Defining picky eating and its relationship to feeding behaviors and weight status

We assessed the individual constructs that comprise "picky eaters" and determined the relationship of each construct to parental perception of their child's weight status, parental pressure-to-eat, and the child's body mass index z-score (BMIz). We developed a questionnaire including 7 commonly used measures of picky eating, which was completed by parents of 2-8 year-olds in pediatric clinics. We performed exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and model fit. Regression models assessed the association of each picky eating factor to weight perception, pressure-to-eat, and BMIz. We identified three distinct picky eating factors: trying new foods, eating sufficient quantity, and desire for specific food preparation. Each factor had Cronbach's alpha > 0.7 and acceptable model fit. No factors were associated with weight perception. Parents who were more concerned their child did not eat enough were more likely to pressure-to-eat, and these children had lower BMIz. These components of picky eating should be addressed by primary care providers.

Influence of the physical exercise on decrease in the gastric emptying and alter appetite and food behavior in rats dexamethasone-treatment

The chronic use of Dexamethasone (Dex) induced hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. On the other hand, physical exercise attenuates the symptoms induced by Dex in many physiological systems. However, the effect of the exercise on the changes in gastric motility induced by dexamethasone remains unknown. We hypothesized that low-intensity aerobic exercise modulates the metabolic effects induced by Dex-treatment by modifying the gastrointestinal function and feeding behavior in rats. Male rats were distributed into the following groups: Control (Ctrl), Dex (1.0 mg/kg, i.p.), Exercise (Ctrl + Exercise 5%) and (Dex1.0 + Exercise 5%). The exercise protocol was swimming for 5 consecutive days. We assessed the murinometric and nutritional indices, food intake, blood glucose by (ipGTT) and the gastric emptying rate of a liquid test meal were assessed in all rats. We observed a significant decrease (p < .05) in the gastric emptying in Dex1.0 group in relation to Ctrl group. The exercise prevented decrease in the gastric emptying (p < .05) in Dex1.0 + EX5% group when compared with Dex1.0 groups. The Dex1.0 group induced a significantly increase (p < .05) in glycaemia vs Ctrl group. The hyperglycemia was improving (p < .05) in the Dex1.0 + Ex5% compared with Dex1.0 groups. We observed a positive correlation (p < .05, and r = 0.7065) between gastric retention vs glycaemia in the Dex1.0 groups. The Dex1.0 reduced (p < .05) the body weight and altered body composition, promoting hypophagia. IL-6 increased (p < .05) at gastric fundus in Ex5% compared with Ctrl groups. In conclusion, the use of Dex1.0 decreases gastric emptying, promotes hyperglycemia and modifies feeding behavior. The low-intensity exercise prevents hyperglycemia, thus improving gastric dysmotility without improving the anthropometric parameters.

Effect of different dietary patterns on glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review

Different dietary patterns have been positively related to the glycemic control of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, consensual dietary pattern for these individuals is not established. We aimed to evaluate the effects of adopting different dietary patterns on glycemic control markers of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, Lilacs, Open Thesis and Google Scholar databases were searched using the Medical Subject Headings and terms related to dietary pattern and glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Interventional studies with adults of this population without diabetes-related complications, presenting data on percentage of glycated hemoglobin, and dietary patterns were included. In vitro, animal, reviews, observational, and studies with children, adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women were excluded. The time of adoption dietary patterns ranged from eight weeks to four years in randomized clinical trials, and six months in the cohort study. Vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension dietary patterns reduced 0.8% on average of percentage of glycated hemoglobin, considering all included studies. It was also observed reduction in fasting glycemia and improvement in Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Sensitivity. However, more randomized clinical trials are required for a full elucidation of these questions.

Relationship in Quality of Diet, Food Habit and Feeding Practice in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Their Caregiver

This study aimed to assess the dietary quality and food habits in children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and to evaluate the relationship between diet quality of children with PDDs and their caregivers' feeding practice and nutritional perceptions. Twenty-one pairs of caregivers and their children with PDD were surveyed. The caregivers completed surveys regarding their children's weight status, food habits, and dietary quality and their food habits, nutritional perceptions, knowledge, and feeding practices. Dietary quality was assessed as mean adequacy ratio, dietary diversity score (DDS), dietary variety score (DVS), and Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ). The children were in the normal ranges of body mass index (BMI) and Röhrer index. Having three times a meal, regular meal time, salty taste of the caregiver were related to those of the children with PDD (β = 0.533, 0.447, and 0.886, respectively; p < 0.05). Child control, food as reward, involvement, pressure, and restriction for the health of the caregiver were positively related to DDS, DVS, and INQ of the children with PDD (p < 0.05). High feeding stress and nutritional knowledge of the caregiver were related to the high BMI of the children with PDD (β = 0.445 and 0.602, respectively; p < 0.05), whereas emotion regulation, encourage balance and variety, and involvement of caregiver were negatively related to BMI (β = −0.426, −0.430, and −0.388, respectively; p < 0.05). In conclusion, food habits of children with PDD were closely related to those of caregiver. To improve nutritional status, more insightful understand will be required by considering their developmental differences in this population.

Bioconcentration of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine and its physiological and biochemical effects on Daphnia magna

Owing to its persistence, carbamazepine an antiepileptic drug is regularly detected in the aquatic environment. The motive for our research was to assess the bioconcentration, physiological and biochemical effects of carbamazepine in Daphnia magna. A 48 h aqueous exposure of carbamazepine yielded bioconcentration factors of 202.56 and 19.95 in Daphnia magna for the respective nominal treatments of 5 and 100 µg/L. Apparently, the inhibition of the capability of Daphnia magna to obtain food attributable to carbamazepine exposure will reduce their fitness to reproduce as well as to grow. Also, a significant alteration in the phototactic behaviour of Daphnia magna exposed to carbamazepine is maladaptive since it will increase their chance of being preyed upon in the surface water during daylight. Again, a significant decline in the acetylcholinesterase activity observed herein brings to light the neurotoxicity of carbamazepine to Daphnia magna. Moreover, significant inhibition of the superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase activities coupled with the simultaneous induction of the malondialdehyde content imply that carbamazepine evoked a life-threatening oxidative stress that overpowered the antioxidant defence system of Daphnia magna. These observations confirm that carbamazepine can accumulate and consequently cause negative physiological and biochemical changes to wild Daphnia magna populations.

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of Chinese Preschoolers' Caregivers' Feeding Behavior Scale

BACKGROUND

Caregivers' feeding behavior plays a crucial role in the development of overweight and obesity in preschoolers. However, to date, there is no broadly accepted scale or questionnaire for assessing preschoolers' caregivers' feeding behavior in China.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a scale that can be used to assess preschoolers' caregivers' feeding behavior in China and to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the scale's reliability, validity, and discriminative ability.

DESIGN

The scale was created through a literature review and qualitative interviews with the target population. Items were reviewed by 50 caregivers of preschoolers and 10 experienced pediatricians, and 95 items were selected to form a draft scale. The draft scale underwent three rounds of investigation, and the results from these evaluations were used to select items that formed the final scale.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

Three groups of caregivers (n=175, 400, and 912) were sampled and stratified from urban and suburban kindergartens in the cities of Jinan and Xi'an between March 2016 and October 2017 to participate in evaluations of the draft scale. From these caregiver groups, 146, 362, and 768 participants completed valid questionnaires, respectively, which were used in the scale's evaluation.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The general demographic data of the participants and scores of each item in the scale were the primary outcome measures.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Exploratory factor analysis and variability analysis were used to evaluate the draft scale, based on data from two rounds of investigation. The structure of the scale was explored through confirmatory factor analysis, and its reliability, construct validity, and discriminative ability were evaluated based on data from a third round of investigation.

RESULTS

The Chinese Preschoolers' Caregivers' Feeding Behavior Scale (CPCFBS) consisted of 35 items and seven dimensions; the total cumulative variance contribution rate was 58.6%; the Cronbach's α coefficient was .91; the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.89; and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.85. The age and weight status of the children and the caregivers' age and education levels, as well as family incomes and child-caregiver relationships, were correlated with feeding behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

The CPCFBS appeared to have good reliability and construct validity in specific Chinese populations. Future studies are needed to confirm existing findings in different Chinese populations with larger sample sizes.

Correlation between Children's eating behaviors and caregivers' feeding behaviors among preschool children in China

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between caregivers' feeding behaviors and children's eating behaviors among preschoolers in China. From April to July 2016, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 912 preschoolers' caregivers in China. The Chinese Preschooler's Caregiver Feeding Behavior Scale (CPCFBS) and Chinese Preschooler's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CPEBQ) were used to assess caregivers' feeding behaviors and children's eating behaviors, respectively. Pearson correlation and canonical correlation analysis (CCA) based on principal component analysis were performed to explore the relationships between them. Two interpretable canonical variables and structures were yielded through CCA. The first canonical variable could explain 35.1% and 29.0% of the total variance of the caregivers' feeding behaviors and the children's eating behaviors variable groups, respectively, with a canonical correlation coefficient of 0.659 (r_U1,V1 = 0.659, P < 0.001). The second canonical variable could explain 17.6% and 14.9% of the total variance of the caregivers' feeding behaviors and the children's eating behaviors variable groups, respectively, with a canonical correlation coefficient of 0.309 (r_U2,V2 = 0.309, P < 0.001). According to the canonical structure, higher performance behaviors of the caregiver, such as encouragement of healthy eating, responsibility for feeding, supervision of eating, behavior restricted feeding, content restricted feeding and lower weight concerns, were associated with reasonable behaviors of children, including lower emotional eating, food responsiveness, unhealthy eating habits and higher initiative eating. Our results demonstrated that caregivers' feeding behaviors were the major influencing factors of children's eating behaviors, and caregivers' encouragement of healthy eating, responsibility for feeding, supervision of eating, restricted feeding and lower weight concerns were associated with reasonable children's eating behaviors, especially low children's emotional eating, low food responsiveness, infrequent unhealthy eating habits, frequent initiative eating, infrequent satiety responsiveness and food fussiness behaviors.

Concomitant Associations between Lifestyle Characteristics and Physical Activity Status in Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND

To examine the concomitant associations between physical activities (PA) and lifestyle factors in a representative sample of children and adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional, observational study.

METHODS

Population data were derived from a school-based health survey carried out in 2015 on 177,091 (51% boys) Greek children aged 8 to 17 yr old. PA, sedentary activities and sleeping habits were assessed through self-completed questionnaires. Dietary habits were evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents. Anthropometric and physical fitness measurements were obtained by trained investigators. Logistic regression models were estimated and adjusted for relevant covariates.

RESULTS

More boys as compared to girls (65.1% vs. 50.7%, P<0.001) and children than adolescents (59.8% vs. 52.8%, P<0.001) met the recommendations for PA. Frequent fast food consumption and skipping breakfast were associated with inadequate PA levels. In the whole population, sufficient dietary habits, sufficient (&gt;8-9 h/d) sleeping and accepted screen time increased the participant's odds of adequate PA levels by 38% (95% CI: 1.32, 1.44), 5% (95% CI: 1.01, 1.09) and 21% (95% CI: 1.16, 1.26), respectively, while, overweight/obese and central obesity decreased the odds of adequate PA levels by 7% and 5%, respectively, after adjusting for several covariates. Participants with combination of healthy aerobic fitness/dietary habits/screen time had 60% increased odds for adequate PA levels than those with unhealthy choices.

CONCLUSION

Healthy aerobic fitness, dietary habits and screen time were strongly associated with PA status among children. The results support the development of interventions to help children adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Correlation between antibiotic-induced feeding depression and body size reduction in zooplankton (rotifer, Brachionus calyciflorus): Neural response and digestive enzyme inhibition

The study analyzed the correlation between the antibiotic-induced feeding depression and body size reduction in rotifer, Brachionus calyciflorus, involving exposure, post-exposure and re-exposure periods. The filtration and ingestion rates of the rotifers were inhibited in these three exposure periods at any given concentration of the antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMZ). As food for rotifer, the cell size of the green algae was unchanged, which indicated that it could not drive feeding depression. Secondly, several corresponding physiological responses were considered. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels increased in the post-exposure and the re-exposure; acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significantly decreased in the exposure and the re-exposure, whereas it was induced in the post-exposure. The activities of amylase and lipase were always inhibited in these three exposure periods. Additionally, significant decreases in lorica length, width and biovolume of rotifers occurred after the feeding depression. Statistical analysis indicated a positive correlation between the activity of the digestive enzyme and the body size. Our results demonstrated that SMZ could influence the neurotransmission, inhibit the activity of the digestive enzyme, and finally result in body size reduction. These results provided an integrated perspective on assessing the toxicity effects of antibiotic in non-lethal dosage on the feeding behavior of non-target aquatic organisms.

Maternal restrictive feeding practices for child weight control and associated characteristics

OBJECTIVE

To identify associations between maternal restrictive feeding practices for child weight control and sociodemographic, behavioral, dietetic, and anthropometric characteristics.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study with mothers of children aged 2-8 years. Maternal feeding practices were measured by the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire, in private schools in Brazil. Bivariate and multivariate associations were performed, using nonparametric analyses to estimate odds ratios and significance levels.

RESULTS

Maternal restrictive feeding practices for weight control were independently associated with the mother's perception of her child being a little overweight/overweight/obese (OR=4.61, p=0.001), greater concern about the child's overweight (OR=2.61, p<0.001), child's overweight/obesity/severe obesity (OR= 2.18, p<0.001), and the child's greater intake of ultra-processed foods (OR=1.40, p=0.026).

CONCLUSION

In this study, the risk variables identified for the use of the maternal restrictive feeding practices to control the child's weight can be used to provide education and guidance interventions in health and education networks directed to groups with similar characteristics to those of the studied population.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modulates biometric and inflammatory parameters and anxiety-like behavior in obese rats

Obesity is a multifactorial disease associated with metabolic dysfunction and the prevention and treatment of obesity are often unsatisfactory. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that has proven promising in the treatment of eating disorders such as obesity. We investigate the effects of tDCS on locomotor and exploratory activities, anxiety-like and feeding behavior, and levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), IL (interleukin)-10, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the cerebral cortex of obese rats. A total of 40 adult male Wistar rats were used in our study. Animals were divided into groups of three or four animals per cage and allocated to four treatment groups: standard diet plus sham tDCS treatment (SDS), standard diet plus tDCS treatment (SDT), hypercaloric diet plus sham tDCS treatment (HDS), hypercaloric diet plus tDCS treatment (HDT). After 40 days on a hypercaloric diet and/or standard diet were to assessed the locomotor and exploratory activity and anxiety-like behavior to by the open field (OF) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests respectively before and after exposure to tDCS treatment. The experimental groups were submitted to active or sham treatment tDCS during eight days. Palatable food consumption test (PFT) was performed 24 h after the last tDCS session under fasting and feeding conditions. Obese animals submitted to tDCS treatment showed a reduction in the Lee index, visceral adipose tissue weight, and food craving. In addition, bicephalic tDCS decreased the cerebral cortex levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in these animals. Exposure to a hypercaloric diet produced an anxiolytic effect, which was reversed by bicephalic tDCS treatment. These results suggest that, in accordance with studies in humans, bicephalic tDCS could modulate biometric and inflammatory parameters, as well as anxiety-like and feeding behavior, of rats subjected to the consumption of a hypercaloric diet.

Bioconcentration, behavioral, and biochemical effects of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in Daphnia magna

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac is one of the most frequently studied as well as controversially discussed pharmaceutically active drug on the subject of its relevance to the environment. This study was conducted to assess the bioconcentration potential of diclofenac and its behavioral and biochemical effects in Daphnia magna. The bioconcentration factors of diclofenac determined after 48 h of aqueous exposure in Daphnia magna were 70.94 and 8.02 for the nominal exposure concentrations of 5 and 100 μg/L, respectively. Diclofenac exposure obviously decreased the filtration and ingestion rates of the daphnids. A significant increase of the acetylcholinesterase activity that was observed in this study indicates that diclofenac might not have neurobehavioral toxicity in Daphnia magna. Significant induction of malondialdehyde content is an indication of overproduction of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative damage in daphnids after diclofenac exposure. Moreover, significant inhibition of the superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase activities implies that the antioxidant defense system of Daphnia magna was overwhelmed. Also, significant inhibition of glutathione s-transferase activity might point to the fact that the enzyme was not capable to detoxify diclofenac in Daphnia magna. These findings indicate that diclofenac can accumulate and consequently stimulate behavioral and biochemical disturbances in Daphnia magna.

Study protocol: optimized complementary feeding study (OTIS): a randomized controlled trial of the impact of a protein-reduced complementary diet based on Nordic foods

Background

What we eat as infants and children carries long-term consequences. Apart from breastfeeding, the composition of the complementary diet, i.e. the foods given to the infant during the transition from breast milk/infant formula to regular family foods affects the child’s future health. A high intake of protein, a low intake of fruits, vegetables and fish and an unfavorable distribution between polyunsaturated and saturated fats are considered to be associate with health risks, e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia later in life.

Methods

In a randomized, controlled study from 6 to 18 months of age we will compare the currently recommended, Swedish complementary diet to one based on Nordic foods, i.e. an increased intake of fruits, berries, vegetables, tubers, whole-grain and game, and a lower intake of sweets, dairy, meat and poultry, with lower protein content (30% decrease), a higher intake of vegetable fats and fish and a systematic introduction of fruits and greens. The main outcomes are body composition (fat and fat-free mass measured with deuterium), metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers (associated with the amount of body fat) in blood and urine, gut microbiota (thought to be the link between early diet, metabolism and diseases such as obesity and insulin resistance) and blood pressure.

We will also measure the participants’ energy and nutrient intake, eating behavior and temperament through validated questionnaires, acceptance of new and unfamiliar foods through video-taped test meals and assessment of cognitive development, which we believe can be influenced through an increased intake of fish and milk fats, notably milk fat globule membranes (MFGM).

Discussion

If the results are what we expect, i.e. improved body composition and a less obesogenic, diabetogenic and inflammatory metabolism and gut microbiota composition, a more sustainable nutrient intake for future health and an increased acceptance of healthy foods, they will have a profound impact on the dietary recommendations to infants in Sweden and elsewhere, their eating habits later in life and subsequently their long-term health.

Trial registration

NCT02634749. Registration date 18 December 2015.

Dietary Habits and Abdominal Pain-related Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A School-based, Cross-sectional Analysis in Greek Children and Adolescents

Background/Aims

The abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (AP-FGIDs) affect a significant proportion of the pediatric population and consist 1 of the most frequent causes for seeking medical advice. In this study, we aimed to assess the relation of dietary habits with the likelihood of AP-FGIDs.

Methods

This was a school-based, cross-sectional study approved by the Greek Government authorities, after obtaining informed consent by the legal representatives of the children. Diagnoses of AP-FGIDs were based on the Greek official translation of the Rome III questionnaire. Demographic, socioeconomic and dietary data were collected through self-reporting or parent-reporting questionnaires. Associations between the probability of AP-FGIDs and dietary practices were assessed after adjusting for known confounders through a multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 1365 children (147 AP-FGIDs and 1218 controls, 52.4% females, mean age: 12.8 ± 2.8 years) were included. Multiple regression analysis identified the following statistically significant confounders: victimization, the presence of a person with a severe health problem at home, female sex, engaging in limited physical exercise, and living in a single adult family. Subsequently, logistic regression, adjusted for the abovementioned confounders, showed that reduced fish and increased junk food consumption were related to a higher likelihood of AP-FGIDs.

Conclusions

Children with AP-FGIDs report excessive junk-food and reduced fish intake compared to controls. Further studies are needed in order to clarify the nature of this observation.

In utero exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate suppresses blood glucose and leptin levels in the offspring of wild-type mice

Exposure of pregnant mice to di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) induces maternal lipid malnutrition and decreases the number of live fetuses/pups. In this study, we aimed to clarify the relationship between maternal lipid malnutrition and the nutritional status of the neonatal, lactational, and adult offspring, as well as the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) in these relationships. Sv/129 wild-type (mPPARA), Ppara-null, and PPARα-humanized (hPPARA) mice were fed diets containing 0, 0.01, 0.05, or 0.1% DEHP in utero and/or during the lactational stage. The male offspring were killed on postnatal day 2 or 21, or after 11 weeks. Exposure to either 0.05% or 0.1% DEHP during both the in utero and lactational periods decreased serum glucose concentrations in 2-day-old mPPARA offspring. These dosages also decreased both serum and plasma leptin levels in both 2- and 21-day-old mPPARA offspring. In contrast, exposure to DEHP only during the lactational period did not decrease leptin levels, suggesting the importance of in utero exposure to DEHP. Exposure to 0.05% DEHP during the in utero and lactational periods also increased food consumption after weaning in both mPPARA and hPPARA mice; this was not observed in Ppara-null offspring. In conclusion, in utero exposure to DEHP induces neonatal serum glucose malnutrition via PPARα. DEHP also decreases serum and plasma leptin concentrations in offspring during the neonatal and weaning periods, in association with PPARα, which presumably results in increased of food consumption after weaning.

Influence of substrate orientation on tadpoles' feeding efficiency

In nature, tadpoles encounter food on substrates oriented at different angles (e.g. vertically along stems, horizontally on the bottom of the pond). We manipulated the orientation of food-covered surfaces to test how different orientations of surfaces affect tadpoles' feeding efficiency. We studied taxa that differed in the oral morphology of their larvae and position in the water column. We hypothesized that species would differ in their ability to graze upon surfaces at different orientations and that differences in the tadpoles' feeding ability would result in different growth rates. The orientation of food-covered surfaces did not affect the growth rate of bottom-dwelling tadpoles (whose growth rate varied only between species). Among midwater tadpoles, some species appear to have a generalist strategy and experienced a high relative growth rate on numerous substrate orientations, whereas others achieved high growth rates only on flat substrates (i.e. at 0° and 180°). We conclude that oral morphology constrains tadpoles' ability to feed at different substrate orientations, and this could lead to niche partitioning in structurally complex aquatic environments. Because physical parameters of the environment can affect tadpoles' growth rate, characterizing these features might help us better understand how competition structures tadpole assemblages.

Calcium ions in the aquatic environment drive planarians to food

BACKGROUND

Even subtle changes in environmental factors can exert behavioral effects on creatures, which may alter interspecific interactions and eventually affect the ecosystem. However, how changes in environmental factors impact complex behaviors regulated by neural processes is largely unknown. The freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica, a free-living flatworm, displays distinct behavioral traits mediated by sensitive perception of environmental cues. Planarians are thus useful organisms for examining interactions between environmental changes and specific behaviors of animals.

RESULTS

Here we found that feeding behavior was suppressed when the concentration of ions in the breeding water was low, while other behaviors were unaffected, resulting in differences in population size. Notably, the decline in feeding behavior was reversed in an ion-concentration-dependent manner soon after the planarians were moved to ion-containing water, which suggests that ions in environmental water rapidly promote feeding behavior in planarians. Moreover, the concentration of ions in the environmental water affected the feeding behavior by modulating the sensitivity of the response to foods. Finally, we found that calcium ions in the aquatic environment were required for the feeding behavior, and exposure to higher levels of calcium ions enhanced the feeding behavior, showing that there was a good correlation between the concentration of calcium ions and the responsiveness of planarians to foods.

CONCLUSIONS

Environmental calcium ions are indispensable for and potentiate the activity level of the feeding behavior of planarians. Our findings suggest that the ions in the aquatic environment profoundly impact the growth and survival of aquatic animals via modulating their neural activities and behaviors.

Behavioral effects of copper on larval white sturgeon

Early-life stage white sturgeon are sensitive to copper (Cu), with adverse behavioral responses observed during previous studies. The objectives of the present study were to quantify the effects of Cu exposure on white sturgeon swimming and feeding behaviors and determine their time to response. Larval sturgeon (1-2, 28, or 35 d posthatch [dph]) were exposed to Cu (0.5-8 μg/L) for 4 to 14 d. Abnormal behavioral changes were observed within the first few days of exposure including loss of equilibrium and immobilization. Digital video tracking software revealed decreased swimming activity with increasing Cu concentration. Significant changes in behavior and mortality occurred at concentrations of Cu between 1 and 8 μg/L. Juvenile white sturgeon, 58 dph, exposed to 12 μg/L Cu consumed 37 to 60% less food than controls after 3 d of exposure. The present results indicate that behavioral endpoints were more sensitive than some standard toxicity test endpoints and can effectively expand the sensitivity of standard toxicity tests for white sturgeon. Swimming behavior was impaired to the extent that survival in the field would likely be jeopardized. Such data would provide managers a useful metric for characterizing the risks of Cu contamination to white sturgeon. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:132-144. Published 2018 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Anxiety symptoms and emotional eating are independently associated with sweet craving in young adults

Sweet craving (SC), defined as a strong desire for sweet foods, seems to be closely related to negative emotions, such as anxiety and unhealthy eating behaviors. The objective was to investigate factors that are associated with SC and to assess the relationships among SC, anxiety symptoms, and eating behavior in university students. This was a cross-sectional study involving 300 students of both sexes (20.5 ± 4.4 years) who were freshmen in a Brazilian public university. Eating behavior was evaluated using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory, SC was identified by a yes/no question ("Have you had a very strong desire to eat sweet food over the last three months?"), and characterized by the Questionnaire for Assessment of Sweet Substance Dependence. Individuals with SC scored significantly higher for uncontrolled eating (UE), emotional eating (EE), and anxiety symptoms. Logistic regression analysis revealed that anxiety symptoms are independently associated with SC. In conclusion, negative emotions, like anxiety, and eating guided by these emotions can contribute to the SC phenomenon.

Neuroendocrine-Metabolic Dysfunction and Sleep Disturbances in Neurodegenerative Disorders: Focus on Alzheimer's Disease and Melatonin

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with altered eating behavior and metabolic disruption. Amyloid plaques and neurofilament tangles are observed in many hypothalamic nuclei from AD brains. Some of these areas (suprachiasmatic nuclei, lateral hypothalamic area) also play a role in the regulation of the sleep/wake cycle and may explain the comorbidity of eating and sleep disorders observed in AD patients. Inadequate sleep increases the neurodegenerative process, for example, the decrease of slow-wave sleep impairs clearance of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and tau protein from cerebral interstitial fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) melatonin levels decrease even in preclinical stages (Braak-1 stage) when patients manifest no cognitive impairment, suggesting that reduction of melatonin in CSF may be an early marker (the cause for which is still unknown) of oncoming AD. Melatonin administration augments glymphatic clearance of Aβ and reduces generation and deposition of Aβ in transgenic animal models of AD. It may also set up a new equilibrium among hypothalamic feeding signals. While melatonin trials performed in the clinical phase of AD have failed to show or showed only modest positive effects on cognition, in the preclinical stage of dementia (minimal cognitive impairment) the effect of melatonin is demonstrable with significant improvement of sleep and quality of life. In this review, we discuss the main aspects of hypothalamic alterations in AD, the association between interrupted sleep and neurodegeneration, and the possible therapeutic effect of melatonin on these processes.

Feed intake pattern of broiler chickens under intermittent lighting: Do birds eat in the dark?

This paper reflects the results of a short experiment conducted in parallel with a larger trial which aimed to test the assumption that 'consumption of feed by broiler chickens during periods of darkness is largely negligible'. To that effect, on d 31, feeders of birds raised under intermittent lighting (IL), i.e. 1 h of light [1L]:3 h of dark (3D):1L:3D:1L:3D:1L:3D:2L:6D, were weighed at the onset and at the end of each period of darkness (or scotoperiod). Moreover, in order to compare the feeding behavior of IL birds with that of broilers raised under continuous lighting (CL, i.e. 18L:6D), their feeders were weighed in parallel and at the same time points. On d 31, feed intake of IL birds during scotoperiods represented 45% of their 24 h feed intake. Both CL and IL birds presented anticipatory feed intake prior to the long nocturnal period of darkness (6D), as well as higher feed intake right at the onset of lighting at 06:00. Feed intake of CL birds during the 6D nocturnal scotoperiod was negligible at around 2% of their total feed intake. Intermittent lighting birds exhibited excitement at the start of each hour-length scotoperiod and, within that time, ingested around 2.5 times the amount of feed ingested by CL birds. Although short, this study revealed several interesting observations which might be worth further exploring in a larger, lengthier, behavior-focused experiment. Amongst other factors, it might be interesting to understand whether the high feed intake observed during scotoperiods for IL birds in reflective of the whole flock or rather a coping mechanism developed mainly by hierarchically lower-ranking birds to achieve their daily feed intakes requirements.

[Nutrition in type 2 diabetes mellitus]

The increasing incidence of metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, poses a major problem for the healthcare system. Healthy food habits represent an important therapeutic measure to prevent health sequelae, such as cardiovascular diseases. According to recent data these are less due to individual dietary components and more to the composition of nutrition. A positive effect on glucose and fat metabolism in type 2 diabetes has been confirmed for various forms of nutrition. In addition to the type of nutrition, the so-called glycemic index of foodstuffs is also decisive for blood glucose control. Additionally, beneficial effects for particular foodstuffs, such as coffee, could be determined in patients with diabetes.

Relationship Between Meal Frequency and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Iranian Adults

BACKGROUND

The association between frequency of meals and snacks and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is less studied in Middle-Eastern countries.

AIM

We aimed to determine the relationship between meal and snack frequency with GERD symptoms in a large sample of Iranian adults.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 4669 individuals filled out a questionnaire about their number of meals and snacks. Frequency of total meals was defined by summing up the frequency of main meals and snacks, and participants were categorized into four categories: < 3, 3-5, 6-7 and ≥ 8 meals/day. GERD was defined as having heartburn sometimes or more during the last 3 months. The severity of disease was assessed.

RESULTS

The prevalence of GERD in the study population was 23.7%. There was no significant association between meal or snack frequency and GERD symptoms in the whole population. However, after adjustment of all potential confounders, we found that women who consumed 1-2 or 3-5 snacks per day, compared with those who never had snacks, had a 41% (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.42-0.84) and 51% (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.32-0.75) reduced risk of having GERD, respectively. Women who consumed 6-7 or ≥ 8 snacks and meals per day had a 38% (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.41-0.96) and 43% (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.34-0.95) risk reduction for GERD compared with those who ate < 3 snacks and meals per day.

CONCLUSION

We found no significant association between meal frequency and GERD symptoms in the whole population. Gender-specific analysis revealed inverse associations between meal and snack frequency and GERD in Iranian women. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these associations.

Intraperitoneal injection of nesfatin-1 primarily through the CCK-CCK1R signal pathway affects expression of appetite factors to inhibit the food intake of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii)

Nesfatin-1 is an 82-amino acid protein derived from nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2), which could inhibit food intake in fish and mammals. However, the neuroendocrine mechanism of nesfatin-1 in animal appetite regulation is unclear. To explore the feeding mechanism of nesfatin-1 in Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii), intraperitoneal injections of nesfatin-1 and sulfated cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK8), Lorglumide (CCK1R selective antagonist), or LY 225,910 (CCK2R selective antagonist) were performed. Co-injection of nesfatin-1 and CCK8 synergistically significantly decreased the food intake in 1 h. Lorglumide reversed the anorectic effect of nesfatin-1, but LY 225,910 had no effect. Moreover, Lorglumide could also reverse the expressions of appetite factors including nucb2, cck, unc3, cart, apelin, pyy, and npy induced by nesfatin-1 in the brain, stomach, and liver, while LY 225,910 partially reversed these changes. These results indicate that nesfatin-1 inhibits the appetite of Siberian sturgeon mainly through the CCK-CCK1R signaling pathway.

Dietary uptake, biodistribution, and depuration of microplastics in the freshwater diving beetle Cybister japonicus: Effects on predacious behavior

Microplastics (MPs) have adverse effects on aquatic organisms in marine environments; however, there is a lack of information on freshwater environments. This study investigated the dietary uptake, and biodistribution and depuration of MPs in the freshwater diving beetle Cybister japonicus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) after consumption of zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to MPs. The transfer of MPs in diving beetles after consumption of zebrafish was assessed to determine whether the presence of MPs affected diving beetle behavior and predation. We found that diving beetles that consumed MP-exposed fish had a significantly lower ingestion rate than the control. In addition, the trophic transfer rate of MPs was 13-18%. However, MPs were found only in the crop and proventriculus of the beetles, and all particles were depurated within 48 h, likely via regurgitation. As diving beetle is a top predator in freshwater ecosystems and could facilitate transfer from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via predation, its behavior towards indigestible MPs in its digestive organs (i.e., filtering and vomiting) could represent a meaningful phenomenon as a potential vector for MP transport. This is the first report of the trophic transfer of MPs from fish to dytiscid species, which helps clarify the effects and mechanisms of MPs in freshwater systems.

Leptin and insulin do not exert redundant control of metabolic or emotive function via dopamine neurons

Leptin and insulin's hunger-suppressing and activity-promoting actions on hypothalamic neurons are well characterized, yet the mechanisms by which they modulate the midbrain dopamine system to influence energy balance remain less clear. A subset of midbrain dopamine neurons express receptors for leptin (Lepr) and insulin (Insr). Leptin-dopamine signaling reduces running reward and homecage activity. However, dopamine-specific deletion of Lepr does not affect body weight or food intake in mice. We hypothesized insulin-dopamine signaling might compensate for disrupted leptin-dopamine signaling. To investigate the degree to which insulin and leptin exert overlapping (i.e. redundant) versus discrete control over dopamine neurons, we generated transgenic male and female mice exhibiting dopamine-specific deletion of either Lepr (Lepr KO), Insr (Insr KO) or both Lepr and Insr (Dbl KO) and assessed their feeding behavior, voluntary activity, and energy expenditure compared to control mice. No differences in body weight, daily food intake, energy expenditure or hyperphagic feeding of palatable chow were observed between Lepr, Insr or Dbl KO mice and control mice. However, consistent with previous findings, Lepr KO (but not Insr or Dbl KO) male mice exhibited significantly increased running wheel activity compared to controls. These data demonstrate that insulin and leptin do not exert redundant control of dopamine neuron-mediated modulation of energy balance. Furthermore, our results indicate neither leptin nor insulin plays a critical role in the modulation of dopamine neurons regarding hedonic feeding behavior or anxiety-related behavior.

The effect of ingredient-specific calorie information on calories ordered

Providing calorie labeling is a widely used strategy to combat obesity. However, there is little evidence that the availability of calorie information at food-away-from-home establishments has an effect on food choices. Listing calorie information for each ingredient, though, may allow customers to avoid high-calorie items that add little to their enjoyment. Data from a natural experiment were used to compare total calories ordered before and after the provision of per-ingredient versus for build-your-own sandwiches, and per-sandwich for pre-defined sandwiches, at a supermarket sandwich counter.

Sandwich order slips from a Lincoln, Neb. supermarket were collected from December 15, 2016 to February 4, 2018. In June 2017, calorie information was introduced. A total of 1134 build-your-own orders and 559 pre-defined orders were collected.

Calories ordered before and after the provision of calorie information were examined for build-your-own and pre-defined sandwiches using two-sample t-tests. Orders post-calorie information were split into three periods to examine whether responses to information changed over time. Ingredients ordered were also examined before and after information was provided.

Customers decrease calories ordered by 7.8% for build-your-own sandwiches when per-ingredient calorie information is introduced. There is no significant change in calories ordered for pre-defined sandwiches. Calorie reduction appears to result from substitution away from some higher calorie items, e.g., mayonnaise, towards lower calorie ingredients, like mustard. Despite low calorie content, customers did not increase the number of vegetables ordered. Finally, there is no attenuation of the effect of calorie information over time.

•

Per-ingredient calorie information of sandwiches yields a significant decrease in calories ordered.

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Calorie decreases in per-ingredient orders persist over time.

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Customers substitute away from some high-calorie ingredients like mayo.

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Customers did not increase the number of vegetables ordered despite low calorie content.

Feeding Difficulties and Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder in Patients with Hepatic Glycogen Storage Diseases

Hepatic glycogen storage diseases (GSDs) are inborn errors of metabolism whose dietary treatment involves uncooked cornstarch administration and restriction of simple carbohydrate intake. The prevalence of feeding difficulties (FDs) and orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) in these patients is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain the prevalence of FDs and OMDs in GSD.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, prospective study of 36 patients (19 males; median age, 12.0 years; range, 8.0-18.7 years) with confirmed diagnoses of GSD (type Ia = 22; Ib = 8; III = 2; IXa = 3; IXc = 1). All patients were being treated by medical geneticists and dietitians. Evaluation included a questionnaire for evaluation of feeding behavior, the orofacial myofunctional evaluation (AMIOFE), olfactory and taste performance (Sniffin' Sticks and Taste Strips tests), and facial anthropometry.

RESULTS

Nine (25%) patients had decreased olfactory perception, and four (11%) had decreased taste perception for all flavours. Eight patients (22.2%) had decreased perception for sour taste. Twenty-six patients (72.2%) had FD, and 18 (50%) had OMD. OMD was significantly associated with FD, tube feeding, selective intake, preference for fluid and semisolid foods, and mealtime stress (p < 0.05). Thirteen patients (36.1%) exhibited mouth or oronasal breathing, which was significantly associated with selective intake (p = 0.011) and not eating together with the rest of the family (p = 0.041). Lower swallowing and chewing scores were associated with FD and with specific issues related to eating behavior (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

There is a high prevalence of FDs and OMDs in patients with GSD. Eating behavior, decreased taste and smell perception, and orofacial myofunctional issues are associated with GSD.

Effects of vagal neuromodulation on feeding behavior

Implanted vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for obesity was recently approved by the FDA. However, its efficacy and mechanisms of action remain unclear. Herein, we synthesize clinical and preclinical effects of VNS on feeding behavior and energy balance and discuss engineering considerations for understanding and improving the therapy. Clinical cervical VNS (≤30 Hz) to treat epilepsy or depression has produced mixed effects on weight loss as a side effect, albeit in uncontrolled, retrospective studies. Conversely, preclinical studies (cervical and subdiaphragmatic VNS) mostly report decreased food intake and either decreased weight gain or weight loss. More recent clinical studies report weight loss in response to kilohertz frequency VNS applied to the subdiaphragmatic vagi, albeit with a large placebo effect. Rather than eliciting neural activity, this therapy putatively blocks conduction in the vagus nerves. Overall, stimulation parameters lack systematic exploration, optimization, and justification based on target nerve fibers and therapeutic outcomes. The vagus nerve transduces, transmits, and integrates important neural (efferent and afferent), humoral, energetic, and inflammatory information between the gut and brain. Thus, improved understanding of the biophysics, electrophysiology, and (patho)physiology has the potential to advance VNS as an effective therapy for a wide range of diseases.

Is the prevalence of orthorexia nervosa in an Australian university population 6.5%?

PURPOSE

To survey Australian adults at a Sydney university about: their tendencies towards the proposed health food eating disorder, orthorexia nervosa (and to estimate the prevalence of this condition), their eating behaviours, and their body image.

METHODS

A pilot, cross-sectional and descriptive online survey was conducted on staff and students at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. The primary outcome was the score on the most commonly used and validated measure of orthorexic behaviours, the ORTO-15. The point prevalence of orthorexia nervosa was estimated using the ORTO-15 cut-off score of < 35. Other outcomes were the Eating Attitudes Test-26 and the Body Shape Questionnaire-34.

RESULTS

In the sample of 92 Australian adults recruited at a university, there was a point prevalence rate for orthorexia nervosa of 21% when using the ORTO-15 cut-off value of < 35. If criteria A and B of proposed diagnostic criteria for the condition were also taken into consideration (i.e. someone with orthorexia nervosa would display disordered healthy eating tendencies; as well as were: underweight, or had marked concern with their body shape, or had significant impairment of functioning in work life or social life), the true prevalence rate could be considered to be 6.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the ORTO-15 tool alone may overestimate the true prevalence of orthorexia nervosa. Further research into the accurate diagnosis and treatment of orthorexia nervosa is needed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V, descriptive study.

EPG waveform library for Graphocephala atropunctata (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): Effect of adhesive, input resistor, and voltage levels on waveform appearance and stylet probing behaviors

Blue-green sharpshooter, Graphocephala atropunctata, is a native California vector of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), a foregut-borne bacterium that is the causal agent of Pierce's disease in grapevines. A 3rd-generation, AC-DC electropenetrograph (EPG monitor) was used to record stylet probing and ingestion behaviors of adult G. atropunctata on healthy grapevines. This study presents for the first time a complete, updated waveform library for this species, as well as effects of different electropenetrograph settings and adhesives on waveform appearances. Both AC and DC applied signals were used with input resistor (Ri) levels (amplifier sensitivities) of 10⁶, 10⁷, 10⁸ and 10⁹ Ohms, as well as two type of adhesives, conducting silver paint and handmade silver glue. Waveform description, characterization of electrical origins (R versus emf components), and proposed biological meanings of waveforms are reported, as well as qualitative differences in waveform appearances observed with different electropenetrograph settings and adhesives. In addition, a quantitative study with AC signal, using two applied voltage levels (50 and 200 mV) and two Ri levels (10⁷ and 10⁹ Ohms) was performed. Intermediate Ri levels 10⁷ and 10⁸ Ohms provided EPG waveforms with the greatest amount of information, because both levels captured similar proportions of R and emf components, as supported by appearance, clarity, and definition of waveforms. Similarly, use of a gold wire loop plus handmade silver glue provided more definition of waveforms than a gold wire loop plus commercial conducting silver paint. Qualitative/observational evidence suggested that AC applied signal caused fewer aberrant behaviors/waveforms than DC applied signal. In the quantitative study, behavioral components of the sharpshooter X wave were the most affected by changes in Ri and voltage level. Because the X wave probably represents X. fastidiosa inoculation behavior, future studies of X. fastidiosa inoculation via EPG will require carefully determined instrument settings. An intermediate Ri level such as 10⁸ Ohms with low voltage, AC applied signal, and gold wire loop plus silver glue is recommended as the best electropenetrograph methods to conduct future EPG studies of sharpshooter inoculation behaviors on Xf-resistant and -susceptible grapevine.

Anesthetic drugs modulate feeding behavior and hypothalamic expression of the POMC polypeptide precursor and the NPY neuropeptide

Background

Several hypnotic drugs have been previously identified as modulators of food intake, but exact mechanisms remain unknown. Feeding behavior implicates several neuronal populations in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus including orexigenic neuropeptide Y and anorexigenic pro-opiomelanocortin producing neurons. The aim of this study was to investigate in mice the impact of different hypnotic drugs on food consumption and neuropeptide Y or pro-opiomelanocortine mRNA expression level in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus.

Methods

Saline control, isoflurane, thiopental, midazolam or propofol were administered to C57Bl/6 mice. Feeding behavior was evaluated during 6 h. In situ hybridization of neuropeptide Y and pro-opiomelanocortine mRNAs in the hypothalamus brain region was also performed. Data were analyzed by Kruskal Wallis test and analysis of variance (p < 0.05).

Results

Midazolam, thiopental and propofol induced feeding behavior. Midazolam and thiopental increased neuropeptide Y mRNA level (respectively by 106 and 125%, p < 0.001) compared with control. Propofol and midazolam decreased pro-opiomelanocortine mRNA level by 31% (p < 0,01) compared with control. Isoflurane increased pro-opiomelanocortine mRNA level by 40% compared with control.

Conclusion

In our murine model, most hypnotics induced food consumption. The hypnotic-induced regulation of neuropeptide Y and pro-opiomelanocortine hypothalamic peptides is associated with this finding. Our data suggest that administration of some hypnotic drugs may affect hypothalamic peptide precursor and neuropeptide expression and concomittantly modulate food intake. Thus, this questions the choice of anesthetics for better care management of patients undergoing major surgery or at risk of undernutrition.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12871-018-0557-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Tourism in protected areas: Disentangling road and traffic effects on intra-guild scavenging processes

The expansion of road networks and the increase in traffic have emerged in recent years as key threats to the conservation of biodiversity. This is particularly concerning in many protected areas because the increase of recreational activities requiring the use of vehicles. Effects of roads and traffic within guild scenarios and ecological processes remain however poorly known. Here we examined how road proximity and traffic intensity influence patterns of resource use in an Old-World avian scavenger guild living in a protected natural park in northern Spain. We experimentally placed 130 carcasses at different distances from a scenic road in the centre of the park. Vehicles were recorded by means of traffic counters which revealed that maximum numbers were reached during weekends and holidays and during the middle hours of the day. Avian scavenger attendance at carcasses was recorded by means of camera-traps. Obligated scavengers, Eurasian griffon (Gyps fulvus) and Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) were frequently observed (59.4% and 37.7% of the consumed carcasses) together with five other facultative scavenger species. We found that the richness (number of species) and the probability of consumption of the resource were reduced the smaller the distance to the road and in days with higher traffic intensity. The same factors affected the probability of presence of all the scavenger species. Moreover, some of them, notably griffon vultures, showed hourly patterns of carcass attendance suggesting avoidance of maximum traffic levels. Our results highlight that roads and traffic would trigger consequences on the structure and functioning of scavenger food webs, which may be particularly concerning in protected areas with remarkable levels of biodiversity. Future regulations at protected areas should couple both traffic and tourist affluence with wildlife conservation. In this way important ecological processes would be preserved while maintaining a good dissemination of natural values.

[Cultural differences in the food preferences of school population]

OBJECTIVE

The combination of cultures can affect the feeding of the native population and immigrant, influencing the school population. The objective of this study was to analyze the habits and eating habits of schoolchildren and the relationships with their cultural environment.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study of a representative sample of 325 parents and students of primary school of an Almeria population was conducted. For the analysis of the qualitative variables Chi square was applied and for the quantitative ones, U of Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis was applied.

RESULTS

The results showed a higher preference for vegetables in girls (42.22%) than in boys (30.34%). In schoolchildren who did not go to the school canteen, vegetable consumption was higher (pieces of vegetable Me=2,15), preference for dairy products 94.4% and fish 89.8%. Although 45.6% of children, whose parents came from North Africa, reported not having tasted pork, 29.4% were satisfied with this type of food. We observed a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables in children whose parents came from North Africa (pieces of fruit Me=3,42 and pieces of vegetable Me=2,38, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Through this study we observed a higher consumption of vegetables and higher preferences for dairy and fish in schoolchildren who did not go to the school canteen. Likewise, it was possible to observe an incipient change in the food patterns of the population from North Africa influenced by culture of the native population, referring to the consumption of pork. In general, the results showed a greater variety of consumption, in the children of foreign parents.

The inhibitory effect of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 on appetite regulation of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii Brandt)

Since NUCB2 was discovered, the information about NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in appetite regulation in both mammals and teleost has been still limited. The present study aims to determine the effects of nesfatin-1 on food intake and to explore the appetite mechanism in Siberian sturgeon. In this study, nucb2 cDNA sequence of 1571 bp was obtained, and the mRNA expression of nucb2 was abundant in brain and liver. Levels of nucb2 were appreciably increased in brain after feeding 1 and 3 h, while significantly decreased within fasting 15 days. Except for fasting 1 day, the expression pattern of nucb2 in the liver was similar to the brain. Acute intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of nesfatin-1 inhibited the food intake during 0-1 h in a dose-dependent manner and 50 or 100 ng/g BW nesfatin-1 significantly decreased the cumulative food intake during 3 h. The daily food intake and cumulative food intake were remarkably reduced post chronic (7 days) i.p. injection. Moreover, chronic i.p. injection of nesfatin-1 affected the expression of appetite factors including cart, apelin and pyy in the brain, stomach and liver with the consistent pattern of change, while the levels of cck, ucn3 and nucb2 in these have different patterns. This study demonstrates that nesfatin-1 acts as a satiety factor in reducing the short-term and long-term food intake of Siberian sturgeon. Therefore, the data suggesting nesfatin-1 inhibits the appetite through different signal pathways in the central and peripheral endocrine systems of Siberian sturgeon.

Feeding behavior and trophic interaction of three shark species in the Galapagos Marine Reserve

There is great concern about the future of sharks in Ecuador because of the lack of biological knowledge of most species that inhabit the region. This paper analyzes the feeding behavior of the pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus), the blue shark (Prionace glauca) and the silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) through the use of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), with the aim of determining the degree of interaction between these species in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. No interspecific differences were found in use of oceanic vs. inshore feeding areas (δ¹³C: Kruskal–Wallis test, p = 0.09). The position in the hierarchy of the food web where A. pelagicus feeds differed from that of the other species (δ¹⁵N: Kruskal–Wallis test, p = 0.01). There were no significant differences in δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values between males and females of the three species (Student’s t-test, p > 0.05), which suggests that both sexes have a similar feeding behavior. A specialist strategy was observed in P. glauca (trophic niche breadth TNB = 0.69), while the other species were found to be generalist (A. pelagicus TNB = 1.50 and C. falciformis TNB = 1.09). The estimated trophic level (TL) varied between the three species. C. falciformis occupied the highest trophic level (TL = 4.4), making it a quaternary predator in the region. The results of this study coincide with the identified behavior in these predators in other areas of the tropical Pacific (Colombia and Mexico), and suggest a pelagic foraging strategy with differential consumption of prey between the three species. These ecological aspects can provide timely information when implementing in conservation measures for these shark species in the Tropical Pacific and Galapagos Marine Reserve.

Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) feeding behavior on static fishing gear, effect of SMART (Selective Magnetic and Repellent-Treated) hook deterrent technology, and factors influencing entanglement in bottom longlines

The Greenland Shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is the most common bycatch in the Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) bottom longline fishery in Cumberland Sound, Canada. Historically, this inshore fishery has been prosecuted through the ice during winter but winter storms and unpredictable landfast ice conditions since the mid-1990s have led to interest in developing a summer fishery during the ice-free season. However, bycatch of Greenland shark was found to increase substantially with 570 sharks captured during an experimental Greenland halibut summer fishery (i.e., mean of 6.3 sharks per 1,000 hooks set) and mortality was reported to be about 50% due in part to fishers killing sharks that were severely entangled in longline gear. This study investigated whether the SMART (Selective Magnetic and Repellent-Treated) hook technology is a practical deterrent to Greenland shark predation and subsequent bycatch on bottom longlines. Greenland shark feeding behavior, feeding kinematics, and variables affecting entanglement/disentanglement and release are also described. The SMART hook failed to deter Greenland shark predation, i.e., all sharks were captured on SMART hooks, some with more than one SMART hook in their jaw. Moreover, recently captured Greenland sharks did not exhibit a behavioral response to SMART hooks. In situ observations of Greenland shark feeding show that this species uses a powerful inertial suction mode of feeding and was able to draw bait into the mouth from a distance of 25–35 cm. This method of feeding is suggested to negate the potential deterrent effects of electropositive metal and magnetic alloy substitutions to the SMART hook technology. The number of hooks entangled by a Greenland shark and time to disentangle and live-release a shark was found to increase with body length.

An investigation of maternal food intake and maternal food talk as predictors of child food intake

Though parental modeling is thought to play a critical role in promoting children's healthy eating, little research has examined maternal food intake and maternal food talk as independent predictors of children's food intake. The present study examines maternal food talk during a structured eating protocol, in which mothers and their children had the opportunity to eat a series of familiar and unfamiliar vegetables and desserts. Several aspects of maternal talk during the protocol were coded, including overall food talk, directives, pronoun use, and questions. This study analyzed the predictors of maternal food talk and whether maternal food talk and maternal food intake predicted children's food intake during the protocol. Higher maternal body mass index (BMI) predicted lower amounts of food talk, pronoun use, and questions. Higher child BMI z-scores predicted more first person pronouns and more wh-questions within maternal food talk. Mothers of older children used fewer directives, fewer second person pronouns, and fewer yes/no questions. However, maternal food talk (overall and specific types of food talk) did not predict children's food intake. Instead, the most robust predictor of children's food intake during this protocol was the amount of food that mothers ate while sitting with their children. These findings emphasize the importance of modeling healthy eating through action and have implications for designing interventions to provide parents with more effective tools to promote their children's healthy eating.

Perinatal exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds and the control of feeding behavior-An overview

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that can interact with steroid and nuclear receptors or alter hormone production. Many studies have reported that perinatal exposure to EDC including bisphenol A, PCB, dioxins, and DDT disrupt energy balance, body weight, adiposity, or glucose homeostasis in rodent offspring. However, little information exists on the effects of perinatal EDC exposure on the control of feeding behaviors and meal pattern (size, frequency, duration), which may contribute to their obesogenic properties. Feeding behaviors are controlled centrally through communication between the hindbrain and hypothalamus with inputs from the emotion and reward centers of the brain and modulated by peripheral hormones like ghrelin and leptin. Discrete hypothalamic nuclei (arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, lateral and dorsomedial hypothalamus, and ventromedial nucleus) project numerous reciprocal neural connections between each other and to other brain regions including the hindbrain (nucleus tractus solitarius and parabrachial nucleus). Most studies on the effects of perinatal EDC exposure examine simple crude food intake over the course of the experiment or for a short period in adult models. In addition, these studies do not examine EDC's impacts on the feeding neurocircuitry of the hypothalamus-hindbrain, the response to peripheral hormones (leptin, ghrelin, cholecystokinin, etc.) after refeeding, or other feeding behavior paradigms. The purpose of this review is to discuss those few studies that report crude food or energy intake after perinatal EDC exposure and to explore the need for deeper investigations in the hypothalamic-hindbrain neurocircuitry and discrete feeding behaviors.

Serotonergic network in the subesophageal zone modulates the motor pattern for food intake in Drosophila

The functional organization of central motor circuits underlying feeding behaviors is not well understood. We have combined electrophysiological and genetic approaches to investigate the regulatory networks upstream of the motor program underlying food intake in the Drosophila larval central nervous system. We discovered that the serotonergic network of the CNS is able to set the motor rhythm frequency of pharyngeal pumping. Pharmacological experiments verified that modulation of the feeding motor pattern is based on the release of serotonin. Classical lesion and laser based cell ablation indicated that the serotonergic neurons in the subesophageal zone represent a redundant network for motor control of larval food intake.

Gonadal ecdysone titers are modulated by protein availability but do not impact protein appetite

How animals survey internal nutrient availability to modulate specific appetites is currently largely unknown. Dietary proteins have a profound impact on the reproductive capacity and the selection of food sources in insects. When deprived of dietary proteins, insects stop producing eggs and develop strong protein appetites. In many adult insects, the ovaries are the site of synthesis of the ecdysone hormone. Therefore, an attractive hypothesis is that protein availability changes the gonadal production of ecdysone, which instructs the brain to increase its preference for yeast. We combine quantitative feeding assays, dietary manipulations, hormonal measurements, and genetic germline manipulations to test this hypothesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Our results show that upon yeast deprivation mated adult female Drosophila develop a strong yeast appetite and strongly reduce their egg production. This dietary manipulation also leads to a drastic reduction in ecdysone titers. However, the drop in ecdysone is not linked to the increase in yeast appetite as mutants with impaired oogenesis are able to adapt yeast intake to their nutrient state while displaying a constitutive low ecdysone titer. Interestingly, a low ecdysone titer is correlated with a lower level of overall food intake. Our data therefore show that in mated females the level of ecdysone reflects the level of protein in the diet and the physiological state of the ovaries. While the ovaries and ecdysone are unlikely to instruct the brain to develop a yeast appetite upon protein deprivation, they seem to be able to control overall food intake.

Time of feeding and predictability of dry matter and water intake of grasscutters fed on grass and supplements containing varying levels of dietary fiber

The study evaluated the feeding behavior of growing male grasscutters (Thryonomys swinderianus) fed freshly cut Panicum maximum, supplemented with pelletized concentrates containing varying levels of dietary fiber. In a two-stage 4 × 4 Latin square arrangement, the relationships between water and dry matter intakes as influenced by dietary characteristics were investigated by offering supplements either at 09:00 h (morning) during the first stage or at 17:00 h (evening) during the second. Each test period lasted for 14 days with a 1-week rest period between changeovers. Time of feeding significantly (P < 0.05) affected total dry matter intake (DMI) and intake of the supplements, with the total DMI increasing by 21% when the diets were offered in the evening relative to when offered in the morning. Regression analyses showed significant (P < 0.05) correlations between dry matter (DM) and water intakes against some dietary characteristics. The current study has shown that crude fiber (CF) inclusion of up to 14% in pelletized supplements for growing grasscutters consuming a basal diet with CF up to 31% may not affect feed and water intake, as well as acceptability of the feed. However, feeding such supplements in the evening could stimulate higher feed intake. Also, dietary DM better predicted DMI compared to the other dietary characteristics.

Single and mixture toxicities of BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47 on the feeding activity of Daphnia magna: From behavior assessment to neurotoxicity

Although 2,2',4,4'-tetrabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-47), 6-hydroxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-OH-BDE-47) and 6-methoxy-2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-MeO-BDE-47) clearly disrupt the endocrine system, current knowledge of their single and/or mixture toxicities on other behaviors of aquatic organisms remains limited. In the present study, Daphnia magna was used to investigate the single and mixture toxicities of BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47 as measured by inhibition of feeding during exposure and post-exposure periods. Additionally, the biochemical performance, i.e., the activities of super oxidase dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of the test organism was studied to investigate the potential mechanisms of the toxicity of the target compounds. The three target compounds produced an obvious depressive effect on feeding behavior during the exposure period, and the effect increased with increasing concentrations. D. magna was most sensitive to 6-OH-BDE-47. The toxicity of the ternary mixture showed an obvious concentration-dependent effect, whereas the binary mixture toxicity showed the characteristics of hormesis. During the post-exposure period, overcompensation occurred, indicating a short-term effect of the target compounds on D. magna. Additionally, significant changes occurred in neurological responses, indicating that these compounds might have neurobehavioral toxicity in D. magna. The decrease in oxidative stress enzymes (SOD and GPx) indicated that the antioxidant response of D. magna was destroyed.

Food and beverage consumption and food addiction among women in the Nurses' Health Studies

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Previous studies have not addressed a fundamental component of a food addiction disorder: the compulsive relationship between eating and potentially positively reinforcing foods. We aimed to evaluate the association between food consumption and food addiction.

METHODS

We conducted cross-sectional analyses merging data from the Nurses' Health Study (n = 58,625) and Nurses' Health Study II (n = 65,063), two prospective cohort studies of female nurses in the United States. Diet was assessed in 2006-2007 using a food frequency questionnaire, and food addiction was assessed in 2008-2009 using the Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale.

RESULTS

The prevalence of food addiction was 5.4%. The odds of food addiction were strongest among nurses consuming 5+ servings/week (compared with <1 serving/month) of hamburgers (multivariable odds ratio (MVOR) 4.08; 95% CI, 2.66-6.25), French fries (MVOR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.59-3.51) and pizza (MVOR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.67-3.69). Consumption of red/processed meat, low/no fat snacks/desserts, and low calorie beverages was positively associated with food addiction, while consumption of refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages and fruits, vegetables, and legumes was inversely associated with food addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

This epidemiologic study was the largest to examine food consumption and food addiction. Food addiction was positively associated with consumption of many hypothesized positively reinforcing foods that include a combination of carbohydrates and fats such as snacks, "fast foods," and candy bars. However, it was inversely or not associated with certain sweet foods, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages, which is consistent with literature suggesting that carbohydrates (without other ingredients) are less associated with food addiction. Longitudinal analyses will help untangle the temporal order between food consumption and food addiction, as some relationships in our analyses were difficult to interpret due to the cross-sectional design.

Effects of acute handling stress on short-term central expression of orexigenic/anorexigenic genes in zebrafish

Physiological mechanisms driving stress response in vertebrates are evolutionarily conserved. These mechanisms involve the activation of both the hypothalamic-sympathetic-chromaffin cell (HSC) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes. In fish, the reduction of food intake levels is a common feature of the behavioral response to stress but the central mechanisms coordinating the energetic response are not well understood yet. In this work, we explore the effects of acute stress on key central systems regulating food intake in fish as well as on total body cortisol and glucose levels. We show that acute stress induced a rapid increase in total body cortisol with no changes in body glucose, at the same time promoting a prompt central response by activating neuronal pathways. All three orexigenic peptides examined, i.e., neuropeptide y (npy), agouti-related protein (agrp), and ghrelin, increased their central expression level suggesting that these neuronal systems are not involved in the short-term feeding inhibitory effects of acute stress. By contrast, the anorexigenic precursors tested, i.e., cart peptides and pomc, exhibited increased expression after acute stress, suggesting their involvement in the anorexigenic effects.

Gut bacteria interaction with vagal afferents

Contemporary techniques including the use of germ-free models and next generation sequencing have deepened our understanding of the gut microbiota dynamics and its influence on host physiology. There is accumulating evidence that the gut microbiota can communicate to the CNS and is involved in the development of metabolic and behavioral disorders. Vagal afferent terminals are positioned beneath the gut epithelium where they can receive, directly or indirectly, signals produced by the gut microbiota, to affect host behavior, including feeding behavior. Supplementation with L. Rhamnosus in mice notably causes a decrease in anxiety and these effects are abolished by vagotomy. Additionally, chronic treatment with bacterial byproduct lipopolysaccharide (LPS) blunts vagally-mediated post-ingestive feedback and is associated with increased food intake. Inflammation in the nodose ganglion (NG), the location of vagal afferent neurons' cell bodies, may be a key triggering factor of microbiota-driven vagal alteration. Interestingly, several models show that vagal damage leads to an increase in immune cell (microglia) activation in the NG and remodeling of the vagal pathway. Similarly, diet-driven microbiota dysbiosis is associated with NG microglia activation and decreased vagal outputs to the CNS. Crucially, preventing dysbiosis and microglia activation in high-fat diet fed rodents normalizes vagal innervation and energy intake, highlighting the importance of microbiota/vagal communication in controlling feeding behavior. As of today, new consideration of potential roles for glial influence on vagal communication and new methods of vagal afferent ablation open opportunities to increase our understanding of how the gut microbiota influence its host's health and behavior.

Effects of chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of neurosecretory protein GL on body mass and food and water intake in chicks

Recently, we discovered a novel cDNA encoding the precursor of a small secretory protein, neurosecretory protein GL (NPGL), in the chicken mediobasal hypothalamus. In this study, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that NPGL was produced in the infundibular and medial mammillary nuclei of the mediobasal hypothalamus, with immunoreactive fibers also detected in the hypothalamus and the median eminence. As it is known that these regions are involved in feeding behavior in chicks, we surveyed the effects of chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of NPGL on feeding behavior and body mass for a period of two weeks. NPGL stimulated food and water intake, with a concomitant increase in body mass. However, NPGL did not influence mRNA expression of several hypothalamic ingestion-related neuropeptides. Our data suggest that NPGL may be a novel neuronal regulator involved in growth processes in chicks.

Functional Interrogation of the AgRP Neural Circuits in Control of Appetite, Body Weight, and Behaviors

Neurons expressing agouti-related protein (AgRP), the so-called hunger neurons, protect mammals from starvation by promoting food-seeking behaviors (Trends Neurosci 36:504-512, 2013). Now an increasing amount of evidence show that these hunger-sensing neurons not only motivate animals to forage and ingest food but also help conserve energy by inhibiting innate processes that demand large amounts of energy such as growth, reproduction, and stress response. It has further been perceived that AgRP neurons transmit signals with negative valence to reward and cognitive centers so as to engage the motivational behavior toward seeking and obtaining foods (Physiol Behav 190:34-42, 2017). Recent advancement in genome editing and neurotechniques unleashed an escalated research of uniquely defined neuronal populations and neural circuits underlying the behavioral regulation of body weight and food responses (Nat Biotechnol 32:347-355, 2014; Proc Natl Acad Sci 113, 2016). In this chapter we will review literatures describing the functional organization of the AgRP circuit and its correlative signaling components that influence ingestive, foraging, motivational, and cognitive responses, a framework that reshaped our thinking toward the new hope and challenges in treatment of obesity and eating disorders.

Emotional eating behavior hinders body weight loss in women after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery

OBJECTIVE

Successful weight loss and maintenance after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) may be related to eating behavior. The aim of this study was to assess the eating behavior domains that prevail in women during the RYGB postoperative period and their associations with surgery outcome.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study investigated eating behavior in 95 women (47.3 ± 9.8 y old)  ≥ 2 y after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Patients were grouped according to surgery outcome: successful group (SG; n = 67), defined as having lost ≥ 50% of the preoperative excess weight loss (EWL), and an unsuccessful group (UG; n = 28). Mean postoperative time was 59.5 ± 21.2 mo (55.7 ± 19.9 in the SG and 68.6 ± 21.9 in the UG). The short version of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire was used to assess cognitive restraint, emotional eating, and uncontrolled eating behaviors. Multivariate analysis was used to investigate associations between eating behavior scores and EWL.

RESULTS

The highest score in both groups was for the cognitive restraint domain, followed by emotional and uncontrolled eating. Emotional eating was negatively associated with percentage of EWL (β = -0.286; P = 0.033), regardless of age, educational attainment, and postoperative time.

CONCLUSION

The cognitive restraint domain was the main type of eating behavior observed, and patients with higher emotional eating score were at a higher risk for having insufficient weight loss after RYGB. These results indicate the relevance of monitoring emotional components during the long-term nutritional follow-up of bariatric patients to achieve better surgery outcomes.

Calcitonin-like peptide hormone (CT/DH) in the frontal ganglia as a feeding regulatory peptide of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The frontal ganglion (FrG) in insects contributes to the modulation of feeding behavior via the regulation of foregut contraction and other neural networks. Profiling the peptides of the FrG is important to understand endocrine regulation of feeding behavior in insects. High-resolution spiral matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identified an ion peak, corresponding to calcitonin-like diuretic hormone 31 (CT/DH) in the FrG of silkworm Bombyx mori larvae. RT-PCR confirmed that CT/DH is expressed in the FrG, as are other peptide hormones, including allatoregulatory peptides. A feeding latency assay using synthetic CT/DH revealed that it increases the time to the initiation of feeding in a dose-dependent manner. These data indicate that CT/DH is a candidate regulatory peptide that modulates the feeding behavior of B. mori.