Psychological and cognitive factors that influence post -exercise energy intake in normal weight and overweight sedentary males

Physical activity is recommended to facilitate weight management. However, some individuals may be unable to successfully manage their weight due to certain psychological and cognitive factors that trigger them to compensate for calories expended in exercise. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of moderate-intensity exercise on lunch and 12-hour post-exercise energy intake (PE-EI) in normal weight and overweight sedentary males. Perceived hunger, mood, carbohydrate intake from beverages, and accuracy in estimating energy intake (EI) and energy expenditure (EE) were also assessed. The study consisted of two conditions, exercise (treadmill walking) and rest (sitting), with each participant completing each condition, in a counterbalanced-crossover design on two days. Eighty males, mean age 30 years (SD=8) were categorized into five groups according to weight (normal-/overweight), dietary restraint level (high/low), and dieting status (yes/no). Results of repeated measures, 5x2 ANOVA indicated that the main effects of condition and group, and the interaction were not significant for lunch or 12-hour PE-EI. Among overweight participants, dieters consumed significantly (p<0.05) fewer calories than non-dieters at lunch (M=822 vs. M=1149) and over 12 hours (M=1858 vs. M =2497). Overall, participants’ estimated exercise EE was significantly (p<0.01) higher than actual exercise EE, and estimated resting EE was significantly (p<0.001) lower than actual resting EE. Participants significantly (p<0.001) underestimated EI at lunch on both experimental days. Perceived hunger was significantly (p<0.05) lower after exercise (M=49 mm, SEM=3) than after rest (M=57 mm, SEM=3). Mood scores and carbohydrate intake from beverages were not influenced by weight, dietary restraint, and dieting status. In conclusion, a single bout of moderate-intensity exercise did not influence PE-EI in sedentary males in reference to weight, dietary restraint, and dieting status, suggesting that this population may not be at risk for overeating in response to exercise. Therefore, exercise can be prescribed and used as an effective tool for weight management. Results also indicated that there was an inability to accurately estimate EI (ad libitum lunch meal) and EE (60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise). Inaccuracies in the estimation of calories for EI and EE could have the potential to unfavorably impact weight management.

NANA: Novel assessment of nutrition and ageing

Purpose NANA is a 3-year project using sensitively-designed technology to improve data collection and integrate information on nutrition, physical and cognitive function and mental health to identify individuals at risk of under-nourishment and improve targeting of interventions. This research will also improve our understanding of the interactions between these factors, in order to better medical treatment and social provision. The toolkit has potential for commercial development for additional segments of the population. Method This is a multi-disciplinary program involving psychology, nutrition, engineering and software engineering. The first phase is a user needs analysis and will involve consulting with a broad cross-section of older people, caregivers, and health professionals, to establish what technical approaches would be useful and acceptable. The second phase focuses on the development of an integrated measurement toolkit. There are three inter-related subsections: (i) an iterative program to develop the assessment technology, (ii) techniques for dietary assessment in older people, and (iii) a parallel investigation of measures of cognition and mental health in older people. It includes a full validation of the assessment toolkit and will comprise a comparison of the new, integrated assessment with traditional 'pen and paper' methods with volunteers having the equipment installed in their homes.

Rats Acquire Stronger Preference for Flavors Consumed Towards the End of a High-fat Meal

Rats learn to prefer flavors associated with postingestive effects of nutrients. The physiological signals underlying this postingestive reward are unknown. We have previously shown that rats readily learn to prefer a flavor that was consumed early in a multi-flavored meal when glucose is infused intragastrically (IG), suggesting rapid postingestive reward onset. The present experiments investigate the timing of postingestive fat reward, by providing distinctive flavors in the first and second halves of meals accompanied by IG fat infusion. Learning stronger preference for the earlier or later flavor would indicate when the rewarding postingestive effects are sensed. Rats consumed sweetened, calorically-dilute flavored solutions accompanied by IG high-fat infusion (+ sessions) or water (- sessions). Each session included an "Early" flavor for 8min followed by a "Late" flavor for 8min. Learned preferences were then assessed in two-bottle tests (no IG infusion) between Early(+) vs. Early(-), Late(+) vs. Late(-), Early(+) vs. Late(+), and Early(-) vs. Late(-). Rats only preferred Late(+), not Early(+), relative to their respective (-) flavors. In a second experiment rats trained with a higher fat concentration learned to prefer Early(+) but more strongly preferred Late(+). Learned preferences were evident when rats were tested deprived or recently satiated. Unlike with glucose, ingested fat appears to produce a slower-onset rewarding signal, detected later in a meal or after its termination, becoming more strongly associated with flavors towards the end of the meal. This potentially contributes to enhanced liking for dessert foods, which persists even when satiated.

Behavioral and psychosocial factors associated with sexual risk in a population of crack cocaine users

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationship between key psychosocial and behavioral components of the Transtheoretical Model and the Theory of Reasoned Action for sexual risk reduction in a population of crack cocaine smokers and sex workers, not in drug treatment. ^ The first study examined the results of an analysis of the association between two principal constructs in the Transtheoretical Model, the processes of change and the stages of change for condom use, in a high risk population. In the analysis of variance for all respondents, the overall F-test revealed that people in different stages have different levels of experiential process use, F(3,317) = 17.79, p = 0.0001 and different levels of behavioral process use, F(3,317) = 28.59, p = .0001. For the experiential processes, there was a significant difference between the precontemplation/contemplation stage, and both the action, and maintenance, stages.^ The second study explored the relationship between the Theory of Reasoned Action “beliefs” and the stages-of-change in the same population. In the analysis of variance for all participants, the results indicate that people in different stages did value the positive beliefs differently, F(3,502) = 15.38, p = .0001 but did not value the negative beliefs differently, F(3,502) = 2.08, p = .10. ^ The third study explored differences in stage-of-change by gender, partner type drug use, and HIV status. Three discriminant functions emerged, with a combined χ2(12) = 139.57, p = <.0001. The loading matrix of correlations between predictors and discriminant functions demonstrate that the strongest predictor for distinguishing between the precontemplation/contemplation stage and the preparation, action, and maintenance stages (first function) is partner type (.962). The loadings on the second discriminant function suggest that once partner type has been accounted for, ever having HIV/AIDS (.935) was the best predictor for distinguishing between the first three stages and the maintenance stage. ^ These studies demonstrate that behavioral change theories can contribute important insight to researchers and program planners attempting to alter HIV risk behavior in high-risk populations. ^

Bullied status and physical activity in Texas youths

Data from the 2009–2011 School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) project were analyzed to examine the association between bullied status at school during the past six months and engaging in five or more days of physical activity during the past seven days in a population of 8th and 11th grade Texas youths after stratifying by gender. As a secondary aim, this study also examined the association between weight status and the prevalence of bullied status at school. The final sample size for this study, after excluding missing data, consisted of 6,246 8th and 11th grade youths (girls, n= 3,237; boys, n=3,009) representing a total of 518,838 youths from 8th and 11th grade. Results from the multiple logistic regression adjusting for weight status, grade, and ethnicity, indicate that girls with a bullied status of at least two or three times per month had significantly lower odds of engaging in five or more days of physical activity during the past seven days than girls who were never bullied at school (ORadj=0.62; 95% CI, 0.40, 0.96). Conversely, girls who reported a bullied status of at least once per week were significantly more likely to engage in five or more days of physical activity during the past seven days compared to girls who were never bullied at school (ORadj=3.44; 95% CI, 1.56, 7.63). No significant associations between bullied status and engaging in five or more days of physical activity during the past seven days were found for boys. Bullied status differed significantly across weight status for 8th grade girls (χ2(6)=63.7, p<.05) and 11th grade boys (χ2(6) =94.93, p<.05), with overweight and obese youths reporting a higher prevalence of being bullied once or twice, at least two or three times per month, and at least once per week than their normal weight peers. Our finding that girls with bullied status of at least once per week were more likely to engage in five or more days of physical activity than girls who were never bullied warrants future qualitative research to identify potential explanations for such results. Future research on relational and weight-based bullying is also needed and may help explain the inconsistent findings between bullied status and engaging in physical activity in girls.^

The relationship of fear of intimacy, body image avoidance and body mass index

Issues of body image and ability to achieve intimacy are connected to body weight, yet remain largely unexplored and have not been evaluated by gender. The underlying purpose of this research was to determine if avoidant attitudes and perceptions of one's body may hold implications toward its use in intimate interactions, and if an above average body weight would tend to increase this avoidance. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2002) finds that 64.5% of US adults are overweight, with 61.9% of women and 67.2% of men. The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in men and women shows no reverse trend, nor have prevention and treatment proven effective in the long term. The researcher gathered self-reported age, gender, height and weight data from 55 male and 58 female subjects (determined by a prospective power analysis with a desired medium effect size (r=.30) to determine body mass index (BMI), determining a mean age of 21.6 years and mean BMI of 25.6. Survey instruments consisted of two scales that are germane to the variables being examined. They were (1) Descutner and Thelen of the University of Missouri‘s (1991) Fear-of-Intimacy scale; and (2) Rosen, Srebnik, Saltzberg, and Wendt's (1991) Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire. Results indicated that as body mass index increases, fear of intimacy increases (p<0.05) and that as body mass index increases, body image avoidance increases (p<0.05). The relationship that as body image avoidance increases, fear of intimacy increases was not supported, but approached significance at (p<0.07). No differences in these relationships were determined between gender groups. For age, the only observed relationship was that of a difference between scores for age groups [18 to 22 (group 1) and ages 23 to 34 (group 2)] for the relationship of body image avoidance and fear of intimacy (p<0.02). The results suggest that the relationship of body image avoidance and fear of intimacy, as well as age, bear consideration toward the escalating prevalence of overweight and obesity. An integrative approach to body weight that addresses issues of body image and intimacy may prove effective in prevention and treatment.

Binge eating symptoms, diet composition and metabolic characteristics of obese children and adolescents

This study aimed to determine the occurrence of symptoms of binge eating (BE) among children and adolescents seeking treatment for their obesity, as well as to evaluate their diet composition and metabolic characteristics. The Binge Eating scale (BES) was answered by 128 children and adolescents (10.77 +/- 2.04 years, BMI 29.15 +/- 4.98 kg/m(2), BMI Z score 2.28 +/- 0.46, 53.91% pubescent), who were classified into two subgroups-binge eaters (score greater than or equal to IS points) and non-binge eaters (score lower than 18 points). Anthropometric data, body composition and Tanner stages were collected and dietary evaluation conducted. Blood pressure was determined, and glucose, lipid profile and insulin assays were performed. insulin resistance was determined using HOMA-IR. BE symptoms were present in 39.06% of patients. Carbohydrate intake in diet composition was significantly higher among binge eaters. Children with BE did not demonstrate significant dissimilar metabolic characteristics when compared to their counterparts without BE. Therefore, BE seems to be a prevalent problem among children and adolescents seeking help for their obesity. When associated with obesity, this eating behaviour can influence macronutrient consumption through increased carbohydrate intake. Further research would be valuable to verify the reproducibility of these findings. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutritional knowledge, eating attitudes and chronic dietary restraint among men with eating disorders

We compared nutritional knowledge, eating attitudes and chronic dietary restraint scores among 17 men (10 with bulimia nervosa and 7 with anorexia nervosa) and 50 women (20 with bulimia nervosa and 30 with anorexia nervosa), who were consecutive patients at a major treatment center in Brazil. There were no differences in nutritional knowledge and concern with food between men and women. For both genders, chronic dietary restraint scores were higher among bulimics. Men with eating disorders had better eating attitudes scores than women. Anorexic men tended to have worse eating attitudes scores than bulimic men, while the opposite was observed for women, suggesting an interaction between gender and diagnosis. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Psychometric evaluation of the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS). English version

Eating attitudes are defined as beliefs, thoughts, feelings, behaviors and relationship with food They could influence people`s food choices and their health status Objective This study aimed to adapt from Portuguese to English the Disordered Eating Attitude Scale (DEAS) and evaluate its validity and reliability. The original scale in Portuguese was translated and adapted into English and was applied to female university students of University of Minnesota USA (n = 224). Internal consistency was determined (Cronbach`s Alpha). Convergent validity was assessed by correlations between Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) and Restrain Scale (RS). Reliability was evaluated applying twice the scale to a sub-sample (n = 30). The scale was back translated into Portuguese and compared with the original version and discrepancies were not found. The internal consistency was .76 The DEAS total score was significantly associated with EAT-26 (r = 0.65) and RS (r = 0 69) scores The correlation between test-retest was r = 09 The English version of DEAS showed appropriate internal consistency, convergent validity and test-retest reliability and will be useful to assess eating attitudes in different population groups in English spoken countries. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Apitidão funcional e comportamentos relacionados à saúde em mulheres idosas do município de Jequié-BA

The identification of the factors that interfere in the decline of functional conditions is useful in the planning of actions addressing the improvement in the conditions of the lives of elderly people. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the relationship between social demographics and health aspects of the functional condition in elderly women of low income of the Brazilian northeast. This crosssectional study involved a representative sample of 222 women with an average age of 70 years (± 7.1), belonging to coexisting groups and that were resident in the urban area of the municipal district of Jequié /Bahia. In order to achieve this objective, a battery of physical tests of functional aptitude was carried out previously tested in pilot study, anthropometric measurements collected with a comparison of the measures referred to the reported weight and height as well as the application of an interview with questions containing subjects related to social demographic variables, clinical conditions and health, physical conditions and behaviors. Descriptive statistics Proceedings (frequency, average, standard deviation and percent distribution) were used for statistic analysis, and the calculation of the respective odds ratio by binary logistics regression, for the analysis of factors hierarchically grouped; p<0.05. The prevalence of 56% (n=122) of women considered with moderated or serious type of functional limitations was found, In which from multi-varied hierarchical analysis, significant association was verified with the age group over 80 years (p=0.02), conditions of widowhood (p=0.04), presence of arterial hypertension (p=0.001), and physical inactivity during leisure time (p=0.03). On the other hand for functional incapacities the prevalence was of 46.8% (n=104) being associated to the increase of the age (p=0.01), hospitalization (p=0.02), absence of physical activities along their lives (p=0.001) and the occurrence of alterations in the cognitive function (p=0.001). The normative table for the parameters of physical fitness generated conducive to health professionals in the diagnosis of health conditions and the prescription of physical exercises. The identified characteristics that are associated with the functional limitations / functional incapacities suggest a complex causal net in the determination of the functional condition in elderly women. However, actions addressed to the incentive of the practice of physical activities in the leisure time and the preservation of the cognitive function can contribute to a life with more quality for these people. This research was multidisciplinary approach to involve elements of psychology, nutrition and Physical Education in the elucidation of the object of study related to the functional condition of elderly women

Eventos pré-natais e sua relação com o comportamento infantil durante a assistência odontológica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Food Handling Practices, Knowledge and Beliefs of Families with Young Children Based on the Health Belief Model

Objective: To determine current food handling practices, knowledge and beliefs of primary food handlers with children 10 years old and the relationship between these components. Design: Surveys were developed based on FightBac!™ concepts and the Health Belief Model (HBM) construct. Participants: The majority of participants (n= 503) were females (67%), Caucasians (80%), aged between 30 to 49 years old (83%), had one or two children (83%), prepared meals all or most of the time (76%) and consumed meals away from home three times or less per week (66%). Analysis: Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rho) (p<0.05 and one-tail) and Chi-square were used to examine frequency and correlations. Results: Few participants reached the food safety objectives of Healthy People 2010 for safe food handling practices (79%). Mixed results were reported for perceived susceptibility. Only half of the participants (53-54%) reported high perceived severity for their children if they contracted food borne illness. Most participants were confident of their food handling practices for their children (91%) and would change their food handling practices if they or their family members previously experienced food poisoning (79%). Participants’ reasons for high self-efficacy were learning from their family and independently acquiring knowledge and skills from the media, internet or job. The three main barriers to safe food handling were insufficient time, lots of distractions and lack of control of the food handling practices of other people in the household. Participants preferred to use food safety information that is easy to understand, has scientific facts, causes feelings of health-threat and has lots of pictures or visuals. Participants demonstrate high levels of knowledge in certain areas of the FightBac!TM concepts but lacked knowledge in other areas. Knowledge and cues to action were most supportive of the HBM construct, while perceived susceptibility was least supportive of the HBM construct. Conclusion: Most participants demonstrate many areas to improve in their food handling practices, knowledge and beliefs. Adviser: Julie A. Albrecht

Understanding the correlates of adolescents' dietary intake patterns. A multivariate analysis

We investigated dietary intake patterns (DIP) in adolescents (14-18 year-olds) and the association with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle variables. This school-based survey was carried out among high school students from the city of Maringa in the state of Parana (PR), Brazil (2007). The sample included 991 students (54.5% girls) from high schools. DIPs were investigated by the frequency of weekly consumption of each food group: vegetables, fruit, rice, beans, fried food, sweet food, milk, soda, meat, eggs, alcoholic drinks. Independent variables were: demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and lifestyle variables. DIPS were identified using principal component analysis with orthogonal rotation (varimax). Three components were extracted. Component 1 (fried foods, sweets and soft drinks) was positively associated with not having breakfast for girls and dinner for boys. Moreover, component 2 (consumption of fruit and vegetables) was positively associated with having breakfast at home for boys and number of meals for girls. Component 3 (beans, eggs and meat) was positively associated with having lunch, employment and sedentary behavior level for girls. However, it was negatively associated with having lunch and dinner for boys. Adolescents who have healthier eating patterns also had other healthier behaviors regardless of gender. However, factors associated with dietary patterns differ between boys and girls. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study of the impact of cigarette advertising on adolescent susceptibility to smoking among 5th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade students in Hempstead and Hitchcock Independent School Districts

This study assessed the impact of cigarette advertising on adolescent susceptibility to smoking in the Hempstead and Hitchcock Independent School Districts. A convenience sample of 217 youths, 10-19 years of age was recruited in the study. Students completed both a paper-and-pencil and a computer-aided questionnaire in April 1996. Adolescents were defined as susceptible to smoking if they could not definitely rule out the possibility of future smoking. For the analysis, an index was devised: a 5-point index of an individual's receptivity to cigarette advertising. The index is determined by the number of positive responses to five survey items (recognizing cigarette brand logos, recognizing cigarette advertisement's pictures, recognizing cigarette brand slogans, evaluating adolescent attitudes toward cigarette advertising, and the degree to which adolescents were exposed to cigarette advertisements). Using logistic regression, we assessed the independent importance of the index in predicting susceptibility to smoking and ever smoking after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, perceived school performance and family composition. Of students surveyed, 54.4% of students appeared to have started the smoking uptake process as measured by susceptibility to smoking. Camel was recognized by the majority of students (88%), followed by Marlboro (41.5%) and Newport (40.1%). The pattern for recognition of the cigarette advertisements was the same as the pattern of market for cigarette. Advertisement featuring the cartoon character Joe Camel was significantly more appealing to adolescents than were advertisements with human models, with animal models, and with text only (p $<$ 0.001). Text only advertisement was significantly less appealing than other types of advertisements. The cigarette advertisement with White models (Marlboro) had significantly higher appeal to White students than to African-American students (p $<$ 0.001). The cigarette advertisement featuring African-American models (Virginia Slims) was significantly more appealing to African-American students than other ethnic groups (p $<$ 0.001). Receptivity to cigarette advertising was to be an important concurrent predictor of past smoking experience and intention to smoke in the future. Adolescents who scored in the fourth quartile of the Index of Receptivity to Cigarette Advertising were 7.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.92-29.56) times as likely to be susceptible to smoking, and were 4.56 (95% CI = 1.55-13.38) times as likely to have tried smoking, as those who scored in the first quartile of the Index. The findings confirmed the hypothesis that cigarette advertising may be a strong current influence in encouraging adolescents to initiate the smoking uptake process than sociodemographic variables, perceived school performance and family composition. ^