Insights to the neural response to food cues in class III compared with class I and II obese adults using a sample of endometrial cancer survivors seeking weight loss

Decreased vitamin D bio-availability with altered DNA methylation of its metabolism genes in association with the metabolic disorders among the school-aged children with degree I, II, and III obesity

Obesity is strongly associated with disturbances of vitamin D (VD) metabolites in the animal models. However, the related epidemiological evidence is still controversial, especially the different degrees of obesity children. Hence, in this present representative case-control study, 106 obesity school-age children aged 7-12 years were included and divided into different subgroups as degree I (the age- and sex-specific BMI≥95th percentile, n=45), II (BMI ≥120% percentile, n=34) and III (BMI ≥140% percentile, n=27) obesity groups across the ranges of body mass index (BMI). While the age- and sex-matched subjects without obesity were as the control group. Notably, it was significantly different of body composition, anthropological and clinical characteristics among the above four subgroups with the dose-response relationships (P<.05). Moreover, comparing with the control group, the serum VD concentrations were higher, VD metabolites like 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D, and related hydroxylases as CYP27A1, CYP2R1 and CYP27B1 were lower in the degree I, II, and III obesity subgroups (P<.05), which were more disorder with the anthropological and clinical characteristics as the obesity was worsen in a BMI-independent manner (P<.05). However, there was a significant increase of CYP27B1 in the degree III obesity group than those in the degree I and II obesity subgroups. Furthermore, the methylation patterns on the genome-wide (Methylation/Hydroxymethylation) and VD metabolism genes (CYP27A1, CYP2R1 and CYP27B1) were negatively correlated with the worse obesity and their related expressions (P<.05). In summary, these results indicated that obesity could affect the homeostasis of VD metabolism related genes such as CYP27A1, CYP2R1, CYP27B1 and etc through abnormal DNA methylation, resulting in the disorders of VD related metabolites to decrease VD bio-availability with the BMI-independent manner. In turn, the lower levels of VD metabolites would affect the liver function to exacerbate the progression of obesity, as the Degree II and III obesity subgroups.

Food Insecurity and Nutritional Challenges in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors in the U.S.A.: A Narrative Review and Call to Action

Advancements in cancer treatments over the past several decades have led to improved cancer survival in adolescents and young adults (AYAs, ages 15–39 years). However, AYA cancer survivors are at an increased risk for “late effects”, including cardiovascular, pulmonary and bone diseases as well as fatigue, infertility and secondary cancers. The treatments for cancer may also alter taste, lead to nutritional deficiencies and increase financial burdens that, when taken together, may increase the risk of food and nutrition security in AYA cancer survivors. Furthermore, although AYAs are often merged together in cancer survivorship studies, adolescents and young adults have distinct developmental, psychosocial and pathophysiological differences that may modify their risk of nutritional challenges. In this narrative review and “Call to Action”, rationale is provided for why there is a need to better understand nutritional challenges and food insecurity in AYA cancer survivors as a special population. Then, recommendations for next steps to advance knowledge and policy in this field are provided. In particular, integrating screening for food and nutrition insecurity and enhancing awareness of existing resources (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP) might help AYA cancer survivors combat nutritional deficiencies and reduce late effects while improving their overall survival and quality of life.

Altered Brain Structural Reorganization and Hierarchical Integrated Processing in Obesity

The brain receives sensory information about food, evaluates its desirability and value, and responds with approach or withdrawal. The evaluation process of food in the brain with obesity may involve a variety of neurocircuit abnormalities in the integration of internal and external information processing. There is a lack of consistency of the results extant reported for aberrant changes in the brain with obesity that prohibits key brain alterations to be identified. Moreover, most studies focus on the observation of neural plasticity of function or structure, and the evidence for functional and structural correlations in the neuronal plasticity process of obesity is still insufficient. The aims of this article are to explore the key neural structural regions and the hierarchical activity pattern of key structural nodes and evaluate the correlation between changes in functional modulation and eating behavior. Forty-two participants with obesity and 33 normal-weight volunteers were recruited. Gray matter volume (GMV) and Granger causality analysis (GCA) were performed using the DPARSF, CAT12, and DynamicBC toolbox. Compared with the normal weight group, the obesity group exhibited significantly increased GMV in the left parahippocampal gyrus (PG). The obesity group showed decreased causal inflow to the left PG from the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), right calcarine, and bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA). Decreased causal outflow to the left OFC, right precuneus, and right SMA from the left PG, as well as increased causal outflow to the left middle occipital gyrus (MOG) were observed in the obesity group. Negative correlations were found between DEBQ-External scores and causal outflow from the left PG to the left OFC, and DEBQ-Restraint scores and causal inflow from the left OFC to the left PG in the obesity group. Positive correlation was found between DEBQ-External scores and causal outflow from the left PG to the left MOG. These results show that the increased GMV in the PG may play an important role in obesity, which may be related to devalued reward system, altered behavioral inhibition, and the disengagement of attentional and visual function for external signals. These findings have important implications for understanding neural mechanisms in obesity and developing individual-tailored strategies for obesity prevention.