Eating Frequency Research Articles

Comparing self-harming intentions underlying eating disordered behaviors and nonsuicidal self-injury: Replication and extension in adolescents.

Eating disorder (ED) behaviors are often characterized as indirect forms of self-harm. However, recent research has found less clear demarcations between direct self-harming behaviors (e.g., nonsuicidal self-injury [NSSI], suicidal behaviors) than previously assumed. The aim of this study was to replicate findings of this prior research on adult populations in adolescents with a history of restrictive eating. A total of 117 adolescents between ages 12-14 were included in the study. Participants reported the presence and frequency of binge eating, compensatory, restrictive eating, and NSSI. Participants also reported thoughts of and intentions to hurt and kill themselves when engaging in each behavior on average. The t-tests and linear effects models were conducted to compare self-harming thoughts and intentions across behaviors. Participants reported at least some intent to hurt themselves physically in the moment and in the long-term when engaging in all ED behaviors and NSSI, and reported engaging in these behaviors while thinking about suicide. Direct self-harming knowledge and intentions were most frequently reported with NSSI and longer-term knowledge and intentions via NSSI and restrictive eating. Additionally, participants reported some suicidal thoughts and intentions across behaviors. This study replicates prior research, suggesting that adolescents engage in ED behaviors and NSSI with non-zero self-harming and suicidal thoughts and intentions. ED behaviors and NSSI may better be explained on a continuum. Implications include the recommendation of safety planning during ED treatment. This study highlights the overlap between eating disorder (ED) behaviors, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and suicide. Though clear distinctions typically exist for motives of self-harming behavior between ED behaviors (i.e., indirect, in the long run) and NSSI (i.e., direct, in the moment), this research suggests that intentions for self-harming and suicide may exist on a continuum. Clinical ED treatment should consider safety planning as part of routine interventions.

Patient care in the restorative clinic of a public dental school after COVID-19 lockdown

Aim: This study, with the aim of checking some of the changes in patients’ daily habits and their reasons for needing restorative treatment was conducted at a public university immediately on return to attendance after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Methods: This survey consisted of interviews held by applying 2 questionnaires to students and patients. A single researcher collected data in all the restorative dentistry clinics at the university after the return to face-to-face activities in the period between 02/02/2021 and 07/30/2021. Data obtained by means of the questionnaires were submitted to descriptive analysis. Results: Ninety (90) participants answered the patient questionnaire. When considering possible associations between being in social isolation or not, significant values were found for changed type of diet (p=0.0011), frequency of eating (p=0.011) and toothbrushing (p=0.034). Data about 417 restorations were collected and among the reasons for restorative intervention, 33.03% were restoration replacement, 31.87% treatment of primary caries and 24.40% of dental wear/non-carious lesions. Conclusion: Patients who isolated themselves during the pandemic tended to change their eating habits and frequency of oral hygiene. Toothache was the main reason for seeking dental treatment and the replacement of pre-existing restorations was the main reason for restorative treatments.

Evaluation of a combined, online intervention for binge-type eating disorders and high body weight in young adults

BackgroundBinge-type eating disorders (EDs; i.e., bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder) are common among young adults with high body weight, yet few interventions target both conditions. This study tested an online guided self-help intervention that provided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) tools for EDs and behavioral weight loss (BWL) content to young adults with binge-type EDs and high body weight. Method60 adults aged 18–39 with clinical/subclinical binge-type EDs and high body weight were randomized to a combined condition or a CBT-only condition. Participants received self-help content for 8 weeks and self-reported ED attitudes, frequency of binge eating and compensatory behaviors, and weight at baseline, 4-weeks, and 8-weeks. Linear mixed models and negative binomial models compared changes between conditions in ED attitudes, ED behaviors, and weight at each timepoint. Chi-square test and independent samples t-test compared program completion and session engagement between conditions. ResultsNo significant differences in weight change or ED symptom change emerged between the conditions. Both conditions achieved significant reductions in ED attitudes, binge episodes, and compensatory behaviors from baseline to 8-weeks (ps < .05). Neither condition demonstrated significant weight loss from baseline to 8-weeks. Program completion (47 %) and session engagement (57 %) were equally high across conditions. DiscussionBoth conditions achieved ED symptom change; however, neither condition was associated with weight change. Research is needed to identify the types of strategies and doses of BWL that promote clinically significant weight and ED symptom change in young adults.

Eating habits and nutritional knowledge among amateur ultrarunners.

Many studies concerning the diet of physically active people refer to individuals who run; however, the importance of nutrition in professional and amateur sports plays a different role. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional behavior and knowledge of amateur ultrarunners. This study involved a group of 308 respondents (89 women and 219 men) aged 18 -65. It investigated the influence of the level of knowledge about nutrition, gender, education, and smoking on dietary food habits and eating frequency. The KomPAN questionnaire was used to determine the dietary habits, diet quality, lifestyle, and nutrition knowledge of ultramarathon runners. The nutrition knowledge influenced the eating habits and frequency of specific meals expressed as the Healthy Diet Index-10 (HDI-10) and Unhealthy Diet Index-14 (UDI-14). In women with sufficient knowledge about nutrition, lower HDI-10 scores were observed compared to those with a good level of knowledge, while men did not show a similar relationship. However, the effect of smoking on the frequency of food intake in men was noted. Interestingly, male smokers had a lower UDI-14 score than non-smokers. Depending on the level of knowledge, female and male ultrarunners more often or less frequently used selected food products. In turn, no effect of education on the frequency of consumption of specific foods was observed. Such different results are most likely caused by the specificity of the study group, which consisted of amateur runners. Additionally, the study looked at general eating habits, not those employed when preparing for marathons. In the future, more respondents should be surveyed, also taking into account nutrition during training.

Association of at-home and out-of-home eating frequency with the estimated 10-year arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in rural population: the Henan Rural Cohort Study.

Insufficient evidence currently exists regarding the relationship between eating frequency and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Thus, the objective of this study was to explore the association of at-home eating (AHE) and out-of-home eating (OHE) frequency with 10-year ASCVD risk. A total of 23,014 participants were included from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. A face-to-face questionnaire was used to acquire data on the frequency of OHE and AHE. The relationship of OHE and AHE frequency with 10-year ASCVD risk was evaluated by logistic regression. Mediation analysis was conducted to evaluate whether BMI mediated the association of OHE and AHE frequency with 10-year ASCVD risk. The adjusted OR and 95% CI of 10-year ASCVD risk for participants who ate out 7 or more times a week was 2.012 (1.666, 2.429) compared with participants who had OHE 0 times. Compared to those who had AHE ≤ 11 times, the adjusted OR and 95% CI for the participants eating every meal at home (21 times) was 0.611 (0.486, 0.769). The relationship of OHE and AHE frequency with 10-year ASCVD risk was mediated by BMI, and the proportion of BMI explained was 25.3% and 36.6%. The OHE frequency was associated with increased 10-year ASCVD risk, while AHE was related to decreased 10-year ASCVD risk, and BMI may play a partial mediating role in the relationship. Implementing health promotion strategies that promote AHE and discourage frequent OHE may prove to be an effective approach to preventing and controlling ASCVD. ChiCTR-OOC-15006699 (2015-07-06).

Effectiveness of Tui Na Massage on Eating Frequency in Batita Children at The Working Area of Lubuk Alung Puskesmas, Padang Pariaman District, 2020

Background: Children's health needs attention, especially children who don't like to eat so they need direction to increase their appetite. Children who are stunted due to lack of food intake and recurrent diseases, especially infectious diseases that can increase metabolic needs and reduce appetite. Objective: To know the effectiveness of tui na massage on eating frequency in children Methodology: This type of research is Quasy Experiment with One-Group Pretest-Post-Test design, namely the grouping of experimental groups. This study examines the changes that occur in groups after the experiment (treatment). Result: The research results showed that there was a relationship between nutritional status (p= 0,013), years of work (p= 0,026), smoking habits (p= 0,026), and the physical environment (p=0,005) with a length of work. The results showed that the average frequency of eating toddlers before the Tui Na massage intervention was 1.33, the average frequency of eating toddlers after the Tui Na massage intervention was 2.33, there were differences in the frequency of toddler eating by Tui Na massage interventions and which is not done Tui Na massage intervention, less effective Tui Na massage is done to increase the frequency of feeding on toddlers. Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between nutritional status, length of service, smoking habits, and the physical environment and job satisfaction among workers.

Lifestyle and nutrition of the Gulf countries students living in the UK

This paper reports findings from a cross-sectional study carried out in May- July 2022 among international students from the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCC) enrolled at British University in the United Kingdom. The study aimed to examine the influence of lifestyle and nutrition and the impact on health among Arab students in the UK in comparison with their home country. In total, 80 students from two countries (Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) participated. Students who perceived dietary change since moving to the UK was 68.9%. The most common reason for dietary changes was time constraints, followed by food availability, food cost and type. A significant change was observed in the consumption of sugary drinks, sweets and/or chocolates, cakes, doughnuts, and frequent eating in restaurants among students after moving to the UK. Duration of walking significantly increased by the students in the UK in comparison to home country. The present study shows that international students from the Gulf countries faces different factors influence their dietary practice. Time constraints, price, availability of the food to be barriers to maintaining usual eating patterns. University hosting international students can alleviate some of these issues experienced by students, for example, by providing information on the location of retailers in the area of the university selling good quality fresh products at a reasonable price.

Welfare of dairy cows in mixed feeding systems under two different conditions of confinement: Behavioral, biochemical and physiological indicators

High production pasture-based dairy systems have difficulty meeting cows' nutritional and environmental needs, especially during extreme environmental conditions during summer in temperate zones. The mixed systems combine pasture access with supplementation periods to achieve the maximum use of pastoral conditions and help better meet nutritional requirements. The aim of this study was to determine if the different conditions during confinement (compost barn, CB vs. outdoor soil-bedded, OD) affect behavioral, biochemical and physiological indicators of welfare in dairy cows. Multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to one of two groups for confinement periods: a compost barn (CB, n = 15): consisting of compost bedding, a roofed area, ventilation and sprinklers, and an outdoor soil-bedded area during (OD, n = 15), which had a soil floor and shaded area. The frequency of eating, ruminating, drinking, lying, standing, and walking behavior in confinement was evaluated for three months during summer. Rumination minutes was recorded with collars automatically throughout the day. Blood samples were taken to determine total proteins, albumin, globulins and creatine kinase. The subcutaneous temperature was recorded during December and January (n = 7 per group). During the confinement, the CB cows spent more time lying down (P = 0.001) and ruminating (P = 0.04) than the OD cows. During pasture access, the CB cows spent more time grazing (P = 0.003) and less time ruminating (P < 0.0001) than the OD cows. Furthermore, the CB cows had lower subcutaneous temperature than the OD cows during the day (P < 0.0001). Serum creatine kinase concentrations tended to be higher (approximately 360 % more) in the OD cows than in the CB cows (P = 0.07). Differences in the type of confinement determined behavioral changes during both the confinement and pasture access, demonstrating the adaptability of cows to a varied environment. In conclusion, the different conditions during confinement affected the welfare indicators of the dairy cows in the mixed system during summer, with OD cows experiencing poorer welfare than CB cows, based on behavioral, biochemical and physiological indicators of welfare.

Association of picky eating around age 4 with dietary intake and weight status in early adulthood: A 14-year follow-up based on the KOALA birth cohort study

IntroductionA relatively common deviant type of eating behaviour among children is picky eating. Research on associations between picky eating and dietary patterns later in life is limited, and studies examining long-term effects on growth have yielded mixed results. The present study aimed to examine longitudinal associations of picky eating in early childhood with consumption of various foods, and weight status (body mass index, BMI) in young adulthood. MethodsData from the Dutch KOALA Birth Cohort was used. Picky eating was determined around age 4 (range 3–6 years) by a questionnaire completed by parents. At follow-up around children's age 18 (range 17–20 years), weekly food intake frequencies, weight and height were assessed with a questionnaire completed by the grown-up young adult children. In total, 814 participants were included. Multiple regression analyses were performed for food intake frequencies and weight status (BMI) with picky eating score as predictor, controlling for parental and child covariates. ResultsThe mean picky eating score at age 4–5 was 2.24 (range 1–5). A 1-point higher picky eating score was associated with eating fruit 0.14 days less per week, raw vegetables 0.14 days less per week, cooked vegetables 0.21 days less per week, fish 0.07 days less per week and dairy products 0.23 days less per week (P-values all <0.05). Associations between picky eating and intake frequencies of meat, eggs, various snacks, sweet drinks, and weight status (BMI) were not significant. ConclusionPicky eating in childhood is associated with lower intake frequencies of various healthy foods among young adults. It is therefore recommended to pay sufficient attention to picky eating in young children.

Impact of closed management on gastrointestinal function and mental health of Chinese university students during COVID-19

BackgroundThe innovative closed management of universities may have influenced the physical and mental health of students during the fourth stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The study aimed to assess the gastrointestinal and mental health status of students in this stage and to explore the possible risk factors and mechanisms to provide a reference for future school responses to similar stressful events.MethodA multicenter, cross-sectional survey was administered to 598 college students from 10 Chinese universities. The study used the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S), and the Diagnostic Tendency of Functional Bowel Disease Scale (DT-FBD) to evaluate anxiety, depression, fear of COVID-19 and likelihood of being diagnose diagnosed with functional bowel disease (FBD), respectively.ResultsA total of 516 college students completed the questionnaire. The proportions of students with more severe anxiety, more severe depression, greater fear of COVID-19, and a greater likelihood of being diagnosed with FBD were 49.8%, 57.0%, 49%, and 49%, respectively. These symptoms were significantly and positively correlated with the frequency of irregular sleep and eating (p < 0.05). Students in high-risk areas were more likely to experience anxiety and depression than students in areas with low/medium risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–3.24, p = 0.017; OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.11–4.11, p = 0.022). A high likelihood of being diagnosed with FBD was positively associated with the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms and fear of COVID-19 (all p < 0.001). Moreover, mediation analysis revealed the following pathway in college students: fear of COVID-19 → depression and anxiety → poor diet → likelihood of being diagnosed with FBD.ConclusionCollege students generally exhibited higher more severe anxiety and depression symptoms and psychological symptoms with a greater higher propensity likelihood of being to be diagnosed with FBD. Good lifestyle habits, especially adequate sleep and a regular diet, can alleviate these problems. In addition, appropriate psychological intervention is very important.

Eating disorder psychopathology, psychiatric impairment, and symptom frequency of atypical anorexia nervosa versus anorexia nervosa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Restrictive eating disorders (EDs) occur across the weight spectrum, but historically more focus has been given to anorexia nervosa (AN) than atypical anorexia nervosa (atypAN). AtypAN's relegation to a diagnosis in the "other specified feeding and eating disorder" (OSFED) category and paucity of research surrounding atypAN invariably implies a less clinically severe ED. However, a growing body of research has begun to question the assumption that atypAN is less severe than AN. The current review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a comprehensive review to compare atypAN and AN on measures of eating disorder psychopathology, impairment, and symptom frequency to test whether atypAN is truly less clinically severe than AN. Twenty articles that reported on atypAN and AN for at least one of the variables of interest were retrieved from PsycInfo, PubMed, and ProQuest. For eating-disorder psychopathology, results indicated that differences were nonsignificant for most indicators; however, atypAN was associated with significantly higher shape concern, weight concern, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and overall eating-disorder psychopathology than AN. Results indicated that atypAN and AN did not significantly differ on clinical impairment or the frequency of inappropriate compensatory behaviors, whereas there was a significantly higher frequency of objective binge episodes in AN (vs. atypAN). Overall, findings indicated that, in contrast to the current classification system, atypAN and AN were not clinically distinct. Results underscore the need for equal access to treatment and equal insurance coverage for restrictive EDs across the weight spectrum. The current meta-analysis found that atypAN was associated with higher drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, shape concern, weight concern, and overall eating-disorder psychopathology than AN; whereas AN was associated with higher frequency of objective binge eating. Individuals with AN and atypAN did not differ on psychiatric impairment, quality-of-life, or frequency of compensatory behaviors, highlighting the need for equal access to care for restrictive EDs across the weight spectrum.

Emotion regulation and disordered eating behaviour in youths: Two daily-diary studies.

Disordered eating cognitions and behaviours in childhood and adolescence have been identified as precursors for the development of eating disorders. Another important contributor to eating disorder risk is maladaptive emotion regulation. However, while the regulation of negative affect has been the focus of much research, the literature on the role of positive emotion regulation in eating pathology is extremely limited. The present study extends previous research by examining the regulation of both positive and negative affect in disordered eating using two waves of a daily diary design. Every evening for 21days, 139 youths (8-15years) reported their use of rumination, dampening, and disordered eating cognitions and behaviours. 1year later, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 115 of these youths were followed-up. As predicted, higher levels of rumination and dampening were found to be associated with a higher frequency of weight concerns and restrictive eating on person-level (both Waves) and day-level (Wave 2). Further, a higher frequency of rumination at Wave 1 predicted increases in the frequency of restrictive eating 1year later. Our findings underline the importance of examining regulation of both positive and negative emotion in order to understand eating disorder risk.

Fruit and vegetable consumption across population segments: evidence from a national household survey

BackgroundThe 2002 World Health Report documented that low fruit and vegetable intake are among the top ten risk factors contributing to attributable mortality and up to three million lives could be saved each year by adequate consumption of F&V across the globe, leading an examination of behavioral preferences of the individual and family social, environmental, and behavioral factors that constitute perceived barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption.ObjectiveThe study examines factors affecting the choice of eating fruits and vegetables by household members and calculates eating frequency probabilities of different population-origin associated with personal attributes and behavior.MethodTurkish Health Survey (THS) 2019 data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI) national representative household panel is applied. Estimating a random-effect bivariate probit model of fruit and vegetable choice, we calculated marginal probabilities of choosing fruits and vegetables, the joint probability of choosing both, and conditional probabilities between choosing to eat either, detecting consumption synergy.ResultsThe role of uncontrolled variables in choosing to eat fruits and vegetable (F&V) differs between the decision of an average family and the decision of individual family members. The attitude is positive for an average family and contrasts with the negative attitude among some family members. Most individual and family attributes inversely affect fruit and vegetable choice across different groups, while a positive relationship exists between the likelihood of fruit and vegetable choice and attributes such as age, marital status, education, weight, having health insurance, income, and time and forms of physical activity.Conclusion and recommendationInstead of a general policy for the implementation of a healthy and balanced nutrition program to improve fruit and vegetable eating frequency, it appears more effective to adopt programs with distinct characteristics that segregate society into different cohorts. We suggest appropriate policies and offer suitable approaches to reach targeted groups.

Characteristics of Nutrition Intake in Diabetic Ulcer Patients at Hospital dr. Slamet Garut

Diabetes mellitus can lead to the development of ulcers on the extremities, which are typically caused by peripheral nerve disorders, infections, and blood flow disorders. Managing diabetes requires adhering to proper nutritional intake, including the frequency and duration of meals, as well as the types of foods consumed. In this study, we aimed to examine the nutritional intake characteristics of outpatients with diabetic ulcers at Dr. Slamet Garut, including their eating frequency, meal duration, and food choices. We used a quantitative descriptive research design and selected a sample of 49 diabetic ulcer patients through purposive sampling. Data was collected using a validated and reliable questionnaire. The results of our study indicated that the majority of patients (57.1%) did not eat frequently, had short meal durations (51.0%), and consumed low-calorie foods (61.2%). Diet planning is a major component of success in treating diabetic ulcers. The accuracy and regularity of the patient in setting the amount, type and schedule of meals aims to control glucose levels so that blood flow to the ulcer area becomes smooth and the ulcer healing process will run well. Overall, nutritional intake in patients with diabetic ulcers is largely inadequate during the wound healing process.

Dietary patterns, body mass index, physical activity level and energy intake among the female elderly population in Mauritius

Background: The aging population is becoming a global issue and Mauritius has experienced a 20.4 % growth in the last four years. There is a lack of information regarding nutrition among the Mauritian elderly. This study aimed to investigate dietary patterns and energy intake and their associated factors, to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI), physical activity level (PAL), nutrition knowledge (NK) and energy intake among the female older adults. Methods: The study was carried out among 167 female participants aged 60 and above from both urban and rural areas in Mauritius. A questionnaire was used to determine their eating habits and food frequency, PAL, NK, anthropometric measurements and demographic data. Three 24-hour dietary recalls over three weeks were used to calculate the energy intake using the Tanzania food composition table and Nutritionist Pro software. SPSS was used to analyse the data. The main statistical tests used were ANOVA, Independent-samples t-test (ISTT), Pearson correlation and Chi-squared. Results: A significant relationship was found between age group and energy intake (p = 0.027), with individuals aged 70–89 having higher energy intake. Both BMI and PAL were significantly associated with energy intake (p ˂0.001). There was a moderate significant negative relationship between NK scores and energy intake (r = -0.474, p ˂0.001). Vegetarianism, eating difficulties and residence area did not have a statistically significant relationship with energy intake. There was a negative and significant correlation between consumption frequency of whole-grain carbohydrates and BMI and a significant positive relationship between BMI and consumption frequency of refined carbohydrates. Conclusions: The mean energy intake of the participants was much higher than the recommended daily allowance of caloric intake in India and other countries. Furthermore, the dietary pattern of the subjects was diversified including both healthy and unhealthy eating habits.

Examining the components and stability of negative affect in disordered eating frequency.

There is a limited understanding of the unique components of negative affect that are most important to disordered eating. Our study tested the contributions and stabilities of unique components of negative affect in the frequency of both binge eating and restricted eating. We examined if: (1) symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress share unique, concurrent associations with binge eating and restricted eating, respectively, and if (2) instability of depression, anxiety, and stress predict binge eating and restricted eating, respectively. 627 first year undergraduate students completed 7 assessments of these constructs across their first academic year. Generalised multilevel modelling was employed. Higher than average anxiety, but not depression or stress, was concurrently associated with restricted eating. No concurrent associations between negative affect and binge eating were found. Instability of depression, but not anxiety or stress, predicted both binge and restricted eating. Anxiety may be a more salient predictor of restricted eating than depression or stress. However, larger monthly changes in depression may confer risk for more frequent binge eating and restricted eating.

Positive affect dysregulation and its relation to binge eating size and frequency.

Negative affect is an established predictor of binge eating, yet less is known about positive affect. Low positive affect has been theorized to increase binge eating, but a better understanding is needed on the relationship between positive affect and binge eating frequency and size. Participants were 182 treatment-seeking adults (76% self-identified as female; 45% self-identified their race as Black and 40% as White; and 25% self-identified their ethnicity as Hispanic/Latino) with self-reported recurrent binge eating (≥12 binge episodes in the past 3 months). Participants completed the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS) survey and the eating disorder examination to assess frequency of objective binge episodes (OBEs) and subjective binge episodes (SBEs) over the past 3 months. OBEs and SBEs also were combined to yield total binge episodes over the past 3 months. Independent t-tests and linear regression analyses were used to test associations between positive affect scores and binge episode size and frequencies, and to compare low versus higher positive affect on binge frequency. Additional exploratory models were conducted controlling for negative affect, identity characteristics, and socio-demographic variables. Lower positive affect was significantly associated with more frequent total binge episodes, but not OBEs and SBEs when assessed independently. Findings remained consistent when controlling for covariates and when comparing individuals with the lowest versus higher positive affect levels. Overall, results lend support to the theory that low positive affect is associated with binge eating. Increasing positive affect may be an important treatment consideration for those with recurrent binge eating.

Design of the CHARGE study: A randomized control trial evaluating a novel treatment for Veterans with binge eating disorder and overweight and obesity

A large number of Veterans experience binge eating and overweight or obesity, which are associated with significant health and psychological consequences. The gold-standard program for the treatment of binge eating, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), results in decreases in binge eating frequency but does not result in significant weight loss. We developed the Regulation of Cues (ROC) program to reduce overeating and binge eating through improvement in sensitivity to appetitive cues and decreased responsivity to external cues, an approach that has never been tested among Veterans. In this study, we combined ROC with energy restriction recommendations from behavioral weight loss (ROC+). This study is a 2-arm randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of ROC+, and to compare the efficacy of ROC+ and CBT on reduction of binge eating, weight, and energy intake over 5-months of treatment and 6-month follow-up. Study recruitment completed in March 2022. One hundred and twenty-nine Veterans were randomized (mean age = 47.10 (sd = 11.3) years; 41% female, mean BMI = 34.8 (sd = 4.7); 33% Hispanic) and assessments were conducted at baseline, during treatment and at post-treatment. The final 6-month follow-ups will be completed in April 2023. Targeting novel mechanisms including sensitivity to internal cures and responsivity to external cues is critically important to improve binge eating and weight-loss programs among Veterans.Clinicaltrials.govNCT03678766

Geophagy: a survey on the practice of soil consumption in N’Djamena, Chad

Background Geophagy, the recurrent intentional eating of soil, is well documented in many African countries, but little or nothing is known about this practice in Chad. We conducted a cross-sectional study among inhabitants of N’Djamena to assess: (i) source, type, and form of geophagic soil at purchase; (ii) event, daily frequency, daily cost, and duration of soil eating; (iii) habits at consumption and storage; (iv) specific motivation of soil eating and habit-forming events; (v) expected health benefits and awareness of health risks; and (vi) chance for intervention. Methods One main food market was randomly selected in each of the 10 districts of N’Djamena. In each food market, 10 vending points of geophagic soil were randomly selected. In each vending point, one geophagist was interviewed. A total of 100 geophagists (residents in N’Djamena) completed a self-reported structured questionnaire on hard copy. Outcomes were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics 20.0 software. Results The main group of geophagists in Chad is represented by women in childbearing age (30.4 years old). Geophagic soil is generally locally extracted and easily available at the food market (77%). Kaoline is the most consumed soil (63%) followed by laterite (29%). Soil is preferentially consumed granulated (66%) or crushed (23%), but also in powder. Protective effect against cancer and gastritis figures out as main (35%) expected benefit of the practice, followed by protection against nausea and vomiting (25%) and pain (19%). One in 4 geophagists eats soil due to pleasure at taste, and some (2%) just follow the habit without specific purpose of pleasure. Geophagy in Chad is a culturally-transmitted form of pica. Interestingly, even if the vast majority of geophagists (94%) is unaware and uninformed about health risks of soil eating, the 43% were against the option of recommending it. Conclusions Based on these findings, we recommend awareness campaigns on: (i) the health risk of soil eating, (ii) erroneous beliefs, e.g., the protective effect of geophagic soil against cancer, and (iii) the misleading communication subtended by the vending of soil among food items.

Association of the Practice of Physical Activity and Dietary Pattern with Psychological Distress before and during COVID-19 in Brazilian Adults.

To verify the association between the practice of physical activity and dietary patterns and psychological distress before and during the lockdown due to COVID-19, a cross-sectional study was performed with 2000 Brazilians (mean [M] = 35.78 years; standard deviation [SD] = 11.20; 59.6% women) recruited through convenience sampling via digital media. Participants completed an electronic questionnaire containing sociodemographic and clinical information, nutritional patterns, physical activity, and psychological distress. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial regression. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, the chance of women presenting very high stress, in relation to men, was six times higher (OR = 6.32; 95% CI 4.20-9.51), a behavior that remained similar during the lockdown (OR = 6.63; 95% CI 4.40-10.00). Before the lockdown, insufficient physical activity doubled the chance of having very high stress in relation to those who engaged in physical activities six to seven times a week (OR = 2.11; 95% CI 1.10-4.02). However, during the lockdown, this probability was higher, from twice to 10 times the chance (OR = 10.19; 95% CI 4.85-21.41). Not exercising alone (OR = 2.18; 95% CI 1.52-3.11) and a decreasing physical activity frequency (OR = 2.28; 95% CI 1.40-3.71) were also associated with very high stress during the lockdown. Additionally, the consumption of smaller amounts of food showed an inverse association with very high stress (OR = 0.28; 95% CI 0.18-0.43). The maintenance of physical activity and an adequate eating frequency are measures that should be considered to cope with higher levels of anxiety and depression.