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For university students, alterations in sleep and diet quality are common, and the propensity for weight gain is well established. The role of sleep duration during periods of rapid weight gain is understudied. This study explored the relationships between sleep duration, diet patterns, and body composition in first-year university students. Data collection occurred during the beginning of the fall (August) and spring semesters (January). Anthropometric measures included weight, height, and percent body fat (%BF). Survey questions assessed sleep and diet quality. As a group, participants ( N  = 60) gained weight (1.8 ± 2.1 kg) over the 4.5-month period of study. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) identified three groups based on weight change between baseline and follow-up visits. Group 1 (“maintainers”) ( N  = 21) gained 0.1 ± 1.3 kg, group 2 (“modest gainers”) ( N  = 24) gained 2.0 ± 1.7 kg, and group 3 (“major gainers”) ( N  = 15) gained 3.8 ± 1.8 kg. No differences in weight, body mass index (BMI), %BF, or average sleep duration existed between clusters at baseline. Minimal differences in baseline dietary behaviors between groups were noted other than maintainers used more fat, e.g., butter, to season vegetables, bread, and potatoes compared to modest gainers ( p  = .010). At follow-up, sleep duration significantly decreased from baseline among major gainers (7.1 ± 0.7 vs. 6.8 ± 0.7 h, p  = .017) while sleep duration increased from baseline among maintainers (7.3 ± 0.9 vs. 7.6 ± 1.0 h, p  = .048). Sleep duration at follow-up was significantly shorter among major gainers compared to maintainers ( p  = .016). Total diet scores for maintainers and modest gainers improved between visits ( p  = .038 and 0.002, respectively) but did not change among major gainers. Combining sleep and diet education may increase the effectiveness of interventions designed to mitigate weight gain in this high-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial proportion of the population does not achieve the recommended amount of sleep. Previous work demonstrates that sleep alterations perturb energy balance by disrupting appetite hormones, increasing energy intake, and decreasing physical activity. This study explored the influence of sleep duration on taste perception as well as effects on dietary intake and physical activity. Participants (n = 24 habitual short sleepers and n = 27 habitual long sleepers, 82.4% female, 88.2% white, 25.2 ± 7.7 years) completed two randomized taste visits; one following short sleep duration (≤ 7 h) and one following long sleep duration (> 7 h). Taste perception measures included sweet and salt detection thresholds (ascending 3-alternative, forced-choice method), as well as sweet preference (Monell 2-series, forced-choice, paired-comparison, tracking method). Steps and sleep were tracked via FitBit, an activity monitoring device. Dietary intake was assessed using 24-hour recalls and analyzed using Nutritionist Pro. Habitual long-sleepers had a higher sweet taste preference (p = 0.042) and took fewer steps (p = 0.036) following sleep curtailment compared to the night where they slept > 7 h but did not experience changes in dietary intake or detection thresholds. Habitual short-sleepers did not experience changes in taste perception, activity, or dietary intake following sleep alteration. Habitual long-sleepers may be at greater risk of gaining weight when typical sleep patterns are disrupted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic peanut consumption is associated with health benefits. To encourage consumption, peanuts are marketed with various flavorings, but questions have been raised as to whether seasonings offset the benefits of peanuts alone. Objective: This study sought to determine whether flavorings on peanuts affect health benefits over 12 wk. Design: In a randomized, parallel-group trial, 151 participants received 42 g peanuts/d as 14-g servings of 3 different flavors (n = 50) or a single flavor (n = 25-26/group). Anthropometric indexes, blood pressure, and heart rate were measured biweekly. Cardiovascular disease risk factors (serum lipids, insulin, glucose, and cortisol) were assessed monthly. Results: No single added flavor differentially altered body weight, body fat, body mass index, heart rate, or blood indexes in the total sample. Participants at greater risk of cardiovascular disease had significantly greater mean (±SE) reductions in diastolic blood pressure (-5.0 ± 1.7 mm Hg compared with -0.7 ± 0.6 mm Hg), cholesterol (-12.1 ± 8.5 mg/dL compared with +5.6 ± 2.0 mg/dL), and triglycerides (-31.7 ± 15.8 mg/dL compared with +2.3 ± 3.0 mg/dL) (n = 27, 24, and 15, respectively; P < 0.01) than did those at lower risk, who did not have significantly different cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations. Consumption of a variety of flavors led to greater weight gain (0.9 ± 0.3 kg) compared with individual flavors alone (0.5 ± 0.2 kg) (P < 0.05), but increases in fat and lean masses were not significant. Conclusions: Regardless of flavoring, peanut consumption offered significant benefits to participants with elevated serum lipids and blood pressure. Sensory variety led to a small, but significant, increase in body weight in comparison with ingestion of a single flavor but no change in fat mass. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01886326. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies suggest consumption of red pepper (RP) promotes negative energy balance. However, the RP dose provided in these studies (up to 10g/meal) usually exceeded the amount preferred by the general population in the United States (mean=~1g/meal). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of hedonically acceptable RP doses served at a single meal in healthy, lean individuals on thermogenesis and appetite. Twenty-five men and women (aged 23.0±0.5years, BMI 22.6±0.3kg/m2, 13 spicy food users and 12 non-users) participated in a randomized crossover trial during which they consumed a standardized quantity (1g); their preferred quantity (regular spicy food users 1.8±0.3g/meal, non-users 0.3±0.1g/meal); or no RP. Energy expenditure, core body and skin temperature, and appetite were measured. Postprandial energy expenditure and core body temperature were greater, and skin temperature was lower, after test loads with 1g RP than no RP. Respiratory quotient was lower after the preferred RP dose was ingested orally, compared to in capsule form. These findings suggest that RP''s effects on energy balance stem from a combination of metabolic and sensory inputs, and that oral exposure is necessary to achieve RP''s maximum benefits. Energy intake was lower after test loads with 1g RP than no RP in non-users, but not in users. Preoccupation with food, and the desire to consume fatty, salty, and sweet foods were decreased more (or tended to be decreased more) in non-users than users after a 1g RP test load, but did not vary after a test load with no RP. This suggests that individuals may become desensitized to the effects of RP with long-term spicy food intake. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]