High-energy Foods Research Articles

Food preference and intake in response to ambient odours in overweight and normal-weight females

In our food abundant environment, food cues play an important role in the regulation of energy intake. Odours can be considered as external cues that can signal energy content in the anticipatory phase of eating. This study aims to determine whether exposure to olfactory cues associated with energy dense foods leads to increased food intake and greater preference for energy-dense foods. In addition, we assessed whether BMI and hunger state modulated this effect.Twenty-five overweight (mean BMI: 31.3kg/m2, S.E.: 0.6) and 25 normal-weight (mean BMI: 21.9kg/m2, S.E.: 0.4) females, matched on age and restraint score, participated. In 6 separate sessions they were exposed to odours of three different categories (signalling non-food, high-energy food and low-energy food) in two motivational states (hungry and satiated). After 10min of exposure food preference was assessed with a computerized two-item forced choice task and after 20min a Bogus Taste Test was used to determine energy intake (kcal and g).In a hungry state, the participants ate more (p<.001) and preferred high-energy products significantly more often (p<.001) when compared to the satiated state. A trend finding for the interaction between hunger and BMI suggested that the food preference of overweight participants was less affected by their internal state (p=.068). Neither energy intake (kcal: p=.553; g: p=.683) nor food preference (p=.280) was influenced by ambient exposure to odours signalling different categories.Future studies need to explore whether food odours can indeed induce overeating. More insight is needed regarding the possible influence of context (e.g. short exposure duration, large variety of food) and personality traits (e.g. restraint, impulsive) on odour-induced overeating.

Association between junk food consumption and mental health in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents: The CASPIAN-IV study

ObjectivesThe consumption of high energy and low nutritional content foods, which are known as junk foods, has increased. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between junk food intake and mental health in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents. MethodData were obtained from a surveillance system entitled CASPIAN-IV (Childhood and Adolescence Surveillance and Prevention of Adult Non communicable Disease) study of school students, ages 6 to 18 y in Iran. The students and their parents completed two sets of reliable questionnaires obtained from Global School Health Survey translated to Persian. The student questionnaire comprised several questions such as psychiatric distress (worry, depression, confusion, insomnia, anxiety, aggression, and worthless) and violent behaviors (physical fighting, being a victim, and bullying). The junk foods consisted of sweets, sweetened beverages, fast foods, and salty snacks. ResultsIn the sample of 13 486 children and adolescents, the frequency of junk food consumption was significantly associated with psychiatric distress (P < 0.001). There was a significant association between violent behaviors and intake of junk foods (P < 0.001) except for sweets, whereas the association between sweetened beverages consumption and being a victim was not significant (P > 0.05). Additionally, the results of logistic regression showed that daily consumption of sweetened beverages and snacks significantly increased the odds of self-reported psychiatric distress. Also, daily consumption of salty snacks was significantly associated with violent behavior, including physical fighting (odds ratio [OR], 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.60), being a victim (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04–1.37), and bullying (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.32–1.82). ConclusionJunk food consumption may increase the risk for psychiatric distress and violent behaviors in children and adolescents. Improvement of eating habits toward healthier diets may be an effective approach for improving mental health.

Food resource partitioning in syntopic nectarivorous bats on Puerto Rico

Abstract:Understanding the dietary needs of syntopic species is essential for examining species coexistence and resource partitioning. We analysed stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to estimate the diet of two putative nectarivorous bats on Puerto Rico, the brown flower bat (Erophylla bombifrons) and the Greater Antillean long-tongued bat (Monophyllus redmani). Isotopic ratios of δ13C and δ15N were obtained from whole blood of both species of bat and tissues of available plant foods and insect prey over 15 wk at the same locality. We used a concentration-dependent Bayesian mixing model to determine probability distributions of feasible dietary contributions for major potential foods used by each species of bat. Additionally, separate dietary estimates were conducted for males and non-reproductive, pregnant and lactating females to determine differences due to reproductive condition. Insects were an important source of protein for M. redmani, whereas E. bombifrons obtained most of its protein from plants. In both species of bat, lactating females had lower assimilated nitrogen than males, suggesting more reliance on plants for protein. We observed no intraspecific differences in assimilated carbon among reproductive conditions. Flight and lactation are energetically expensive and may explain the increased consumption of high-energy foods, such as fruit or nectar, in lactating female bats. Comparison of isotopes between E. bombifrons and M. redmani illustrate the differential use of food resources by these insular syntopic species of bat.

Dietary patterns and cognitive ability among 12- to 13 year-old adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia.

The present study aimed to identify dietary patterns and determine the relationship between dietary patterns and cognitive ability among 12- to 13 year-old Malay adolescents in the urban areas of Gombak district in Selangor, Malaysia. Data on sociodemographic background were obtained from parents. Height and weight were measured and BMI-for-age was determined. Adolescents were interviewed on their habitual dietary intakes using a semi-quantitative FFQ. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability in a one-to-one manner. Dietary patterns were constructed using principal component analysis based on thirty-eight food groups of the semi-quantitative FFQ. Urban secondary public schools in the district of Gombak in Selangor, Malaysia. Malay adolescents aged 12 to 13 years (n 416). The mean general cognitive ability score was 101·8 (sd 12·4). Four major dietary patterns were identified and labelled as 'refined-grain pattern', 'snack-food pattern', 'plant-based food pattern' and 'high-energy food pattern'. These dietary patterns explained 39·1 % of the variance in the habitual dietary intakes of the adolescents. The refined-grain pattern was negatively associated with processing speed, which is a construct of general cognitive ability. The high-energy food pattern was negatively associated with general cognitive ability, perceptual reasoning and processing speed. Monthly household income and parents' educational attainment were positively associated with all of the cognitive measures. In multivariate analysis, only the high-energy food pattern was found to contribute significantly towards general cognitive ability after controlling for socio-economic status. Consumption of foods in the high-energy food pattern contributed towards general cognitive ability after controlling for socio-economic status. However, the contribution was small.

Modification of severe insulin resistant diabetes in response to lifestyle changes in Alström syndrome

BackgroundAlström syndrome is a recessively inherited condition characterised by severe insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome with progression to type 2 diabetes, hepatic dysfunction and coronary artery disease. The metabolic responses to lifestyle changes in the syndrome have not been reported. Case reportsWe describe the effects on glycaemia of intense cycling in two insulin treated Alström patients with diabetes, and the effects of opposite lifestyle changes over one year in two others. MethodsAfter practise and clinical assessment two patients aged 21 and 39 years undertook a 380 km cycle ride over 4 days by tandem. The effects of planned reductions in insulin therapies and increased regular carbohydrate ingestion were monitored by frequent capillary blood glucose measurements. Two siblings aged 22 and 25 years underwent assessment of glycaemia, C-peptide/glucose ratio serum lipids, hepatic function and ultrasound, Enhanced Liver Fibrosis test and measures of insulin resistance. Measurements were repeated one year later after profound lifestyle changes. ResultsAerobic exercise strikingly improved blood glucose control despite reduction in insulin dose and increased carbohydrate intake. Increase in exercise and exclusion of fast foods improved all aspects of the metabolic syndrome and induced remission of diabetes in one sibling. Reduction in exercise and consumption of high energy foods in the other resulted in development of type 2 diabetes, severe metabolic syndrome and fatty liver in the other. ConclusionsDespite dual sensory loss and genetic basis for insulin resistance, Alström patients can successfully ameliorate the metabolic syndrome with lifestyle changes.

The Overweight Challenge and Perceptions of Weight

Obesity is the most important health challenge faced at a global level and represents a rapidly growing problem to the health of populations. The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide and is an emerging healthcare epidemic affecting all populations. The World Health Organisation predicts that by 2015, 2.3 billion individuals will be overweight, and more than 700 million will be obese. Obesity is a relatively new phenomenon that has increased dramatically over the past three decades. In Ireland, adults are becoming overweight and obese at an alarming rate mirroring international patterns which signals a spiralling public health issue. Changing diets, consumption of high fat and high energy foods and increasingly sedentary lifestyles, have contributed to the generalised increase in body weight. Obesity is a chronic disease and is characterised by an accumulation of excess body fat caused by increased caloric intake and decreased energy expenditure. Obesity is associated with complications ...

Associations between dietary and lifestyle risk factors and colorectal cancer in the Scottish population

Colorectal cancer (CRC) accounts for 9.7% of all cancer cases and for 8% of all cancer-related deaths. Established risk factors include personal or family history of CRC as well as lifestyle and dietary factors. We investigated the relationship between CRC and demographic, lifestyle, food and nutrient risk factors through a case-control study that included 2062 patients and 2776 controls from Scotland. Forward and backward stepwise regression was applied and the stability of the models was assessed in 1000 bootstrap samples. The variables that were automatically selected to be included by the forward or backward stepwise regression and whose selection was verified by bootstrap sampling in the current study were family history, dietary energy, 'high-energy snack foods', eggs, juice, sugar-sweetened beverages and white fish (associated with an increased CRC risk) and NSAIDs, coffee and magnesium (associated with a decreased CRC risk). Application of forward and backward stepwise regression in this CRC study identified some already established as well as some novel potential risk factors. Bootstrap findings suggest that examination of the stability of regression models by bootstrap sampling is useful in the interpretation of study findings. 'High-energy snack foods' and high-energy drinks (including sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices) as risk factors for CRC have not been reported previously and merit further investigation as such snacks and beverages are important contributors in European and North American diets.

Salt reduction in human diet: A global strategy for 21st century

Increased use of processed food s, rapid urbanization and lifestyle changes have changed the eating habits of people. In everyday life, the use of high-energy foods rich in saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium chloride (salt) becomes dominant. Excessive salt intake in the human diet has resulted in a drastic increase in cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, heart attack and others. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the leading causes of death in the 21st century are non-infectious diseases, which include cardiovascular diseases. As the excessive intake of salt or sodium pose a risk for essential hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, WHO has adopted a recommendation that the global salt intake is reduced by 30% before 2025. Based on the analysis of various studies, the authors presented data showing the absence of hypertension in the 20th century, in the population which consumed less than 3 g of salt per day. Today, according to the literature data, the salt requirement of an adult man, for the purpose of maintaining of metabolic processes, is 1.5 g, and according to the American Heart Association reported daily intake is 8-15 g. The aim of the study was to analyze the importance of salt reduction in food consumption in order to prevent heart diseases and preserve the public health of the population. Through a broader theoretical framework the guidelines and recommendations are outlined of the World Health Organization and other international competent institutions. The paper presents data that suggest that it is possible to reduce salt in meat products, without affecting the quality and sustainability of the product.

What Everyone Else Is Eating: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Informational Eating Norms on Eating Behavior

There is interest in the hypothesis that social norms are a determinant of healthy and unhealthy dietary practices. The objective of our work was to assess the weight of evidence that experimentally manipulated information about eating norms influences food intake and choice. This systematic review of experimental studies examined whether providing information about other peoples' eating habits influences food intake or choices. To inform the review, three electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and the Social Sciences Citation Index) were searched during July 2012. A narrative approach was used to synthesize studies that examined the influence of norms on food choice and meta-analyses were used to synthesize the effect that informational eating norms have on quantity of food consumed. Fifteen experimental studies were reviewed. There was evidence that both high intake norms (Z=3.84; P=0.0001; standardized mean difference 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.63) and low intake norms (Z=2.78; P=0.005; standard mean difference –0.35, 95% confidence interval –0.59 to –0.10) exerted moderate influence on amounts of food eaten. There was consistent evidence that norms influenced food choices; norm information indicating that others make low-energy or high-energy food choices significantly increased the likelihood that participants made similar choices. Information about eating norms influences choice and quantity of food eaten, which could be used to promote healthy changes to dietary behavior.

Verbal labels selectively bias brain responses to high-energy foods

The influence of external factors on food preferences and choices is poorly understood. Knowing which and how food-external cues impact the sensory processing and cognitive valuation of food would provide a strong benefit toward a more integrative understanding of food intake behavior and potential means of interfering with deviant eating patterns to avoid detrimental health consequences for individuals in the long run. We investigated whether written labels with positive and negative (as opposed to ‘neutral’) valence differentially modulate the spatio-temporal brain dynamics in response to the subsequent viewing of high- and low-energetic food images. Electrical neuroimaging analyses were applied to visual evoked potentials (VEPs) from 20 normal-weight participants. VEPs and source estimations in response to high- and low- energy foods were differentially affected by the valence of preceding word labels over the ~260–300ms post-stimulus period. These effects were only observed when high-energy foods were preceded by labels with positive valence. Neural sources in occipital as well as posterior, frontal, insular and cingulate regions were down-regulated. These findings favor cognitive–affective influences especially on the visual responses to high-energetic food cues, potentially indicating decreases in cognitive control and goal-adaptive behavior. Inverse correlations between insular activity and effectiveness in food classification further indicate that this down-regulation directly impacts food-related behavior.

Reply to Discussion of “Influence of netball-based exercise on energy intake, subjective appetite and plasma acylated ghrelin in adolescent girls”

Reply to Discussion of “Influence of netball-based exercise on energy intake, subjective appetite and plasma acylated ghrelin in adolescent girls”

The “early life” origins of obesity‐related health disorders: New discoveries regarding the intergenerational transmission of developmentally programmed traits in the global cardiometabolic health crisis

Popular media reports concerning the causes of the current global obesity pandemic and its related sequelae-the cardiometabolic syndrome-are often couched in terms of dramatic changes in diet and lifestyle around the world; namely, drastically increasing dietary intakes of high energy foods and plummeting levels of daily physical activity-the hallmarks of the so called "nutrition transition." Far less attention is generally drawn to the important role phenotypic plasticity during early life (i.e., "developmental programming") plays in the cardiometabolic health crisis. Recently, however, researchers working within the field of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) and epigenetics have extended our understanding of the role played by these developmental processes and capacities in health and disease even further by investigating the transmissible nature of developmentally programmed cardiometabolic traits to subsequent generations. In this review, after briefly revisiting the fundamental discoveries of first-generation DOHaD research, I consider how recent discoveries regarding the transmissibility of developmentally acquired traits are providing new insights into the current global cardiometabolic pandemic, and how a better understanding of developmental programming-including transmissibility-are essential for the conceptualization and implementation of public health initiatives aimed at stemming this global health crisis.

A review of feeding methods used in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.

BackgroundClear evidence based guidelines on the best and safest method of achieving and maintaining normal body weight during inpatient treatment of Anorexia Nervosa (AN) are currently not available. Oral feeding with food alone, high-energy liquid supplements, nasogastric feeding and parenteral nutrition all have the potential to achieve weight gain in the treatment of AN but the advantages and disadvantages of each method have not been comprehensively evaluated.A literature search was undertaken to identify papers describing feeding methods used during inpatient treatment of AN. The selection criteria searched for papers that described the feeding method; and reported weight change variables such as admission and discharge weight in kilograms, or Body Mass Index; or weight change over the course of inpatient treatment.ResultsTwenty-six papers were identified, describing a total of 37 samples with a mean sample size of 58.9 participants, and a range from 6 to 318. The majority (84.6%) of papers were observational cohorts and retrospective chart reviews. The most common feeding method described was nasogastric feeding and food, then high-energy liquid supplements and food.ConclusionsThere is limited evidence on the efficacy of feeding methods used in the refeeding and nutritional rehabilitation of AN, therefore no conclusion can be made about the most effective method of achieving weight gain during inpatient treatment. While there are a number of papers exploring this issue there is no consistency in the way the information is reported to enable comparisons between the different methods. There is an urgent need for research in this area to guide decision-making in the inpatient management, refeeding and nutritional rehabilitation of AN.

Managing high-output stomas: module 2 of 3

All patients with short bowel should be provided with some lumenal source of nutrition if it is safe to do so. Dietary needs are very complex, and support and education through a dedicated dietetics team is pivotal and will improve clinical outcome (Culkin et al, 2009). Energy requirements are higher than in normal people if patients are to be maintained on enteral nutrition alone. These requirements can be met by eating highenergy food, having oral sip feeds, or high-energy enteral feeds at night via a naso-gastric or gastrostomy tube. If increasing the enteral intake fails to meet the requirements or leads to an unacceptable amount of diarrhoea/stoma output, parental nutrition (PN) is indicated (Nightingale and Woodward, 2006). Enteroclysis or fistuloclysis, which is the infusion of enteral feed into the distal limb of a loop stoma or enterocutaneous fistula, might be a viable alternative in some cases (Levy et al, 1988; Teubner et al, 2004). Dietary advice will differ according to the intestinal anatomy that the patient has. There are three main categories of patients with short bowel syndrome: mid-ileal resection, jejunocolic anastomosis and jejunostomy (or high-output enterocutaneous fistula) (Figure 1). Patients with a mid-ileal resection rarely run into nutritional or fluid balance problems. Vitamin B12 is absorbed in the terminal ileum and this will need to be supplemented in these patients. Bile acid malabsorption can also be a cause of Simon Gabe

English

In Western markets, the extract from the seeds of Paullinia cupana Kunth, Sapindaceae, popularly known as Guarana, is most commonly used in high-energy foods and drinks and dietary supplements. However, a broad spectrum of medicinal activities is reported for P.cupana, ranging from stimulation of the central nervous system, in cases of physical or mental stress, to appetite suppression. It can also be used as an aphrodisiac and a treatment for impotence, as well as a medication to reduce fever, stimulate metabolism, induce antiplatelet, antioxidant and antibacterial activites. In addtition, P. cupana has been used in cosmetic preparations, and it has become a popular soft drink in Brazil. In the last two decades, Guarana has emerged as a key ingredient in various sports and high-energy drinks. Methylxanthines, including caffeine, cathechins, theophylline and theobromine, and tannins are compounds which are reported for this plant. This article reviews the most up-to-date information on the botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects of P. cupanaextract, as well as its miscellaneous uses. Key words: Ethnopharmacology, Guarana extract, Paullinia cupana, caffeine, pharmacology, morphology.

Fruit and vegetable consumption and BMI change in primary school-age children: a cohort study

Healthy eating behaviours, such as increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), are frequently used as a target or outcome measure in obesity prevention interventions. The goal of this study was to demonstrate replacement of high-caloric foods/drinks by FVC and changes in body mass index (BMI) z-score associated with FVC. Anthropometric measurements of 1252 children (51.0% girls) were taken before school entrance (age 6 years) and repeated in the fourth grade (age 10 years). At the same time, parents were asked about their children's diet using a questionnaire. In longitudinal analysis, changes in FVC were not significantly correlated with changes of other nutritional habits, such as consumption of sweets and high-caloric drinks. BMI gain tended to be lower (nonsignificant) in children with increasing fruit consumption compared to those with decreasing fruit consumption. An opposite (nonsignificant) tendency was observed for vegetable consumption and BMI gain. Although beneficial for other health outcomes, the evidence for FVC replacing high-energy foods and thereby reducing BMI gain is weak and could not be substantiated in this study. This might be partially due to the limitation in dietary assessment.

Reducing accidental shrew mortality associated with small-mammal livetrapping II: a field experiment with bait supplementation

Accidental mortality is pervasive in small mammal livetrapping studies and presents a welfare concern for the particularly vulnerable shrews (Soricomorpha: Soricidae). Although small mammal researchers are aware of this problem and generally suspect that high mortality rates are caused by nutritional constraints and potentially high moisture requirements, these hypotheses have not been widely tested and the problem persists for lack of a practical solution. We conducted a field experiment to assess the effects of providing either high-energy palatable food or water supplements on mortality rates of Blarina brevicauda and Sorex spp. using standard small mammal livetrapping techniques. Water supplements had no effect on shrew mortality, but mortality rates declined by 49% for B. brevicauda and by 64% for Sorex spp. when sunflower seed bait was supplemented with 4 g of mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) compared to controls. Furthermore, the addition of mealworms as a bait supplement eliminated the adverse effect on mortality of the length of time that Sorex were in traps prior to release. The supplementation of live-trap baits with mealworms, therefore, represents a practical method for small mammal researchers to reduce accidental shrew mortality during small mammal livetrapping.

The effect of learning climate on snack consumption and ego depletion among undergraduate students

We explored the effect of controlled and autonomous learning choices on the consumption of a high-energy snack food, and also examined whether snack consumption during a controlled choice learning activity could ‘up-regulate’ subsequent performance on a self-regulation task. Participants were randomly assigned to a controlled choice learning condition in which food was provided, a controlled choice learning condition in which food was not provided, or an autonomous choice learning condition in which food was provided. Results indicated that the autonomous choice group consumed significantly less snack food than the controlled-choice-and-food group. Participants in the autonomous choice condition also performed better on the subsequent self-regulation task than the controlled-choice-and-food group, even after controlling for the amount of food consumed. Furthermore, within the controlled-choice-and-food condition, there was no association between food consumption and subsequent self-regulation task performance. Discussion focuses on the potential impact of a controlled learning climate on snack food consumption and on the degradation of self-regulation capacities.

Експресія інсулінового рецептора у субклітинних фракціях м’язової та жирової тканин як фактор розвитку тканинної інсулінорезистентності у щурів за умов висококалорійної дієти

Nowadays the problem of insulin resistance, which has close cause-effect relations with obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2, metabolic syndrome, etc., is of urgent importance in medicine. We have revealed bidirectional changes of the IR content in crude membrane and cytosol of the adipose tissue cells in rats under conditions of the long-term high-energy diet. It is possible that reduction of the IR content in the adipose tissue cells has been predetermined by the disruption of lipid bilayer of adipocytes as a result of peroxidation processes activation. Increase in the IR content in the cytosol of cells of this tissue may indicate the activation of synthesis of this protein; however, it is possible that the IR translocation process disorder occurs due to the damage of plasma membrane, preventing the transfer of newly synthesized molecules of the receptor to the membrane and causing their accumulation in cytosol. The obtained results show that the tissues react to the long-term consumption of high-energy food in different ways. Thus, the content of insulin receptors in the plasma membrane of the muscle tissue cells increases, and, on the contrary, it decreases in adipose tissue cells. Such results may indicate that IR development at the late period of the experiment is likely the result of the adipose tissue cells disfunction. The obtained data may be of high significance in understanding the mechanism of the IR development under conditions of the long-term consumption of the high-energy food.

Phenotype flexibility in wild fish: Dolly Varden regulate assimilative capacity to capitalize on annual pulsed subsidies

1. Large digestive organs increase rates of energy gain when food is plentiful but are costly to maintain and increase rates of energy loss when food is scarce. The physiological adaptations to this trade-off differ depending on the scale and predictability of variation in food abundance. 2. Currently, there is little understanding of how animals balance trade-offs between the cost and capacity of the digestive system in response to resource pulses: rare, ephemeral periods of resource superabundance. We investigated the physiological and behavioural tactics of the fish Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) that rear in watersheds with low in situ productivity, but experience annual resource pulses from the spawning migrations of Pacific salmon. The eggs of Pacific salmon provide high-energy food for Dolly Varden. 3. Dolly Varden sampled 6 weeks prior to the resource pulse exhibited atrophy of the stomach, pyloric caeca, intestine and liver. Throughout the portion of the growing season prior to the resource pulse, fish exhibited empty stomachs, low indices of energy condition and muscle isotope signatures reflecting the previous resource pulse. 4. During the resource pulse, Dolly Varden exhibited large digestive machinery, gorged on salmon eggs and rapidly stored energy in fat reserves, somatic growth and gonad development. Dolly Varden appeared to achieve nearly their entire annual energy surplus during the ∼ 5-week period when sockeye salmon spawn. 5. Digestive flexibility provides Dolly Varden the energy efficiency required to survive and reproduce when resource abundance is concentrated into an annual pulse that is predictable, yet highly ephemeral. Although fish are known to incur extremely variable energy budgets, our study is one of the first to document digestive flexibility in wild fish. Our study emphasizes that fish can rely heavily on rare, high-magnitude foraging opportunities. Human actions that attenuate spikes in food abundance may have stronger than anticipated effects on consumer energy budgets.