Eating behaviour traits mediate the association between satiety responsiveness and energy intake among individuals with overweight and obesity

Development and preliminary validation of the comprehensive emotional eating scale (CEES)

In emotional eating (EE), affective states influence desire to eat and/or eating behavior. Most research on EE focuses on over-/under-eating in response to negative emotions, the former of which is related to higher weight and binge-spectrum eating disorder (ED) symptoms while the latter has been implicated in low weight and restrictive-only ED. Individuals endorsing both forms of negative EE are more impaired than those reporting unidirectional negative EE. Less is known about the influence of positive emotions on eating, in part due to a lack of self-report measures of positive over- and under-eating as separate constructs. The current study presents the development, including item reduction and initial factorial validity (primary aims) and convergent validity (secondary aims) of the Comprehensive Emotional Eating Scale (CEES), a four-factor measure of positive and negative over- and under-eating. The initial 134-item pool for the CEES was based on a review of extant emotional eating scales and emotion words from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The item pool was reduced and four factors identified using exploratory graphical analysis. The structure of the final set of 40 items was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. Convergent validity of the negative over- and under-eating scales was established using measures of body image-focused eating disorder and ARFID symptoms, and exploratory data on the correlates of positive over- and under eating were reported. The CEES showed preliminary evidence of factorial and convergent validity in a US-based convenience sample. It allows for classification on all four quadrants of emotional eating.

Effects of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114 probiotic supplementation on circulating IGFBP-2 levels during a calorie-restricted diet in overweight humans

Background and aim

Gut microbiota influences energy homeostasis in part through circulating hormones. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP)-2 is a biomarker whose increase in systemic circulation is associated with positive effects on body weight and metabolism. In a recent clinical trial, probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114 supplementation showed positive effects on eating behaviors and insulin resistance in overweight participants undergoing a weight-loss intervention. In this context, this ancillary study aimed at assessing the impact of L. rhamnosus HA-114 supplementation on plasma IGFBP-2 levels in these individuals, and whether this modulation correlated with changes in fat mass, energy metabolism, and eating behaviors.

Methods

Fasting plasma IGFBP-2 concentrations were quantified in 100 overweight or obese men and women enrolled in a 12-week diet-based weight reduction program (-500 kcal/day), in combination with probiotic L. rhamnosus HA-114 or placebo supplementation. Baseline and changes in circulating IGFBP-2 concentrations were correlated with anthropometric parameter, glucose and lipid metabolism, cardiorespiratory function and eating behaviors.

Results

On average, the intervention reduced BMI by 4.6 % and increased IGFBP-2 by 13 %, regardless of supplementation group. Individuals who presented an increase in IGFBP-2 levels had significantly greater reductions in BMI. Changes in IGFBP-2 levels were correlated with loss in fat mass (r = 0.2, p < 0.001) in the probiotic-supplemented group, but not with other metabolic parameters or eating behaviors. Baseline IGFBP-2 levels were not associated with weight loss or improvements in cardiometabolic parameters.

Conclusion

Probiotic supplementation with L. rhamnosus HA-114 did not modulate plasma IGFBP-2 levels. Changes in IGFBP-2 levels were correlated with greater reductions in BMI, but not with other metabolic parameters or eating behaviors, indicating that the benefits of HA-114 on eating behaviors are likely independent of IGFBP-2. Additional changes in microbiota might be required to modulate IGFBP-2 and observe its associations with eating behaviors and cardiometabolic improvements.

Eating behavior during pregnancy mediates the association between depression and diet quality--a new strategy for intervention in pregnancy

Background

Depression can result in changes in eating behavior and decrease the quality of eating. It has been shown that maternal depression during pregnancy can result in malnutrition, which can have adverse effects on the pregnancy and the offspring. There is currently no clear association between depression and diet.

Methods

Five hundred and forty-nine pregnant women recruited from Danyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Jiangsu Province participated in this study and were administered the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale (EPDS), Pregnancy Stress Scale (PPS), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Dietary Guidelines Adherence Index for Pregnant Women during Pregnancy (CDGCI-PW). The nutritional software collected dietary records for three consecutive days in mid-pregnancy to calculate dietary intake and nutrients that support energy production. The mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS 24.0 macro PROCESS.

Results

The relationship between depressive symptoms during pregnancy and diet quality was moderated primarily by two aspects of eating behavior, "Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues" (RHS) and "Body-Food Choice Congruence" (BFC). Depressive symptoms (EPDS scores) showed a negative correlation with RHS, BFC, and RHS, and BFC showed a positive correlation with diet quality, yielding a significant specific indirect effect. The multiple mediation model explained 14.7% of the variance in the diet quality.

Conclusion

This study highlights the important role of eating behaviors during pregnancy in the relationship between depressive symptoms (EPDS scores) and diet quality, and provides preliminary evidence for feasible ways pregnant women with depressive symptoms can improve diet quality, promote maternal and child health, and reduce depression.