-
1.
A randomized trial of online single-session interventions for adolescent depression during COVID-19.
Schleider, JL, Mullarkey, MC, Fox, KR, Dobias, ML, Shroff, A, Hart, EA, Roulston, CA
Nature human behaviour. 2022;(2):258-268
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has potentially increased the risk for adolescent depression. Even pre-pandemic, <50% of youth with depression accessed care, highlighting needs for accessible interventions. Accordingly, this randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04634903 ) tested online single-session interventions (SSIs) during COVID-19 in adolescents with elevated depression symptoms (N = 2,452, ages 13-16). Adolescents from all 50 US states, recruited via social media, were randomized to one of three SSIs: a behavioural activation SSI, an SSI teaching that traits are malleable and a supportive control. We tested each SSI's effects on post-intervention outcomes (hopelessness and agency) and three-month outcomes (depression, hopelessness, agency, generalized anxiety, COVID-19-related trauma and restrictive eating). Compared with the control, both active SSIs reduced three-month depressive symptoms (Cohen's d = 0.18), decreased post-intervention and three-month hopelessness (d = 0.16-0.28), increased post-intervention agency (d = 0.15-0.31) and reduced three-month restrictive eating (d = 0.12-17). Several differences between active SSIs emerged. These results confirm the utility of free-of-charge, online SSIs for high-symptom adolescents, even in the high-stress COVID-19 context.
-
2.
Neuropeptide Y interaction with dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways: interlinked neurocircuits modulating hedonic eating behaviours.
Rezitis, J, Herzog, H, Ip, CK
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry. 2022;:110449
Abstract
Independent from homeostatic needs, the consumption of foods originating from hyperpalatable diets is defined as hedonic eating. Hedonic eating can be observed in many forms of eating phenotypes, such as compulsive eating and stress-eating, heightening the risk of obesity development. For instance, stress can trigger the consumption of palatable foods as a type of coping strategy, which can become compulsive, particularly when developed as a habit. Although eating for pleasure is observed in multiple maladaptive eating behaviours, the current understanding of the neurobiology underlying hedonic eating remains deficient. Intriguingly, the combined orexigenic, anxiolytic and reward-seeking properties of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) ignited great interest and has positioned NPY as one of the core neuromodulators operating hedonic eating behaviours. While extensive literature exists exploring the homeostatic orexigenic and anxiolytic properties of NPY, the rewarding effects of NPY continue to be investigated. As deduced from a series of behavioural and molecular-based studies, NPY appears to motivate the consumption and enhancement of food-rewards. As a possible mechanism, NPY may modulate reward-associated monoaminergic pathways, such as the dopaminergic and serotoninergic neural networks, to modulate hedonic eating behaviours. Furthermore, potential direct and indirect NPYergic neurocircuitries connecting classical homeostatic and hedonic neuropathways may also exist involving the anti-reward centre the lateral habenula. Therefore, this review investigates the participation of NPY in orchestrating hedonic eating behaviours through the modulation of monoaminergic pathways.
-
3.
Associations of sleep duration and fruit and vegetable intake with the risk of metabolic syndrome in Chinese adults.
Wang, MH, Shi, T, Li, Q, Chen, HM, Liu, MW, Lu, YA, He, Q, Chen, R
Medicine. 2021;(10):e24600
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
To understand the adverse association of short sleep duration and insufficient fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) with and their combined effect on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese adults.This cross-sectional study analyzed 7052 adults aged 18∼64 years old in 2009, with fasting blood samples collected. Participants were divided into short/normal/long sleep duration groups and sufficient/insufficient FVI groups in accordance with self-reported information. Metabolic syndrome was defined by National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.The prevalence of MetS among the study subjects was 21.74%. Participants were classified into short (<7 h/d), normal (7∼9 h/d), and long (>9 h/d) groups according to their daily sleep duration. Participants with less than 500 g of FVI per day was considered as insufficient FVI. After adjusting for confounders, the negative effect of short sleep duration on MetS was statistically significant, with an OR of 1.29 (95%CI = 1.06∼1.56); and high fasting glucose levels were significantly associated with insufficient FVI. Compared with subjects with normal sleep duration and sufficient FVI, participants with short sleep time and insufficient FVI had the highest risk of MetS (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.04-1.66).This study revealed that insufficient FVI and short sleep duration were significantly associated with an increased risk of MetS among Chinese adults. Increasing FVI and normal sleep duration during Chinese adults could be significant targets for reducing the prevalence of MetS.
-
4.
Increased sugar-sweetened beverage use tendency in pregnancy positively associates with peripartum Edinburgh postpartum depression scores.
Ker, CR, Wu, CH, Lee, CH, Wang, SH, Chan, TF
Scientific reports. 2021;(1):15324
Abstract
The association among sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption, addiction and depression in adults, children and adolescents is widely reported. Dieting patterns during pregnancy is complicated by maternal fetal concerns. Specifically, restrained use of SSB might be potentially a source of perinatal distress. The current study modified diagnostic criteria for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), into SSB-specific questions to assess SSB use tendency. Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scores (EPDS) is used to assess maternal distress during pregnancy. One hundred and ninety-six consecutive pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital were invited to participate in this study. In the first trimester, 46.6% of women had none or 1 DSM-5 symptom, 27.0% had 2-3 symptoms, while 26.4% had ≥ 4 symptoms. The mean numbers of DSM-5 symptoms in each trimester were found to be 2.5 ± 2.25, 2.6 ± 2.45, 2.4 ± 2.43 for the first, second and third trimester, respectively, p = 0.750. While EPDS score showed no difference among DSM-5 symptoms 0-1, 2-3 and ≥ 4 groups in the first trimester (8.1 ± 4.59, 8.4 ± 5.00, 8.8 ± 4.82, p = 0.343), women with ≥ 4 DSM-symptoms was found significantly higher EPDS scores than those with < 4 DSM-symptoms in the second (7.2 ± 4.81, 7.7 ± 4.98, 8.8 ± 4.33, p = 0.030) and third trimester (6.8 ± 5.00, 7.2 ± 4.63, 8.7 ± 5.24, p = 0.019). The relationship remained significant after adjusting for covariates including actual SSB amount consumed (adjusted β = 0.25 with 95% confident interval (CI) 0.04-0.45 and 0.21 with 95% CI 0.04-0.38 for the second and third trimesters, respectively). Overall, the study is the first to characterize the positive relationship between SSB use tendency and antenatal distress in pregnancy, independent of actual SSB amount consumed. The observational nature of the study design precludes inferences of its underlying socio-psychomotor mechanisms, although restrained SSB use in pregnancy is suspected to contribute. The novel employment of modified SSB-specific DSM-5 scores and EPDS in this setting is feasible and further validation is promising. With better understanding and awareness, pregnant women with increased SSB use tendency should be properly counseled with special attention to their mental state.
-
5.
The Effects of Shift Work on Cardio-Metabolic Diseases and Eating Patterns.
Hemmer, A, Mareschal, J, Dibner, C, Pralong, JA, Dorribo, V, Perrig, S, Genton, L, Pichard, C, Collet, TH
Nutrients. 2021;(11)
Abstract
Energy metabolism is tightly linked with circadian rhythms, exposure to ambient light, sleep/wake, fasting/eating, and rest/activity cycles. External factors, such as shift work, lead to a disruption of these rhythms, often called circadian misalignment. Circadian misalignment has an impact on some physiological markers. However, these proxy measurements do not immediately translate into major clinical health outcomes, as shown by later detrimental health effects of shift work and cardio-metabolic disorders. This review focuses on the effects of shift work on circadian rhythms and its implications in cardio-metabolic disorders and eating patterns. Shift work appears to be a risk factor of overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and the metabolic syndrome. However, past studies showed discordant findings regarding the changes of lipid profile and eating patterns. Most studies were either small and short lab studies, or bigger and longer cohort studies, which could not measure health outcomes in a detailed manner. These two designs explain the heterogeneity of shift schedules, occupations, sample size, and methods across studies. Given the burden of non-communicable diseases and the growing concerns about shift workers' health, novel approaches to study shift work in real contexts are needed and would allow a better understanding of the interlocked risk factors and potential mechanisms involved in the onset of metabolic disorders.
-
6.
Hypocaloric diet with lower meal frequency did not affect weight loss, body composition and insulin responsiveness, but improved lipid profile: a randomized clinical trial.
Grangeiro, ÉD, Trigueiro, MS, Siais, LO, Paiva, HM, Sola-Penna, M, Alves, MR, Rosado, EL
Food & function. 2021;(24):12594-12605
Abstract
Dietary approaches are essential to control obesity, but the effectiveness of changes in meal frequency (MF) as a strategy for body weight loss or maintenance remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of MF of a hypocaloric diet on weight loss, body composition, active ghrelin levels and metabolic indicators of obese women. This is a randomized, parallel clinical trial, including 40 women divided into two groups that received a hypocaloric diet with different MFs: MF6: six meals per day, and MF3: three meals per day. Dietary, laboratory, anthropometric and body composition indicators were assessed, as well as energy expenditure (EE), before and after the 90 days of the intervention. Dietary consumption did not differ between groups, before or after intervention. The two groups reduced their energy intake after intervention, but there were no differences between the groups. Waist circumference (WC) was reduced and resting metabolic rate had increased in the MF3 group at the end compared to baseline. Moreover, there was a significant difference in the triglyceride levels between groups after intervention, with an important reduction in the MF3 group, although changes in body composition, blood glucose, plasma ghrelin levels and EE variables did not differ between the groups at the end. It is concluded that, the hypocaloric diet with different MF each day did not change weight loss, body composition or insulin responsiveness, but there was an improvement of triglyceridemia in the MF3 group. The present study suggests that eating snacks between meals is not an important factor for weight loss and improvement of metabolic health in women with obesity.
-
7.
A Simple Liking Survey Captures Behaviors Associated with Weight Loss in a Worksite Program among Women at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Sharafi, M, Faghri, P, Huedo-Medina, TB, Duffy, VB
Nutrients. 2021;(4)
Abstract
In a secondary analysis, we assessed the ability of dietary and physical activity surveys to explain variability in weight loss within a worksite-adapted Diabetes Prevention Program. The program involved 58 overweight/obese female employees (average age = 46 ± 11 years SD; average body mass index = 34.7 ± 7.0 kg/m2 SD) of four long-term care facilities who survey-reported liking and frequency of dietary and physical activity behaviors. Data were analyzed using a latent variable approach, analysis of covariance, and nested regression analysis to predict percent weight change from baseline to intervention end at week 16 (average loss = 3.0%; range-6% gain to 17% loss), and follow-up at week 28 (average loss = 2.0%; range-8% gain to 16% loss). Using baseline responses, restrained eaters (reporting liking but low intakes of high fat/sweets) achieved greater weight loss at 28 weeks than those reporting high liking/high intake (average loss = 3.5 ± 0.9% versus 1.0 ± 0.8% S.E., respectively). Examining the dietary surveys separately, only improvements in liking for a healthy diet were associated significantly with weight loss (predicting 44% of total variance, p < 0.001). By contrasting liking versus intake changes, women reporting concurrent healthier diet liking and healthier intake lost the most weight (average loss = 5.4 ± 1.1% S.E.); those reporting eating healthier but not healthier diet liking (possible misreporting) gained weight (average gain = 0.3 ± 1.4% S.E.). Change in liking and frequency of physical activity were highly correlated but neither predicted weight loss independently. These pilot data support surveying dietary likes/dislikes as a useful measure to capture dietary behaviors associated with weight loss in worksite-based programs. Comparing dietary likes and intake may identify behaviors consistent (appropriate dietary restraint) or inconsistent (misreporting) with weight loss success.
-
8.
Changes in physical activity levels, eating habits and psychological well-being during the Italian COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: Impact of socio-demographic factors on the Florentine academic population.
Mascherini, G, Catelan, D, Pellegrini-Giampietro, DE, Petri, C, Scaletti, C, Gulisano, M
PloS one. 2021;(5):e0252395
Abstract
The confinement and lockdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have produced restrictions in the lifestyle of Italian citizens with variations in their psychological well-being. The aim of the study was to identify changes and relationship with socio-demographic parameters. An online survey was administered to 1383 subjects (1007 females and 307 males) working in the University of Florence, Italy. Three validated questionnaires were used for the survey: the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Med Diet Score and the Psychological General Well-Being Index-A. All the subjects were asked to complete the questionnaires twice, in order to attain a picture of the habits before and a later time point during confinement. Our results show that work-related physical activity was decreased, along with an increase in sedentary behaviour (from 07:22±03:20 to 08:49±03:41 h:min; p<0.001, ES = 0.38), whereas recreational physical activity was increased (vigorous exercise varied from 568.5 ± 838.6 to 833.7 ± 1263.0 METs; p<0.002, ES = 0.25). Eating habits changed according to the place where meals were eaten, with an increased habit for breakfast and snacks and a slight increase in alcohol consumption. Psychological well-being decreased (Index from 21.4±3.9 to 18.0±5.3; p<0.001, ES = 0.723), especially in terms of vitality and positive thinking. The socio-demographic variables affecting these variations were mostly represented by age, gender and working conditions: young age and self-employment conditions can be considered factors for the changes in daily habits induced by confinement that may affect psychological well-being.
-
9.
Improving Toddlers' Healthy Eating Habits and Self-regulation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Nix, RL, Francis, LA, Feinberg, ME, Gill, S, Jones, DE, Hostetler, ML, Stifter, CA
Pediatrics. 2021;(1)
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this study, we tested whether Recipe 4 Success, a preventive intervention featuring structured food preparation lessons, was successful in improving the following 4 protective factors related to overweight and obesity among families living in poverty: toddlers' healthy eating habits, toddlers' self-regulation, parents' responsive feeding practices, and parents' sensitive scaffolding. METHODS This randomized controlled trial was open to families enrolled in Early Head Start home visits and included 73 parents and their toddlers aged 18 to 36 months. Multimethod assessments were conducted at baseline and posttreatment. RESULTS Compared with toddlers in usual practice Early Head Start, toddlers in Recipe 4 Success consumed healthier meals and snacks (d = 0.57; P < .03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08-1.06) and displayed better self-regulation (d = 0.95; P < .001; 95% CI: 0.43-1.45). Compared with parents in usual practice Early Head Start, parents in Recipe 4 Success engaged in more responsive feeding practices (d = 0.87; P < .002; 95% CI: 0.34-1.40) and were better able to sensitively scaffold their toddlers' learning and development (d = 0.58; P < .04; 95% CI: 0.07-1.09). CONCLUSIONS This randomized controlled trial revealed medium to large intervention effects on 4 important protective factors that are related to overweight and obesity but are often compromised by living in poverty.
-
10.
'Old Is Gold': How Traditional Indian Dietary Practices Can Support Pediatric Diabetes Management.
Salis, S, Virmani, A, Priyambada, L, Mohan, M, Hansda, K, Beaufort, C
Nutrients. 2021;(12)
Abstract
Nutrition is crucial for maintaining normal growth, development, and glycemic control in young people with diabetes (PwD). Undue restrictions cause nutrient deficiencies as well as poor adherence to meal plans. Widespread availability of low-cost, ultra-processed, and hyperpalatable food is further damaging. Most families struggle to find ways to provide nutritious, yet attractive, food with a low glycemic index (GI). India is one of the oldest continuous civilizations with a rich and diverse cultural and culinary heritage. Traditional dietary practices, including the centuries-old 'Thali' (meaning plate) concept, emphasize combinations (grains, lentils, vegetables, dairy, spices, prebiotics and probiotics, and fats) of local, seasonal, and predominantly plant-based ingredients. These practices ensure that all of the necessary food groups are provided and fit well with current evidence-based recommendations, including the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) 2018 Guidelines. Techniques for the preparation, cooking, and preservation of food further impact the GI and nutrient availability. These practices benefit nutrient density, diet diversity, and palatability and thus improve adherence to meal plans and glycemic control. This narrative review describes the ancient wisdom, food composition, and culinary practices from across India which are still valuable today. These may be of benefit worldwide to improve glycemic control as well as quality of life, especially in PwD.