Feeding Decisions Research Articles

Taste quality and hunger interactions in a feeding sensorimotor circuit.

Taste detection and hunger state dynamically regulate the decision to initiate feeding. To study how context-appropriate feeding decisions are generated, we combined synaptic resolution circuit reconstruction with targeted genetic access to specific neurons to elucidate a gustatory sensorimotor circuit for feeding initiation in adult Drosophila melanogaster. This circuit connects gustatory sensory neurons to proboscis motor neurons through three intermediate layers. Most neurons in this pathway are necessary and sufficient for proboscis extension, a feeding initiation behavior, and respond selectively to sugar taste detection. Pathway activity is amplified by hunger signals that act at select second-order neurons to promote feeding initiation in food-deprived animals. In contrast, the feeding initiation circuit is inhibited by a bitter taste pathway that impinges on premotor neurons, illuminating a local motif that weighs sugar and bitter taste detection to adjust the behavioral outcomes. Together, these studies reveal central mechanisms for the integration of external taste detection and internal nutritive state to flexibly execute a critical feeding decision.

Launch of New Report by the World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund: How the Marketing of Formula Milk Influences Infant Feeding Decisions - A Commentary.

Launch of New Report by the World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund: How the Marketing of Formula Milk Influences Infant Feeding Decisions - A Commentary.

Proteomic Analysis of Human Milk Reveals Nutritional and Immune Benefits in the Colostrum from Mothers with COVID-19.

Despite the well-known benefits of breastfeeding and the World Health Organization’s breastfeeding recommendations for COVID-19 infected mothers, whether these mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed is under debate due to concern about the risk of virus transmission and lack of evidence of breastmilk’s protective effects against the virus. Here, we provide a molecular basis for the breastfeeding recommendation through mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics and glycosylation analysis of immune-related proteins in both colostrum and mature breastmilk collected from COVID-19 patients and healthy donors. The total protein amounts in the COVID-19 colostrum group were significantly higher than in the control group. While casein proteins in COVID-19 colostrum exhibited significantly lower abundances, immune-related proteins, especially whey proteins with antiviral properties against SARS-CoV-2, were upregulated. These proteins were detected with unique site-specific glycan structures and improved glycosylation diversity that are beneficial for recognizing epitopes and blocking viral entry. Such adaptive differences in milk from COVID-19 mothers tended to fade in mature milk from the same mothers one month postpartum. These results suggest that feeding infants colostrum from COVID-19 mothers confers both nutritional and immune benefits, and provide molecular-level insights that aid breastmilk feeding decisions in cases of active infection.

Experiences of young Australian mothers with infant feeding

BackgroundDespite the overwhelming evidence of health and other benefits of breastfeeding and recommendations to breastfeed by peak health bodies, breastfeeding rates are significantly lower than recommended in Australia and globally. Young mothers are identified as being at high risk of not breastfeeding their infants according to infant feeding recommendations. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of young Australian mothers’ experiences of infant feeding, and to explore the factors which facilitated or hindered adherence to recommended breastfeeding practices.MethodsPurposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit young mothers in Australia (n = 17) aged 18–25 years who had given birth to their first child within the last two years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews via online videoconferencing. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and subsequently analysed. Thematic analysis was conducted using Quirkos, a qualitative data management and analysis software.ResultsFour major themes were identified: Breastfeeding is challenging; Feeling judged about infant feeding choices; Experiences with breastfeeding support; and Experiences and views on breastfeeding education. Most mothers reported experiencing breastfeeding challenges, particularly those arising from lactation difficulties, yet many were able to overcome these challenges through their determination to breastfeed. Many mothers expressed perceiving judgement from others for breastfeeding in public. Some mothers who were bottle feeding their infants, whether with expressed breast milk or infant formula, felt that they were being judged for using a bottle. Many mothers reported professional, partner, family, and peer support as critical facilitators to the continuation of breastfeeding. Most mothers shared positive experiences of attending breastfeeding education sessions, but indicated the need for community education to reduce judgement toward mothers’ infant feeding decisions.ConclusionsThe barriers and enablers to infant feeding experienced by young mothers are similar to those experienced by mothers of all ages. Young mothers experience significant breastfeeding challenges and need support from partner, family, peers, and professionals to continue breastfeeding in line with recommendations. Breastfeeding campaigns to support young mothers should be aimed at the wider community to increase awareness of breastfeeding challenges, reduce stigma associated with breastfeeding in public, and to support mothers in their infant feeding decisions.

Plant secondary metabolites and primate food choices: A meta-analysis and future directions.

The role of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) in shaping the feeding decisions, habitat suitability, and reproductive success of herbivorous mammals has been a major theme in ecology for decades. Although primatologists were among the first to test these ideas, studies of PSMs in the feeding ecology of non-human primates have lagged in recent years, leading to a recent call for primatologists to reconnect with phytochemists to advance our understanding of the primate nutrition. To further this case, we present a formal meta-analysis of diet choice in response to PSMs based on field studies on wild primates. Our analysis of 155 measurements of primate feeding response to PSMs is drawn from 53 studies across 43 primate species which focussed primarily on the effect of three classes of PSMs tannins, phenolics, and alkaloids. We found a smallbut significant effect of PSMs on the diet choice of wild primates, which was largely driven by the finding that colobine primates showed a moderate aversion to condensed tannins. Conversely, there was no evidence that PSMs had a significant deterrent effect on food choices of non-colobine primates when all were combined into a single group. Furthermore, within the colobine primates, no other PSMs influenced feeding choices and we found no evidence that foregut anatomy significantly affected food choice with respect to PSMs. We suggest that methodological improvements related to experimental approaches and the adoption of new techniques including metabolomics are needed to advance our understanding of primate diet choice.

Integrated consideration of assembly line scheduling and feeding: A new model and case study from the automotive industry

Line feeding policy decision models decide upon whether a warehouse part is supplied by line stocking, kitting or sequencing. Although the production schedule determines the point of use and the usage rates of parts at the assembly line, no line feeding model till date integrates the operational production schedule decision into the tactical line feeding decision. Therefore, we introduce a new mixed-integer linear programming formulation that models the interactions between both planning problems explicitly. The developed model is applied in a real-life case study of a mixed-model assembly line from a first-tier automotive supplier. The numerical results show that both the cost-optimal line feeding policy decision as well as the resulting costs depend on the production schedule with the inherent degree of grouping equal jobs and the product mix. Depending on the product mix, following a leveled scheduling approach instead of a grouping of equal jobs can increase line feeding costs by up to 18%. Thus, the scheduling decision has to become a crucial element of future line feeding models for mixed-model lines.

Factors Influencing the Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding in West and Central Africa

ObjectivesTo disseminate knowledge of social and behavioral factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding to guide national nutrition programs in West and Central Africa.MethodsWe searched literature up to August 2018 using pre-defined search terms on PubMed, Google Scholar, Popline and The Cochrane Library. We identified 225 references, representing 19 of the 24 countries in West and Central Africa. Most were from Nigeria (n = 108) and Ghana (n = 45). We used thematic content analysis to synthesize quantitative and qualitative findings separately.ResultsFactors influencing exclusive breastfeeding in first 6 months of life were divided into individual, setting and structural levels using the 2016 Lancet conceptual model. Socio-economic attributes, perceptions, beliefs and mother-infant interactions were important at the individual level. Misconceptions around breastmilk's quality and availability (quantity) were factors that influenced mothers to give infants water or other liquids. At the setting level, women's autonomy and grandmothers influenced infant feeding decisions in many families. At the structural level, work was an obstacle to achieving exclusive breastfeeding for women in both formal and informal sectors. Social norms generally supported breastfeeding; however, exclusive breastfeeding was challenged by multiple beliefs, including that giving water quenches thirst and “water is life”.ConclusionsThis work provided a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed and grey literature on the “Factors Influencing the Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Giving Water in West and Central Africa”. The review provides insights on facilitators as well as the many reasons preventing exclusive breastfeeding and provided evidence for the Stronger With Breastmilk Only regional initiative. Disseminating this knowledge among government stakeholders and their partners will mobilize action to achieve the exclusive breastfeeding WHA 2025 and SDG 2030 targets in the subregion, where only one-third of infants (0–5 months) receive breastmilk only (UNICEF, 2021).Funding SourcesBill & Melinda Gates Foundation through Alive & Thrive, managed by FHI Solutions, and UNICEF, West and Central Africa RISING Initiative.

Giving Birth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Changes in Confusion, Anxiety, and Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy From Pregnancy to Six-Weeks Postpartum

ObjectivesTo assess differences in the level of anxiety, confusion, and changes in the level of breastfeeding self-efficacy from pregnancy to 6-weeks postpartum among a sample of persons who gave birth from 2020–2021.MethodsA sample of 180 persons, representing 44 states and 4 US territories, were recruited via social media advertisements to first take a 78-item web-based survey between May and December of 2020. Participants were contacted again at 6 weeks postpartum to complete a follow-up survey assessing the same variables as survey one. The surveys assessed breastfeeding self-efficacy using the valid PREP to BF scale, breastfeeding intention (and subsequent actual feeding method), anxiety surrounding having a newborn during COVID-19, and confusion with WHO and CDC COVID-19 breastfeeding recommendations.ResultsThe sample, mean age 30.2 years, maintained a relatively high PREP to BF score at 6-weeks postpartum (pre = 309.27 ± 56.74; post = 305.57 ± 63.40). Over 95% intended to include breastmilk in some way and at 6-weeks postpartum, 95.2% were either exclusively breastfeeding or combination feeding. The sample experienced a significant decrease in confusion (p ≤ .001) with safe breastfeeding information and a significant decrease in anxiety with managing a newborn baby whilst the pandemic still occurring at high rates in the US (p ≤ .001).ConclusionsThis sample was able to maintain their planned infant feeding decisions while maintaining a high breastfeeding self-efficacy score despite the COVID-19 pandemic continuing in the US. The increasing availability of the COVID-19 vaccine may have helped to ease anxiety among new mothers. Prenatal healthcare teams should continue to work with pregnant persons to ensure they are informed of the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 to have a safe pregnancy and birth experience.Funding SourcesThis material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, Hatch project LAB94426.

Receiving screened donor human milk for their infant supports parental wellbeing: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundAccess to donor human milk (DHM) has primarily been based on the health and development outcomes of premature infants but there has been little examination of the broader impact of an infant receiving it upon parental mental health. Breastfeeding and mental health are closely tied with women who experience breastfeeding difficulties or are unable to meet their own breastfeeding goals often experiencing feelings of guilt, sadness and anger, alongside an increased risk of postnatal depression. The aim of the current study was to explore how experience of receiving DHM for their baby affected the wellbeing of parents.MethodsUK parents of infants aged 0 – 12 months who had received screened DHM from a milk bank (typically on the neonatal unit or in some cases in the community) completed an online questionnaire exploring their experiences. The questionnaire included Likert scale items examining perceived impact upon infant health, own wellbeing and family functioning alongside open-ended questions exploring perceptions of how receiving DHM affected wellbeing.ResultsAlmost all of the 107 participants (women = 102) agreed that receiving DHM had a positive impact upon infant health and development, their own mental and physical health, and their family’s wellbeing. Parents felt relieved that their infant was receiving DHM for health reasons but also due to the experience of being listened to, supported and having their infant feeding decisions facilitated. Receiving DHM helped mothers to process some of their emotions at not being able to breastfeed, in part because knowing their baby was being fed gave them the space to focus on recovery and bonding with their baby. Some parents did experience challenges, feeling guilty at receiving DHM, insecure that another woman was able to feed their baby when they could not, or negative reactions from family. Although the impact of receiving DHM upon breastfeeding was not measured, some women who were working to build their own milk supply noted that it helped motivate them to continue.ConclusionsDHM may play an important role not only in protecting infant health and development but in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of mothers for whom their infant receiving human milk is important.

Fire, grazers, and browsers interact with grass competition to determine tree establishment in an African savanna.

In savanna ecosystems, fire and herbivory alter the competitive relationship between trees and grasses. Mechanistically, grazing herbivores favor trees by removing grass, which reduces tree-grass competition and limits fire. Conversely, browsing herbivores consume trees and limit their recovery from fire. Herbivore feeding decisions are in turn shaped by risk-resource trade-offs that potentially determine the spatial patterns of herbivory. Identifying the dominant mechanistic pathways by which fire and herbivores control tree cover remains challenging, but is essential for understanding savanna dynamics. We used an experiment in the Serengeti ecosystem and a simple simulation driven by experimental results to address two main aims: (1) determine the importance of direct and indirect effects of grass, fire, and herbivory on seedling establishment and (2) establish whether predators determine the spatial pattern of successful seedling establishment via effects on mesoherbivore distribution. We transplanted tree seedlings into plots with a factorial combination of grass and herbivores (present/absent) across a lion-kill-risk gradient in the Serengeti, burning half of the plots near the end of the experiment. Ungrazed grass limited tree seedling survival directly via competition, indirectly via fire, and by slowing seedling growth, which drove higher seedling mortality during fires. These effects restricted seedling establishment to below 18% and, in conjunction with browsing, resulted in seedling establishment dropping below 5%. In the absence of browsing and fire, grazing drove a 7.5-fold increase in seedling establishment. Lion predation risk had no observable impact on herbivore effects on seedling establishment. The severe negative effects of grass on seedling mortality suggests that regional patterns of tree cover and fire may overestimate the role of fire in limiting tree cover, with regular fires representing a proxy for the competitive effects of grass.

Combating Pervasive and Misleading Formula Marketing Practices Is All of Our Responsibility.

Breastfeeding MedicineVol. 17, No. 6 President's CornerFree AccessCombating Pervasive and Misleading Formula Marketing Practices Is All of Our ResponsibilityAnn KellamsAnn Kellams—Ann Kellams, MD, IBCLC, FAAP, FABM, President, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:8 Jun 2022https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2022.29210.alkAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail This month, I would like to call your attention to a ground-breaking report that was recently released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, entitled “How the Marketing of Formula Milk Influences Our Decisions on Infant Feeding.”1The report highlights the findings of an international research study performed by an independent research firm, M&C Saatchi World Services. Data was collected from eight countries, including China, Mexico, South Africa, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain, with >8,500 pregnant women, mothers, and 300 health care professionals surveyed. Additionally, over 100 focus groups and 80 in-depth interviews were conducted. Although marketing is a pervasive part of all of our lives, the report calls out the fact that the marketing of formula can impact feeding decisions that can have tremendous individual and public health consequences. Deciding how to feed an infant should be based on sound evidence and information, ideally obtained from health professionals, and not influenced by commercial interests.Here is a summary of several key findings with quotes directly from the report: 1.Marketing of formula is “pervasive, personalized, and powerful.”2.These companies use “manipulative marketing tactics that exploit parents' anxieties and aspirations.”3.Formula marketing “distort[s] science and medicine” making “false and incomplete scientific claims” to sell their product(s)4.These companies target health professionals5.Strategies used “undermine parents' confidence” in breastfeeding; messages are “slick and misleading”6.Immediate counter-measures at the level of governments, health professionals, and associations.For those of us in breastfeeding medicine, many of these findings may not come as a surprise. We are used to “swimming upstream,” and advocating for the rights and support of breastfeeding families.A number of action items are highlighted, including one that is specifically relevant to the mission of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM): “Protect the integrity of science and medicine.” The ABM lists “Knowledge and Research” as one or our key domains. We strive to promote, distill, and disseminate evidence-based research that improves clinical care and is globally accessible. As members of ABM, we have a responsibility to find ways to spread the word about the importance of breastfeeding, the best ways to support breastfeeding families, and how to appropriately manage breastfeeding concerns.We need to find ways to “actively counter” misleading and inaccurate commercially driven information. We need to normalize breastfeeding, not because it is “best” but because it is the physiological norm against which all other substances must be compared.As health care professionals, we also need to commit to divesting from formula companies in the name of public health. At ABM, we are very proud to not accept sponsorship from companies that are not WHO code compliant. Does this mean our membership and our conferences are more expensive? It does. We feel strongly that we all need to stop using our time and effort to provide these corporations with “cheap advertising.” When they sponsor our events, or we wear their lanyards, or recommend nonmedical use of their products, we both knowingly and unknowingly endorse their product.Health care professionals have a strong influence on families' practices and attitudes toward infant feeding. These companies profit when breastfeeding fails, and we must preserve the integrity of our role of trusted health experts, not tarnish it. We must use our influence to make sure all families have the most up-to-date accurate information about infant feeding so they can make the best decision for themselves, and then, we must do everything in our power to help remove obstacles and manage any concerns that arise so that as many infants as possible are able to breastfeed.Reference1. World Health Organization. How the marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240044609 (accessed April 29, 2022). Google ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 17Issue 6Jun 2022 InformationCopyright 2022, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Ann Kellams.Combating Pervasive and Misleading Formula Marketing Practices Is All of Our Responsibility.Breastfeeding Medicine.Jun 2022.550-550.http://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2022.29210.alkPublished in Volume: 17 Issue 6: June 8, 2022Online Ahead of Print:May 25, 2022PDF download

Drosophila gustatory projections are segregated by taste modality and connectivity.

Gustatory sensory neurons detect caloric and harmful compounds in potential food and convey this information to the brain to inform feeding decisions. To examine the signals that gustatory neurons transmit and receive, we reconstructed gustatory axons and their synaptic sites in the adult Drosophila melanogaster brain, utilizing a whole-brain electron microscopy volume. We reconstructed 87 gustatory projections from the proboscis labellum in the right hemisphere and 57 from the left, representing the majority of labellar gustatory axons. Gustatory neurons contain a nearly equal number of interspersed pre- and postsynaptic sites, with extensive synaptic connectivity among gustatory axons. Morphology- and connectivity-based clustering revealed six distinct groups, likely representing neurons recognizing different taste modalities. The vast majority of synaptic connections are between neurons of the same group. This study resolves the anatomy of labellar gustatory projections, reveals that gustatory projections are segregated based on taste modality, and uncovers synaptic connections that may alter the transmission of gustatory signals.

Clinical Decision Support for Newborn Weight Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The Newborn Weight Tool (NEWT) can inform newborn feeding decisions and might reduce health care utilization by preventing excess weight loss. Clinical decision support (CDS) displaying NEWT might facilitate its use. Our study's objective is to determine the effect of CDS displaying NEWT on feeding and health care utilization. At an hospital involved in NEWT development, we randomly assigned 2682 healthy infants born ≥36 weeks gestation in 2018-2019 either to CDS displaying NEWT with an electronic flag if most recent weight was ≥75th weight loss centile or to a control of usual care with NEWT accessed at clinician discretion. Our primary outcome was feeding type concordant with weight loss, defined as exclusive breastfeeding for those not flagged, exclusive breastfeeding or supplementation for those flagged once, and supplementation for those flagged more than once. Secondary outcomes included inpatient and outpatient utilization in the first 30 days. We used χ2 and Student's t tests to compare intervention infants with control and to compare trial infants with those born in 2017. Feeding was concordant with for 1854 (74.5%) trial infants and did not differ between randomized groups (P = .65); concordant feeding was higher for all trial infants than for infants born in 2017 (64.4%; P < .0005). Readmission occurred for 51 (3.8%) CDS infants and 45 (3.4%) control infants (P = .56). Among the 60% of trial infants with outpatient records available, there were 3.5 ± 1.7 visits with no differences between randomized groups (P = .10). At an hospital involved in NEWT development, CDS displaying NEWT did not alter either feeding or health care utilization compared with discretionary NEWT access.

The Content and Sources of Breastfeeding Knowledge for New Mothers in the Netherlands

Background: In the context of decreasing breastfeeding rates and unsuccessful breastfeeding promotion campaigns, a qualitative research project in the Northern part of the Netherlands was initiated. Objectives: As part of the overall project, the aim of this study was to explore the content and sources of breastfeeding knowledge among primiparous women. Identifying and categorizing the content and the sources of breastfeeding knowledge could guide professionals such as midwives and maternity nurses as well as others in the women’s surroundings to engage in disseminating knowledge and therefore support women in achieving their breastfeeding goals. Methods: We conducted 26 in-depth interviews from the emic perspective with 13 new mothers pre- and postpartum, up to saturation level. Transcripts were analysed applying thematic analysis. As sensitising concepts, the themes identified were divided into two categories: those gained from 'professional' sources and those obtained from 'popular' sources. Results: Five knowledge content themes were identified: (1) pros and cons of breastfeeding, (2) how breastfeeding works, (3) individual breastfeeding practice, (4) expressing milk, and (5) formula feeding. ‘Professional’ sources are perceived as more helpful than ‘popular’ sources, whereas ‘intuition’ was inductively identified as an important knowledge source. Conclusion: Limited breastfeeding practice exposure, along with the recommendations to breastfeed for six months and perceptions of breastfeeding as ‘natural’ at the same time, generates much pressure in women. Emphasizing all knowledge content in campaigns, addressing a variety of target groups in women’s social environment, and recognizing intuition as an adequate source of knowledge supported by professionals will facilitate women in making informed infant feeding decisions.

Evaluation of A Nutrition Feeding Algorithm for Children and Adolescents Undergoing Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)

Background Nutrition support during the acute phase post allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is required to optimise short- and long-term outcomes for children. An algorithm was developed and evaluated to assist clinicians to make objective and consistent enteral feeding decisions. Methods The algorithm was evaluated on all patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT treatment between November 2017 - February 2019. Results Of the 48 patients, 43 had a nasogastric tube (NGT) inserted, of which 36 patients received a hydrolysed peptide-based formula, 5 patients received a whole protein formula only and 2 patients were fed an amino acid-based formula. Parenteral nutrition (PN) was used in 41 of the patients. Eleven did not have an NGT in-situ at the commencement of HSCT. Of the remaining 37 patients, 26 followed the algorithm and 11 patients did not comply. The group of patients who did not follow the algorithm had the longest median length of stay (LOS) of 49 days. Patients receiving only EN had the lowest median LOS of 30 days. The two groups that reported better weight outcomes were those who followed the algorithm and those who were fully EN fed. Conclusions Effective use of the HSCT feeding algorithm indicated improved patient outcomes for children undergoing HSCT, with better weight outcomes and reduced LOS. Recommendations to improve the efficacy and compliance of the algorithm include regular education/input to the oncology medical teams to better understand objective thresholds for EN and PN commencement.

Asymmetric Control of Food Intake by Left and Right Vagal Sensory Neurons

Gut‐innervating vagal sensory neurons residing in the nodose ganglia (NG) conveys meal‐borne signals and control food intake, however, the underlying gut‐brain neurocircuit is unclear. The neuropeptide cocaine‐ and amphetamine‐regulated transcript (CART) is expressed in a subpopulation of vagal sensory neurons (~40%) that innervate the whole length of the gut and its release in the NTS is sufficient for meal termination. Thus, it can be an excellent target to understand the role of sensory neurons in feeding. Emerging evidence suggests that right or left NG (LNG or RNG) neurons recruit different downstream central circuits to control feeding, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our hypothesis is that LNGCART and RNGCART neurons sense different meal‐related signals and are necessary and sufficient to modulate feeding.MethodsIn vivo calcium imaging, viral neuronal tracing, and feeding behaviors were assessed in response to chemo‐ and opto‐genetic stimulation of gut‐innervating vagal sensory neurons using CARTcre mice.ResultsAnatomical tracing revealed that LNGCART and RNGCART neurons innervate different regions of the duodenum (n=3). LNGCART innervate the muscular layer, while RNGCART innervate the villi. Importantly, 2‐photon calcium imaging highlighted real time increased activity in LNGCART in response to stretch, while intraduodenal fat infusions preferentially increased RNGCART neuron activity (n=7/group). Mice with LNGCART neurons ablation consumed higher volumes of liquid meal indicative of attenuated response to gastric and intestinal distension (n=6‐7/group). Furthermore, chemogenetic stimulation of LNGCART, but not RNGCART, caused pronounced and sustained hypophagia (n=7/group). Interestingly, mice with chemogenetic activation of RNGCART, but not LNGCART, increased flavor conditioning (n=7/group), while ablation of RNGCART neurons abolished the conditioned flavor preference that was paired with intragastric fat infusion (n=7/group) supporting their role in reward. In addition, optogenetic stimulation of RNGCART promoted self‐stimulation in a nose poke task (n=4). Lastly, dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra increased their firing rate in response to intraduodenal fat infusion, but not duodenal distension (n=2/group).ConclusionLeft and right vagus nerves provide different sensory information about a meal to the brain. Both anatomical and behavioral feeding studies support the necessity and sufficiency LNGCART neurons as food quantity detectors and RNGCART neurons as food reward mediators ‐ which has less influence on how much is consumed but rather plays a role in the decision‐making process about which foods to consume. Our findings on asymmetrical vagal innervation of the gut provides new mechanistic insight for how feeding decisions are made in response to vast and complex meal‐related signals.

Fish feeding intensity quantification using machine vision and a lightweight 3D ResNet-GloRe network

Quantifying feeding intensity of fish is important in developing intelligent feeding control system, thus improving feed utilization rate and reducing water pollution. The current study explored a real-time, high-precision and lightweight 3D ResNet-Glore fish feeding intensity quantification network, which can accurately locate the four levels of fish feeding intensities in video stream. In this network, the lightweight GloRe module is expanded in 3D space, and the Residual block in the 3D ResNet network is modified to form the 3D GloRe module. The relational reasoning is achieved through graph convolution in the interactive space to improve accuracy of discrimination. In addition, the sliding window and the frame extraction processing of the video data significantly reduces the model parameters and the amount of calculation. Experimental results showed that the classification accuracy for four types of feeding intensity was 92.68%, which is 4.88% higher compared with that of the classical 3D ResNet network. The parameters were decreased by 46.08% and the GFLOPs decreased by 44.10%. The proposed network improved the training and recognition speed and reduced the hardware equipment requirements, which can provide a theoretical basis for subsequent feeding decisions.

Impact of baby behaviour on caregiver's infant feeding decisions during the first 6 months of life: A systematic review.

Caregivers are often concerned about baby behaviours. Without adequate counselling, parental response can lead to altering infant feeding and jeopardizing breastfeeding. We conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence about the influence of baby behaviours perceived as problematic (crying, sleep waking and posseting) on infant feeding decisions during the first 6 months of life (self‐reported milk insufficiency, breastfeeding duration and introduction of formula). The review focused on quantitative studies published in English, Portuguese or Spanish without date restriction. The search was designed with the support of a medical librarian and conducted in seven databases. Data were managed in Covidence and risk of bias was assessed through the Johanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. Synthesis of the literature was guided by a conceptual model of the impact of baby behaviours on caregivers feeding practices. We retrieved and reviewed 4312 titles/abstracts and selected 22 for review; 10 were purely descriptive and 12 were cross‐sectional, prospective and quasi‐experimental studies. Although studies from diverse regions were included in the review, more than half were from high‐income countries. All studies reported that baby behaviours affect feeding decisions, the most common baby behaviours studied were crying and fussiness, and the studies suggested relationships with lactation problems and reports of milk insufficiency, maternal breastfeeding confidence, breastfeeding duration and discontinuation, and introduction of formula. There are many factors that lead to perceiving baby behaviours as problematic and there is a need to provide anticipatory guidance to parents and caregivers, starting in pregnancy and counselling through well‐trained health providers.

A Computer Vision-Based Intelligent Fish Feeding System Using Deep Learning Techniques for Aquaculture

The decisions made regarding traditional fish feeding systems mainly depend on experience and simple time control. Most previous works have focused on image-based analysis of the leftover feed at the bottom of the pond to determine whether to continue or to stop feeding. However, the feasibility of such a method in an actual outdoor aquaculture pond is low. The main reason for this is that real outdoor aquaculture ponds have turbid water quality, small feed targets, interference from intense fish activity, overlapping images of fish and feed, etc. Therefore, image-based recognition is not easy to implement in actual outdoor aquaculture. To overcome this problem, this article proposes an automatic fish feeding system based on deep learning computer vision technology. In contrast to traditional computer-vision-based systems for recognizing fish feed underwater, the proposed system uses deep learning technology to recognize the size of the waves caused by fish eating feed to determine whether to continue or to stop feeding. Furthermore, several water quality sensors are adopted to assist in feeding decisions. As a result, the proposed system uses deep learning technology to recognize the size of the water waves caused by fish eating feed to determine whether to continue to cast feed or to stop feeding. Experimental results show that an accuracy of up to 93.2% can be achieved.

The impact of COVID-19 on the eating habits of families engaged in a healthy eating pilot trial: a thematic analysis

ABSTRACT Background The eating habits of children and adults have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with evidence of increases in snacking and emotional eating, including eating to relieve boredom. We explored the experiences of families with children aged 4-8 years who had recently participated in a healthy eating pilot trial when the first national lockdown began in England. Methods Eleven mothers were interviewed in April and May 2020. Interview questions were developed based on the COM-B model of behaviour. Four main themes were constructed using inductive thematic analysis. Results The first theme related to an initial panic phase, in which having enough food was the primary concern. The second related to ongoing challenges during the lockdown, with sub-themes including difficulties accessing food, managing children's food requests and balancing home and work responsibilities. The perception that energy-dense foods met families' needs during this time led to increased purchasing of (and thus exposure to) energy-dense foods. In the third theme, families described a turning point, with a desire to eat a healthier diet than they had in the early stages of the lockdown. Finally, in the fourth theme, families reported a number of strategies for adapting and encouraging a balanced diet with their children. Conclusions Our results suggest that even if parents have the capability (e.g. knowledge) and motivation to provide a healthy diet for their family, opportunity challenges (e.g. time, access to resources, environmental stressors) mean this is not always practical. Healthy eating interventions should not assume parents lack motivation and should be sensitive to the context within which parents make feeding decisions.