Weaker connectivity in resting state networks is associated with disinhibited eating in older adults

Background/objectives Obesity affects more than forty percent of adults over the age of sixty. Aberrant eating styles such as disinhibition have been associated with the engagement of brain networks underlying executive functioning, attentional control, and interoception. However, these effects have been exclusively studied in young samples overlooking those most at risk of obesity related harm. Methods Here we assessed associations between resting-state functional connectivity and disinhibited eating (using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire) in twenty-one younger (aged 19–34 years, BMI range: 18–31) and twenty older (aged 60–73 years, BMI range: 19–32) adults matched for BMI. The Alternative Healthy Eating Index was used to quantify diet quality. Results Older, compared to younger, individuals reported lower levels of disinhibited eating, consumed a healthier diet, and had weaker connectivity in the frontoparietal (FPN) and default mode (DMN) networks. In addition, associations between functional connectivity and eating behaviour differed between the two age groups. In older adults, disinhibited eating was associated with weaker connectivity in the FPN and DMN––effects that were absent in the younger sample. Importantly, these effects could not be explained by differences in habitual diet. Conclusions These findings point to a change in interoceptive signalling as part of the ageing process, which may contribute to behavioural changes in energy intake, and highlight the importance of studying this under researched population.

The effects of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate on eating behaviour and homeostatic, reward and cognitive processes in women with binge-eating symptoms: an experimental medicine study

Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX) is the only drug currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of Binge-Eating Disorder (BED), but little is known about the behavioural mechanisms that underpin the efficacy of LDX in treating BED. We examined the behavioural and neural effects of an acute dose of LDX (50 mg) in 22 women with binge-eating symptomatology using a randomised, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental medicine design. LDX reduced self-reported appetite ratings and intake of both a pasta meal and a palatable cookie snack. LDX also decreased the eating rate of pasta but not of cookies and reduced self-reported liking ratings for pasta at the end of the meal. When viewing food pictures during an fMRI scan, LDX reduced activity bilaterally in the thalamus. LDX enhanced sustained attention and reduced impulsive responding in a continuous performance task but had no effect on emotional bias or working memory. These results suggest the observed effects of LDX on food intake (and by implication the efficacy of LDX in treating BED) may be related to the actions of the drug to enhance satiety, reduce food-related reward responding when full and/or increase cognitive control. Novel pharmacotherapies for BED might be most effective if they have a broad spectrum of effects on appetite, reward and cognition.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for an Adolescent with Anorexia Nervosa

Introduction: The treatment of anorexia nervosa remains a matter of much debate. Though cognitive behavioural therapy would seem to offer good results, there is still no resounding evidence pointing to a single treatment of choice. The case presented in this paper examines the treatment with CBT of a patient presenting anorexia nervosa. Evaluation/diagnosis: An adolescent girl, 17 years of age, voluntarily attends psychological therapy to address eating behaviour problems. After administering the EAT-26, EDI-2, and BSQ standardised screening tests, as well as a clinical interview for assessment, a psychopathological profile is obtained, providing a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, restricting subtype. Therapeutic goals: The therapeutic goals set were to reach a healthy weight for the patient’s age and height (specified as a minimum BMI of 18.5) and change the structure of thoughts, feelings, and behaviour that was justifying and maintaining the disorder. Treatment: Treatment lasted for 33 sessions and used cognitive behavioural techniques, such as cognitive restructuring, response cost, and positive reinforcement, in addition to family intervention techniques. Nutrition therapy was also carried out in parallel to the treatment sessions. Results: Following eight months of weekly sessions, the patient reached the target weight and changed attitudes towards food and body image, replacing them with healthy thoughts and behaviours. Follow-up made one and two years after the end of the treatment saw that these results were maintained. Discussion and conclusions: In this case, CBT proved effective in achieving the patient’s physical and psychological recovery. Therefore, this case contributes to the evidence of the efficacy of this therapeutic approach in certain cases of ED.

Feasibility and Acceptability of ‘VitaVillage’: A Serious Game for Nutrition Education

Computer games have previously been used to improve nutrition knowledge in children. This paper describes the acceptability and feasibility of a serious game, “VitaVillage”, for improving child nutrition knowledge. VitaVillage is a farming-style game in which the player undertakes quests and completes questions aimed at increasing several aspects of nutrition and healthy eating knowledge. Children aged 9–12 years in two primary schools (control vs. intervention) completed a nutrition knowledge questionnaire at baseline (T1) and after 1 week (T2). Participants at the intervention school (n = 75) played VitaVillage for 20 minutes on two occasions. Control participants (n = 94) received no nutrition education. Likeability question scores and written feedback from intervention participants was reported qualitatively. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare T1 and T2 nutrition knowledge changes between control and intervention participants. Engagement with VitaVillage improved children’s overall nutrition knowledge (Mean increase of 2.25 points between T1 and T2, Standard Deviation (SD) 6.31, p = 0.035) compared to controls. The game was liked overall (mean score 77 (SD 24.6) on scale of 0–100) and positive feedback was given. Results indicate that VitaVillage has the potential to be successful as a nutrition education tool. In the future, VitaVillage’s content and gameplay will be revised, extended and evaluated for its long-term impact on eating behaviour and knowledge changes.

A Generation Shift in Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Its Association with Biological Markers and Health in Dalmatia, Croatia

Previous studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of a Mediterranean diet in mitigating health issues related to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. However, rapid changes in the traditional way of life and the “westernization” of the diet in Mediterranean populations, especially in younger generations, has led to progressive abandonment of healthy dietary patterns. In order to investigate the generation shift in dietary patterns and lifestyle habits in the Mediterranean part of Croatia, we compared two cohorts of 610 women (266 pregnant and 344 non-pregnant) from the same region, but from different age groups. The MDSS score was derived from food frequency questionnaires. The results showed that the young, reproductively active generation (pregnant women) in Dalmatia, Croatia, although having a higher education and socioeconomic status, exhibits a more adverse eating behaviour (lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet) and lifestyle (excessive smoking in pregnancy) than the older population from the same region. Lower MDSS scores across aggregated age groups in both cohorts showed significant association with higher blood lipid levels and higher smoking frequency. In conclusion, Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with biological markers (age, lipid profile) and lifestyle (smoking) in our study, with a more adverse trend observed in the younger generation.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Diet Review

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease related to upper and lower motor neurons degeneration. Although the environmental and genetic causes of this disease are still unclear, some factors involved in ALS onset such as oxidative stress may be influenced by diet. A higher risk of ALS has been correlated with a high fat and glutamate intake and β-methylamino-L-alanine. On the contrary, a diet based on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, such as curcumin, creatine, coenzyme Q10, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, and phytochemicals could reduce the risk of ALS. However, data are controversial as there is a discrepancy among different studies due to a limited number of samples and the many variables that are involved. In addition, an improper diet could lead to an altered microbiota and consequently to an altered metabolism that could predispose to the ALS onset. In this review we summarized some research that involve aspects related to ALS such as the epidemiology, the diet, the eating behaviour, the microbiota, and the metabolic diseases. Further research is needed to better comprehend the role of diet and the metabolic diseases in the mechanisms leading to ALS onset and progression.

Mindful eating for overweight and obese women in Brazil: An exploratory mixed-methods pilot study

Background: Worldwide, approximately 95% of obese people who follow diets for weight loss fail to maintain their weight loss in the long term. To fill this gap, mindfulness-based interventions, with a focus on mindful eating, are promising therapies to address this challenging public health issue. Aim: To verify the effects of the Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) protocol by exploring quantitative and qualitative data collected from Brazilian women. Methods: A single-group, mixed-methods trial was conducted at a public university with adult women ( n = 34). Four MB-EAT groups were offered weekly for 2.5-h sessions over 12 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included body mass index (BMI) and self-report measures of anxiety, depression, mindfulness, self-compassion, and eating behaviour. Qualitative information was collected using focus groups in the last session of each group, including both participants and MB-EAT instructors. The qualitative data were examined using thematic analyses and empirical categories. Results: Twenty participants (58.8%) completed both pre- and post-intervention assessments, with adequate attendance (≥4 sessions). There was a significant average decrease in weight of 1.9 ± 0.6 kg from pre- to post-intervention. All participants who had scored at the risk level for eating disorders on the EAT-26 decreased their score below this risk level. Qualitative analysis identified that participants were able to engage a more compassionate perspective on themselves, as well as greater self-awareness and self-acceptance. Conclusion: The MB-EAT showed preliminary efficacy in promoting weight loss and improvements in mindfulness and eating behaviour. This intervention promoted effects beyond those expected, extending to other life contexts.

Association between marginally low birth weight and obesity-related outcomes indirect effects via ADHD and abnormal eating

Background: Evidence of the association between children born with marginally low birth weight (MLBW) and obesity-related outcomes was controversial, and our study aimed to examine the role of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or abnormal eating in these associations. Methods: A retrospective cohort study consisting of 677 Chinese children was conducted. Obesity-related outcomes (BMI, waist circumference, skin fold thickness, body fat, blood pressure, lipids and blood glucose), behaviour problems (ADHD and eating behaviour) and birth weight were collected. Mediation analyses were used to explore whether ADHD and/or abnormal eating was an intermediary factor in the MLBW-OB relationship. Results: The children with MLBW tended to have higher skin fold thickness, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, waistline, body fat and abdominal obesity risks. Birth weight was negatively related to obesity-related outcomes, and the associations were mediated, partially, by increased risk of ADHD or abnormal eating behaviour after adjustment for BMI z-score. Furthermore, lower birth weight predicted higher waist circumference indirectly through emotional overeating caused by ADHD (β: -0.10; 95% CI: -0.19, -0.01). Conclusion: Our study suggests the hypothetical role of ADHD and abnormal eating as underlying mechanisms in the association between MBLW and obesity-related outcomes, which provides novel scientific evidence for interventions of childhood development.

Socio-demographic Factors and Eating Behaviors Among Nurses in A Teaching Hospital

Nurses are known as shift workers. Shift work can disrupt regular meal habits resulting in abnormal eating behaviour. Hence, this study aims to determine the relationship between socio-demographic factors and eating behaviour. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 135 nurses using a self-administered questionnaire. This study found that the shift duties factor was significantly associated with emotional and external eating behaviour. This might be caused by how nurses cope with the burden of shift works. Health promotion strategies from both individuals and organisations should be intensified for these nurses to enhance healthy eating habits and promote healthy lifestyles. Keywords: eating behaviour; shift duty; nurses eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i18.3071

The Role of Attentional Bias in Excessive Food Consumption

<p>New Zealand obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions. Excessive eating not only harms individual health, but also the NZ economy; health-related costs soar with rising obesity rates. The need to understand possible mechanisms driving excessive eating behaviour is now crucial. One cognitive mechanism thought to contribute to excessive eating is an attentional bias towards food stimuli. We propose this bias would be similar to the attentional bias that is consistently shown with emotional stimuli (e.g. erotic and mutilation images). In this thesis I examined attentional biases towards food stimuli and how they relate to both state (hunger) and trait (waist circumference) factors. In Experiment 1, I investigated the existence of a food-related attentional bias and whether this bias is stronger towards high calorie food images, compared to low-calorie and non-food images (household objects). Participants were asked to fast for 2 hours (to promote self-reported hunger) before completing a distraction task. This task has repeatedly shown an attentional bias to high arousal emotional images (erotic and mutilation scenes). On each trial, participants had to determine whether a target letter was a ‘K’ or an ‘N’, while ignoring centrally-presented distractors (high calorie, low calorie and household object images). Compared to scrambled images, all image types were similarly distracting. We found no support for the existence of an attentional bias towards food stimuli; nor did we find a significant association between the bias and either state or trait factors. Experiment 2 sought to conceptually replicate Cunningham & Egeth (2018) who found significant support for the existence of a food-related attentional bias. Participants completed a similar task. However, distractor relevance was manipulated by incorporating both central and peripheral distractors, to increase ecological validity. Additionally, participants were asked to fast for longer (4 hours) to increase self-reported hunger. Despite a significant distraction effect (participants were more distracted on distractor present vs. distractor absent trials) and distractor-location effect (participants were more distracted by central vs. peripheral distractors), participants did not exhibit an attentional bias towards food stimuli. Furthermore, no significant associations between the bias and either state or trait factors were found. Thus, food stimuli do not appear to rapidly capture attention the way that emotional stimuli do, at least not in this task. Future research is needed to clarify the role of cognitive mechanisms in excessive eating behaviour.</p>