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Context The melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R) is associated with a higher risk of obesity by the presence of the C allele in rs17782313, but the mechanisms are not clear. Objective The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the association between the different genotypes of MC4R rs17782313 and energy intake and appetite. Data Sources A literature search was conducted up to June 2023 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Collaboration databases, following PRISMA guidelines. Data Extraction Inclusion criteria were studies in humans measuring energy intake, appetite, or satiety in all ages and physiological conditions. Studies dealing solely with body mass index were excluded. Twenty-one articles representing 48 560 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Data Analysis According to the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) quality-assessment criteria, all case-control studies and 6 out of 17 cohort and cross-sectional studies were classified as "good," while the rest scored as "fair." Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in a (CT+CC) vs TT dominant model, and both random-effects and fixed-effects models were used. A statistically significant association between the presence of the C allele and increased appetite was found (OR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.01–1.49; P = .038) using the fixed-effects model, but the random-effects model proved nonsignificant. However, no association with energy intake was found. None of the variables considered (sample size, year of publication, sex, age group, type of population, origin, and quality) were identified as effect modifiers, and no publication biases were found after subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis that has analyzed the association between rs17782313 of MC4R and energy intake and appetite. Identifying people genetically predisposed to increased appetite may be of great interest, not only to prevent obesity in younger populations but also to avoid malnutrition in elderly persons. This paper is part of the Nutrition Reviews Special Collection on Precision Nutrition. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023417916. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate eating behavior domains—emotional, uncontrolled, and cognitive restraint eating—in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with different PCOS phenotypes and women without PCOS at midlife. A prospective cohort study. Eating behavior domains were assessed at age of 46 years. Predictors of eating behaviors were evaluated using variables collected at ages of 31 and 46 years. Women identified as having PCOS (n = 251) at age of 31 years using the updated Rotterdam criteria were compared with women without any PCOS criteria (n = 935). The PCOS population comprised women with the classic A+B-phenotype (hyperandrogenism and oligomenorrhea, with or without elevated antimüllerian hormone, n = 60), C-phenotype (hyperandrogenism and elevated antimüllerian hormone, n = 84), and D-phenotype (oligomenorrhea and elevated antimüllerian hormone, n = 86). Not applicable. Revised Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-18 scores for eating behavior domains. Compared with women without PCOS, women with PCOS exhibited higher scores for emotional (33.1 ± 27.8 vs. 39.0 ± 29.9) and uncontrolled eating (26.7 ± 18.2 vs. 30.7 ± 19.4) but no difference in cognitive restraint (46.6 ± 18.6 vs. 45.9 ± 18.5) at age of 46 years. Emotional and uncontrolled eating scores were higher in the A+B-phenotype compared with women without PCOS, whereas uncontrolled eating scores in the C-phenotype were higher than in women without PCOS and the D-phenotype. At age of 46 years, the perception of overweight was an independent predictor of emotional eating among women with PCOS (B = 11.96 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 2.81–20.29]), whereas a history of weight loss attempts was a predictor of uncontrolled eating (B = 6.06 [95% CI: 1.05–10.83]). Among women with PCOS, higher psychological distress at age of 31 years was a significant risk factor for scoring in the highest quartile of emotional (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.85 [95% CI: 1.19–6.85]) and uncontrolled eating (aOR: 4.37 [95% CI: 1.77–10.80]) at age of 46 years. Women with PCOS at midlife showed a high tendency for unfavorable eating behaviors. Our findings emphasize the need for sensitivity in weight management counseling and addressing psychological distress to prevent unfavorable eating in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trait neuroticism predicts an increased risk of mortality. However, high levels of both neuroticism and conscientiousness (i.e., healthy neuroticism) are associated with various positive health behaviors. Eating behavior is a modifiable risk factor for obesity and metabolic diseases. This study investigated the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between healthy neuroticism and eating behaviors. The data from the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research—Rockland Sample included 712 adults with complete assessments of personality, eating behaviors, and metabolic markers. Linear and mixed linear regression models were used to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of eating behaviors and personality traits, adjusting for sociodemographics, sleep quality, and body mass index (BMI). Healthy neuroticism cross-sectionally predicted the disinhibition and hunger dimensions of eating behavior, a result that withstood the inclusion of disease burden, clinical metabolic markers, and other personality traits. Longitudinally, healthy neuroticism did not predict changes in eating behavior. Greater conscientiousness scores were associated with increased restraint. These findings provide the first evidence that neuroticism is associated with less maladaptive eating behavior when modulated by conscientiousness. The implications of these associations for the relationships between eating behavior, metabolic health, and personality are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory debilitating disorder that can result in significant morbidity. In addition to medical and surgical treatments, lifestyle modifications such as smoking cessation and weight control have an important benefit in HS management. These modifications can be challenging for both the patient and the clinician. The differences in eating behavior of HS patients compared to the general population are mostly unknown. Defining these differences in HS patients may help to develop more effective weight loss strategies. In our study, we aim to describe differences in eating behavior in HS patients compared to the normal population. 140 patients with HS and 140 age, gender and body mass index-matched healthy controls were included in the study. For each HS patient, Hurley and the investigator's global assessment scores were defined by a dermatologist. For each participant, Hamilton depression scale (HAM-D), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAM-A), and Dutch eating behavior questionnaire (DEBQ) were assessed by a psychiatrist. HAM-D scores were found to be significantly higher in HS group (p < 0.001), whereas HAM-A scores did not show a significant difference between HS and control group (p = 0.744). Emotional eating scores were significantly higher in HS patients compared to the control group (patients: 3.14 ± 0.96, controls: 2.29 ± 0.96, p < 0.001). Similarly, external eating scores were markedly elevated in HS patients compared to controls (patients: 3.38 ± 0.66, controls: 2.82 ± 0.73, p < 0.001). However, in terms of restrictive eating, there was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.783). In regression analysis, depression and anxiety scores were found not to have a significant effect on restrictive, emotional and external eating scores. Furthermore, in HS patients, a moderate positive correlation was found between emotional eating and external eating (p < 0.001). In conclusion, HS patients have tendency for emotional and external eating behavior independent from depression and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: This study assessed the association among perceived stress, anxiety, and depression with both the metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk and diagnostic status among young adults in the Deep South. Methods: Participants included 132 young adults aged 18–39 (Mage = 27.73, SD = 11.11; MBMI = 27.6, SD = 6.8; 56.5% female; 55.7% White) living in Mississippi. In addition to completing self-report measures of perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, all of the participants underwent anthropometric, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose and lipid assessments to ascertain the MetS status. The participants were provided with both a MetS diagnosis (defined as a dichotomous yes/no variable) as well as a continuous MetS risk severity score determined using existing equations. The risk scores ranged from −1 to +1, with positive scores indicating an increased risk for MetS. Results: After controlling for age, biological sex, race, medication use, and education level, multiple regression models revealed significant positive relationships between perceived stress (b = 0.03; p = 0.017) and anxiety symptoms (b = 0.01; p = 0.039) with the MetS severity. Perceived stress (p = 0.017) and anxiety symptoms (p = 0.043) were also significantly higher among participants with MetS compared to those without. There were no significant associations between the MetS severity and depressive symptoms, and no differences in depressive symptoms in participants with versus without MetS. Conclusions: The results highlight the role of stress and anxiety not only in MetS but in the overall metabolic risk among young adults living in the Deep South. The results highlight the importance of intervening on stress and anxiety early in adulthood to help mitigate cardiometabolic health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inaccurate body image perception could contribute to the adoption of unhealthy eating behaviors and physical inactivity. This study aimed to assess the physical activity, eating behaviors, and body image perception of university students. Methods: A total of 427 university students were recruited through convenience sampling for this cross-sectional study. The height and weight of the respondents were physically measured. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Eating behaviors, including cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating, were evaluated using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21. Body image perception was measured using the Ma Figural Stimuli. Results: Most university students (72.6%) had accurate body image perceptions. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in total physical activity between students with accurate and inaccurate body image perception. Males had significantly higher uncontrolled eating scores (p < 0.05) compared to females, while obese students exhibited significantly higher (p < 0.05) cognitive restraint and uncontrolled eating scores compared to underweight students. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of understanding body image perception among university students when designing physical activity interventions aimed at body weight management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited research has explored the relationship between self-determination theory constructs (basic psychological needs, autonomous/controlled regulation) and internalized weight stigma (IWS). This cross-sectional, online study surveyed 480 U.S. women aged 18–40 between 2021 and 2022. We hypothesized that need frustration and controlled weight regulation would relate to higher IWS, which would be associated with dysfunctional eating, distress, and lower life satisfaction. Conversely, we predicted that need satisfaction, autonomous regulation, and body satisfaction would be associated with reduced IWS, dysfunctional eating and distress, and higher life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling demonstrated an acceptable model fit (CMIN/DF = 2.95, CFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.07), accounting for 74% of IWS variance. Findings indicate the relevance of self-determination theory in understanding IWS, supporting a dual-process model whereby adverse and adaptive outcomes follow distinct pathways. Longitudinal studies are warranted to validate psychological needs and regulatory styles as mechanisms for IWS development and to assess generalizability across diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background/Objectives: Emotional eating is an eating behavior that is influenced by behaviors, stress, emotions, and individual feelings in relation to eating. For many decades, studies have shown that mental health is the complex outcome of numerous biological, psychological, and social factors, involving contextual factors beyond the individual. Aim: The objective of this study is to evaluate the interconnections between emotional eating and sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics and lifestyle factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 328 adults aged between 18 and 75 years. Relevant questionnaires were utilized to evaluate sociodemographic and anthropometric parameters and types of feeding and the expression of emotional food consumption (The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire). Results: According to the analyses above, negative correlations between the emotional eating score and waist circumference and Body Mass Index (BMI) were noted. Furthermore, men were more likely to eat emotionally than women. According to a univariable regression analysis, it was also shown that there was an inverse relationship with age up to 35.92 years and a positive relationship for age > 35.92 years. In addition, an inverse relationship with a decrease in the emotional eating score was found with a BMI up to <49.32 kg/m2. Conclusion: Our findings have emphasized the importance of performing large, prospective, well-designed, randomized, interventional, clinical trials to generate data indicating improvements in eating behavior. Moreover, in future studies the researchers must indicate which assessment tool for emotional eating they will use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary lipids, sedentary habits, and eating behaviors influence childhood obesity, but their interrelations remain unclear. Aim: To assess the relationships between young children's dietary lipid profile and children's eating behavior, as well as their sedentary habits, providing evidence-based insights that can help mitigate obesity risk in this vulnerable population. Design: A longitudinal randomized controlled trial conducted over 9 months, involving 90 children aged 2–6 years with overweight or obesity who were followed under a program that promoted healthy lifestyle habits for all participants and regularly monitored their parameters. Methods: The dietary lipid profile, eating behavior, and sedentary habits were assessed at baseline and after 9 months using validated tools, including 24 h recalls, the child eating behavior questionnaire (CEBQ), and screen time questionnaires. Results: Reductions in screen/sedentary time were significantly associated with decreased total fat (−11.1 g/day) and saturated fat (−4.3 g/day) intake, compared to smaller reductions in unchanged screen hours and increases with prolonged screen use. A positive correlation was observed between changes in dietary fat and the CEBQ domain "Desire to drink" (r = 0.528, p < 0.001), with regression analysis confirming a direct relationship. Conclusions: Managing screen time and eating behavior is crucial for improving dietary lipid profile and reducing childhood obesity risk. Strategies should include reducing sedentary behaviors, limiting sugary drinks, and promoting water as the main beverage, alongside effective nutrition education for families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eating behavior encompasses the psychological, physiological, and environmental factors influencing food intake. Dysregulation in eating behavior, such as emotional eating, binge eating, or loss of satiety signals, contributes to excessive caloric intake and weight gain. These behaviors are often linked to hormonal imbalances, stress, or genetic predisposition. Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial disease characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 often used for diagnosis. It is associated with significant morbidity, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. Pathophysiological mechanisms underlying obesity include insulin resistance, leptin dysregulation, and altered gut microbiota, which perpetuate metabolic derangements. Lifestyle interventions remain first-line treatment, but sustained weight loss is challenging for many patients. Bariatric surgery is a therapeutic option for individuals with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 or ≥35 kg/m2 with comorbidities) who have failed conservative management. Procedures such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy alter gastrointestinal anatomy, promoting weight loss through restriction, malabsorption, and hormonal modulation (e.g., increased GLP-1 secretion). Bariatric surgery improves obesity-related comorbidities and enhances quality of life. However, it requires lifelong medical follow-up to address potential nutritional deficiencies and ensure sustainable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the levels of emotional, restrained, and external eating behaviors (EBs) among adults, categorize them, and analyze their energy and nutrient intake. Methods: A self-reported survey was administered to 522 Korean adults aged 19–64 years to evaluate their emotional, restrained, and external EBs. They were categorized into five types: Non-specific (NS), Emotional (Emo), Restrained (Res), External (Ext), and Combined (Com) EB types. Subsequently, energy intake, intake ratios and levels, and vitamin and mineral intakes were compared after adjusting for sex and age. Results: The Ext type participants consumed energy and an average of 3003.01 kcal per day, while those with Res type consumed 2415.77 kcal. Notably, both the Ext and Com types had higher proportions of excessive energy intake, while the NS and Res types displayed higher proportions of insufficient energy intake. The Emo type yielded a high ratio of lipid intake, while the Com type exhibited high ratios of both lipid and protein intakes. Furthermore, the Res type demonstrated lower vitamin E, niacin, and potassium intakes than the other types. Conclusions: Since the Ext type suggests excessive energy intake, and the Res type suggest intake of vitamin E, niacin, and potassium, identifying EB types provides a novel perspective for nutritional improvement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle has become increasingly challenging in today's sedentary society marked by poor eating habits. To address this issue, both national and international organisations have made numerous efforts to promote healthier diets and increased physical activity. However, implementing these recommendations in daily life can be difficult, as they are often generic and not tailored to individuals. This study presents the AI4Food-NutritionDB database, the first nutrition database that incorporates food images and a nutrition taxonomy based on recommendations by national and international health authorities. The database offers a multi-level categorisation, comprising 6 nutritional levels, 19 main categories (e.g., "Meat"), 73 subcategories (e.g., "White Meat"), and 893 specific food products (e.g., "Chicken"). The AI4Food-NutritionDB opens the doors to new food computing approaches in terms of food intake frequency, quality, and categorisation. Also, we present a standardised experimental protocol and benchmark including three tasks based on the nutrition taxonomy (i.e., category, subcategory, and final product recognition). These resources are available to the research community, including our deep learning models trained on AI4Food-NutritionDB, which can serve as pre-trained models, achieving accurate recognition results for challenging food image databases. All these resources are available in GitHub (https://github.com/BiDAlab/AI4Food-NutritionDB). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The research on orthorexia nervosa (ON) has thoroughly outlined the connection between it and various mental disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorders and eating disorders, in addition to stress. However, research has not considered psychophysical stress and other measures of psychophysical health, such as adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Methods: This cross-sectional and case-control research involved 63 students from the University of Parma, aged between 18 and 49 years. The ORTO-15 questionnaire was utilized to categorize the entire sample into two groups: one without orthorexia (score > 35) and another with orthorexia (score < 35). All subjects were assessed with the Psychophysiological Stress Profile (PSP) and completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). In addition, they were interviewed using the PREDIMED questionnaire to assess adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and their body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Results: Subjects with orthorexia represented 38.10% of the total sample and reported a higher BMI than controls, although the PREDIMED score did not show a difference in adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The EDI-3 highlighted emotional dysregulation and hypercontrol in students with orthorexia, and a dissociation between subjective and objective measures of stress emerged. Particularly, the psychophysiological parameters of skin conductance, heart rate, and heart rate variability showed greater reactivity to stressful stimuli, but no difference was noted in psychological symptoms. Conclusions: These findings confirmed the presence of alterations in eating behavior in people with orthorexia as well as a higher BMI. It was hypothesized that hypercontrol might favor the perception of psychological well-being at a subjective level, although inadequate management of stress emerged at an objective psychophysiological level. Further studies are needed to highlight the causality between ON, hypercontrol, diet, and psychophysical stress, given that students with orthorexia present a dysregulation of emotions associated with greater autonomic arousal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were asked to stay at home. Places where people interacted such as schools, universities, and cafes were closed, and all gatherings were forbidden. Only stores offering fast-moving consumer goods were open, so citizens could purchase all food categories. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the eating and buying habits of consumers in Cyprus and Greece, and any changes in their lifestyles. Methods: An online survey including 1011 participants took place using an electronic questionnaire. Results: The results showed that lockdown significantly affected individuals by increasing weight gain (p < 0.01). The explanatory investigation of related lifestyle habits and nutrition traits showed that the dietary patterns behind these changes included increased meal frequency (p < 0.05)—even without an increased appetite—and subsequent increases in both purchases (p < 0.05) and consumption of several food groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, even though exercise per se was not discontinued due to COVID-19, it was apparent that exercise type was altered to adapt to the relevant restrictions (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, the COVID-19 lockdown significantly affected Cypriots and Greeks in many aspects like their eating behavior, food purchasing habits, and lifestyle, all resulting in increased weight and potentially adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have explored food choice motives (FCMs), but their association with sociodemographic characteristics remains under-researched. This study aimed to examine the cross-sectional associations between sociodemographic factors and FCMs in a sample of Mexican adults. Sociodemographic data and eight FCMs' importance (health and natural content, mood, convenience, sensory appeal, price, food identity, image, and environmental concern) measured with a 75-item Updated Food Choice Questionnaire were studied in 786 participants (70% women, mean age: 24.7 years). The adjusted estimates from multivariable linear regressions are reported. Higher relative importance of convenience, price, and image management (all, p < 0.05) were associated with men. Older participants (≥41 years) showed greater concern for environmental and wildlife awareness (EWA) (p = 0.04). Higher education was associated with higher appreciation of health and natural content and EWA (both, p < 0.05), and less of sensory appeal and mood (both, p < 0.05). Individuals in a relationship placed less importance on sensory appeal compared to singles (p = 0.008). Middle–low socioeconomic status was linked to higher importance of food identity (p = 0.039), while food insecurity was associated with higher concern for price and food identity (both, p < 0.05). Our findings highlight the influence of sociodemographic factors on FCMs that might act as barriers or drivers for adopting healthy diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial disease reaching pandemic proportions with increasing healthcare costs, advocating the development of better prevention and treatment strategies. Previous research indicates that the gut microbiome plays an important role in metabolic, hormonal, and neuronal cross-talk underlying eating behavior. We therefore aim to examine the effects of prebiotic and neurocognitive behavioral interventions on food decision-making and to assay the underlying mechanisms in a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Method: This study uses a parallel arm RCT design with a 26-week intervention period. We plan to enroll 90 participants (male/diverse/female) living with overweight or obesity, defined as either a Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) ≥ 0.9 (male)/0.85 (diverse, female) or a Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2. Key inclusion criteria are 18–60 years of age and exclusion criteria are type 2 diabetes, psychiatric disease, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contraindications. The interventions comprise either a daily supplementary intake of 30 g soluble fiber (inulin), or weekly neurocognitive behavioral group sessions, compared to placebo (equicaloric maltodextrin). At baseline and follow-up, food decision-making is assessed utilizing task-based MRI. Secondary outcome measures include structural MRI, eating habits, lifestyle factors, personality traits, and mood. Further, we obtain fecal and blood samples to investigate gut microbiome composition and related metabolites. Discussion: This study relies on expanding research suggesting that dietary prebiotics could improve gut microbiome composition, leading to beneficial effects on gut-brain signaling and higher-order cognitive functions. In parallel, neurocognitive behavioral interventions have been proposed to improve unhealthy eating habits and metabolic status. However, causal evidence on how these "bottom-up" and "top-down" processes affect food decision-making and neuronal correlates in humans is still scarce. In addition, microbiome, and gut-brain-axis-related mediating mechanisms remain unclear. The present study proposes a comprehensive approach to assess the effects of these gut-brain-related processes influencing food decision-making in overweight and obesity. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05353504. Retrospectively registered on 29 April 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]