Correlates of weight instability across the lifespan in a population-based sample

Associations between weight loss history and factors related to type 2 diabetes risk in the Stop Diabetes study

Background

Frequent weight loss attempts are related to maladaptive eating behaviours and higher body mass index (BMI). We studied associations of several type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk factors with weight loss history, defined as the frequency of prior weight loss attempts, among Finnish adults at increased risk for T2D.

Methods

This study (n = 2684, 80% women) is a secondary analysis of the 1-year StopDia lifestyle intervention with digital intervention group, digital intervention + face-to-face counselling group, or control group. The frequency of prior weight loss attempts was categorized into five groups: no attempts/no attempts to lose weight, but trying to keep weight stable/1–2 attempts/3 or more attempts/ continuous attempts. Data on emotional eating and social/emotional nutrition self-efficacy were collected with a digital questionnaire. We assessed baseline differences between categories of weight loss history as well as the intervention effects.

Results

Altogether 84% of participants had attempted weight loss. Those with one or more weight loss attempts had higher BMI, larger waist circumference, and more emotional eating compared to ‘no attempts’ and ‘no attempts to lose weight, but trying to keep weight stable’ categories. The ‘no attempts’ category had the highest baseline fasting insulin, whereas it showed the largest decrease in this measure with the intervention. This change in fasting insulin in the ‘no attempts’ category was significantly different from all the other categories. Emotional nutrition self-efficacy slightly improved in the ‘no attempts’ category, which was significantly different from its concomitant decrease in the categories ‘1-2 attempts’ and ‘3 or more attempts’. The intervention group assignment did not affect the results.

Conclusions

Multiple attempts to lose weight may unfavourably affect T2D risk factors as well as lifestyle intervention outcomes. More research is needed on how weight loss frequency could affect T2D risk factors and how to design lifestyle interventions for individuals with frequent previous weight loss attempts.

An Exploration of the Associations Among Multiple Aspects of Religiousness, Body Image, Eating Pathology, and Appearance Investment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of positive and negative aspects of religiousness on eating pathology, body satisfaction, and appearance investment beyond previously established variables (age, BMI, exercise frequency, weight stability, and self-esteem). Data collected from 168 adult females at a Catholic-affiliated university were analyzed using hierarchical linear regressions. As expected, some religiousness variables (spirituality and seeing one's body as having sacred qualities) were associated with eating pathology, body satisfaction, and appearance investment in potentially beneficial ways, and others (negative interaction with one's religious community) were associated in potentially harmful ways. Interestingly, greater religious meaning, or the importance of religion in one's life, was associated with greater eating pathology, and some variables (religious coping, participation in and support from one's religious community) expected to be associated with greater body satisfaction were unrelated. Results are discussed in terms of mechanisms through which the aspects of religiousness may influence body satisfaction, appearance investment, and eating pathology.

Association of binge eating behavior and psychiatric comorbidity in ELSA-Brasil study: Results from baseline data

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the association of binge eating behavior (BE) with common mental disorders (CMD).

METHOD

Cross sectional investigation of 14,088 adults, aged 35-74years (ELSA-Brasil study). BE was assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID - DSM IV) questions, and psychiatric morbidity with CIS-R (CIS R - Clinical Interview Schedule Revised). Poisson regression was used to estimate the association of BE and psychiatric morbidity.

RESULTS

Adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) for CMD and BE were: PR=1.60 (1.34-1.91) for a CIS R score 12-18 (presence of CMD with lower clinical severity); PR=2.40 (2.06-2.80) for a CIS R score≥18 (severe symptom profile likely to require treatment); for psychiatric diagnoses: PR=2.24 (1.84-2.73) for depressive episodes; PR=1.77 (1.53-2.04) for anxiety disorders, and PR=1.42 (1.20-1.67) for mixed depressive-anxiety disorder.

CONCLUSION

BE was associated with higher prevalence of common mental disorders. Our findings highlight the need to investigate mechanisms involved in the relationship of BE, obesity and psychopathology in low/middle income countries.

Weight fluctuation during adulthood and weight gain since breast cancer diagnosis predict multiple dimensions of body image among rural breast cancer survivors

OBJECTIVE

Obesity and weight gain after breast cancer treatment are common among survivors, yet the relationship between weight and body image has received little attention. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between current body mass index, weight gain since diagnosis, and largest weight fluctuation in adulthood with six dimensions of body image among overweight/obese breast cancer survivors.

METHODS

The current study used data obtained from a weight control trial with 210 rural overweight/obese breast cancer survivors. Using data collected at baseline, multiple regression models were constructed to examine the relative association of the three weight variables with breast cancer-specific dimensions of body image while controlling for demographic characteristics and cancer treatment-related variables.

RESULTS

Largest weight fluctuation in adulthood significantly predicted overall body image (p = 0.01) and was associated with the three socially oriented dimensions of body image: social activity restriction, embarrassment about appearance, and sexuality (all ps = 0.01). Weight gain since diagnosis approached statistical significance in predicting overall body image (p = 0.05) and was associated with embarrassment about appearance (p = 0.03). Current body mass index was not significantly associated with overall body image when controlling for the other weight variables (p = 0.07) and was negatively associated with social activity restriction (p = 0.01) and sexuality (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Obese breast cancer survivors with a history of a large weight fluctuation in adulthood may be prone to poorer breast cancer-specific body image several years after treatment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mouse social stress induces increased fear conditioning, helplessness and fatigue to physical challenge together with markers of altered immune and dopamine function

In neuropsychiatry, animal studies demonstrating causal effects of environmental manipulations relevant to human aetiology on behaviours relevant to human psychopathologies are valuable. Such valid models can improve understanding of aetio-pathophysiology and preclinical discovery and development of new treatments. In depression, specific uncontrollable stressful life events are major aetiological factors, and subsequent generalized increases in fearfulness, helplessness and fatigue are core symptoms or features. Here we exposed adult male C57BL/6 mice to 15-day psychosocial stress with loss of social control but minimal physical wounding. One cohort was assessed in a 3-day test paradigm of motor activity, fear conditioning and 2-way avoid-escape behaviour on days 16-18, and a second cohort was assessed in a treadmill fatigue paradigm on days 19 and 29, followed by the 3-day paradigm on days 30-32. All tests used a physical aversive stimulus, namely mild, brief electroshocks. Socially stressed mice displayed decreased motor activity, increased fear acquisition, decreased 2-way avoid-escape responding (increased helplessness) and increased fatigue. They also displayed increased plasma TNF and spleen hypertrophy, and adrenal hypertrophy without hyper-corticoidism. In a third cohort, psychosocial stress effects on brain gene expression were assessed using next generation sequencing. Gene expression was altered in pathways of inflammation and G-protein coupled receptors in prefrontal cortex and amygdala; in the latter, expression of genes important in dopamine function were de-regulated including down-regulated Drd2, Adora2a and Darpp-32. This model can be applied to identify targets for treating psychopathologies such as helplessness or fatigue, and to screen compounds/biologics developed to act at these targets.

An examination of dieting behaviors among adults: links with depression

In the current study, we examined predictors of healthy and unhealthy dieting behaviors with the aim of examining whether or not weight control strategies are associated with depression. Men and women (N=198; M=24.80 years; 51% women) were recruited from a university campus and its surrounding community in the northeastern US. Participants' height and weight were measured, and they completed a survey on health behaviors and attitudes. Results indicated that women and men with high BMIs were more likely to engage in both healthy and unhealthy dieting behaviors than those with low BMIs. Additionally, women with higher levels of depressive symptoms utilized fewer healthy dieting behaviors and more unhealthy dieting behaviors. Depression was not linked to healthy or unhealthy dieting behaviors in men. These findings are discussed in terms of the potential reciprocal relationship between women's unhealthy weight control strategies and depression.