Influence of the Accumulation of Unhealthy Eating Habits on Obesity in a General Japanese Population: The Hisayama Study

Functional alterations in overweight/obesity: focusing on the reward and executive control network

Overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) have become prevalent issues in the global public health arena. Serving as a prominent risk factor for various chronic diseases, overweight/obesity not only poses serious threats to people's physical and mental health but also imposes significant medical and economic burdens on society as a whole. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on basic scientific research dedicated to seeking the neural evidence underlying overweight/obesity, aiming to elucidate its causes and effects by revealing functional alterations in brain networks. Among them, dysfunction in the reward network (RN) and executive control network (ECN) during both resting state and task conditions is considered pivotal in neuroscience research on overweight/obesity. Their aberrations contribute to explaining why persons with overweight/obesity exhibit heightened sensitivity to food rewards and eating disinhibition. This review centers on the reward and executive control network by analyzing and organizing the resting-state and task-based fMRI studies of functional brain network alterations in overweight/obesity. Building upon this foundation, the authors further summarize a reward-inhibition dual-system model, with a view to establishing a theoretical framework for future exploration in this field.

Eating behaviors and depressive symptoms among Japanese workers: the Furukawa Nutrition and Health Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

In addition to the potential effects of nutrients on mood, eating behaviors have been suggested to be associated with depressive symptoms. We investigated the prospective association between the accumulation of unhealthy eating behaviors and depressive symptoms in a Japanese working population.

METHODS

Participants were 914 workers (aged 19-68 years) who did not have depressive symptoms at baseline (April 2012 and May 2013) and attended a 3-year follow-up survey (April 2015 and May 2016). Unhealthy eating behaviors (skipping breakfast, eating dinner just before bedtime, and snacking after dinner) were assessed at baseline. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale at follow-up. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio of depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥16) at follow-up according to the number of unhealthy eating behaviors.

RESULTS

In a model with adjustment of background factors, participants having 2-3 unhealthy eating behaviors at baseline had significantly higher risk of developing depressive symptoms (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.21-3.38) compared with those having no such behaviors. After adjustment for occupational and lifestyle factors, the association was slightly attenuated but remained significant (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.10-3.21). This association was further attenuated and became statistically non-significant after additional adjustment for nutritional factors (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.96-2.90).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the accumulation of unhealthy eating behaviors is associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms and that this association may be partly ascribed to a lower intake of nutrients with mood-improving effects.

The Impact of Drain Placement on Postoperative Complications in Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Obesity in individuals can have consequences ranging from metabolically healthy obesity to serious morbidities and reduce the quality and duration of life. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the role of abdominal drainage on postoperative complications after bariatric surgery. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for eligible studies. The results revealed that abdominal drainage was associated with surgical complications, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 1.70 (P < .001), but not associated with wound infection (OR: 1.04; P = .762). Associations with surgical complications were mainly detected from retrospective cohort studies. The use of abdominal drainage showed associations with death (OR: 1.68; P < .001) and reoperation (OR: 1.49; P < .001). These findings revealed that abdominal drainage during bariatric surgery was associated with surgical complications, death, and reoperation. These results should be taken with caution since randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies were analyzed together.

Usefulness of a questionnaire for assessing the relationship between eating behavior and steatotic liver disease among Japanese male young adults

This study aimed to reveal the relationship between eating behavior and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in young adults and suggest a questionnaire for eating behavior assessment. We included 322 male graduate students at Gifu University. Diagnoses of NAFLD and MASLD were based on the presence of hepatic steatosis on ultrasonography. Eating behavior was assessed using the eating behavior questionnaire (EBQ) recommended by the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity. We assessed the eating behaviors associated with NAFLD and MASLD using logistic regression, decision tree, and random forest analyses. The median age of the participants was 22 years, and 16% and 11% had NAFLD and MASLD, respectively. The EBQ total score was significantly higher in participants with MASLD than in those without MASLD (102 vs. 90 points, P = 0.006) and in those with NAFLD than in those without NAFLD (97 vs. 90 points, P = 0.007). Among eating behavior categories, the decision tree and random forest analyses revealed that "perception of constitution and weight" was the strongest contributor for NAFLD/MASLD. Our study revealed that eating behavior assessed with the EBQ is robustly associated with NAFLD and MASLD in young male adults.

Association between Dietary Behavior and Overweight and Obesity among Chinese Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Ningbo students and explore the association between students' dietary behavior and overweight and obesity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 7299 students were recruited, including 3755 males and 3544 females. A questionnaire on student health status and influencing factors was used to investigate dietary behavior. Logistic regression analysis investigated the relationship between dietary behavior and overweight and obesity. Age, gender, area, grade, sleep duration, and physical activity were adjusted in the multivariate regression models.

RESULTS

This study revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Ningbo students was 16.14% and 9.88%, respectively. The logistic regression analysis results showed that regular consumption of sugary beverages was associated with a higher risk of being overweight (OR = 1.256, 95% CI: 1.023-1.542, p = 0.029). The research indicated that skipping breakfast was considered a risk factor for obesity (OR = 2.102, 95% CI: 1.087-4.065, p = 0.027). After adjusting for age, gender, area, and grade and continuing to adjust for sleep duration and physical activity, the results showed that consuming fried food at least once a day increased the risk of obesity (OR = 1.494, 95% CI: 1.050-2.125, p = 0.026; OR = 1.516, 95% CI: 1.065-2.158, p = 0.021, respectively). This study found that the frequency of breakfast and the consumption of fried food, fresh vegetables, and fruits were not significantly associated with being overweight (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that dietary behavior was related to overweight and obesity among Ningbo students. Further studies and more government support are required to confirm this study's findings and address the current overweight/obesity problems.

Association of eating habits with health perception and diseases among Chinese physicians: a cross-sectional study

Background

Some eating habits may be related to the development of gastrointestinal diseases, obesity, and related metabolic dysfunctions. Because of long working hours, and shift schedules, physicians are more likely to form such eating habits and have a high risk of developing these diseases.

Objectives

We aimed to investigate the association between physicians' eating habits and their health perception and diseases.

Methods

Between 24 June and 5 August 2020, we performed convenience sampling of in-service physicians in hospitals in mainland China. A questionnaire was administered to collect data pertaining to basic sociodemographic characteristics, eating habits, health-related information such as body mass index classification, and prevalence of common diseases. The associations among eating habits and perceived suboptimal health status, micronutrient deficiency-related diseases, obesity, and related metabolic diseases were analysed.

Results

The prevalence of unhealthy eating habits was high: more eating out-of-home (53.4% in hospital canteens, 23.0% in restaurants and takeaways), fewer meals at home, irregular meals (30.5%), and eating too fast (the duration <10 min, 34.6%). Among those with the above eating habits, the prevalence rates of sub-optimal health and disease were higher than among those without the above eating habits.

Conclusion

Eating habits such as frequent eating out-of-home, irregular meals, and eating too fast were common among physicians, and were significantly related to perceived sub-optimal health status and disease occurrence.

New Insight into Selective Serotonin Receptor Agonists in the Central Nervous System, Studied with WAY163909 in Obese and Diabetic Wistar Rats

Background and aims: We investigated the effect of WAY-163909, a novel 5-hydroxytryptamine selective 2C receptor agonist on body weight, blood glucose levels, and insulin resistance in obese and diabetic Wistar rats. Materials and methods: We used twenty male Wistar rats with obesity and obesity-induced diabetes and twenty healthy Wistar rats as a control group. Each of these groups was separated into two subgroups: one with a daily intraperitoneal application of WAY-163909 (1 mg/kg) and one without. During the study, body weight, blood glucose levels, and immunoreactive insulin were tracked. Results: A reduction of 5.5% (p < 0.05) in body weight was registered in the rat group with diabetes and obesity and 2.56% in the control group with a daily application of WAY-163909 (1 mg/kg) at the end of the study. Decreases of 35.4% in blood glucose levels at week four in the diabetic and obese rat group with a daily application of WAY-163909 (1 mg/kg) were registered. A reduction of insulin levels of 4.1% (p < 0.05) in the diabetic and obese rats group using WAY-163909 was also observed. Conclusion: In our study, using WAY-163909 (1 mg/kg) led to a reduction of blood glucose levels, immunoreactive insulin, and body weight.

Fast Eating Speed Could Be Associated with HbA1c and Salt Intake Even after Adjusting for Oral Health Status: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to examine the relationship between eating speed and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), considering the number of teeth, using cross-sectional health examination data from community-dwelling older individuals in Japan. We used data from the Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education Study in 2019. We collected data on gender, age, body mass index, blood test results, Salt intake, bone mineral density, body fat percentage, muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, number of teeth, and lifestyle information. Eating speed was evaluated subjectively as fast, normal, or slow. Overall, 702 participants were enrolled in the study and 481 participants were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between fast eating speed and being a male (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 2.15 [1.02-4.53]), HbA1c (1.60 [1.17-2.19]), salt intake (1.11 [1.01-1.22]), muscle mass (1.05 [1.00-1.09]), and enough sleep (1.60 [1.03-2.50]). Fast eating may be associated with overall health and lifestyle. The characteristics of fast eaters, after taking oral information into consideration, tended to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, renal dysfunction, and hypertension. Dental professionals should provide dietary and lifestyle guidance to fast eaters.

Chrononutrition behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship with body weight among college students

Introduction

Students in colleges are exposed to unhealthy lifestyles and poor dietary choices. They are at risk of being overweight, skipping meals, and developing eating disorders. However, there is a paucity of information on their chrononutrition behavior, which is very important, especially concerning the timing of food consumption across the day. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate chrononutrition behavior and its potential association with body weight status among college students in Malaysia.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 409 college students aged above 18 in Malaysia. The chrononutrition behavior was assessed using the validated Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire (CP-Q). The questionnaire was distributed using an online platform. Participants self-reported their body weight and height, and the Body Mass Index (BMI) was computed. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software.

Results

A total of 409 participants were recruited, with a mean age of 21.5 ± 2.2 years. The prevalence of underweight, normal, and overweight was 24.7, 49.4, and 25.9%, respectively. The chrononutrition behavior revealed that participants ate breakfast about four times/week (mean 4.27 ± 2.43 days), and only 135 (33.0%) consumed breakfast daily. The largest meal consumed was during lunch (75.8%), and the mean of snacking after the last meal was 3.23 ± 2.01 days. The prevalence of night eating was low, and most participants (70.9) did not wake up at night to eat. The frequency, however, was significantly higher in the underweight group compared to the normal weight group (p < 0.05). We observed a significant association between BMI and eating window, evening latency, evening eating, and night eating. It was found that the underweight had a poor eating window (p < 0.01), poor evening latency (p < 0.01), poor evening eating (p < 0.01), and poor night eating (p < 0.05) compared to those with normal and overweight BMI groups. In contrast to predictions, poor chrononutrition behavior was more likely to predict being underweight compared to normal (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Underweight young adults are more likely to have poor chrononutrition behavior. The results of the present study suggest that future nutrition education should also focus on the chrononutrition behavior of college students.

Body Self-Perception, Dietary Self-Efficacy, and Body Mass Index in Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background

Body self-perception and dietary self-efficacy may represent an important factor in the prevention of excess body weight.

Purpose

This study evaluated body self-perception, dietary self-efficacy, and body mass index (BMI) in the Peruvian population.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 190 men and 210 women. Each participant was shown 9 Stunkard anatomical silhouettes corresponding to BMI values. The results obtained were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese. The Dieting Self-Efficacy Scale (DIET-SE) was also applied. Chi-square statistic, Kruskal-Wallis, Student t-test, and ANOVA were used to explore differences in means and proportions.

Results

Age was significantly higher in those who underestimated their weight and who were dissatisfied with their body (p = 0.000). BMI was higher in men, most were dissatisfied with their body (p<0.05), and were more likely to underestimate their weight compared to women (p = 0.000). Those participants who were dissatisfied with their body and who underestimated their weight were more likely to have an elevated BMI compared to those who were satisfied and who did not underestimate their weight. All participants had low dietary self-efficacy (LDSE), with a little higher proportion in men compared to women (62.6% vs 61.4%). The majority (45.9%) reported little confidence to resist high-calorie food temptations. More than half of the participants reported body dissatisfaction and LDSE, this was more frequent in men compared to women.

Conclusion

It is necessary to develop and implement preventive measures to improve self-perception of the body, taking into account factors such as gender, age, and eating habits.

Eating order and childhood obesity among preschoolers in China: A cross-sectional study

Background

Early childhood is a critical period for dietary education and development of good eating habits. However, few studies have investigated the effect of eating order in children and childhood obesity in real-world settings.

Objective

To examine whether the order in which meats/fish or vegetables are consumed affects the risk of obesity in preschoolers.

Methods

We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using a self-administered online survey on the lifestyle and health behaviors of preschoolers in Taizhou, China. A total of 3,200 parents were invited to take part in the survey, and 2,049 of them completed the questionnaire. Children were classified as having a normal weight, overweight, or obesity using the definitions provided by the International Obesity Task Force, and z-scores for body mass index were calculated. We divided the children's eating order at the beginning of the meal into two groups: "vegetables before meats/fish" or "meats/fish before vegetables". We analyzed the relationship between what was consumed first at a meal and the overweight status of each child.

Results

No difference in body mass index was observed between the children eating meats/fish-first and the children eating vegetables-first during a meal. Children with parents who were affected by obesity were more likely to eat vegetables first. Among children of mothers with obesity, body mass index was significantly higher in the meats/fish-first group than that in the vegetable-first group (2.891 vs. 0.845, P = 0.007). In children whose mothers were affected by obesity, those that ate meats/fish first had a 12.21 times higher risk of being overweight compared with those that ate vegetables first (95% CI:1.22-121.74, P = 0.033).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest eating vegetables or meats/fish at the start of a meal does not affect weight status in preschoolers.

Association Between Nutritional Knowledge, Dietary Regimen, and Excess Body Weight in Primary School Teachers

Introduction

Peru is one of the developing countries with the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in Latin America and Caribbean region. Primary school teachers are identified as a high-risk group for overweight and obesity. However, studies conducted in this population group are limited. This study evaluated the association between nutritional knowledge, dietary regimen, and excess body weight in primary school teachers.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study that included 151 teachers from two state schools in the eastern region of Lima, Peru. The level of nutritional knowledge was assessed using a validated questionnaire. Dietary regimen was also determined. The body mass index (BMI) was determined through self-reported weight and height. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between possible risk factors with excess body weight among teachers.

Results

Inadequate nutritional knowledge level (AOR = 5.21, 95% CI: 1.31–20.93), being male teachers (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.13–4.45), and being married (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.17–5.30) were the significant predictors of excess body weight. In contrast, vegetarian teachers were less likely to have excess body weight (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.47–0.97).

Conclusion

Future intervention programs should include improving nutritional knowledge with greater attention to male and married teachers to decrease the risk of excess body weight.

Lifestyle Factors Associated with Undernutrition in Older People after the Great East Japan Earthquake: A Prospective Study in the Fukushima Health Management Survey

We conducted a longitudinal examination to assess the relationship between lifestyle habits, including exercise habits, and the incidence of undernutrition after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011. Of the 31,411 participants aged ≥60 years who lived in the municipalities’ evacuation areas before the disaster and had undergone health examinations, 17,622 persons with a body mass index of 20–25 kg/m² were followed up through the FY 2017 (a mean follow-up of 6.9 years). The analysis involved 13,378 individuals who could be followed. The associations between undernutrition after the disaster and lifestyle factors were estimated via multivariable-adjusted analysis using the Cox proportional hazard regression model. The dependent variable was the proportion of undernutrition after the disaster, whereas independent variables included evacuation, exercise habits/physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, meals before bedtime, gastrointestinal surgery history, history of lifestyle-related diseases, and two or more subjective symptoms. In total, 1712 of the 13,378 participants were newly undernourished after the disaster. The statistically significant variables influencing the occurrence of undernutrition were non-evacuation (hazard ratio (HR), 1.31; 95% confidence index (CI) 1.17–1.47), poor exercise habits (HR, 1.14; 95% CI 1.03–1.50), and poor physical activity (HR, 1.12; 95% CI 1.01–1.25). Other significant related variables were drinking habits, surgical history, lifestyle-related diseases, and two or more subjective symptoms. These results suggest that regular exercise and/or physical activity might be important in preventing undernutrition following a disaster, regardless of sex, other lifestyle habits, or past medical history.

Serum Trace Element Levels and Their Correlation with Picky Eating Behavior, Development, and Physical Activity in Early Childhood

Trace elements are vital components for healthy growth, development, and physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between trace element (iron, zinc, copper) deficiencies and picky eating behavior, development level, and physical activity level. This cross-sectional study involved 203 children aged 4-7 years; picky eating behavior, development level, and physical activity level were assessed through questionnaires. Zinc deficiency has the highest prevalence (37.4%); 67.5% of the children were assessed as picky eaters. Children with picky eating behaviors, poor development level, or poor physical activity level have significantly lower zinc levels, and higher prevalence of zinc deficiency. Pearson's correlation coefficient indicated a positive correlation between serum zinc level and development scores (r = 0.221, p = 0.002) and physical activity scores (r = 0.469, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, zinc deficiency independently related to picky eating (OR = 2.124, p = 0.037, CI = 1.042-4.312), developmental level (OR = 0.893, p = 0.022, CI = 0.810-0.984), and physical activity level (OR = 0.785, p < 0.001, CI = 0.700-0.879). In conclusion, the prevalence of zinc deficiency in children aged 4-7 was high, especially in picky eaters. Zinc deficiency was significantly associated with low development and poor physical activity in early childhood.