The Relationship Between Eating-Attitudes and Clinical Characteristics, Agouti-Related Peptide, and Other Biochemical Markers in Adult-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Taking Steps Toward a Consensus on Night Eating Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria

BACKGROUND

Night eating syndrome (NES) is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 5th edition, as an example of "Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders" with minimal guidance about how to define and operationalize NES. The literature suggests that research practices vary widely, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the public health burden of, effective interventions for, or policy implications relevant to NES. This Forum article seeks to illustrate the lack of definitional agreement to underscore the need for a consensus about NES diagnostic criteria, and to propose steps toward closing knowledge gaps and achieving consensus.

METHOD

We searched PubMed and PsycINFO titles and abstracts, using "NES" as the search term, for research articles published in English between January 1, 2013 to August 12, 2024 with sample sizes of NES > 10 and ages 18 or older. Eligible articles were coded for NES definitions and assessment method used to diagnose participants with NES and for information about comorbidity of NES and any other eating disorder (ED).

RESULTS

Seventy-three articles met inclusion criteria. Most commonly, NES was diagnosed using a diagnostic criteria set (35/73) or a symptom score threshold (34/73); among the former, only eight studies employed DSM-5 NES criteria. Thirteen studies, varying widely in methodology, examined comorbidity with other EDs, most commonly binge-eating disorder where comorbidity was high.

CONCLUSION

Heterogeneity of definitions and assessment impede progress in the study of NES. We propose strategies for developing a consensus definition and addressing research gaps.

Sleep disturbance in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: relationship with melatonin and behavior

AIM

To evaluate the prevalence and types of sleep problems and their correlations with melatonin content and behavior in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) children.

METHOD

Sleep in ADHD children and typically developing children (TD) aged 6-14 was assessed by the Sleep Disorders Scale for Children (SDSC) and actigraphy, salivary melatonin quantified by ELISA, and behavior was analyzed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

RESULTS

ADHD children showed a higher frequency of sleep disturbances, higher sleep latency, and lower sleep efficiency than in the TD group. The ADHD group presented lower melatonin nocturnal content compared to the TD group. Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep (DIMS) was moderately associated with nocturnal melatonin. The total behavior difficulties were correlated with Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep (DIMS), Sleep/Wake Transition Disorders (SWTD), Disorders of Excessive Somnolence (DES), Sleep Hyperhidrosis (SHY) and Total SDSC Score. The behavior was the only determinant of the total SDSC score (R2 = 0.499; p < 0.002).

CONCLUSION

This study provides, for the first time, evidence that among the frequent sleep disturbances in ADHD, the disorders in initiating and maintaining sleep are associated with the low levels of melatonin found in this population. Additionally, these, along with other sleep disturbances, are linked to behavioral problems in ADHD.

The relationship among positive body image, body esteem, and eating attitude in Iranian population

Background and aim

The correlation between eating attitudes, positive body image, and body esteem is a pivotal area of research that has garnered substantial attention in recent years, given its implications for both mental and physical well-being. The objective of this study was to examine the interplay between positive body image, body esteem, and eating attitudes within an Iranian population.

Materials and methods

This study employed a cross-sectional study design and was conducted in the year 2022. A convenience sample of 752 participants residing in Tehran, Iran, was included in the study. The data collection tools were comprised of a demographic registration form, the Adolescence/Adults Scale (PBIAS), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), and the Body Esteem Scale (BES) as measurement instruments.

Results

Mean age of participants was 26.36 (SD = 8.49). Significant relationships were found among positive body image (B = - 0.095, β = -0.150, p < 0.001), and body esteem (B = 0.175, β = 0.149, p < 0.001) with eating attitudes.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that individuals with positive body image and high body esteem may have healthier eating attitudes, while those with negative body image and low body esteem may be more likely to have unhealthy eating attitudes.

Are decreased cocaine- and amphetamine regulated transcript and Agouti- related peptide levels associated Eating behavior in medication-free children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder?

This study aimed to investigate plasma levels of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), agouti-related protein (AgRP), cholecystokinin (CCK) and peptide YY (PYY) and their relationship with eating behaviors among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and healthy controls. A total of 94 medication-free children with ADHD and 82 controls aged 8-14 years were included in this study. The Plasma levels of CART, AgRP, CCK and PYY were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) was used to assess eating behaviors in children. CART and AgRP levels were found to be significantly lower in the ADHD group than in the control group, while CCK levels were found to be significantly higher in the ADHD group than in the control group. However, there was no significant difference in PYY levels between the groups. Compared to controls, those with ADHD demonstrated significantly higher scores on the CEBQ subscales of food responsiveness, emotional overeating, desire to drink, enjoyment of food, and food fussiness, and significantly lower scores on the slowness of eating subscale. CART was significantly correlated with emotional overeating and enjoyment of food scores, while AgRP was significantly correlated with emotional undereating scores. Covariance analysis was performed by controlling potential confounders such as body mass index, age and sex, and the results were found to be unchanged. It was concluded that CART, AgRP, and CCK may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of ADHD.