Obesogenic Factors Research Articles

Cross-ancestry analysis identifies genes associated with obesity risk and protection.

Gene discoveries in obesity have largely been based on European cohorts, leading to an ancestral bias, that limits their generalizability across populations. We performed a gene-based rare variant association study of 721,941 individuals and identified 116 novel BMI-associated genes with consistent effects across ancestries, including 50 risk-conferring and 66 protective genes against obesity. Protective genes such as DCUN1D3 and NEUROD6 had effect sizes comparable to high-risk genes such as MC4R and BSN , and nearly twice that of known protective genes such as GPR75 , which, along with five other genes, showed strong European bias. Notably, 82 of the 116 genes showed functional relevance to obesity including adiposity, energy homeostasis, and glucose metabolism. While polygenic risks or an obesogenic lifestyle amplified the effect of 15 genes on BMI, including the combination of low physical activity and MACROD1 , 23 genes including VIRMA , AQP3 , and PML retained protective effects even at high polygenic scores. Our findings provide further insights into the genetic basis of obesity that is conserved across ancestries and their interactions with obesogenic factors.

Association between obesogenic environments and childhood overweight/obesity across the United States: Differences by rurality.

Childhood obesity is more prevalent in rural compared to urban communities and may be related to urban-rural differences in environmental factors known to affect obesity. However, understanding of how environmental factors impact childhood obesity in rural settings remains limited. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the relationship between obesogenic environments and childhood overweight/obesity rates, including variations across the urban-rural continuum. This study analyzed data for counties in the United States (N = 3140). Linear regression models were employed to examine the relationship between the Childhood Obesogenic Environment Index, which consisted of ten variables from a variety of sources associated with physical activity and healthy eating, and childhood overweight/obesity rates estimates derived from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health. County rurality was categorized using Rural-Urban Continuum Codes and a moderation analysis was conducted to identify potential variations by rurality. There was a significant positive association between the COEI and childhood overweight/obesity rates nationally, with notable variations across the urban-rural continuum for specific index components. Neighborhood walkability showed a significant positive association across rurality, indicating that childhood overweight/obesity rates were higher in less walkable communities. Full-service restaurants exhibited an inverse relationship with childhood overweight/obesity rates across all RUCC levels. These results underscore the obesogenic environmental factors associated with childhood overweight/obesity rates nationally and how they vary across the urban-rural continuum. This study highlights the importance of considering these variations when designing interventions to address childhood obesity.

Abstract C009: An exploratory ecologic analysis of the association of neighborhood obesogenic factors with prostate cancer mortality in Chicago, Illinois: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract Introduction: Obesity has been associated with aggressive prostate cancer (PCa). Environments that promote obesity, known as obesogenic environments, may also contribute to PCa progression at the population level. However, studies exploring these factors are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between neighborhood obesogenic factors with PCa mortality rates in Chicago. Methods: We used an ecological study design with Chicago Community Areas (n=77) serving as the geographical area unit of analysis. All community area-level data were obtained from the Chicago Health Atlas public data portal. For each area, two obesogenic factors were examined: food environment and park access. The number of healthy and unhealthy grocery stores was used to characterize the food environment. The retail food establishments data was retrieved for the year 2013. The stores were classified into chain grocery stores, non-chain grocery stores, liquor stores, and convenience stores which included dollar tsores, corner stores and gas stations. Chain and non-chain grocery stores were grouped as healthy food access, and other (convenience store, dollar store and liquor store) as unhealthy food access. The area of public parks per 100,000 community area population was used as a measure of park access. An exclusive park area for each community was calculated by intersecting the community area and park area shape files from the year 2016. The outcome variable was community area-level PCa mortality rate age-adjusted to the community area male population. To normalize the data, all included variables were standardized to zero mean and unit standard deviation. Linear regression models analyzed the association of the standardized measures of obesogenic environment (individually and simultaneously) with age-adjusted rates using the Statistical Analysis Software 9.4. Results: The mean number of healthy (0 - 11) and unhealthy (0 - 10) food stores in each community area were 3.1 and 2.6 respectively and mean park area (14.0 - 4096.5 acres) available in each community area was 453.5 acres per 100,000 population. The mean (0 – 29.6) PCa mortality was 9.8 per 100,000 population. Healthy food access was inversely associated with PCa mortality rates, where for every for one 1-standard deviation increase in healthy food access standard deviation, there is a 0.40 unit decrease in community area PCa mortality rate standard deviation (p=0.002) while accounting for the other obesogenic factors (unhealthy food access and park access). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the neighborhood access to healthy food may be a determinant of neighborhood PCa mortality rates. Ecological studies are helpful to understand the impact at the geographical level. Methodological challenges and opportunity in ecological analyses, such as addressing bias and multivariable control of confounding, will be discussed. Citation Format: Ravneet Kaur, Jiehuan Sun, Nebiyou Y. Tilahun, Vincent L. Freeman. An exploratory ecologic analysis of the association of neighborhood obesogenic factors with prostate cancer mortality in Chicago, Illinois: Challenges and opportunities [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr C009.

Tanycytic transcytosis inhibition disrupts energy balance, glucose homeostasis and cognitive function in male mice

ObjectivesIn Western society, high-caloric diets rich in fats and sugars have fueled the obesity epidemic and its related disorders. Disruption of the body-brain communication, crucial for maintaining glucose and energy homeostasis, arises from both obesogenic and genetic factors, leading to metabolic disorders. Here, we investigate the role of hypothalamic tanycyte shuttles between the pituitary portal blood and the third ventricle cerebrospinal fluid in regulating energy balance. MethodsWe inhibited vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMP1-3)-mediated release in tanycytes by expressing the botulinum neurotoxin type B light chain (BoNT/B) in a Cre-dependent manner in tanycytes. This was achieved by injecting either TAT-Cre in the third ventricle or an AAV1/2 expressing Cre under the control of the tanycyte-specific promoter iodothyronine deiodinase 2 into the lateral ventricle of adult male mice. ResultsIn male mice fed a standard diet, targeted expression of BoNT/B in adult tanycytes blocks leptin transport into the mediobasal hypothalamus and results in normal-weight central obesity, including increased food intake, abdominal fat deposition, and elevated leptin levels but no marked change in body weight. Furthermore, BoNT/B expression in adult tanycytes promotes fatty acid storage, leading to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Notably, these metabolic disturbances occur despite a compensatory increase in insulin secretion, observed both in response to exogenous glucose boluses in vivo and in isolated pancreatic islets. Intriguingly, these metabolic alterations are associated with impaired spatial memory in BoNT/B-expressing mice. ConclusionsThese findings underscore the central role of tanycytes in brain-periphery communication and highlight their potential implication in the age-related development of type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline. Our tanycytic BoNT/B mouse model provides a robust platform for studying how these conditions progress over time, from prediabetic states to full-blown metabolic and cognitive disorders, and the mechanistic contribution of tanycytes to their development. The recognition of the impact of tanycytic transcytosis on hormone transport opens new avenues for developing targeted therapies that could address both metabolic disorders and their associated cognitive comorbidities, which often emerge or worsen with advancing age.

Identifying obesogenic environment through spatial clustering of body mass index among adults

BackgroundThe escalating trend of obesity in Malaysia is surmounting, and the lack of evidence on the environmental influence on obesity is untenable. Obesogenic environmental factors often emerge as a result of shared environmental, demographic, or cultural effects among neighbouring regions that impact lifestyle. Employing spatial clustering can effectively elucidate the geographical distribution of obesity and pinpoint regions with potential obesogenic environments, thereby informing public health interventions and further exploration on the local environments. This study aimed to determine the spatial clustering of body mass index (BMI) among adults in Malaysia.MethodThis study utilized information of respondents aged 18 to 59 years old from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2014 and 2015 at Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. Fast food restaurant proximity, district population density, and district median household income were determined from other sources. The analysis was conducted for total respondents and stratified by sex. Multilevel regression was used to produce the BMI estimates on a set of variables, adjusted for data clustering at enumeration blocks. Global Moran’s I and Local Indicator of Spatial Association statistics were applied to assess the general clustering and location of spatial clusters of BMI, respectively using point locations of respondents and spatial weights of 8 km Euclidean radius or 5 nearest neighbours.ResultsSpatial clustering of BMI independent of individual sociodemographic was significant (p < 0.001) in Peninsular and East Malaysia with Global Moran’s index of 0.12 and 0.15, respectively. High-BMI clusters (hotspots) were in suburban districts, whilst the urban districts were low-BMI clusters (cold spots). Spatial clustering was greater among males with hotspots located closer to urban areas, whereas hotspots for females were in less urbanized areas.ConclusionObesogenic environment was identified in suburban districts, where spatial clusters differ between males and females in certain districts. Future studies and interventions on creating a healthier environment should be geographically targeted and consider gender differences.

Increased obesogenic action of palmitic acid during early stage of adipogenesis

The functional differences between preadipocytes and fully differentiated mature adipocytes derived from stromal vascular fraction stem cells, as well as primary adipocytes have been analysed by evaluating their response to the obesogenic factor (a saturated fatty acid) and TNF-triggered inflammation. The analysis of single adipocytes shows that the saturated fatty acid (palmitic acid) accumulation is accompanied by inflammation and considerably dependent on the stage of the adipogenesis. In particular, preadipocytes show the exceptional potential for palmitic acid uptake resulting in their hypertrophy and the elevated cellular expression of the inflammation marker (ICAM-1). Our research provides new information on the impact of obesogenic factors on preadipocytes that is important in the light of childhood obesity prevention.

The association between neighborhood obesogenic factors and prostate cancer risk and mortality: the Southern Community Cohort Study.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among men in the United States. We examined the role of neighborhood obesogenic attributes on prostate cancer risk and mortality in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). From the total of 34,166 SCCS male participants, 28,356 were included in the analysis. We assessed the relationship between neighborhood obesogenic factors [neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) and neighborhood obesogenic environment indices including the restaurant environment index, the retail food environment index, parks, recreational facilities, and businesses] and prostate cancer risk and mortality by controlling for individual-level factors using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model. We further stratified prostate cancer risk analysis by race and body mass index (BMI). Median follow-up time was 133 months [interquartile range (IQR): 103, 152], and the mean age was 51.62 (SD: ± 8.42) years. There were 1,524 (5.37%) prostate cancer diagnoses and 98 (6.43%) prostate cancer deaths during follow-up. Compared to participants residing in the wealthiest quintile, those residing in the poorest quintile had a higher risk of prostate cancer (aHR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.12-1.57, p = 0.001), particularly among non-obese men with a BMI < 30 (aHR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.07-1.98, p = 0.016). The restaurant environment index was associated with a higher prostate cancer risk in overweight (BMI ≥ 25) White men (aHR = 3.37, 95% CI 1.04-10.94, p = 0.043, quintile 1 vs. None). Obese Black individuals without any neighborhood recreational facilities had a 42% higher risk (aHR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.04-1.94, p = 0.026) compared to those with any access. Compared to residents in the wealthiest quintile and most walkable area, those residing within the poorest quintile (aHR = 3.43, 95% CI 1.54-7.64, p = 0.003) or the least walkable area (aHR = 3.45, 95% CI 1.22-9.78, p = 0.020) had a higher risk of prostate cancer death. Living in a lower-nSES area was associated with a higher prostate cancer risk, particularly among Black men. Restaurant and retail food environment indices were also associated with a higher prostate cancer risk, with stronger associations within overweight White individuals. Finally, residing in a low-SES neighborhood or the least walkable areas were associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer mortality.

Associations of Ultrasound Findings with Serum Iron and Ferritin Levels in Children with Obesity.

The nutritional status of children is always a concern for medical professionals. Increasingly, obesogenic factors have created a new global epidemic. Obesity is characterized by persistent inflammation, which can have detrimental effects on the growth and development of children. Iron and ferritin are both important factors to consider when evaluating these children due to their role in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammation. Recently, ultrasonographic evaluation seems to be an increasingly used method in pediatric clinical practice. In this study, we included 98 children aged 6-14 years, 72 of whom were obese and 26 had normal weight. The data obtained indicated that there was an association between low iron and increased ferritin levels, aspects of non-alcoholic fatty liver visualized by ultrasonography, and the degree of fibrosis assessed elastographically. Ultrasonography can help us identify liver damage, but the possibility of identifying an association with other paraclinical investigations such as iron and ferritin levels can be cumulative. In this way, the assessment can be more complex, as the child benefits from comprehensive evaluation and management. The results drew attention to non-invasive, easy-to-perform, and low-cost methods of assessing obese children in terms of iron metabolism and structural liver changes.

0002 Impact of Acute, Isocaloric Time-Restricted Eating on Resting Metabolic Rate and Obesogenic Factors in Healthy Lean Adults

Abstract Introduction Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary strategy in which energy is consumed over a 6-10h window during the day and is associated with reduced energy intake and subsequent weight loss in people with obesity. However, the impact of isocaloric TRE on obesogenic factors such as hormones related to hunger and appetite, as well as energy expenditure and metabolic rate is relatively unknown. We therefore investigated the impact of 1 week of isocaloric TRE on obesity-related outcomes including circulating leptin, ghrelin, and peptide YY (PYY) and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Methods Thirteen healthy adults (8F, 26.9±3.9y, 23.3±2.1kg/m2) participated in a 2-week protocol. During Week 1, energy was consumed over a 13h period with meals individually anchored to habitual wake time and consumed at +1h, +6h, +11h and +14h after wake. For Week 2, participants were instructed to match energy intake from Week 1 but restrict intake to an 8h period (meals at +1h, +5h, and +9h after wake). At the end of each week, participants were admitted to the laboratory for an overnight stay. Blood samples were collected hourly overnight and assayed for leptin, ghrelin, and PYY. RMR was assessed using hood calorimetry immediately after wake. Results TRE was associated with a significant reduction in circulating leptin levels (p&amp;lt; 0.001) without changes in body weight (p=0.536), PYY or ghrelin levels. The respiratory exchange ratio (RER) calculated from hood calorimetry was significantly lower during TRE (0.76 vs 0.81; p=0.04) despite no change in energy expenditure (p=0.478) suggesting a higher reliance on fat oxidation during TRE compared with habitual eating. Conclusion Reductions in leptin in conjunction with lower RER suggests that TRE promotes increased fat utilization as compared with habitual eating. Future studies should evaluate whether long-term isocaloric TRE is associated with reduced adipose tissue mass. Support (if any) This project was supported by R01DK125653.

Evaluation of therapeutic effects of aqueous cinnamon extract against obesity associated dysregulation of pituitary-adrenal axis

Obesity is distinguished by unwanted and surplus accumulation of lipids in body principally in adipocytes. Inactive lifestyle and dietary irregularities are considered as premiers among a variety of obesogenic risk factors. Obesity is associated with variations in the concentration of trophic and tropic hormones from pituitary gland affecting different body parts and other endocrine glands including adrenal gland. Current study was design to explore the anti-obesity potential of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) against high sugar and high fat induced hyper-activity of pituitary-adrenal (PA) axis and obesity. Twenty-five healthy Wistar albino female rats were selected as model animal. Body weight, oral glucose tolerance test, serum cortisol, hematology and histopathological analysis were performed. The high sugar and high fat induced increase in body eight was decline by cinnamon administration. Hematological analysis revealed a significant decreased concentration of RBCs and hemoglobin and increased WBCs and platelet count following sub-acute exposure of high sugar and high fat changes were attenuated by cinnamon. High sugar and fat associated elevated serum cortisol was normalized after cinnamon exposure. Moreover, cinnamon protected the histopathological alterations following high sugar and fat administration, showed protective effects of Cinnamon against obesity associated dysregulation of PA axis and metabolic impairment.

A spatial obesity risk score for describing the obesogenic environment using kernel density estimation: development and parameter variation

BackgroundOverweight and obesity are severe public health problems worldwide. Obesity can lead to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Environmental factors may affect lifestyle aspects and are therefore expected to influence people’s weight status. To assess environmental risks, several methods have been tested using geographic information systems. Freely available data from online geocoding services such as OpenStreetMap (OSM) can be used to determine the spatial distribution of these obesogenic factors. The aim of our study was to develop and test a spatial obesity risk score (SORS) based on data from OSM and using kernel density estimation (KDE).MethodsObesity-related factors were downloaded from OSM for two municipalities in Bavaria, Germany. We visualized obesogenic and protective risk factors on maps and tested the spatial heterogeneity via Ripley’s K function. Subsequently, we developed the SORS based on positive and negative KDE surfaces. Risk score values were estimated at 50 random spatial data points. We examined the bandwidth, edge correction, weighting, interpolation method, and numbers of grid points. To account for uncertainty, a spatial bootstrap (1000 samples) was integrated, which was used to evaluate the parameter selection via the ANOVA F statistic.ResultsWe found significantly clustered patterns of the obesogenic and protective environmental factors according to Ripley’s K function. Separate density maps enabled ex ante visualization of the positive and negative density layers. Furthermore, visual inspection of the final risk score values made it possible to identify overall high- and low-risk areas within our two study areas. Parameter choice for the bandwidth and the edge correction had the highest impact on the SORS results.DiscussionThe SORS made it possible to visualize risk patterns across our study areas. Our score and parameter testing approach has been proven to be geographically scalable and can be applied to other geographic areas and in other contexts. Parameter choice played a major role in the score results and therefore needs careful consideration in future applications.

Environmental determinants of childhood obesity: a meta-analysis

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of childhood obesity has contributed to the growing global burden of chronic diseases over the life course, which has been largely attributed to obesogenic environments. This giant-scale review was done to translate existing obesogenic environmental studies into evidence-based governance for fighting childhood obesity and promoting life-course health. MethodsFollowing a standard strategy of literature search and inclusion, all obesogenic environmental studies, published since the inception of the electronic databases, were reviewed to identify the evidence on associations with childhood obesity of 16 obesogenic environmental factors, including 10 built environmental factors or indices (ie, land-use mix, street connectivity, residential density, speed limit, urban sprawl, and access to green space, public transport, bike lanes, sidewalks, and neighbourhood aesthetics) and six food environmental factors (ie, access to convenience stores, supermarkets, grocery stores, full-service restaurants, fast-food restaurants, and fruit and vegetable markets). A meta-analysis was conducted to quantify the influence of each factor with sufficient studies on childhood obesity. FindingsA total of 24 155 search results were found and filtered, with 457 studies included in the analysis. All built environmental factors, except speed limit and urban sprawl, were negatively associated with childhood obesity by encouraging physical activity while discouraging sedentary behaviours; the access to all food venues, except convenience stores and fast-food restaurants, was negatively associated with childhood obesity by encouraging their healthy eating behaviours. There were some globally consistent associations, such as between greater access to fast-food restaurants in the neighbourhood and more fast-food consumption, between better access to bike lanes and more physical activity, between better access to sidewalks and reduced sedentary behaviours, and between greater access to green space and more physical activity and less TV or computer screen time. InterpretationFindings have formed the unprecedentedly inclusive evidence for policy making and the establishment of the future research agenda regarding the obesogenic environment. FundingNational Natural Science Foundation of China, Chengdu Technological Innovation R&D Project, Sichuan Provincial Key R&D Program, and Wuhan University Specific Fund for Major School-level Internationalization Initiatives.

Physical Activity, Sleep, and Demographic Patterns in Alaska Native Children and Youth Living in Anaktuvuk Pass.

Physical activity (PA), sleep, and weight are important factors for youth health. However, data about these factors are unknown in youth living in isolated Alaska Native communities. This study aims to assess PA, sleep, height and weight in elementary through high school students living in Anaktuvuk Pass. Fourteen children (<12) and 24 youths (12-20) volunteered to participate in this study. PA and sleep data were collected with actigraphy. Height and weight were assessed with standard procedures. Demographics were collected via survey. Results show that 10.53% and 18.42% of participants were overweight and obese, respectively. Average bedtime was 00:15 am and wake time 08:23 am. Total sleep time was 498.21 min. Participants averaged 477.64 min in sedentary activity, 297.29 min in light activity, 150.66 min in moderate activity, and 18.05 min in vigorous activity. Adjusted models suggest that high school students engage in significantly more sedentary activity, and significantly less light, moderate, and vigorous activity compared to those in middle and elementary school. All students engaged in less moderate and vigorous activity on the weekend compared to the weekday. Data suggest that as children age they become more sedentary. Future studies should focus on increasing daily PA in high school students while considering other obesogenic factors.

Interactive effects of FTO rs9939609 and obesogenic behavioral factors on adiposity-related anthropometric and metabolic phenotypes

Numerous genetic variants have been linked to obesity predisposition, however, the interplay of genetic and behavioral factors is very crucial in determining the final phenotype. Therefore, this study examined the interactive effects of the FTO rs9939609 and various obesogenic behavioral factors on adiposity-related anthropometric and metabolic phenotypes in a sample of Pakistani population. A total of 612 participants encompassing 306 overweight/obese (cases) and an equal number (306) of age- and sex-matched normal-weight (controls) individuals were included in the study. Adiposity-related anthropometric parameters were collected by taking corresponding body measurements by following standard procedures. The metabolic parameters were assessed by performing corresponding biochemical assays. A standard questionnaire was devised for the collection of adiposity-related behavioral information. The FTO rs9939609 was genotyped by employing TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. The data was analyzed by using SPSS software. Interactive effects of the FTO rs9939609 and behavioral factors on obesity-related anthropometric and metabolic phenotypes were examined via linear regression by adjusting potential confounders and making correction for multiple comparisons. The results implied that the interaction between the FTO rs9939609 and low physical activity may significantly increase various adiposity-related anthropometric variables (p < 0.05). However, no such interactive effects were found on any adiposity-related metabolic variable. In conclusion, the interaction between the FTO rs9939609 and low physical activity may have a significant impact on obesity-related anthropometric traits in the Pakistani population.

Abstract 10043: Plasma Metabolite Dimethylguanidino Valeric Acid and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease Among Women

Introduction: Circulating dimethylguanidino valeric acid (DMGV) has been related to visceral adiposity and unhealthy obesogenic lifestyle factors, and recently emerged as an early marker of cardiovascular disease. Hypothesis: We tested whether circulating DMGV was associated with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) among women. We also investigated obesogenic diet/lifestyle factors and biomarkers associated with higher DMGV levels. Methods: This prospective nested case-control study included 1518 women (759 incident cases of fatal CHD and nonfatal myocardial infarction and 759 controls) from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS). Incident cases of CHD were identified over 10-14 years of follow-up time. Obesogenic lifestyle factors (such as physical inactivity and dietary intakes), adiposity, and cardiometabolic abnormalities (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes) were assessed in the NHS and the Women's Lifestyle Validation Study (WLVS; n=723). Results: In the NHS, higher plasma DMGV levels were related to greater risk of CHD (P for linear relation=0.007) after controlling for demographic factors, family history of myocardial infarction, and postmenopausal hormone. Compared with women in the lowest quartile of DMGV levels, those in the highest quartile had a relative risk (RR) of 1.70 (95% CI: 1.25, 2.31) for CHD. The RR in the highest quartile was attenuated after controlling for obesogenic factors and adiposity. Obesogenic diet/lifestyle factors, adiposity, altered adipokine levels, and cardiometabolic abnormalities were significant factors related to higher plasma DMGV levels in the NHS and WLVS. Conclusions: Circulating DMGV may be a significant metabolite related to obesogenic diet quality, lifestyles, and cardiometabolic abnormalities among women. High DMGV levels were associated with an increased risk of incident CHD among women.

Investigating socioecological obesogenic factors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Obesity-related information in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is limited, and research findings are contradictory. Thus, this study aimed to use a nationwide non-clinical sample to examine the association of sociological factors with overweight status in children with ASD and reveal the degree of differences in the risk factors for overweight in children with and without ASD. The data for this cross-sectional study, based on the modified ecological system theory model, were obtained from the 2019 National Survey of Children's Health. The weighted logistic regressions were performed to determine the factors associated with overweight status in children with ASD, controlling for demographics, physical activity-related behaviors, and family and environmental conditions. A total of 529 children were identified (mean age 13.78 years, 83.21% boys). Two-parent households, less healthy parents and households, households with smokers, poor sleep quality, and greater participation in organized activities were associated with a higher likelihood of overweight in children with ASD (all P < 0.05). The determinants of obesity among children with ASD go beyond the individual level; family and community support are important. Therefore, greater attention should be directed toward the families of children with ASD and community-level administrative policies to improve quality of life by preventing or reducing obesity in children with ASD.

Astrocyte reactivation in medial prefrontal cortex contributes to obesity-promoted depressive-like behaviors

BackgroundLittle is known about how the obesogenic environment influences emotional states associated with glial responses and neuronal function. Here, we investigated glial reactivation and neuronal electrophysiological properties in emotion-related brain regions of high-fat diet (HFD) and ob/ob mice under chronic stress.MethodsThe glial reactivation and neuronal activities in emotion-related brain regions were analyzed among normal diet mice (ND), HFD mice, wild-type mice, and ob/ob mice. To further activate or inhibit astrocytes in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), we injected astrocytes specific Gq-AAV or Gi-AAV into mPFC and ongoing treated mice with CNO.ResultsThe results showed that obesogenic factors per se had no significant effect on neuronal activities in emotion-related brain regions, or on behavioral performance. However, exposure to a chronic stressor profoundly reduced the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) in the mPFC; depressive-like behaviors were seen, accompanied by significant upregulation of astrocyte reactivation. We identified resilient and susceptible mice among chronic social defeat stress-exposed HFD mice. As expected, astrocyte reactivity was upregulated, while neuronal activity was depressed, in the mPFC of susceptible compared to resilient mice. Furthermore, activating astrocytes resulted in similar levels of neuronal activity and depressive-like behaviors between resilient and susceptible mice. Additionally, inhibiting astrocyte reactivation in the mPFC of HFD mice upregulated neuronal activities and inhibited depressive-like behaviors.ConclusionsThese observations indicate that obesogenic factors increase the risk of depression, and improve our understanding of the pathological relationship between obesity and depression.Graphical

Abstract LB159: Neighborhood obesogenic environment and risk of prostate cancer: The Multiethnic Cohort

Abstract Background: Obesity is associated with risk of aggressive prostate cancer. It is not known whether neighborhood obesogenic factors are associated with prostate cancer risk. Methods: Neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) and four neighborhood obesogenic environment factors (urbanicity, mixed-land development, unhealthy food environment, and parks) were assessed for associations with prostate cancer risk among 41,563 African American, European American, Japanese American, and Latino males in the Multiethnic Cohort Study (MEC), California site. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for non-aggressive and aggressive prostate cancer, adjusting for individual-level sociodemographic, behavioral, and prostate cancer risk factors. Analyses were stratified by race, ethnicity, and, among Latino males, nativity. Results: Males residing in low SES, compared to high SES, neighborhoods had lower risk of non-aggressive prostate cancer (lowest vs. highest quintile HR=0.81; 95% CI=0.68, 0.95, p-trend 0.024); driven by a similar trend among U.S.-born and foreign-born Latino males. Foreign-born Latino males in neighborhoods with low mixed-land development had increased risk (lowest vs. highest quintile HR=1.52; 95% CI=1.09, 2.12). African American males in neighborhoods with more unhealthy food environments had increased risk of aggressive disease (more vs. none, HR=1.35; 95% CI=1.02, 1.77). Conclusions: Neighborhood SES and obesogenic factors were independently associated with prostate cancer risk; associations varied by race, ethnicity, nativity, and disease aggressiveness. Impact: Upstream structural and social determinants of health that contribute to neighborhood obesogenic characteristics likely impact prostate cancer risk differently across groups defined by race, ethnicity, and nativity and by disease aggressiveness. Citation Format: Mindy C. Hebert-DeRouen, Li Tao, Salma Shariff-Marco, Juan Yan, Yurii B. Shvetsov, Song-Yi Park, Cheryl L. Albright, Kristine Monroe, Loic Le Marchand, Lynne Wilkens, Scarlett L. Gomez, Iona Cheng. Neighborhood obesogenic environment and risk of prostate cancer: The Multiethnic Cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr LB159.

Is Dog Owner Obesity a Risk Factor for Canine Obesity? A "One-Health" Study on Human-Animal Interaction in a Region with a High Prevalence of Obesity.

Obesity in humans is a growing global problem and is one of the greatest public health challenges we face today. Most researchers agree that, as in humans, the incidence in the companion animal population is also increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors contributing to canine obesity in a region with a high rate of human obesity (Canary Islands, Spain), co-occurrence of obesogenic risk factors, and a canine population with a high percentage of unneutered dogs. We have focused on owner risk factors that promote obesity in humans, such as weight, lifestyle, nutritional habits, and low physical activity, among others. Thus, the human–animal interaction relationship that contributes to human obesity and influences canine obesity has been studied. A multicentre cross-sectional analytical study of 198 pairs of dogs from urban households and their owners was used. A multivariable logistic regression study was completed to analyse owner characteristics variables associated with canine obesity. This transdisciplinary study was conducted with physicians and veterinarians using a “One Health” approach. Our results suggest that, in a region of high obesogenic risk, obese/overweight dogs are primarily female, older than 6 years, and neutered. Being an overweight dog owner was found to be the most important factor in the occurrence of obesity in dogs. Owners of overweight dogs were mainly females, older than 40 years, who did not engage in any physical activity. A strong correlation has been found between dog owners with low levels of education and obesity in their dogs. We suggest that veterinarians should develop and design strategies to encourage pet owners to engage in physical activity with their dogs for the benefit of both.

Selected Articles from This Issue

Whether neighborhood obesogenic factors are associated with prostate cancer risk has not been studied. DeRouen and colleagues examined neighborhood socioeconomic status and obesogenic environment factors (urbanicity, mixed-land development, unhealthy food environment, and parks) for associations with risk of prostate cancer among 41,563 African American, Japanese American, Latino, and White males in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. The study is unique in assessing neighborhood factors and prostate cancer risk while considering disease aggressiveness as well as individual-level sociodemographic, behavioral, and prostate cancer risk factors. Independent associations of obesogenic environment factors with prostate cancer risk varied by race, ethnicity, nativity, and disease aggressiveness.Modifiable lifestyle-related factors heighten the risk and severity of COVID-19 in patients with cancer. Whether exercise lowers susceptibility or severity is not known. Bliss and colleagues examined the relationship between exercise and COVID-19 risk and severity in 944 cancer patients. In this single institution study, cancer patients meeting national exercise guidelines had lower susceptibility to COVID-19 relative to their sedentary counterparts even after adjustment for important clinical and epidemiologic covariates. Exercise reduced the risk of COVID-19 infection in patients, but not its severity. This data adds to the growing evidence base of exercise benefit following a cancer diagnosis.Adolescent and young adult (AYA) women with cancer can face additional financial stressors from fertility services that are often not covered by insurance. Meernik and colleagues surveyed AYA cancer survivors in North Carolina and California to examine whether women who used fertility preservation had increased financial hardship. Fertility preservation was associated with 1.5 times the likelihood of borrowing money, going into debt, or filing for bankruptcy; and 12% of women who used fertility preservation reported debt of ≥$25,000 (vs. 5% in the referent group). More widespread insurance coverage could expand access to fertility services and decrease adverse financial outcomes after cancer.As alcohol consumption has a J-shape association with colorectal cancer risk (CRC), non-drinking and heavy drinking are both risk factors for CRC. In this study, individual-level data was pooled to compare non-drinkers (&lt;=1 g/day) and heavy drinkers (&gt;28 g/day) with light-to-moderate drinkers (1-28 g/day) in gene-alcohol interaction analyses. This study suggests that the association with CRC in 10q24.2/COX15 was strongest in non-drinkers. Jordahl, Shcherbina, and colleagues also identified rs1318920 as the putative causal regulatory variant for the region. The study identifies multifaceted evidence of a possible functional effect for rs1318920.