our medical and scientific approaches of CT need to be harmonised in terms of terminology and diagnostic criteria. Although further studies are needed, we finally proposed recommendations and a decision tree to help in the recognition and diagnosis of CT.

Are there associations between religious affiliation and drive for muscularity? A cross-sectional survey of young Muslim women, Christian women and atheist women from Germany.

BACKGROUND: Over the last 20 years, society's perception of the ideal female body size in Western cultures has changed from thin to athletic, and many women practice sports to achieve well-toned bodies. However, to date, no study has investigated whether Muslim women who live in a Western country and veil their bodies strive for lean or muscular bodies too. The current cross-sectional survey therefore addressed this question. METHODS: Veiled Muslim women (n = 70), unveiled Muslim women (n = 50), Christian women (n = 79), and atheist women (n = 68) living in Germany answered several questionnaires assessing engagement in sports, body appreciation, and drive for leanness and muscularity. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to compare the four groups. RESULTS: The results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that Muslim women engaged less in sports and veiled Muslim women reported higher body appreciation than did Christian and atheist women. Although the groups did not differ significantly in drive for muscularity, Muslim women showed lower levels of drive for leanness than did Christian and atheist women. CONCLUSION: Given that Muslim women engaged less in sports and strived less for a lean body compared to Christian and atheist women, a well-toned body might be less important for them. Nevertheless, as being active is beneficial for general health, barriers that prevent Muslim women from engaging in sports should be diminished.

Drive for leanness: potentially less maladaptive compared to drives for thinness and muscularity.

PURPOSE: Drive for leanness (DL), a motivating interest in having low body fat and toned muscles, is hypothesized to be less maladaptive than drives for thinness (DT) and muscularity (DM), which has implications for its inclusion in eating- and health-related prevention and treatment programs; however, little research has explored this hypothesis. The current study investigated DL's uniqueness from these other drives, as well as simultaneously explored if associations of DL and a range of health-related outcomes supported that it may be less maladaptive than DT and DM. METHODS: A sample of 589 undergraduate participants completed an online battery of drive (DL, DT, DM) and health-related measures (disordered eating, aerobic and weight training frequency, exercise motivation, dieting, appearance enhancing supplement use, anxiety, and depression). Exploratory factor analysis and semi-partial correlations evaluated DL's uniqueness. Hierarchical regressions and generalized linear models evaluated comparative associations of drives with health-related outcomes. Analysis of covariance investigated comparative perceived drive healthiness. RESULTS: DL was supported as unique from DT and DM. DL was less strongly associated with maladaptive outcomes (e.g., disordered eating, ExpB = .99, p = .86) and more strongly predictive of adaptive outcomes (e.g., healthy exercise motivation, ß = .30, p < .001) than DT or DM. DL was perceived as healthier than either other drive. CONCLUSIONS: DL was supported as a unique and less maladaptive motivation than DT or DM, suggesting the emergence of a lean ideal may be less problematic than body ideals focused on either thinness or muscularity alone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

Using network analysis to identify central eating disorder symptoms among men.

OBJECTIVE: The network theory of psychopathology has been described as an "innovative framework" that may "transform" clinical psychological science. Several network studies have identified central eating disorder (ED) symptoms, yet studies have been comprised primarily of women. Using two large samples, we constructed ED symptom networks among men to identify central symptoms. METHOD: Participants were recruited from three universities and using Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Participants completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Male Body Attitudes Scale, and Drive for Muscularity Scale. ED symptom networks were jointly estimated among men with (n = 248) and without core ED symptoms (n = 902). Core ED symptoms were defined by (a) scoring above a suggested male EDE-Q clinical cutoff and (b) reporting symptoms consistent with probable ED diagnoses. Expected influence and predictability (proportion of each node's variance explained by other nodes in the network) were calculated for each node. RESULTS: Shape overvaluation, desiring weight loss, fear of losing control over eating, feeling guilty for missing weight training, and using supplements had the greatest expected influence and predictability. Network structures did not significantly differ between participants with versus without core ED symptoms. DISCUSSION: The centricity of body dissatisfaction items in the networks supports some components of cognitive behavioral theories of EDs. However, the findings also suggest the importance of muscularity- and leanness-oriented concerns, which have been traditionally neglected from leading ED theories that tend to focus on thinness pursuits as a main driver of body dissatisfaction.

Childhood dietary intake: Comparison between anorexia nervosa and healthy leanness.

BACKGROUND: The number of adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa is increasing. In addition, an increase in pre-adolescent patients with premenarchal onset has also been recognized. Detection of the disease in childhood and adolescence, however, is not always easy because the symptoms are not characteristic during this period. This study was performed to investigate detection of anorexia nervosa in children/adolescents by comparing energy and nutrient intake between patients with anorexia nervosa and healthy thin persons. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 13 girls aged 14.4 ± 3.5 years with anorexia nervosa and 320 healthy girls aged 12.4 ± 1.3 years. Dietary intake was evaluated using a validated diet history questionnaire designed for children/adolescents. Daily energy and nutrient intake were expressed as a percentage of the age- and sex-matched reference amount. RESULTS: Healthy lean (body mass index [BMI], <50th percentile) girls with an above-average score for desiring thinness had higher fat and lower cereal intake, and a trend of lower carbohydrate intake. In contrast, patients with anorexia nervosa, compared with thin (BMI <5th percentile) girls, characteristically had significantly lower energy, fat, zinc, vitamin C, and confectionery intake. CONCLUSIONS: Lean girls with an above-average desire for thinness appear to restrict their energy intake by reducing their intake of carbohydrates such as cereals while maintaining a relatively high fat intake. In contrast, girls with anorexia nervosa avoided fat and had a preference for vegetables. This characteristic eating pattern could be a useful clue for detection of anorexia nervosa in thin children and adolescents.

Mode of physical activity participation by body mass index: 2015 behavioural risk factor surveillance system.

Body mass index (BMI) continues to be used as a marker of health due its strong correlation with adiposity and health. Physical activity (PA) has been shown to be favourably associated with a desirable BMI. Few studies have examined mode of PA participation across BMI indices with a mutually exclusive underweight BMI range. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between modes of PA and BMI. Data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was analysed. Underweight, overweight, and obese BMI categories possessed 35, 20, and 46% lower odds of meeting current PA guidelines. The obese BMI group was found to have lower odds of meeting the aerobic only and strength only guidelines. Underweight, overweight, and obese groups possessed 63, 18, and 76% greater odds of meeting neither PA guideline, respectively.

Recent progress in genetics, epigenetics and metagenomics unveils the pathophysiology of human obesity.

In high-, middle- and low-income countries, the rising prevalence of obesity is the underlying cause of numerous health complications and increased mortality. Being a complex and heritable disorder, obesity results from the interplay between genetic susceptibility, epigenetics, metagenomics and the environment. Attempts at understanding the genetic basis of obesity have identified numerous genes associated with syndromic monogenic, non-syndromic monogenic, oligogenic and polygenic obesity. The genetics of leanness are also considered relevant as it mirrors some of obesity's aetiologies. In this report, we summarize ten genetically elucidated obesity syndromes, some of which are involved in ciliary functioning. We comprehensively review 11 monogenic obesity genes identified to date and their role in energy maintenance as part of the leptin-melanocortin pathway. With the emergence of genome-wide association studies over the last decade, 227 genetic variants involved in different biological pathways (central nervous system, food sensing and digestion, adipocyte differentiation, insulin signalling, lipid metabolism, muscle and liver biology, gut microbiota) have been associated with polygenic obesity. Advances in obligatory and facilitated epigenetic variation, and gene-environment interaction studies have partly accounted for the missing heritability of obesity and provided additional insight into its aetiology. The role of gut microbiota in obesity pathophysiology, as well as the 12 genes associated with lipodystrophies is discussed. Furthermore, in an attempt to improve future studies and merge the gap between research and clinical practice, we provide suggestions on how high-throughput '-omic' data can be integrated in order to get closer to the new age of personalized medicine.

Prevalence and sport-related predictors of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors: Moderating effects of sex and age.

Very few studies examined the prevalence and sport-related predictors of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors (DEABs) among adolescents involved in sport practice, and their results are mixed and inconclusive. These inconsistencies are most likely due to their methodological heterogeneity and to the fact that none of these studies took into consideration the potentially relevant characteristics of the sport practice context. This study attempts to answer this limitation among French adolescents not involved or involved in various sports contexts defined based on their organization, leanness-centration, and competitive level. Participants were 335 adolescents involved in sport practice, and 435 adolescents not involved in any form of regular sport practice. The DEABs were measured using the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Global results do not showed any significant association between the status of the participants and DEAB. However, these results drastically changed when we considered the potential moderating role of sex and age on these relations. Indeed, sports involvement in general, and involvement in leanness and competitive sports were found to exert sex- and age-differentiated effects on the risks of presenting clinically significant levels of DEAB. This study suggests the importance of monitoring, preventive, and early intervention mechanisms within the context of practice, particularly for adolescent girls.

Tackling bisexual erasure: An explorative comparison of bisexual, gay and straight cisgender men's body image.

Previous body image research often grouped both gay and bisexual men into a single category: sexual minoritised men, limiting our understanding of how sexual identity influences body image. However, there is strong reason to believe that bisexual and gay men experience distinct body image concerns. Here, we explored motivations to alter one's leanness and muscularity, as well as (dis)satisfaction with body fat, muscularity, height and penis size, and functionality appreciation across gay, bisexual, and straight cisgender men. We sampled 378 white participants aged 18 to 85 (nbisexual = 125, ngay = 128, nstraight = 125). We found that bisexual men were significantly less motivated to be lean and showed lower muscularity dissatisfaction relative to gay men but showed comparable levels to straight men. Our findings demonstrate that despite research perceiving the body image of bisexual and gay men as homogenous, they experience differences in their body image concerning leanness and muscularity dissatisfaction. Future body image research should incorporate this understanding by not artificially grouping bisexual and gay cisgender men and instead acknowledging the potential uniqueness in their experiences.

Social media and body image: Relationships between social media appearance preoccupation, self-objectification, and body image.

Nearly 85 % of emerging adults report using at least one social media site. Research suggests that viewing and internalizing unrealistic body ideals often displayed online may pose harmful effects on young people's body image. However, studies on the relationships between social media usage and body image have predominantly focused on women's drive for thinness. We sought to explore the relationships between social media appearance-related preoccupation (SMARP), body shame and surveillance, and drives for leanness, muscularity, and thinness, specifically examining the moderating role of gender within these relationships. Data from 939 undergraduate students (n = 240 men) were analyzed using multigroup structural equation modeling. Surveillance significantly mediated the positive associations between SMARP and drive for leanness for women and men. For SMARP and drive for muscularity, surveillance was a mediator for men only. Shame emerged as a significant mediator of the positive association between SMARP and drive for thinness for women and men. Moderated mediation was supported, such that the indirect effect of SMARP on drive for thinness was significantly stronger for women. These results suggest that for men in particular, SMARP is not necessarily associated with increased drives for leanness and muscularity unless men are also engaging in body surveillance.

Changes of maternal dietary intake, bodyweight and fetal growth throughout pregnancy in pregnant Japanese women.

AIM: The associations among changes in dietary intake, maternal bodyweight, and fetal growth during the course of pregnancy were investigated in a prospective cohort study carried out on 135 Japanese women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Dietary intake was analyzed using digital photos of meals taken over 3 consecutive days, in the first, second and third trimester, and was compared with maternal bodyweight, estimated fetal bodyweight by ultrasound examination, and birthweight. RESULTS: Surprisingly, the mean total calorie intake remained below 1600 kcal/day during pregnancy, much lower than the value recommended in the 2010 edition of 'Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese'. Dietary intake was similar throughout despite the recommendation of extra intake in late pregnancy. Maternal dietary intake did not correlate with fetal growth, although maternal bodyweight in the second trimester positively correlated with estimated fetal bodyweight in the third trimester. Maternal bodyweight before pregnancy positively correlated with birthweight. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal bodyweight as well as eating habits established before pregnancy may have a considerable effect on fetal growth. There is an urgent need to improve the diet of Japanese women of child-bearing age, especially during pregnancy.

An update of the predicted lean yield equation for the Destron PG-100 optical grading probe.

The objective was to update the equation used for prediction of pork carcass leanness with the Destron PG-100 optical grading probe. A recent cutout study (completed in 2020-2021) consisting of 337 pork carcasses was used for this research. An updated equation was generated using a calibration dataset (N = 188 carcasses) and prediction precision and prediction accuracy of the new equation was evaluated using a validation dataset (N = 149 carcasses). The updated equation was generated using forward stepwise multiple regression selection techniques in PROC REG of SAS, and the same parameters as the existing equation were used to fit the model. The updated Destron equation [89.16298 - (1.63023 × backfat thickness) - (0.42126 × muscle depth) + (0.01930 × backfat thickness2) + (0.00308 × muscle depth2) + (0.00369 × backfat thickness × muscle depth)] and the existing Destron equation [68.1863 - (0.7833 × backfat thickness) + (0.0689 × muscle depth) + (0.0080 × backfat thickness2) - (0.0002 × muscle depth2) + (0.0006 × backfat thickness × muscle depth)] were similar in their prediction precision for determination of carcass lean yield (LY), with the updated equation R2 = 0.75 and root mean square error (RMSE) = 1.97 and the existing equation R2 = 0.75 and RMSE = 1.94. However, when prediction accuracy was evaluated using the variance explained by predictive models based on cross-validation (VEcv) and Legates and McCabe's efficiency coefficient (E1), the updated equation (VEcv = 67.97%; E1 = 42.41%) was much more accurate compared with the existing equation (VEcv = -117.53%; E1 = -69.24%). Furthermore, when accuracy was evaluated by separating carcasses into 3% carcass LY groupings ranging from less than 50% LY to greater than 62% LY, the existing equation correctly estimated carcass LY 8.1% of the time, while the updated equation correctly estimated carcass LY 47.7% of the time. In an effort to further compare the abilities of the updated equation, comparisons were made with an advanced automated ultrasonic scanner (AutoFom III), which scans the entire carcass. The prediction precision of the AutoFom III was R2 = 0.83 and RMSE = 1.61, while the AutoFom III correctly estimated carcass LY 38.2% of the time and prediction accuracy calculations for the AutoFom III were VEcv = 44.37% and E1 = 21.34%). Overall, refinement of the Destron PG-100 predicted LY equation did not change prediction precision, but substantially improved prediction accuracy.

In the swine industry, optical grading probes are used to collect measurements at one location on the carcass (i.e., the grading site); this information is used to predict carcass leanness with an established multiple regression equation. For the Destron PG-100 optical probe, the equation currently used by the industry was established using the 1992 Canadian National Cutout Study. The objective of the current study was to update the equation by utilizing a recent cutout study consisting of 337 pork carcasses (N = 188 for the calibration dataset; N = 149 for the validation dataset). A multiple regression equation was generated with the calibration dataset using stepwise techniques and the same parameters as the existing equation were used to fit the model. When the validation dataset was tested for prediction precision, the existing Destron predicted lean yield (LY) equation (R2 = 0.75) and the updated Destron predicted LY equation (R2 = 0.75) were strikingly similar in their abilities to predict carcass LY. However, when prediction accuracy was evaluated by separating carcasses into six 3% LY groupings, the existing Destron predicted LY equation correctly estimated LY 8.1% of the time, while the updated Destron predicted LY equation correctly estimated LY 47.7% of the time.

Reduced contextually induced muscle thermogenesis in rats with calorie restriction and lower aerobic fitness but not monogenic obesity.

We have previously identified predator odor as a potent stimulus activating thermogenesis in skeletal muscle in rats. As this may prove relevant for energy balance and weight loss, the current study investigated whether skeletal muscle thermogenesis was altered with negative energy balance, obesity propensity seen in association with low intrinsic aerobic fitness, and monogenic obesity. First, weight loss subsequent to 3 wk of 50% calorie restriction suppressed the muscle thermogenic response to predator odor. Next, we compared rats bred based on artificial selection for intrinsic aerobic fitness - high- and low-capacity runners (HCR, LCR) - that display robust leanness and obesity propensity, respectively. Aerobically fit HCR showed enhanced predator odor-induced muscle thermogenesis relative to the less-fit LCR. This contrasted with the profound monogenic obesity displayed by rats homozygous for a loss of function mutation in Melanocortin 4 receptor (Mc4rK3a,4X/K314X rats), which showed no discernable deficit in thermogenesis. Taken together, these data imply that body size or obesity per se are not associated with deficient muscle thermogenesis. Rather, the physiological phenotype associated with polygenic obesity propensity may encompass pleiotropic mechanisms in the thermogenic pathway. Adaptive thermogenesis associated with weight loss also likely alters muscle thermogenic mechanisms.

MAFLD enhances clinical practice for liver disease in the Asia-Pacific region.

Fatty liver is now a major cause of liver disease in the Asia-Pacific region. Liver diseases in this region have distinctive characteristics. First, fatty liver is frequently observed in lean/normal-weight individuals. However, there is no standard definition of this unique phenotype. Second, fatty liver is often observed in patients with concomitant viral hepatitis. The exclusion of viral hepatitis from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease limits its value and detracts from the investigation and holistic management of coexisting fatty liver in patients with viral hepatitis. Third, fatty liver-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is generally categorized as non-B non-C HCC. Fourth, the population is aging rapidly, and it is imperative to develop a practicable, low-intensity exercise program for elderly patients. Fifth, most patients and nonspecialized healthcare professionals still lack an awareness of the significance of fatty liver both in terms of intrahepatic and extrahepatic disease and cancer. Recently, an international expert panel proposed a new definition of fatty liver: metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). One feature of MAFLD is that metabolic dysfunction is a prerequisite for diagnosis. Pertinent to regional issues, MAFLD also provides its diagnostic criteria in lean/normal-weight individuals. Furthermore, MAFLD is independent of any concomitant liver disease, including viral hepatitis. Therefore, MAFLD may be a more suitable definition for fatty liver in the Asia-Pacific region. In this review, we introduce the regional characteristics of fatty liver and discuss the advantages of MAFLD for improving clinical practice for liver disease in the region.

Determinants of Six-Minute Walk Distance in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Idiopathic Pleuroparenchymal Fibroelastosis.

Background: In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) is an independent factor for mortality. Idiopathic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (IPPFE) is a rare disease with physical features such as emaciation, but the relationship between IPPFE and 6MWD is unclear. In this study, we investigated the factors that cause a decrease in the percent of the predicted value of a 6-minute walk distance (%6MWD), including the disease entities, IPF and IPPFE. Methods: This study included 100 patients (IPF: 75 patients, IPPFE: 25 patients, age: 73.5 ± 7.2 years, sex: 73 males) who visited the rehabilitation department. Patients with a %6MWD ≥ 80% were assigned to the normal group (n = 54), and patients with a %6MWD < 80% were assigned to the decreased group (n = 46). The items showing a significant difference between groups were used as independent variables, after the consideration of multicollinearity, for a logistic analysis where %6MWD < 80% was used as the dependent variable. Results: The 6MWD results show that there was no significant difference between IPF and IPPFE in the absolute value of 6MWD and in the number of people with 6MWD ≥ 250 m, but when 6MWD was compared with %6MWD, the IPPFE group showed a significantly lower value than the IPF group (p = 0.013). Logistic regression analysis showed that only BMI (p = 0.032), GAP index (p = 0.043), and mMRC (p = 0.026) were factors that caused a decrease in %6MWD in 100 patients. Conclusion: The results suggest that leanness, shortness of breath and severity of illness are the most important factors that determine exercise tolerance, regardless of disease entity in IPF and IPPFE.

The Thin Ideal and Attitudes towards Appearance as Correlates of Exercise Addiction among Sporty People during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The stress and anxiety caused by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) have exacerbated body image concerns. A society that perpetuates the attempt for a perfect and thin appearance represents a fertile ground for the development of exercise addiction (EA). This cross-sectional study aims to explore EA during the second wave of the pandemic (October−December 2020) and to examine the independent influence of both time spent on moderate and vigorous physical activities and body image variables (i.e., drive for leanness and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance) on EA. A sample of Italian sporty people (N = 194; 48.5% females; Mage = 25.91 ± 6.32) was surveyed using the Exercise Addiction Inventory, the Drive for Leanness Scale, the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire, and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. A total of 82% of the sample were symptomatic of and 11.3% were at risk of EA. Hierarchical regressions revealed an association between the time spent on vigorous physical activities and levels of EA (p < 0.05). Moreover, body image variables were positively related to EA, explaining an additional 11% of variance (p < 0.05). Results showed the importance of considering and addressing body image factors to investigate and dampen the risk of EA among sporty people.

Eating behaviour in contrasting adiposity phenotypes: Monogenic obesity and congenital generalized lipodystrophy.

Most known types of nonsyndromic monogenic obesity are caused by rare mutations in genes of the leptin-melanocortin pathway controlling appetite and adiposity. In contrast, congenital generalized lipodystrophy represents the most extreme form of leanness in humans caused by recessive mutations in four genes involved in phospholipid/triglyceride synthesis and lipid droplet/caveolae structure. In this disease, the inability to store triglyceride in adipocytes results in hypoleptinemia and ectopic hepatic and muscle fat accumulation leading to fatty liver, hypertriglyceridemia and severe insulin resistance. As a result of hypoleptinemia, patients with lipodystrophy show alterations in eating behaviour characterized by constant increased energy intake. As it occurs in obesity caused by genetic leptin deficiency, exogenous leptin rapidly reduces hunger scores in patients with congenital generalized lipodystrophy, with additional beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis and metabolic profile normalization. The melanocortin-4 receptor agonist setmelanotide has been used in the treatment of monogenic obesities. There is only one report on the effect of setmelanotide in a patient with partial lipodystrophy resulting in mild reductions in hunger scores, with no improvements in metabolic status. The assessment of contrasting phenotypes of obesity/leanness represents an adequate strategy to understand the pathophysiology and altered eating behaviour associated with adipose tissue excessive accumulation/paucity.

Quality characteristics of fresh loin and cooked ham muscles as affected by genetic background of commercial pigs.

This study was performed to investigate meat quality traits of loin and ham of commercial pigs as affected by genetic differences in carcass and growth traits of the parent lines. Three hybrid sow lines were crossbred with two types of Belgian Piétrain with different breeding goals (BPgrowth and BPcarcass emphasizing daily growth and carcass conformation, respectively). Pig live performance and carcass quality of 270 offspring were measured, and meat quality of the loin and (cooked) ham was evaluated on 216 animals. Despite the differences in pig live performance and carcass quality for sow line, little effect on meat quality was observed. Only a lower (p < 0.05) intramuscular fat content of ham and a tendency (p < 0.1) toward lower cooking yield was observed in offspring of the sow line with the highest versus the lowest carcass lean content. Loin traits were only weakly associated with fresh and cooked ham quality traits.