Individual and Family Factors in Disordered Eating Patterns of Mexican-American Women

Objective: In this study, we examined the contribution of individual- (acculturation, body mass index, and body size satisfaction) and family- (maternal weight-related messages and disordered eating patterns) level factors in predicting bulimic and dieting behaviors in young Mexican-American women with overweight or obesity. Methods: We recruited adult Mexican- American mother-daughter dyads from the community. We conducted correlational analysis and hierarchical regression. Results: Daughters who were less satisfied with their body size reported higher symptoms of bulimic (r = -.34, p < .01) or dieting behavior (r = -.36, p < .01). Daughters who received more positive maternal messages on eating and weight had mothers with lower symptoms of bulimic (r = -.43, p < .01) or dieting behavior (r = -.30, p < .05). Maternal symptoms of bulimic behavior were the strongest predictor of daughters' bulimic behavior (ß = .379, p = .007), and body size satisfaction was the strongest predictor of daughters' dieting behavior (ß = -.372, p = .008) in adjusted models. Conclusion: Mexican-American women who are less satisfied with their body size and have mothers with elevated symptoms of bulimic behavior are at risk for disordered eating patterns. Intervening at the individual level on body image and family level on maternal modeling of eating behavior may help support healthy weight management behaviors.

Functional gastrointestinal symptoms and increased risk for orthorexia nervosa

Purpose Recent guidelines point out the possible risk for orthorexia nervosa in functional gastrointestinal disorders, however, to date, no study has investigated this association. The present study aimed to explore the potential relationship between irritable bowel syndrome-related functional gastrointestinal symptoms and certain maladaptive eating behaviours, such as symptoms of orthorexia nervosa and emotional eating. Methods A sample of 644 Hungarian volunteers (Mage = 22.37; SDage = 3.95) completed a survey with the following questionnaires: the Rome IV Diagnostic Questionnaire (R4DQ) for adults—Irritable bowel syndrome module for the measurement of functional gastrointestinal symptoms, the Hungarian version of the ORTO-15 questionnaire (ORTO-11-Hu) to assess symptoms of orthorexia nervosa, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) Emotional Eating subscale to measure symptoms of emotional eating and the Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) for the assessment of health anxiety. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to explore the associations between the measured variables, and structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed mediation models. Results Functional gastrointestinal symptoms were positively related to symptoms of orthorexia nervosa and emotional eating. The relationship between functional gastrointestinal symptoms and symptoms of orthorexia nervosa was partially mediated by health anxiety, while the association between functional gastrointestinal symptoms and symptoms of emotional eating was partially mediated by symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. Conclusion Our findings highlight the possible risk for developing orthorexic symptoms in functional gastrointestinal symptoms, which could lead to other types of disordered eating patterns, such as emotional eating. The results also underscore the potential role of health anxiety in these relationships. Level of evidence Level V (descriptive cross-sectional study).

Relationship between energy availability, energy conservation and cognitive restraint with performance measures in male endurance athletes

Background Low energy availability in male athletes has gained a lot of attention in recent years, but direct evidence of its effects on health and performance is lacking. The aim of this research was to objectively measure energy availability (EA) in healthy male endurance athletes without pre-existing relative energy deficiency signs during pre-race season. Methods Twelve trained endurance athletes (performance level 3, 4, and 5) participated in the cross-sectional controlled laboratory study. Fat-free mass, exercise energy expenditure, and energy intake were measured to calculate EA. Resting energy expenditure was measured and estimated to assess energy conservation. Three specific performance tests were used to assess endurance, agility, and explosive strength performance. For psychological evaluation, the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and a short Well-being questionnaire were completed. Results Mean EA was 29.5 kcal/kg FFM/day. The majority (66.6%) had EA under the threshold for low EA in females. Critical cognitive restraint (≥13) was reported by 75% of participants. There were no differences in performance, blood values, or psychological evaluation when subjects were divided into two groups divided by EA = 30 kcal/kg FFM/day. Cognitive restraint was negatively associated with measured resting energy expenditure and energy conservation (r = −.578, p = .025 and r = −.549, p = .032, respectively). Conclusions The mean EA measured in this study supports the theory that the threshold for low EA in endurance male athletes might be under the threshold for females. In addition, we confirmed cognitive restraint could be useful for early detection of energy conservation. The high cognitive restraint as measured in our sample stressed the need of eating behavior screening in endurance athletes in order to reduce risk of any disordered eating patterns.

Measuring Energy Availability and Energy Conservation in Endurance Athletes in the Pre-Race Period

Background: Low energy availability in male athletes has gained a lot of attention in the last years, but direct evidence of its effects on health and performance is lacking. Aim of this research was to objectively measure energy availability (EA) in healthy male endurance athletes without pre-existing relative energy deficiency signs during pre-race season. Methods: 12 trained endurance athletes (performance level 3, 4 and 5) participated in the cross-sectional controlled laboratory study. Fat free mass, exercise energy expenditure and energy intake were measured to calculate EA. Resting energy expenditure was measured and estimated to assess energy conservation. Three specific performance tests were used to assess endurance, agility and explosive strength performance. For psychological evaluation, the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and a short Well-being questionnaire were completed.Results: Mean EA was 29.5 kcal/kg FFM/day. The majority (66.6%) had EA under the threshold for low EA in females. Critical cognitive restriction (≥13) was reported by 75% of participants. There were no differences in performance, blood values or psychological evaluation when subjects were divided into two groups divided by EA=30kcal/kg FFM/day. Cognitive restriction was negatively associated with measured resting energy expenditure and energy conservation (r=-.578, p=.025 and r=-.549, p=.032, respectively).Conclusions: The mean EA measured in this study supports the theory that the threshold for low EA in endurance male athletes might be under the threshold for females. In addition, we confirmed cognitive restriction could be useful for early detection of energy conservation. The high cognitive restriction as measured in our sample stressed the need of eating behavior screening in endurance athletes in order to reduce risk of any disordered eating patterns.

Food 'four' thought : examining sigma-1 receptor antagonist PD144418 on food reinforced behaviors

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] A large number of individuals consume a poor diet, including food and beverages that are high in fat, salts, and/or sugar, often in conjunction with a lack of exercise. Alterations in one's feeding behaviors have implications as it relates to the prevention and treatment of one's risk of obesity and of common health consequences associated with being overweight or obese. Therefore, exploring a potential pharmacological manipulation of feeding behaviors could provide a treatment option for those who have disordered eating patterns. The potent and selective sigma-1 receptor antagonist PD144418 was examined as a potential therapeutic target regarding motivational aspects of food-reinforced operant behaviors. Additionally, experiments looked at whether biological factors (i.e., sex) and physiological factors (i.e., energy intake and physical activity) moderate the effects. Results indicated PD144418 decreases an animal's motivational effort, or work, for food pellets but has no impact on the consumption of freely available food pellets. Such effects on motivational effort to work for food occur regardless of sex. However, alterations in physiological factors, such as energy intake, appear to be sex dependent as PD144418 selectively reduces female motivation for food during negative energy balance. Moreover, in males, PD144418, in conjunction with access to voluntary physical activity, does not alter food-reinforced operant responding. How PD144418 may be exerting its effects on motivational aspects of feeding is via alterations in dopaminergic signaling, as coadministration of PD144418 along with an intra-accumbens infusion of d-amphetamine, a dopamine agonist, but not DAMGO, a mu-opioid agonist attenuates operant responding.

Disordered Eating Patterns and Sexual Self-Esteem in Married Women: The Mediating Role of Body Image Concern

Introduction: The contemporary psychology is looking for numerous mediators and risk factors that may exacerbate the marital relationship with regard to the consequences of disordered eating patterns in general and sexual satisfaction in particular. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of body image concern in the relationship between disordered eating patterns and sexual self-esteem in married women. Methods: The participants of this study were 213 married women who referred to the nutrition department of Kazerun City in 2019 and were selected by available sampling method. To collect data, Eating Attitudes Test (Garner & Garfinkel, 1979), Body Image Concern Inventory (Littleton et al., 2005), and Sexual Self-Esteem Inventory for Women (Zeanah, Schwarz, 1996) were used. Results: The results of structural equation modeling indicated that the three subscales of disordered eating patterns were directly associated with sexual self-esteem. Of the above-mentioned patterns, only the "overeating and food preoccupation" pattern affected sexual self-esteem indirectly by mediating of body image concern (β= -0.14, P< 0.01). Therefore, it can be argued that overeating and food preoccupation reduced the sexual self-esteem in married women by increasing the body image concern. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study indicated the importance of simultaneous attention to disordered diets and body image concern for predicting sexual self-esteem in married women.

Effects of family dynamics on disordered eating patterns and behaviors: Evidence from Cyprus

The current study aimed a) to examine family dynamics in Cyprus and possible influences on disordered eating patterns and behaviors, b) to assess the relationships between the quality of family dynamics and unhealthy eating practices, and c) to reinvestigate the already established relationship between dieting and problematic eating patterns and behaviors. The sample consisted of 109 females between 18 and 30 years old. The majority of the female participants reported that their families are cohesive and flexible, have low levels of disengagement, enmeshment, rigidity and chaos and high levels of communication with most aspects of their families. However, family satisfaction did not provide clear results. Furthermore, results also indicated a positive relationship between rigidity in families and the measures of eating disturbances. Additionally, and as expected, the results were consistent with the well-known assertion that dieting contributes to the development of disordered eating patterns and behaviors. The current findings offer important additional information to the disordered eating literature of females in Cyprus by providing information of how family dynamics can influence the development of problematic eating patterns and behaviors. The current study supports the need for the implementation of preventive and intervention plans to Cypriot young females and their families which promote healthy eating behaviors.