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Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism...
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Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation—2nd Edition

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2025 | Viewed by 8816

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Paola Gualtieri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Section of Clinical Nutrition and Nutrigenomics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
Interests: Mediterranean diet; eating behaviour; body composition; DXA; BIA; energy expenditure; clinical nutrition; neuro vulnerability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, there has been an increase in the number of dietary protocols used to treat chronic noncommunicable diseases and eating disorders (ED). Additionally, body composition and metabolic energy expenditure models were developed to help predict and/or understand the effects of diets. The concepts of neuro-vulnerability and alterations of the synaptic connections in obese subjects with metabolic alterations and ED are currently emerging.

In light of this, the influence of these factors in the success of clinical nutrition treatment requires further investigation. Despite numerous studies on the effects of dietary models such as the Mediterranean diet, it is necessary to investigate the specific effects of foods on the body composition, metabolic parameters and neurological alterations related to human behavior, as well as on the microbiota. The latter, which is defined as part of the second human brain, must be evaluated both for its local effects on absorption and intestinal regularity, its role in eating habits and in the aggravation of the already recognized neuro-vulnerability in food addiction and in other EDs.

Considering the success of the previous Special Issue, entitled “Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation”, we are pleased to announce that we are launching a second Special Issue on this topic. Both original research articles and reviews on this topic are welcome.

Dr. Paola Gualtieri
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Mediterranean diet
  • eating behaviors
  • eating disorder
  • food addiction
  • body composition
  • DXA
  • BIA
  • energy expenditure
  • neuro vulnerability
  • chronic non-communicable disease

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 467 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Maternal Factors Affecting Postpartum Insulin Resistance Markers in Mothers with Gestational Diabetes—A Case–Control Study
by Karolina Karcz, Paulina Gaweł and Barbara Królak-Olejnik
Nutrients 2024, 16(22), 3871; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223871 - 13 Nov 2024
Viewed by 439
Abstract
Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined by an insufficient insulin response to counteract the insulin resistance (IR) that arises from the physiological adaptations associated with pregnancy. However, the pathophysiology of IR is complex and unclear, as it encompasses elements such as epigenetics, [...] Read more.
Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined by an insufficient insulin response to counteract the insulin resistance (IR) that arises from the physiological adaptations associated with pregnancy. However, the pathophysiology of IR is complex and unclear, as it encompasses elements such as epigenetics, environmental factors, modifiable lifestyle factors, and psychosocial factors. Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of GDM and other maternal factors on IR markers in comparison to mothers with normal glucose tolerance during pregnancy in the first week postpartum. Material and Methods: The study population comprised 70 participants, including mothers with gestational diabetes who were treated with a diet and physical activity (GDM G1), with insulin (GDM G2), and a control group of healthy mothers without gestational diabetes (non-GDM). A series of statistical techniques were employed to facilitate the comparison of data between the study groups, with the objective of identifying potential associations with maternal factors. A taxonomic analysis was conducted using the following factors: classification by study group, a history of hypothyroidism in the maternal medical interview, and maternal gestational weight gain, which were identified as the best-fitting predictors. Results: The analysis resulted in the identification of four clusters of patients. Comparison of the insulin resistance markers between mothers assigned to the abovementioned clusters showed differences in the incidence of excessive weight loss and in the results of glucose screening tests during pregnancy. Also, differences concerning fasting glucose levels in the first and second/third trimesters of pregnancy and glucose levels at 1 h post-OGTT were found. For the clusters, the results of the HOMA-IR and the QUICKI did not show any differences in the first week after delivery (p > 0.05). HbA1c results varied significantly. Conclusions: Degree of glucose metabolism disorders, hypothyroidism, and weight gain in pregnancy influence maternal insulin resistance markers in the first week postpartum. Additionally, gestational weight fluctuation has a significant influence on the outcome of pregnancy, particularly with regard to fetal growth and, consequently, the infant’s birth weight and adipose tissue accumulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation—2nd Edition)
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9 pages, 534 KiB  
Article
Energy Availability and Body Composition in Professional Athletes: Two Sides of the Same Coin
by Roberto Palazzo, Tommaso Parisi, Sara Rosa, Marco Corsi, Edoardo Falconi and Laura Stefani
Nutrients 2024, 16(20), 3507; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16203507 - 16 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1062
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Energy availability (EA) is essential for maintaining physiological functions, significantly influencing athletes’ health and performance. Nutritional behaviors, however, vary across sports. This study aims to assess EA levels in athletes from different disciplines, focusing on the relationship between EA and body composition [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Energy availability (EA) is essential for maintaining physiological functions, significantly influencing athletes’ health and performance. Nutritional behaviors, however, vary across sports. This study aims to assess EA levels in athletes from different disciplines, focusing on the relationship between EA and body composition in endurance athletes compared to rugby players. Methods: This study involved 18 endurance athletes (15 men, 3 women) and 36 rugby players (all men). Data were gathered through interviews, questionnaires, and bioimpedance analysis. Energy intake (EI) was measured with a 24 h dietary recall, and exercise energy expenditure (EEE) was calculated using the IPAQ questionnaire. EA was calculated as EA = (EI − EEE)/fat-free mass (FFM), with results categorized into clinical, subclinical, and optimal ranges. Results: The endurance group had a lower average FFM (57.81 kg) compared to the rugby players (67.61 kg). EA was also significantly lower in endurance athletes (11.72 kcal/kg FFM) than in rugby players (35.44 kcal/kg FFM). Endurance athletes showed more restrictive nutritional behavior with lower EI and higher EEE, but both groups maintained body composition within normal ranges. Conclusions: Endurance athletes exhibit greater nutritional restrictions compared to rugby players, though their body composition remains healthy. Further research is required to investigate the long-term effects of low EA on performance, injury risk, and potential impairment when EA falls below the optimal threshold of 45 kcal/kg FFM/day. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation—2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 720 KiB  
Article
The Impact of High Levels of Compensatory Exercise on Treatment Outcomes in Threshold and Subthreshold Bulimia Nervosa
by Lucía Camacho-Barcia, Isabel Sánchez, Ana Ibáñez-Caparrós, Noriaki Ohsako, Roser Granero, Cristina Artero, José Manuel Crespo, Georgios Paslakis, Susana Jiménez-Murcia and Fernando Fernández-Aranda
Nutrients 2024, 16(14), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142337 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 972
Abstract
Bulimia nervosa (BN) and other specific feeding or eating disorders with subthreshold BN symptoms (OSFED-BN) are characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes accompanied by compensatory behaviors, including excessive exercise. We aimed to examine the role of compensatory exercise on several clinical disorder-related variables [...] Read more.
Bulimia nervosa (BN) and other specific feeding or eating disorders with subthreshold BN symptoms (OSFED-BN) are characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes accompanied by compensatory behaviors, including excessive exercise. We aimed to examine the role of compensatory exercise on several clinical disorder-related variables and the treatment outcomes. The sample included 478 patients diagnosed with either BN or OSFED-BN admitted for a 16-week eating disorder-specific treatment program. A battery of questionnaires was administered to evaluate eating and general psychopathology, and personality traits. Other clinical disorder-related data, including levels of compensatory exercise, were assessed through a semi-structured clinical interview. Between-group comparisons of compensatory exercise levels were analyzed, as a predictive model of risk of poor treatment outcomes. Path analysis was conducted using structural equation models to estimate the direct and indirect effects between the main variables. Higher levels of self-reported compensatory exercise were associated with greater eating psychopathology, general psychopathology, and more dysfunctional personality traits and were a predictor of poor treatment outcomes. Additionally, these levels achieved a mediating role in several paths contributing to a higher likelihood of a poor outcome. Further research is required to determine how psychotherapeutic approaches can be optimized to adequately include adaptive exercise for these patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation—2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 1029 KiB  
Article
Exploring Vegetarian and Omnivorous Approaches to Cardiovascular Risk and Body Composition
by Tatiana Fontes, Sofia Lopes, Regina Menezes, Marta Esgalhado, Luís Monteiro Rodrigues and Cíntia Ferreira-Pêgo
Nutrients 2024, 16(13), 2013; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16132013 - 25 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1459
Abstract
The role of nutrition in preventing non-communicable diseases has been widely studied in recent years, with indications that non-animal-based diets might improve body composition and therefore bring multiple health benefits. For all of these reasons, the main purpose was to compare body composition [...] Read more.
The role of nutrition in preventing non-communicable diseases has been widely studied in recent years, with indications that non-animal-based diets might improve body composition and therefore bring multiple health benefits. For all of these reasons, the main purpose was to compare body composition and metabolic status between vegetarian and omnivorous individuals and relate these values with cardiovascular risk. The present analysis included 176 participants (61 vegetarians and 115 omnivores). Body composition was assessed using a dual-energy X–ray absorptiometry, biochemical parameters obtained from capillary blood, and the 10-year cardiovascular risk (10RCVD) calculated by the QRISK3 score. No statistical differences were found between groups regarding body composition. Concerning metabolic markers, vegetarian individuals showed reduced values of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and non–HDL cholesterol (p < 0.05). There were no differences in 10RCVD between groups. In both diets, moderate correlations between groups were found for cardiovascular risk and visceral adipose tissue. Our results suggest that the vegetarian regimen might be associated with better cardiometabolic biomarkers and better cardiovascular health, although controversial with the body composition trends observed. In conclusion, the results suggest that cardiovascular risk appears to be more influenced by body composition, mainly fat tissue, over dietary patterns itself. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 326 KiB  
Article
Predictors of Mental Health Outcomes in a Multidisciplinary Weight Management Program for Class 3 Obesity
by Ashley Lam, Milan K. Piya, Nasim Foroughi, Mohammed Mohsin, Ritesh Chimoriya, Nic Kormas, Janet Conti and Phillipa Hay
Nutrients 2024, 16(7), 1068; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16071068 - 5 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1452
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the potential predictors of improvement in mental health outcomes following participation in an intensive non-surgical outpatient weight management program (WMP) in an Australian public hospital. This was a retrospective cohort study of all adults with Class 3 obesity [...] Read more.
This study aimed to examine the potential predictors of improvement in mental health outcomes following participation in an intensive non-surgical outpatient weight management program (WMP) in an Australian public hospital. This was a retrospective cohort study of all adults with Class 3 obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) who enrolled in the WMP from March 2018 to June 2021. The participants completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short Version (EDE-QS), Kessler-10 Psychological Distress Scale, and 36-Item Short-Form Survey (SF-36) at baseline and 12-month follow-up. A total of 115 patients completed 12 months in the WMP and were included in the study, with 76.5% being female, a mean ± SD age at baseline of 51.3 ± 13.8 years, a weight of 146 ± 26 kg, and a BMI of 51.1 ± 8.6 kg/m2. The participants lost an average of 8.6 ± 0.2 kg over 12 months, and greater weight loss at follow-up was significantly associated with improved global EDE-QS scores, psychological distress, and improved mental health quality of life. However, improvements in most mental health outcomes were not predicted by weight loss alone. Notably, a lower eating disorder risk at baseline was associated with less psychological distress at follow-up and greater weight loss at follow-up. Our results also found an association between reduced psychological distress and reduced binge eating frequency. These findings support the inclusion components of obesity interventions that target the psychological correlates of obesity to support improved outcomes in people with Class 3 obesity. Future studies should aim to identify which aspects of the WMP helped improve people’s psychological outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation—2nd Edition)
16 pages, 1804 KiB  
Article
The Cerebellar Response to Visual Portion Size Cues Is Associated with the Portion Size Effect in Children
by Bari A. Fuchs, Alaina L. Pearce, Barbara J. Rolls, Stephen J. Wilson, Emma J. Rose, Charles F. Geier, Hugh Garavan and Kathleen L. Keller
Nutrients 2024, 16(5), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050738 - 5 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2684
Abstract
The neural mechanisms underlying susceptibility to eating more in response to large portions (i.e., the portion size effect) remain unclear. Thus, the present study examined how neural responses to portion size relate to changes in weight and energy consumed as portions increase. Associations [...] Read more.
The neural mechanisms underlying susceptibility to eating more in response to large portions (i.e., the portion size effect) remain unclear. Thus, the present study examined how neural responses to portion size relate to changes in weight and energy consumed as portions increase. Associations were examined across brain regions traditionally implicated in appetite control (i.e., an appetitive network) as well as the cerebellum, which has recently been implicated in appetite-related processes. Children without obesity (i.e., BMI-for-age-and-sex percentile < 90; N = 63; 55% female) viewed images of larger and smaller portions of food during fMRI and, in separate sessions, ate four meals that varied in portion size. Individual-level linear and quadratic associations between intake (kcal, grams) and portion size (i.e., portion size slopes) were estimated. The response to portion size in cerebellar lobules IV–VI was associated with the quadratic portion size slope estimated from gram intake; a greater response to images depicting smaller compared to larger portions was associated with steeper increases in intake with increasing portion sizes. Within the appetitive network, neural responses were not associated with portion size slopes. A decreased cerebellar response to larger amounts of food may increase children’s susceptibility to overeating when excessively large portions are served. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eating Behaviors, Body Composition and Neuro Vulnerability in Energy Metabolism Regulation—2nd Edition)
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