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Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) is seemingly involved in appetite control. Acute exercise increases GDF15 concentrations in lean humans, but acute and long-term effects of exercise on GDF15 in individuals with overweight/obesity are unknown. We investigated the effects of acute exercise and exercise training on GDF15 concentrations in individuals with overweight/obesity and associations with appetite and cardiometabolic markers. 90 physically inactive adults (20–45 years) with overweight/obesity were randomized to 6-months habitual lifestyle (CON, n=16), or isocaloric exercise of moderate (MOD, n=37) or vigorous intensity (VIG, n=37), 5 days/week. Testing was performed at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Plasma GDF15 concentrations, other metabolic markers, and subjective appetite were assessed fasted and in response to acute exercise before an ad libitum meal. Cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, insulin sensitivity, and intraabdominal adipose tissue were measured. At baseline, GDF15 increased 18% (95%CI: 4; 34) immediately after acute exercise and 32% (16; 50) 60 min post-exercise. Fasting GDF15 increased 21% (0; 46) in VIG after 3 months (p=0.045), but this attenuated at 6 months (13% (−11; 43), p=0.316) and was unchanged in MOD (11% (−6; 32), p=0.224, across 3 and 6 months). Post-exercise GDF15 did not change in MOD or VIG. GDF15 was not associated with appetite or energy intake. Higher GDF15 was associated with lower cardiorespiratory fitness, central obesity, dyslipidemia, and poorer glycemic control. In conclusion, GDF15 increased in response to acute exercise but was unaffected by exercise training. Higher GDF15 concentrations were associated with a less favorable cardiometabolic profile but not with markers of appetite. This suggests that GDF15 increases in response to acute exercise independent of training state. Whether this has an impact on free-living energy intake and body weight management needs investigation.

To explore how chronic stress, reactivity to acute stress, and obesogenic eating are linked in adolescent females predisposed to obesity.Participants included 21 adolescent females (msubage/sub = 14.57 years) and their biological mothers with obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/msup2/sup). The pilot and feasibility study involved adolescent self-report of chronic stress, an acute stress-induction paradigm (Trier Social Stress Task, TSST), salivary cortisol collection to assess stress reactivity, and both subjective (self-report) and objective (snack buffet) measures of obesogenic eating.Adolescent females reporting high chronic stress were significantly more likely to engage in self-reported emotional and external eating and to have higher food cravings (p'slt; .05) compared to adolescents with low chronic stress. Effect size estimates suggested a blunting effect of cortisol in the high chronic stress group. Blunted cortisol reactivity significantly predicted higher self-reported food cravings for the high chronic stress group (p = .04). Associations among chronic stress, cortisol, and self-reported and objective obesogenic eating reflected medium to large effect sizes.This study built on limited extant research on stress and eating to demonstrate that chronic stress was associated with self-reported obesogenic eating patterns in adolescent females predisposed to obesity. Different patterns of cortisol reactivity and eating emerged depending on chronic stress group (low versus high). Understanding these eating patterns in the context of chronic stress can inform interventions to reduce obesity risks in adolescence.

Affect regulation theory proposes that loss-of-control (LOC)-eating is preceded by increases and followed by decreases in negative affect (NA), but empirical tests of this theory among pediatric samples in the natural environment are needed. Using an ecological momentary assessment approach, we conducted post-hoc analyses to examine LOC-eating severity reported during post-meal surveys in relation to the intensity of composite NA and NA components (anger, anxiety, depression, guilt) throughout the day for two weeks in a cohort of healthy children and adolescents. Multilevel models tested the associations among LOC-eating severity and NA components reported at pre-meal surveys (t-1), post-meal surveys (t), and lagged post-meal surveys (t+1). Models were adjusted for sex, age, race/ethnicity, height, fat mass, socioeconomic status, and time between the occurrence and report of eating episodes; post-meal analyses were also adjusted for pre-meal NA. Participants age 8-17 (N = 100; 55% female; 45% male; 12.83 ± 2.73y; 24% with overweight/obesity) recorded 2410 eating episodes. Pre-meal composite NA and NA components were not associated with LOC-eating severity at the subsequent meal. LOC-eating severity was positively associated with post-meal depression (β = 0.042, 95% CI = 0.007, 0.076) and guilt (β = 0.056, 95% CI = 0.017, 0.095), but not composite negative affect, anger, or anxiety. The positive association among LOC-eating severity and guilt persisted in lagged post-meal analyses (β = 0.075, 95% CI = 0.021, 0.128). Contrary to affect regulation theory and laboratory data, but consistent with prior ecological momentary assessment data in children and adolescents, pre-meal NA was not linked to subsequent LOC-eating. Increased guilt following meals may be a mechanism for the development of exacerbated disordered eating. Longitudinal studies may elucidate how NA is implicated in the etiology of pediatric eating disorders.

Food addiction (FA) is a psychological construct that may be involved in the etiology of obesity. The cannabinoid system is involved in the addictive-like food preferences by acting on the dopaminergic pathway of the brain. β-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid that is a cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptor agonist. This study explored the impacts of β-caryophyllene supplementation on eating behavior, appetite, mental health, anthropometric parameters, body composition, and some hormones related to appetite in women with obesity diagnosed with FA. Women with obesity and FA, diagnosed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale Score (YFAS-S) ≥3, were randomly allocated to receive a β-caryophyllene softgel (n = 26) (100 mg/daily with meal) or placebo (n = 26) for 8 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, eating behavior, biochemical markers, dietary intake, appetite, stress, anxiety, and depression were evaluated during the study period. β-caryophyllene administration significantly reduced YFAS-S compared to the placebo group (changes in FA score: 1.5 ± 0.9 vs. - 0.7 ± 1.4; corrected P = 0.05). Serum levels of orexin-A significantly decreased in the β-caryophyllene group (p = 0.02); however, no significant difference was observed compared to the placebo group (corrected P = 0.09). β-caryophyllene supplementation had no significant effect on body composition, anthropometric indices, appetite, eating behavior, dietary intake, physical activity level, mental health, and levels of oxytocin and neuropeptide Y (NPY), compared to the placebo. β-caryophyllene supplementation may have beneficial effects on improving YFAS-S in women with obesity diagnosed with FA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials identifier: IRCT20200914048712N1.

Obesity and other eating disorders are marked by dysregulations to brain metabolic, hedonic, motivational, and sensory systems that control food intake. Classic approaches in hunger research have distinguished between hedonic and homeostatic processes, and have mostly treated these systems as independent. Hindbrain structures and a complex network of interconnected hypothalamic nuclei control metabolic processes, energy expenditure, and food intake while mesocorticolimbic structures are though to control hedonic and motivational processes associated with food reward. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that hedonic and homeostatic brain systems do not function in isolation, but rather interact as part of a larger network that regulates food intake. Incentive theories of motivation provide a useful route to explore these interactions. Adapting incentive theories of motivation can enable researchers to better understand how motivational systems dysfunction during disease. Obesity and addiction are associated with profound alterations to both hedonic and homeostatic brain systems that result in maladaptive patterns of consumption. A subset of individuals with obesity may experience pathological cravings for food due to incentive sensitization of brain systems that generate excessive 'wanting' to eat. Further progress in understanding how the brain regulates hunger and appetite may depend on merging traditional hedonic and homeostatic concepts of food reward and motivation.

Obesity and Binge-Eating Disorder (BED) are prevalent conditions that are associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. There is evidence that the use of pharmacotherapy alongside behavioural treatments can improve quality of life and reduce disease risk for patients with these disorders. However, there are few approved drug therapies for obesity, and these are limited by poor efficacy and/or side effects and only one drug has been approved for the treatment of BED. There is considerable potential to use experimental medicine models to identify new drug treatments for obesity and BED, with greater efficacy and an improved side effect profile, at an early stage of development. Here, we present a model developed in our laboratory that incorporates both behavioural and neuroimaging measures which can be used to facilitate drug development for obesity and BED. The results from validation studies conducted to date using our model suggest that it is sensitive to the effects of agents with behavioural, neurophysiological and neuropharmacological mechanisms of action known to be associated with weight loss and reductions in binge eating. Future studies using the model will be valuable to evaluate the potential efficacy and side-effects of new candidate drugs at an early stage in the development pipeline for both obesity and BED.

There is a strong relationship between stress and the intake of calorically-dense palatable food. Additionally, intake of sodas is an important contributory factor to obesity, and is often associated with palatable food consumption. We studied the effects of 2-h intermittent access to sucrose-sweetened water (SSW, 12.3%, soda-like) and its schedule of administration on the response to chronic variable stress in mice fed a high-fat, high-sugar diet. C57BL/6 mice (n = 64) had access to water or to both water and 2-h SSW during 5 weeks, in addition to their diet. After the first two weeks, half of the animals from each group were stressed daily using a chronic variable stress (CVS) paradigm, while the other half were kept undisturbed. During the CVS exposure period, 2-h SSW access was either scheduled randomly, right before the stressors or right after the stressors. The effects of SSW and its schedule of administration on dietary intake, stress hormones and adiposity were analyzed. Results showed a larger consumption of SSW and higher bodyweight gain in mice receiving SSW after the stressor. In addition, SSW consumption was shown to affect appetite regulation by reducing CCK sensitivity. The present study suggests that SSW leads to overconsumption and weight gain only if provided after exposure to stress. These findings may implicate a relation between exposure to stress, binge-drinking behaviors of sugar sweetened beverages that ensues, and weight gain in humans consuming a western diet.

Some food parenting practices (FPPs) are associated with obesogenic dietary intake in non-Hispanic youth, but studies in Hispanics/Latinos are limited. We examined how FPPs relate to obesogenic dietary intake using cross-sectional data from 1214 Hispanic/Latino 8–16-year-olds and their parents/caregivers in the Hispanic Community Children’s Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth). Diet was assessed with 2 24-hour dietary recalls. Obesogenic items were snack foods, sweets, and high-sugar beverages. Three FPPs (Rules and Limits, Monitoring, and Pressure to Eat) derived from the Parenting strategies for Eating and Activity Scale (PEAS) were assessed. K-means cluster analysis identified 5 groups of parents with similar FPP scores. Survey-weighted multiple logistic regression examined associations of cluster membership with diet. Parents in the controlling (high scores for all FPPs) vs. indulgent (low scores for all FPPs) cluster had a 1.75 (95% CI: 1.02, 3.03) times higher odds of having children with high obesogenic dietary intake. Among parents of 12–16-year-olds, membership in the pressuring (high Pressure to Eat, low Rules and Limits and Monitoring scores) vs. indulgent cluster was associated with a 2.96 (95% CI: 1.51, 5.80) times greater odds of high obesogenic dietary intake. All other associations were null. Future longitudinal examinations of FPPs are needed to determine temporal associations with obesogenic dietary intake in Hispanic/Latino youth.

Socioeconomic status is one of the strongest predictors of obesity, and of living in deprived neighbourhoods with unhealthy food environments. Little is known, however, about the psychological processes that translate features of such environments into socioeconomic differences in eating behaviour. One important feature of unhealthy food environments is the prevalence of oversized portions of unhealthy food. The present study tested whether individuals with lower socioeconomic status intend to consume more from large portions than those with higher socioeconomic status, and examined the psychological processes underlying this effect. A large-scale online experiment was conducted in which participants (N = 511) indicated how much they would eat from small and large portions of healthy and unhealthy snacks. The mediating effects of trait impulsivity and perceptions of how much was considered appropriate to eat were also assessed. Participants with lower socioeconomic status intended to eat more from the large portions than from the small portions of the unhealthy snacks, which would equate to a potential 15-22% increase in energy intake. These effects were partially mediated by trait impulsivity and perceptions of how much is appropriate to eat. These findings point to a significant health burden of low socioeconomic status: when exposed to unhealthy food environments, specific psychological processes might increase the amount of unhealthy food those with lower socioeconomic intend to consume. This study critically informs the emerging understanding of the psychology of socioeconomic status and eating behaviour.

Ability to restrain one's dietary intake is a necessary skill for weight loss. However, dietary restraint has been shown to paradoxically increase disinhibited eating in certain populations, thereby negatively impacting weight loss and leading to worse overall health outcomes. The aim of this study was to address gaps in the literature regarding the relationships between separate facets of dietary restraint (intention; behavior) with weight loss and various types of disinhibited eating (binge eating, external eating, emotional eating) in overweight and obese adults who recently completed a weight loss intervention. A sample of mostly male Veterans with overweight and obesity (N = 88) self-reported their dietary restraint intention, restraint behavior, and current disinhibited eating following completion of an 8-week behavioral weight loss treatment. Greater dietary restraint intention was related to greater dietary restraint behavior, p .05. Greater dietary restraint intention was related to greater current binge eating and external eating, while greater self-reported restraint behavior was related to less binge eating, p

The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) is an important measure to assess parent feeding practices as it encompasses a broad range of feeding behaviors, not just behaviors negatively associated with child weight outcomes. However, parent feeding practices have been shown to differ across ethnicities and the CFPQ has not been tested among low-income, Hispanic-American parents with preschool-aged children, a group at elevated risk for developing obesity. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed with the present Hispanic-American sample of Head Start mothers with preschoolers to confirm the original 12-factor, 49-item structure of the CFPQ. Because the original factor structure was not confirmed in the present Hispanic-American sample, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the CFPQ in this sample (n = 187). Among this sample, a five-factor model with 34 items was found to more appropriately assess parent feeding practices than the original 12-factor, 49-item CFPQ. This study provides preliminary validation of the CFPQ for use among low income, Hispanic-American families. Although future research is needed to replicate findings among a larger sample, this study takes an important first step toward more accurately assessing parent feeding practices among this high-risk population to inform tailored interventions that aim to reduce economic and ethnic disparities in child obesity.

The current family mealtime literature shows that assessments of the mealtime environment are typically self-report, yet few studies discuss validation techniques or report using validated scales. As such, the current analysis was conducted to validate one of the only published measures to assess the mealtime environment from the adolescent perspective. Specifically, the Childhood Family Mealtime Questionnaire (CFMQ) was evaluated in a sample of 280 overweight and obese Hispanic adolescents to address the need for a validated measure of the family mealtime environment in a demographic that is disproportionately affected by the current obesity epidemic. Results of an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the optimal factor structure, reliability, and validity for a revised, abbreviated CFMQ are presented here. The concurrent validity of the CFMQ was evaluated using correlations between the factor structures and the previously used, culturally appropriate comparable measure of family functioning. Correlations were also computed between factor scores and obesogenic outcomes (fruit and vegetable intake, added sugar intake, and physical activity). Analyses produced a revised, abbreviated version that includes 22 items (reduced from a total of 69 items) and consists of the following 4 factors: family mealtime communication (5 items), family mealtime stress (7 items), appearance weight control (5 items), and mealtime structure (6 items). Cronbach’s alphas are reported for reliability. When examining CFMQ concurrent validity with the family functioning latent variable, results showed the family mealtime communication subscale ranked highest. Additionally, the family mealtime communication subscale was associated with all three obesogenic outcomes. This abbreviated CFMQ may be a useful tool for those studying family mealtime environments and their influence on obesity and its associated lifestyle behaviors.

Despite increasing evidence that childhood obesity may be related to impairments in executive function, the evidence supporting the relation between executive function (EF) and dietary intake, a key factor linked to obesity, is mixed. Although research from the obesity literature often interprets EF as a factor that may influence dietary intake, there is also evidence that dietary intake may influence EF. Drawing on a developmental perspective, this systematic review examines the literature on the link between executive function (i.e., inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) and dietary intake in youth through the inclusion of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies aimed at altering either dietary intake or EF as a way to influence the other. In total, 5650 studies were screened for eligibility. Twenty-six studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Results indicated that the relation between executive function and dietary intake is equivocal. Although there is some support for a cross-sectional relation between executive function and dietary intake, the lack of longitudinal studies makes it difficult to make conclusions about directionality. Findings from intervention studies do not support the effectiveness of short-term manipulations on dietary intake to change subsequent EF, and few intervention studies exist that explicitly aim to “train” EF to change subsequent dietary intake. Furthermore, the wide variety of measures used to assess EF and dietary intake, and the lack of consideration of the role that weight status may play in the relation between EF and dietary intake, make overall interpretation of the literature more difficult. In sum, there is a need for more prospective research examining a variety of ages, domains of EF, and weight statuses, taking into account developmental factors.

The use of lifelogging device in dietary assessments can reduce misreporting and underreporting, which are common in the previous studies conventional methods. We performed the first study in Chinese children (primary school Grade 4) that applied the wearable cameras in assisting dietary recall. Children (n = 52) wore the wearable cameras (Narrative Clip 2) for seven consecutive days, during which they completed a 3-day 24-h dietary recall at home. Then children modified their dietary recalls at school by reviewing the photos taken by the wearable camera at school, with the assistance of the investigator, and generated the camera-assisted 24-h dietary recalls. Compared with camera-assisted dietary recalls, 8% (n = 160) and 1% (n = 11) of food items were underreported (i.e. not reported at all) and misreported (i.e. reported in an incorrect amount) by dietary recalls without camera-assistance, respectively. Dietary recalls without camera assistance underestimated daily energy intake by 149 ± 182 kcal/d (8%) in comparison to the camera-assisted dietary recalls. Foods consumed on the snacking occasions (40%) were more likely to be underreported than those consumed at main meals (P

Objective The objective of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators to healthy eating among low-income Latino adolescents using an intervention development framework. Methods Semi-structured interviews (n = 30) were conducted with Latino youth ages 13–17 who had overweight or obesity at a safety-net clinic in San Francisco, CA. Adolescent beliefs and attitudes regarding healthy eating and individual, family, and community level barriers and facilitators were elicited. Interviews were analyzed using an inductive approach and the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation (COM-B) model. Results Participants had capability gaps; while they demonstrated basic nutrition knowledge, they also held significant misconceptions about healthy eating, equating “organic” with healthy and failing to recognize sugar in a number of beverages and foods. Families were a source of support through role modeling and purchasing fresh produce, yet in many cases also undermined adolescents’ healthy eating goals through purchases of high calorie low nutrient food, an opportunity facilitator and challenge. By contrast, peers were mostly a negative influence due to frequent consumption of high calorie low nutrient food. The school environment posed opportunity challenges as participants found school lunch unpalatable and had ready access to unhealthy options nearby. Participants were motivated to improve their eating habits but often not resilient in the face of obstacles. Conclusions Interventions to promote healthy eating among low-income Latino adolescents should address common nutritional misconceptions, target families as well as teens, consider peer influences, and advocate for policy approaches that improve the school food environment.

Talking to children about their health-related understandings and experiences can provide valuable information for public health practitioners who seek to improve children's dietary behaviours. To date, however, research on children's food consumption has generally prioritized the views of parents and caregivers, rather than children themselves. This paper reports results from a qualitative study that explored preadolescent children's attitudes and perceptions towards health and nutrition. 38 children aged 11-12 years, across three state government schools, took part in an individual interview or group interview. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis techniques. Our results indicate that children inextricably linked the concept of health to diet and physical activity. They pondered the connection between different types of foods and physical implications for the body, emphasising nutrition and physical activity as a resource for preventing the onset of chronic disease and specifically the state of 'fatness'. Children collectively overemphasised the correlation between body size and health, and expressed that people should take responsibility for healthy choices to prevent fatness. In their discussions, they referred to aesthetic elements of the body and negative consequences of obesity. Overall, we argue that children's discourses of health and nutrition are potentially problematic. Results suggest that it is important to reshape these ideas to encourage children to develop more positive relationships with food and physical activity.

In urban informal areas of South Africa, obesity and hunger represent two sides of food insecurity. Despite this, public health and clinical obesity interventions focus on nutrition education, implying dietary choice and thereby overlooking food insecurity. The objective of this paper is to explore peri-urban residents' perspectives of changing food environments, framed by the Food Aid Organization (FAO) definition of food security and demonstrating the interconnectedness of dimensions of food security. We conducted three-part in-depth interviews with 21 participants and nine focus group discussions with a total of 57 participants, consisting primarily of women aged 20-84, in a peri-urban township and informal settlement outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Participants' encounters in clinical settings framed choice as a driver of diet-related non-communicable disease (NCD). Yet participants lacked economic access to food, particularly at the end of the month. Diets consisted of fewer green leafy vegetables relative to their diets in rural areas, despite affirming a preference for these foods. They described consuming more meat, which was also perceived as unhealthy. Based on self-report, residents within this peri-urban area of South Africa were food insecure: they lacked access to food at specific times of the month, they were unable to consume foods they preferred, and they felt that their diets were neither nutritious nor enabled an active and healthy life. When viewed in terms of multiple facets of food security, participants' concurrent experiences of hunger and obesity were unsurprising. Health interventions related to diet should incorporate an understanding of food security as shaped by the interactions of access, availability, utilization and stability.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique with potential to treat eating disorders and obesity. As for any potential treatment, it is important to assess the degree to which expectation effects contribute to its reported efficacy. This study assessed the effect of tDCS on amount of food craving and eating while tightly controlling treatment expectation. N=74 adults with overweight or obesity were informed of the known effects of tDCS to suppress craving and eating. Once electrodes were on the head, half of the participants were told they were receiving real, and the other half sham tDCS. Within these groups, approximately half actually received real and the other half sham tDCS. Stimulation parameters used were those previously found to reduce craving and eating, including in our lab: 2mA, anode right/cathode left targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 20 minutes (real), or only for the first and last minute (sham). Analyses controlled for demographics, hunger, trait impulsiveness, eating motives, dieting, binge eating, suggestibility, and baseline craving and eating. Participants told they were receiving real tDCS craved and ate less than participants told they were receiving sham tDCS (both p

Adults in Samoa have the third highest obesity prevalence in the world, and the prevalence is higher in women than men. The nutritional status of a household in most low- and middle-income countries is positively influenced by the level of control women have over financial resources. Our analysis examined how consumption of specific dietary groups was associated with different sociodemographic and individual health risk factor groups for women who participated in the 2014 Samoa Demographic and Health Survey. Our research question was explored through multivariate analysis of the 2014 Samoa Demographic and Health Survey dataset. The sociodemographic and health behaviour groups included in our analysis were: urban vs. rural residence, wealth quintile, education level, participation in physical activity program, lives with husband/partner, household size, parity, age, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The following diet variables were included: fruit, vegetables, seafood, high-fat food, sugary drinks, high-salt food, and high-sugar food consumption. There was a high prevalence of unhealthy food consumption and unhealthy dietary patterns among a) a large proportion of the population, and b) across sociodemographic and health behaviour groups, with a higher prevalence of particular at-risk patterns in some specific groups including women of younger age and women of higher wealth. Our analysis highlighted some specific opportunities for policy action, including the need to create an enabling environment for healthier food consumption for Samoan women.

Background The familial environment can influence adolescents' risk for obesity. However, we do not fully understand the mechanisms through which parents can influence overweight/obese adolescents' dietary behaviours, specifically whether parenting practices (e.g., rules or routines) and/or their own dietary behaviours are associated with their overweight/obese adolescent's dietary quality. Objectives This study examined whether parenting practices and/or parental modeling of dietary quality are associated with overweight/obese adolescents’ dietary quality while considering the moderating effects of parenting styles and family functioning. Methods Baseline data from 172 overweight/obese adolescents and one of their parents who enrolled in a lifestyle modification intervention were analyzed [mean age = 13.1 (1.8); mean BMI z-score = 2.70 (0.83)]. Parent-adolescent dyads completed three 24-hr dietary recalls online. An index of dietary quality was computed by summing the scores for different food categories assessed in the dietary recall over 3 days. Parents completed questionnaires about their family functioning, dietary parenting practices (i.e., whether child eats breakfast everyday), and styles (authoritative and permissive). Path analysis was used to model interrelationships among the variables using the Stata software version 13. Results Parental modeling of dietary quality was significantly associated with adolescent dietary quality. Additionally, parenting styles significantly moderated parental modeling, such that an authoritative parenting style in conjunction with modeling healthy eating habits was associated with better adolescent dietary quality. Conclusions This work suggests that parental modeling of health behaviours is important; however, it is necessary to consider the broader emotional/relational context into which modeling is expressed since parenting styles moderated these effects. This study provides insight into how parenting styles may alter the effectiveness of parental modeling and highlights the need to account for parenting styles to improve the efficacy of current family-based interventions.

A dual-process model of temperament, incorporating the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS), Behavioural Activation System (BAS) and effortful control (EC), may help to predict hedonic responses to palatable food and trait disinhibition. Purpose This study aimed to determine if the BIS, BAS and EC predicted liking and wanting for high-fat, sweet foods in adults with overweight and obesity, and if collectively, these variables predicted the eating behaviour trait of Disinhibition. Methods 168 adults (104 females, mean BMI = 33.3 kg/m2) completed the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Carver and White BIS/BAS scales, the Adult Temperament Questionnaire-Effortful Control Scale – Short Form and the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire. The strength of the BIS, BAS and EC in predicting wanting and liking for high-fat sweet foods, and trait Disinhibition was assessed using hierarchical multiple regression. Results Both the BIS and EC predicted liking, F (6, 161) = 5.05, p Conclusions These results demonstrate that a sensitive BIS and a lower level of effortful control predicts food reward and Disinhibition in overweight and obese adults. Consequently, interventions that aim to increase effortful control and reduce BIS reactivity may be beneficial for reducing hedonically motivated, disinhibited eating behaviour.

Given ongoing concerns about worldwide obesity, a rapidly growing body of research has sought to identify factors that drive consumption of energy-dense foods and snacks with little nutritional value. The present research contributes to this literature by exploring the role of consumption closure—a state characterized by perceiving a given eating occasion as finished or complete—on people's desire to eat more. More specifically, four studies demonstrate that when a small (vs. large) quantity of unhealthy leftovers remains after a meal/snack—that is, when additional food consumption can feasibly provide consumption closure—the desire to continue eating is higher (vs. lower). Furthermore, and importantly, the present research uniquely demonstrates a “justifying by healthifying” effect wherein this desire to eat more is, in turn, justified by downplaying the unhealthiness of the food (i.e., perceiving it as less unhealthy or fattening). The findings thus provide evidence of an important antecedent to food-related behavior (consumption closure) and a unique downstream consequence (biased health perceptions).

Highly energy dense foods are often synonymous with high palatability, excess intake and weight gain. However, food preferences show individual differences. Food preferences are closely related to food intake, which can impact weight change over time. We examined whether the energy density of food images rated as appetizing and unappetizing foods related to baseline BMI and change in BMI over 3-year follow-up (n = 117; 45% Male, Baseline BMI: 21.1 ± 1.9. Participants completed hedonic visual analog scales (−100 to 100) ratings of 103 food images, and reported dietary intake at baseline, and had their height and weight directly measured over 3-year follow-up. Energy density (ED) of the food depicted in each image was calculated. For each participant, food images (kcal/g) were categorized into appetizing (32 images) and unappetizing foods (32 images) based on each individual's hedonic ratings. We observed significant interaction between energy density and hedonic value driven by an inverse relation between unappetizing food energy density and BMI change (p = 0.008). Specifically, participants who rated higher energy dense foods as unappetizing showed less weight gain ( β = −0.83; p = 0.00052). There was no significant relation between the energy density of appetizing foods and weight change (p = 0.67), suggesting that dislike of highly energy dense foods more strongly associates with lower weight gain than preference for low energy dense foods. Post-hoc analyses revealed that individuals with a higher preference for low energy density foods showed less weight gain over 3-years (β = - 0.007, p = 0.02). Results support the idea that individual hedonic ratings for foods varying in energy density is a determinant of weight change in adolescents and may represent an important intervention target for obesity prevention programs.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) increase risk of cardiometabolic disease. Young people consume the largest amounts of SSBs and have experienced the greatest relative gains in obesity in the past several decades. There is evidence of addictive properties of both caffeine and sugar, the primary ingredients in SSBs, but little research into such properties of SSBs in naturally occurring consumption patterns. Thus, in this exploratory study, we sought to examine potentially addictive properties of SSBs during a 3-day SSB cessation intervention in overweight and obese adolescents who typically consume ≥3 SSBs daily. Participants (n = 25) were aged 13-18 years, mostly female (72%), and African American (56%) or Hispanic (16%) with a BMI≥95th percenttile (76%). Withdrawal symptoms and SSB craving were assessed approximately 1-week apart, during both regular SSB consumption and a 3-day period of SSB cessation in which participants were instructed to drink only plain milk and water. During SSB cessation, adolescents reported increased SSB cravings and headache and decreased motivation, contentment, ability to concentrate, and overall well-being (uncorrected Ps

Children with lower inhibitory control have greater weight gain over time and consume more snack food. Our goal was to test whether a pilot program based on enhancing self-regulation in preschool children could decrease consumption of energy-dense foods. Ninety-two preschool children were randomized to the intervention or control group. The intervention was a three-week, play-based program that focused on enhancing executive function skills and decreasing consumption of energy dense snack foods. Controls met for a similar length of time, but focused on dental hygiene, good sleep habits/routines, and physical activity. Primary outcome included calories consumed during the post-intervention “Eating in the Absence of Hunger” paradigm, controlling for baseline calories consumed. Inhibitory control was assessed using the “Day/Night” and “Less is More” tasks. There were no differences in post-intervention calories consumed between groups (p = 0.42). However, post-hoc analysis revealed a significant interaction between group and weight status (p = 0.04). In the intervention group, overweight/obese and healthy weight children consumed a similar number of calories (118.0 kcals vs. 124.1 kcals respectively, p = 0.64). However, in the control group, overweight/obese children consumed more than normal weight children (155.9 kcals vs. 103.6 kcals respectively; p = 0.01). With regards to inhibitory control, post-hoc analysis revealed a significant interaction between group and age (p = 0.03), with younger children in the intervention group scoring higher than younger children in the control group (0.93 vs 0.78 respectively, p = 0.007). No differences were observed between groups among older children (0.93 vs 0.96, p = 0.42). These types of programs for preschool children may help to temper consumption of excess calories among overweight/obese children. Further development and investigation of pediatric programs that prevent consumption of excess calories are warranted. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02077387 .

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is consistently related to higher obesity risk, especially in women living in developed countries such as the United States and Western Europe. Prevailing theories to describe this relationship have focused primarily on proximate level factors such as the generally poorer food environment (e.g. relative lack of healthy food options and higher concentrations of fast food restaurants) found in lower vs. higher SES neighborhoods and the higher financial costs associated with purchasing healthy, nutrient-dense foods compared to unhealthy, energy-dense foods. These factors are hypothesized to preclude the purchase of these foods by lower SES individuals. Unfortunately, public health interventions aimed at improving the food environment of lower SES communities and to provide financial resources for purchasing healthy foods have had limited success in reducing overall energy intake and body weight. Some evidence suggests these interventions may even exacerbate obesity. More recent hypotheses have shifted the focus to ultimate (or adaptive) factors that view increased energy intake and accrual of body fat among individuals of lower social status as adaptive strategies to protect against potential prolonged food scarcity. The purpose of this review is integrate past research at the proximate and ultimate levels with a consideration of how social status and SES during development (in utero through adolescence) may moderate the relationships between social status, eating behavior, and obesity. Utilizing an evolutionary framework that incorporates life history theory can lead to more integrative and thorough interpretations of past research and allow researchers to better elucidate the complex set of environmental, physiological, psychological, and behavioral factors that influence obesity risk among individuals of lower social status.

With the prevalence of obesity among women the United States surpassing 40%, it is critical to understand how environmental factors influence appetite, body fat accumulation, and the ability to lose weight and maintain weight loss. Psychosocial stress exposure is a risk factor for increased consumption of calorically dense diets (CDD), which are high in fat and sugars and promote both increased food intake and weight gain. However, it remains unclear how appetite is affected by psychosocial factors when people striving to lose weight restrict intake of unhealthy, calorically dense foods. Using a translational non-human primate model of chronic psychosocial stressor exposure in females (n = 16), mediated by social subordination, we examined ad libitum food intake, weight change, and social behavior during three consecutive, 15-week dietary conditions: 1) obesogenic, dietary choice; 2) chow-only; and 3) a switch back to dietary choice. Data showed that a choice dietary environment that includes both chow and CDD promotes increased calorie consumption of CDD in subordinate female rhesus monkeys during the baseline choice and back-to-choice phases (p = 0.016). Removal of the CDD during the chow-only phase resulted in mild inappetence (p = 0.005) and a loss in body weight (p 0.001) in subordinate females. Reintroduction of the CDD to subordinate, but not dominant, females was associated with increased calorie intake that surpassed baseline intake (p 0.001), and greater body weight gain (p = 0.026). There were no effects of diet cycling on total food intake and body weight change in dominant females (p's 0.05). Overall, our results suggest that adverse psychosocial experience is associated with increased preference for highly palatable, calorically dense food in a choice dietary environment.

Across many Asian countries, the prevalence of obesity is increasing and is increasingly recognized as an emerging public health issue. Food insecurity, defined as the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, is major difficulty faced by many poor subpopulations despite national economic growth. Previous research has yielded inconsistent results about the association between food insecurity and obesity, with positive associations more consistently observed among women than men. This study aims to elucidate relationships between food insecurity, dietary behaviors, and weight status, stratified by gender. Data come from the Taiwan Database of Children and Youth in Poverty. Participants (n = 1326) aged 10–18 years (2009–2013), which included measures of food security and dietary behaviors in three survey waves. Weight status was determined using self-reported body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) with the category “overweight/obesity” defined as a BMI above the 85th percentile within a representative population. Logistic regression analyses indicated a significant association between food insecurity and obesity/overweight with an odds ratio (OR) = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25–1.70. Food insecurity was associated with a select number of unhealthy dietary behaviors. Skipping breakfast in females (OR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.20–2.22) and consuming snacks and sugared drinks in males (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.15–1.98) were associated with obesity/overweight. Food insecurity remained significantly associated with obesity/overweight after adjusting for dietary behaviors. In addition, there was some evidence that dietary behaviors mediated the association between food security and obesity/overweight. In conclusion, economically disadvantaged youth are vulnerable to food insecurity and obesity, and food insecurity may increase the likelihood of obesity due to its association with dietary behaviors. Understanding the mediating factors between food insecurity and obesity may help to amend weight-related health problems in poverty-affected populations.

Children exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in utero are at high-risk of obesity. Given that nutritional habits can track from infancy to childhood, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the timing of fruit juice introduction in infancy and later consumption of sweet-tasting foods and beverages among children exposed (GDM+) and unexposed (GDM-) to GDM.A total of 107 GDM+ and 59 GDM- participated in the project. Data on the timing of fruit juice introduction during infancy were retrospectively collected for 62 GDM+ and 32 GDM- children. Current dietary intakes were collected with two 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires. Children were divided into groups according to the median timing of juice introduction (9 months).Mean age of children was 6.3 ± 2.6 and 7.6 ± 3.7 years for GDM+ and GDM- children, respectively (p = 0.08). Mean age of fruit juice introduction was similar between groups (p 0.05). Consuming1 serving of fruit juice per day was 2.72 times more prevalent among GDM+ children introduced to fruit juice9 months, compared to GDM+ children introduced ≥9 months (CI: 1.19-6.20). This association was not observed in the GDM- group. The timing of fruit juice introduction was not associated with later consumption of sweets, desserts and sweet-tasting beverages when adjustment for children's age was made among GDM+ and GDM- children.Early introduction of fruit juice in infant diet is associated with higher prevalence of consumption of1 serving of fruit juice per day in GDM+ children.

This paper is based on a presentation given at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior in July 2021 and provides a personal view on some of the milestones in the discovery of amylin as a constituent of pancreatic islet amyloid deposits, as a pancreatic beta-cell hormone, and on its role in physiology and pathophysiology. Only selected effects of amylin are discussed here because we recently published extensive reviews on the physiology and pathophysiology of amylin. Amylin was discovered as the main constituent of islet amyloid that is predominantly found in pancreatic islets in type 2 diabetics. These deposits, and in particular small oligomer aggregates of amylin seem to contribute to the progressive beta-cell damage seen in type 2 diabetics. Amylin is also a physiologically relevant circulating hormone with diverse metabolic functions, e.g. inhibition of eating, of pancreatic glucagon secretion and of gastric emptying. Knowledge of these types of functions and amylin's mechanisms of action lead to the development of amylin analogues that are now among the most promising anti-obesity targets in clinical testing. With this review, I want to give a short overview of 35 exciting years of amylin research.

Obesity is partly driven by unhealthy eating behaviors underpinned by an approach bias toward high-calorie food. Although exercise is a useful strategy for weight loss among individuals with obesity, whether exercise modulates this approach bias is unclear. This study assessed whether the duration of an acute moderate-intensity exercise altered the approach bias toward high-calorie food among individuals with obesity. In total, 24 individuals with obesity were included in this study with a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover design. Participants completed three sessions of 30, 45, or 60 min of moderate-intensity exercise (40%-59% of heart rate reserve) on an elliptical trainer or completed a control rest session for 55 min. Food approach bias was evaluated using a joystick-based approach-avoidance task immediately before and after each session. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. We found that compared with that before exercise, the approach bias score toward high-calorie food was significantly decreased only in the 45-min exercise session (p = .015) and that this score was also significantly lower than that after both the 60-min exercise session (p = .002) and the control session (p = .024). These findings suggest a dose-response relationship between exercise duration and approach bias, with 45 min of moderate-intensity exercise being an effective strategy for decreasing the approach bias toward high-calorie food among individuals with obesity.

Santa Fe Gully zone is a marginalized area of Mexico City where nearly 39% of children live with either overweight or obesity. Despite the extensive research on obesogenic behaviors, studies frequently overlook the contexts where such behaviors occur. This qualitative study described individual and familial obesogenic behaviors among children with obesity from Santa Fe Gully, and explained how these behaviors might be contextually shaped. We used a grounded theory approach to investigate the process of development/maintenance of obesity in our sample. Fifteen participants (seven 10-year-olds with overweight or obesity and their parents) participated in nine art-based focus groups, and parents completed individual semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a structured thematic content analysis. Results showed children's weight status was part of their identity, providing children with a familial 'fitting' sense while increasing psychosocial difficulties, leading to emotional overeating as a coping strategy. Parents' use of controlling and low-structured parenting practices reinforced children's emotional overeating and failed to regulate children's dietary and physical activity behaviors. Some low-structured parenting practices were guilt-motivated or fostered by socioeconomic and cultural factors (e.g., limited food access, unhealthy food exposure, community unsafety). Future interventions in Santa Fe Gully aimed at modifying obesogenic behaviors should incorporate systemic and ecological approaches to help participants navigate through contextual obstacles, as their behaviors should be analized considering the context where they occur.

The aim of this study was to compare gastrointestinal (GI) hormones and subjective ratings of appetite among obesity classes, and between classes of obesity and controls. Ninety-eight adult individuals with obesity, divided into class I (n = 35), II (n = 44) and III (n = 19), together with 45 controls without obesity were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Body weight/composition, and basal and postprandial (after a 600 kcal fixed breakfast) plasma concentrations of acylated ghrelin, active glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), total peptide YY (PYY), cholecystokinin (CCK) and insulin, as well as subjective ratings of hunger, fullness, desire to eat (DTE) and prospective food consumption (PFC) were measured. There were no differences in the plasma concentration of GI hormones (either basal or postprandial) among obesity classes, except for insulin. In general, obesity was associated with impaired secretion of GI hormones. Ghrelin secretion did not decline postprandially in class-III obesity. GLP-1 peak for obesity class I and II was early and lower, while class III showed no postprandial GLP-1 response. Postprandial PYY response for obesity class II and III was absent, and class III showed a delayed and shortened postprandial CCK response. Obesity class II and III had greater basal insulin concentration compared to controls and postprandial insulin was greater in obesity class III versus class II, class I and controls. No differences were found for appetite ratings among obesity classes. In conclusion, obesity is characterized by impaired secretion of GI hormones, with reduced postprandial satiety, particularly in individuals with obesity class III. This abnormal pattern may lead to overeating.

Objective We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess brain regions associated with food choices between appetizing (i.e., high sugar, high fat) and plain food in adolescents with excess weight and those with normal weight. The associations between choice-evoked brain activation and subjective food craving and behavioral food choices were also evaluated. Methods Seventy-three adolescents (aged 14–19 years), classified into excess weight (n = 38) or normal weight (n = 39) groups, participated in the study. We used a food-choice fMRI task, between appetizing and plain food, to analyse brain activation differences between groups. Afterwards, participants assessed their "craving" for each food presented in the scanner. Results Adolescents with excess weight showed higher brain activation in frontal, striatal, insular and mid-temporal regions during choices between appetizing and standard food cues. This pattern of activations correlated with behavioral food choices and subjective measures of craving. Conclusions Our findings suggest that adolescents with excess weight have greater food choice-related brain reactivity in reward-related regions involved in motivational and emotional responses to food. Increased activation in these regions is generally associated with craving, and increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is specifically associated with appetizing food choices among adolescents with excess weight, which may suggest greater conflict in these decisions. These overweight- and craving-associated patterns of brain activation may be relevant to decision-making about food consumption.

Goal-directed behaviour depends on successful association of environmental cues with reward or punishment. Obesity has been linked to diminished learning success in this domain. In contrast, here we demonstrate superior learning in obese participants independent of reward type. We tested association learning in 85 participants with a wide body-mass-index (BMI) range (lean to obese) in four probabilistic reversal-learning experiments. Experiments differed regarding learning mode (active and passive) and reward stimulus (pictures of snack food and money). Food and monetary rewards were adjusted regarding their motivational value in order to allow a direct comparison of related learning characteristics. Our results reveal enhanced associative learning in obese compared to normal-weight participants – reward-independently for expectancy updating and specifically for food-rewards for initial acquisition. When comparing the influence of continuous BMI in active and passive learning, food reward was associated with opposite effects of BMI on performance. Our data indicate generalized, weight-dependent differences in essential reward-learning, though particularly for food reward. We thereby argue that flexible updating of reward-related information may in fact be enhanced in people with obesity – and, thus, possibly promote unhealthy food choices in modern society.

Emotional eating, the tendency to regulate negative mood through unhealthy food intake, has been widely recognized as one source of today's obesity epidemic. However, empirical evidence suggests that this phenomenon is not universal but subject to psychological, situational, and biological determining factors. To date, little is known about the relative importance of these determinants of emotional eating behavior, as no research has investigated these factors simultaneously. This study aims to close this gap and reports the results of a laboratory experiment with 179 participants from a university environment (mean age = 23.15 years, ranging from 17 to 63 years; 56.98% male), in which real food choice was observed after manipulating participants' mood states (either negative or positive) while simultaneously assessing potential determinants of emotional eating. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the biological determinants (e.g., weight status) tend to loose in relative importance while psychological (i.e., restrained eating) and situational (i.e., stress) factors tend to be more relevant in explaining food choice in response to a negative affective state. These results have important implications for both research and public health practice.

The objective of this study was to investigate the acute effects of meals containing protein from either cod or veal in combination with high or low glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates, on diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) (primary endpoint), appetite, energy intake (EI), as well as postpranidal ghrelin, glucose, and insulin responses. Twenty-three overweight men and women (mean ± SD age: 30.0 ± 7.6 y, BMI: 27.2 ± 1.4 kg/m2) consumed 4 test meals: cod with mashed potatoes (high GI carbohydrate), cod with wholegrain pasta (low GI carbohydrate), veal with mashed potatoes, and veal with wholegrain pasta (∼2010 kJ, ∼25.5 E% protein, ∼41.0 E% carbohydrate, ∼33.5 E% fat). Energy expenditure was measured at baseline and six times postprandially, each lasting 25 min. Additionally, appetite sensations were measured every half hour. Arterialized venous blood samples were drawn every 20 min until an ad libitum buffet-style lunch was served 3.5 h later. DIT did not differ between test meals (P > 0.05), and there were no differences in appetite sensations or ad libitum EI (all, P > 0.05). Meal-time interactions were found for glucose and insulin (P = 0.04 and P

Frequency of lapsing from a diet predicts weight loss failure, however previous studies have only utilized one definition of dietary lapse. No study has examined different types of lapse behaviors among individuals with overweight/obesity. The current study uses ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine predictors of three lapse types—eating a larger portion than intended, eating an unintended type of food, and eating at an unplanned time—in adults (N = 189; MBMI = 36.93 ± 5.83 kg/m2; 82.0% female; Mage = 51.81 ± 9.76 years) enrolled in a 12-month randomized controlled trial of two behavioral weight loss treatments. Participants completed 14 days of EMA at the start of treatment during which they indicated types of lapses that occurred with time and location of the lapse. Participants also responded to questions assessing current physical (e.g., hunger, tiredness), environmental (e.g., presence of “delicious” foods), and affective (e.g., loneliness, sadness) states at each prompt. Weight change was assessed at post-treatment. Separate generalized estimating equations were used to examine whether states prospectively predicted lapse occurrence at the next survey. Results indicated that lapse types differed significantly across time and location. Momentary increases in deprivation, hunger, and boredom increased likelihood of different lapse types. Lastly, we examined the prospective association between lapse type and weight loss. Eating at an unintended time was the only lapse type that predicted worse weight loss outcomes. Results support the theory that distinct lapse types exist, and that lapse types can be predicted by both momentary conditions and individual tendencies toward certain physical and affective states. However, not all lapse types may impact weight outcomes. Future research on behaviors that constitute dietary lapse is warranted and could inform personalized weight loss treatments.

Background Acculturation among Hispanic/Latinos has been linked to deteriorating dietary quality that may contribute to obesity risks. This study examined the relationship between acculturation, ethnic identity, and dietary quality in U.S. Hispanic/Latino youth. Methods This cross-sectional study included 1298 Hispanic/Latino youth ages 8–16 from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (HCHS/SOL Youth), an ancillary study of offspring of participants in the adult HCHS/SOL cohort. Multivariable regression analyses assessed relationships between acculturation and ethnic identity with dietary quality as measured by Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores, accounting for covariates, design effects, and sample weights. We also compared HEI scores by immigrant generation and language of interview. Results Youth were 12 ± 2.5 -years and 49.3% female. They were placed into five acculturation categories—including 48% integrated (bicultural orientation), 32.7% assimilated (high U.S. and low Latino orientation), 5.9% separated (high Latino and low U.S. orientation) or marginalized (neither U.S. nor Latino orientation), and 13.3% unclassified. Mean HEI was 53.8; there were no differences in HEI scores by acculturation category, but integrated youth had higher whole grains scores, lower sodium scores, and lower empty calories scores compared to assimilated youth. There were no differences in HEI scores by ethnic identity scores, and no consistent trend between dietary quality and ethnic identity. First- and second-generation youth had higher HEI scores, compared to third-generation youth, and, Spanish-speaking youth had higher HEI scores compared to English-speaking youth. Conclusion Results suggest that integrated youth in the U.S. may engage in healthier eating behaviors than those who are assimilated. Additional research on Hispanic/Latino youths' acculturation and diet can inform health promotion efforts to improve eating habits and health outcomes among this population.

Chronic excess energy intake contributes to the development of overweight andobesity. Solutions are needed to guide consumers towards reducing food intake,especially high energy density (HED) and highly palatable foods. Food packaging, akey element of the eating environment, offers a potential solution to assist consumersin portion control. To investigate whether packaging design influences measured foodintake, a systematic search was undertaken in four electronic databases (OvidMedline; Ovid PsycInfo; Ovid Embase and Web of Science). This process yielded 1671discrete papers, of which 23 articles containing 40 relevant studies were retrieved.Overall, most (n = 36) of the manipulated packaging features influenced consumptionquantity with. The largest effect sizes were observed for packaging which guidedconsumers either by visual or functional features. For example, packaging size, imageson the front of the pack, as well as functional features such as partitioning andresealability all helped to reduce intake. However, individual differences and attentionalfocus mediate packaging effects. Overall, packaging features can be used to reducethe intake of HED foods and increase the intake of nutrient-dense foods (e.g., carrots).Future studies on packaging for portion control (downsizing) might benefit from longterm, randomised control trials to test effects outside of the laboratory context andapplied to everyday usage.

International audience; Although subjects with severe obesity need specific interventions, knowledge about their eating behavior, physical and mental health profiles remains insufficient. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify profiles of individuals with severe obesity based on clinical, psychological and eating behavior characteristics. We included 126 participants (103 women; mean age: 47.2 ± 13.9 years; mean BMI: 41.0 ± 5.7 kg/m2). Cluster analyses were performed to identify profiles based on age, waist circumference, eating behavior, depressive symptoms, food-related quality of life and physical activity. Metabolic syndrome components and type 2 diabetes prevalence were compared between the clusters. Three clusters were identified. Cluster 1 labeled struggling with food (48% of the population) had high scores on both emotional eating and uncontrolled eating, low score on comfort with food and they had depressive symptoms. Cluster 2, low loss of eating control (29%), had low scores on emotional eating and uncontrolled eating, and high quality of life in the psychosocial dimension. Cluster 3, pleasure from eating (22%), had the greatest score on comfort with food, the highest physical activity level, and depressive symptoms. In cluster 2, prevalence of type 2 diabetes was higher, although not statistically significant. Otherwise, no differences were found between clusters. Conclusion: Subjects with severe obesity have different profiles, partly explained by their eating behavior, associated with clinical and behavioral patterns. Further studies should confirm this cluster structure and assess how these profiles impact the evolution of obesity and whether they can help to improve the personalization of care programs.

While classically linked to memory, the hippocampus is also a feeding behavior modulator due to its multiple interconnected pathways with other brain regions and expression of receptors for metabolic hormones. Here we tested whether variations in insulin sensitivity would be correlated with differential brain activation following exposure to palatable food cues, as well as with variations in implicit food memory in a cohort of healthy adolescents, some of whom were born small for gestational age (SGA). Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was positively correlated with activation in the cuneus, and negatively correlated with activation in the middle frontal lobe, superior frontal gyrus and precuneus when presented with palatable food images versus non-food images in healthy adolescents. Additionally, HOMA-IR and insulinemia were higher in participants with impaired food memory. SGA individuals had higher snack caloric density and greater chance for impaired food memory. There was also an interaction between the HOMA-IR and birth weight ratio influencing external eating behavior. We suggest that diminished insulin sensitivity correlates with activation in visual attention areas and inactivation in inhibitory control areas in healthy adolescents. Insulin resistance also associated with less consistency in implicit memory for a consumed meal, which may suggest lower ability to establish a dietary pattern, and can contribute to obesity. Differences in feeding behavior in SGA individuals were associated with insulin sensitivity and hippocampal alterations, suggesting that cognition and hormonal regulation are important components involved in their food intake modifications throughout life.

Objective: Various personality traits are known to correlate with body mass index (BMI). However, this index of adiposity conflates adiposity with lean body mass and may therefore lead to biased estimates of correlations. Yet, rarely have studies looked beyond BMI to understand how adiposity and other physiological characteristics relate to these psychological traits. Methods: We calculated an improved measure of adiposity (relative fat mass, RFM), as well as basal metabolic rate (BMR); explored their associations with various personality traits; and assessed how personality traits’ associations with RFM differ from their associations with BMI. In a subsample of the Estonian Biobank (N = 3,535), we compared the five domains and 30 facets of NEO Personality Inventory-3 in how they correlated with RFM, BMI, and BMR. Results: Various traits, notably Openness to Experience and its facets, associated with RFM above and beyond BMI. An exception was Assertiveness which correlated more strongly with BMI, and also correlated consistently with BMR. BMI–personality trait correlations appeared to conflate personality traits’ associations with fat mass and lean mass.Conclusions: Because Openness correlates with healthier diet, this trait may link with lower adiposity through eating habits. The correlation between Assertiveness and BMR mirrors associations with conceptually similar traits in non-human animals and is consistent with the idea of personality traits being based in biological pocesses. Although the use of BMI can lead to both attenuated and inflated estimates of personality trait–adiposity associations, more correlations seemed to be underestimated than overestimated when using BMI.

Sugar sweetened beverage consumption is related to adverse health outcomes such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. The present research further examined the utility of the temporal self-regulation theory in predicting sugar sweetened beverage consumption. In addition, the research aimed to identify salient cues that trigger intake. Two-hundred and eighty-seven participants were recruited using convenience sampling in US and Australian populations. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used, and the final model accounted for 27.1% of the variance in consumption, providing partial support for the temporal self-regulation theory (f 2 = 0.37). Intention accounted for a significant 7.0% of variance (R 2 = 0.07, p