Impacts of COVID-19 Sanitary Cues on Hedonic Appreciation of Foods

Exploring food intake networks and anhedonia symptoms in a Chilean Adults sample

INTRODUCTION

high-calorie and sugar-sweetened food is considered more pleasant food. People with anhedonia symptoms have difficulties experiencing pleasure in daily activities. However, is still unclear if anhedonia symptomatology increases palatable food consumption in the Chilean Adults sample.

OBJECTIVE

to explore food networks in the Chilean Adults sample and in people with anhedonia symptom.

METHODS

the sample was recruited through digital platforms. Pregnant or lactating women and subjects under pharmacological treatment or psychotherapy were excluded. A total of 1242 subjects, 76.6% women, with a mean age of 30.7 (SD 9.3) and who were highly educated, participated in the study. Data were collected through an online survey. A questionnaire on food consumption based on daily and weekly frequency was used, as well as the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale to measure anhedonia symptoms. We employed the Gaussian graph model (GGM) to analyze food consumption as networks. We started with the total sample, and then we repeated the analysis on a subsample with anhedonia symptoms, and next on a subsample with exclusively food-related anhedonia.

RESULTS

in the total sample, a positive and strong relationship was observed between fruits and vegetables, as well as a negative association with the triad of sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, and fried food. The network in anhedonic subjects shows that "pasta, rice & potatoes" and "bread" have a stronger association and a more central place in the network compared those without anhedonia symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Subjects with anhedonia symptoms have a more central consumption of foods with a high or medium glycemic index compared to subjects without anhedonia symptoms, which could trigger the development of chronic diet-related diseases.

Body perceptions, occupations, eating attitudes, and behaviors emerged during the pandemic: An exploratory cluster analysis of eaters profiles

Introduction

COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted people's mental and physical health. Three areas have been significantly impacted, among others: eating-related behaviors, occupational balance, and exposure to self-image due to videoconferencing. This study aims to explore and document eaters profiles that were reported during the pandemic in the general Canadian population using a holistic perspective, including body perceptions, attitudes, and eating behaviors (i.e., body image, behaviors, attitudes, and motivations regarding food), and occupations (i.e., physical activity and cooking).

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to September 2020. Two hundred and seventy-three Canada's residents, French speaking of 18 years of age and older, participated in an online survey on behaviors, attitudes, and motivations regarding food and eating as well as body image and occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to determine the eaters profiles. One-way ANOVA and Chi-square test were conducted to differentiate occupational characteristics between eaters profiles.

Results

Three distinctive profiles were found during the COVID-19 pandemic and could be placed on a continuum: the Congruent-driven eater is at the functional pole of the continuum, whereas the Incongruent-driven eater is at the dysfunctional pole of the eaters continuum. In the middle of the continuum, the Incongruent-perceptual eater is at a critical crossing point. Significant differences were reported between eaters profiles.

Discussion

The empirical results based on an eaters continuum conceptualization highlight the importance of understanding how people perceive their body to assess and promote food well-being.

A Sulfated Abalone Polysaccharide Inhibited SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Vero E6 Cells In Vitro

Sulfate polysaccharides, such as heparin sulfate, have been found to have inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2. An abalone polysaccharide, AGSP, was deeply sulfate modified using the chlorosulfonic acid/pyridine method, yielding S-AGSP. AGSP and S-AGSP inhibitions of SARS-CoV-2 infection of Vero E6 cells were tested in vitro. The interference of AGSP or S-AGSP on the binding interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and angiotensin-converting enzyme was tested using a biolayer interferometry assay. Results showed that S-AGSP, above a concentration of 1.87 µg/mL, significantly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection of Vero E6 cells. Compared with AGSP, S-AGSP obviously weakened the affinity between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2. The polysaccharide’s sulfate content played a vital role in influencing the binding affinity of spike protein to ACE2. Therefore, S-AGSP has potential as a COVID-19 competitive inhibitor as well as a candidate to be repurposed as a prophylactic COVID-19 therapeutic.