Sex Differences in Healthy Eating: Investigating the Moderating Effect of Self-Efficacy

Interoception and self-regulation of eating behaviors and weight status in college students

OBJECTIVE

To determine the associations between interoception, self-regulation, eating behaviors, and weight status among college students.

PARTICIPANTS

229 female undergraduates, predominantly classified as Juniors (51.1%) and identified as Hispanic/Latinx (75%) with a mean age of 23.4 (SD = 6.3), were examined.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data using baseline measures from a larger, longitudinal study, were examined. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were conducted to test hypotheses.

RESULTS

Interoception was directly associated to self-regulation. Interoception and self-regulation were inversely associated with non-purposeful eating. Non-purposeful eating was directly associated with weight status.

CONCLUSION

This study provided empirical evidence on the associations between interoception, self-regulation, eating behaviors, and weight status. Our results support the need for programs that target college students' cognitive skills to reduce unhealthy eating behaviors and optimize weight status. Future interventions are needed to enhance interoception and self-regulation skills so that college students can be more purposeful in their eating habits.

Association between dietary inflammatory index and anemia in US adults

Background and aims

Anemia is a widespread global health concern, and recent research has unveiled a link between anemia and inflammation. The Dietary Inflammation Index (DII) is a novel tool used to assess the overall inflammatory potential of an individual's diet. However, until now, there have been no studies demonstrating a connection between DII and anemia. This study aimed to explore the relationship between DII and the risk of anemia among Americans, as well as to examine the influence of other risk factors on this association.

Methods

Data from 32,244 patients were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database spanning from 1999 to 2018. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the correlation between DII and anemia. Subgroup analyses and smoothed curve analyses were conducted to further investigate the association between DII and anemia.

Results

The analysis revealed a significant positive association between higher DII scores and increased anemia risk in the American population (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.03 to 1.09, p < 0.0001). This association remained consistent in subgroup analyses, encompassing various age groups, distinct Body Mass Index (BMI) categories, varying diabetes mellitus statuses, histories of hypertension, females, individuals with a RIP <3.5, and Non-Hispanic Black individuals. Notably, the association was particularly significant among non-smokers. Smoothed curve fitting analysis demonstrated a linear relationship between DII and the prevalence of anemia.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore a positive correlation between the inflammatory potential of one's diet and the risk of anemia, especially when coupled with other risk factors. Consequently, reducing the consumption of pro-inflammatory foods may serve as one of the effective measures against the development of anemia. Given the variations in gender, age, BMI, and chronic diseases observed in our study, tailored policies could better cater to the specific needs of diverse populations.

Evidence that ovarian hormones, but not diet and exercise, contribute to the sex disparity in post-traumatic stress disorder

Females are twice as likely as males to receive a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One hypothesis for this sex disparity is that ovarian hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, contribute to PTSD risk. Alternatively, sex differences in lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, may play a role in PTSD risk. Using data from the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (PATH) cohort (n = 16,899), the relationship between endogenous hormone fluctuations (e.g., menarche, pregnancy, and menopause), exogenous hormone use (e.g., hormonal contraception and hormone replacement therapy (HRT)) and lifestyle variables (diet and exercise habits, as measured by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener, Healthy Eating Index, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire) with PTSD diagnosis and treatment were analyzed. While several hormonal variables, including contraceptive use, higher total number of pregnancies, younger menarche age, and having undergone menopause increased the risk of PTSD, no lifestyle variables contributed to an increased risk of PTSD diagnosis. These findings support the theory that ovarian hormones contribute to the sex-linked disparity in PTSD diagnosis.

Sex Differences in Salt Appetite: Perspectives from Animal Models and Human Studies

Salt ingestion by animals and humans has been noted from prehistory. The search for salt is largely driven by a physiological need for sodium. There is a large body of literature on sodium intake in laboratory rats, but the vast majority of this work has used male rats. The limited work conducted in both male and female rats, however, reveals sex differences in sodium intake. Importantly, while humans ingest salt every day, with every meal and with many foods, we do not know how many of these findings from rodent studies can be generalized to men and women. This review provides a synthesis of the literature that examines sex differences in sodium intake and highlights open questions. Sodium serves many important physiological functions and is inextricably linked to the maintenance of body fluid homeostasis. Indeed, from a motivated behavior perspective, the drive to consume sodium has largely been studied in conjunction with the study of thirst. This review will describe the neuroendocrine controls of fluid balance, mechanisms underlying sex differences, sex differences in sodium intake, changes in sodium intake during pregnancy, and the possible neuronal mechanisms underlying these differences in behavior. Having reviewed the mechanisms that can only be studied in animal experiments, we address sex differences in human dietary sodium intake in reproduction, and with age.