Impact of physical activity level and dietary fat content on passive overconsumption of energy in non-obese adults

Background: Passive overconsumption is the increase in energy intake driven by the high-fat energy-dense food environment. This can be explained in part because dietary fat has a weaker effect on satiation (i.e. process that terminates feeding). Habitually active individuals show improved satiety (i.e. process involved in post-meal suppression of hunger) but any improvement in satiation is unknown. Here we examined whether habitual physical activity mitigates passive overconsumption through enhanced satiation in response to a high-fat meal. Methods: Twenty-one non-obese individuals with high levels of physical activity (HiPA) and 19 individuals with low levels of physical activity (LoPA) matched for body mass index (mean = 22.8 kg/m2) were recruited. Passive overconsumption was assessed by comparing ad libitum energy intake from covertly manipulated high-fat (HFAT; 50% fat) or high-carbohydrate (HCHO; 70% carbohydrate) meals in a randomized crossover design. Habitual physical activity was assessed using SenseWear accelerometers (SWA). Body composition, resting metabolic rate, eating behaviour traits, fasting appetite-related peptides and hedonic food reward were also measured. Results: In the whole sample, passive overconsumption was observed with greater energy intake at HFAT compared to HCHO (p  0.05). SWA confirmed that HiPA were more active than LoPA (p  0.05 for all). Conclusions: Non-obese individuals with high or low physical activity levels but matched for BMI showed similar susceptibility to passive overconsumption when consuming an ad libitum high-fat compared to a high-carbohydrate meal. This occurred despite increased total daily energy expenditure and improved body composition in HiPA. Greater differences in body composition and/or physical activity levels may be required to impact on satiation

Association of daily coffee and tea consumption and metabolic syndrome: results from the Polish arm of the HAPIEE study

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether daily consumption of coffee and tea was associated with components and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the Polish arm of the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe cohort study. METHODS: A cross-sectional population-based survey including 8,821 adults (51.4 % female) was conducted in Krakow, Poland. Coffee and tea consumption was evaluated using food frequency questionnaires. MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation definition. Linear and logistic regression models were performed to estimate odds ratios and confidence intervals. RESULTS: Among high coffee and tea consumers (3 or more cups/day), high prevalence of female gender, young age, medium–high educational and occupational level, high total energy intake, and smoking habit were found. High coffee drinkers had lower BMI, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and higher HDL cholesterol than those drinking less than 1 cup/day. In contrast, high tea consumers had lower BMI, waist circumference, but not diastolic blood pressure, which was higher than low drinkers. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, both higher coffee and tea consumption were negatively associated with MetS (OR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.66, 0.86 and OR 0.79, 95 % CI 0.67, 0.92, respectively). Among specific components of MetS, high coffee consumption was negatively associated with waist circumference, hypertension, and triglycerides, whereas tea consumption with central obesity and fasting plasma glucose in women, but not in men. CONCLUSIONS: Coffee and tea consumption was negatively associated with MetS and some of its components

The 24-hour Food Frequency Assessment Screening Tool (FAST24): Development and Evaluation of a Novel Dietary Screener to Identify Foods Associated with Weight Change

Background & aims Brief screening questionnaires can identify ‘at risk’ behaviors in clinical settings. However, there is currently no screener for dietary intake specifically developed using foods associated with body weight change and increased risk for multiple chronic conditions and diseases. Methods We developed a novel brief dietary screener, the 24-Hour Food Frequency Assessment Screening Tool Questionnaire (FAST24), to identify intake of foods associated with weight change. University students completed the FAST24 and the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24) at two time points to assess acceptability and determine preliminary criterion validity against food categories from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED). Results 202 individuals (age 20.4 ± 3.6 years; 65.7% females) completed the FAST24 in an average time of 2 min compared to 24 min for the ASA24. Over half of the food items from the FAST24 were matched to, and correlated with, standard USDA food pattern components (r\u27s ranging from .15 to .58, p\u27s \u3c .05). Food items from the dietary data from the FAST24 were also highly correlated with the more intensive ASA24 application (r\u27s ranging from .23 to .82, p\u27s \u3c .01), and were less time-consuming and burdensome to complete (p\u27s \u3c .0001). Conclusions Findings support the continued refinement of the FAST24 as a rapid, valid primary care assessment tool for measuring USDA dietary intake patterns. Use of a short, simple screener such as the FAST24 has the potential for integration into large healthcare delivery settings to help establish a baseline for promoting relative behavior changes critical for long-term health and well-being

Causes of Increased Energy Intake Among Children in the U.S., 1977–2010

BACKGROUND: Changes in total energy (TE) intake have been reported among children and adolescents, but the extent to which the components of total energy—energy density (ED); portion size (PS); and the number of eating/drinking occasions (EO)—drive these changes is unknown. PURPOSE: The objective of the current study was to examine the relative contribution to changes in daily total energy. METHODS: Using cross-sectional nationally representative data from the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (1977–1978); the Continuing Survey of Food Intake of Individuals (1989–1991); and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1994–1998 and 2005–2010) for children and adolescents (aged 2–18 years), changes in total energy (kcal/day) are mathematically decomposed to determine the relative contributions of its three component parts: portion size (g/EO); energy density (kcal/g/EO); and eating/drinking occasions (#). Analyses were completed in 2012. RESULTS: Over the full period, there was an increase in total energy intake (+108 kcal/day) and the number of daily eating/drinking occasions (+1.2). The average portion size per eating/drinking occasion increased between 1977–1978 and 1989–1991, then dropped by about 85g/EO between 1989–1991 and 2005–2010. The average energy density per eating/drinking occasion has fluctuated over time, reaching its highest level in 2005–2010 (1.24 kcal/g/EO). The decomposition results show that between 1977–1978 and 2005–2010, changes in the number of eating/drinking occasions per day and portion size per eating occasion were the largest contributors to annualized changes in daily total energy (+19 kcal/day/year and −13 kcal/day/year, respectively). Variations in trends were observed for race/ethnicity and parental education subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight potentially important intervention targets for reducing energy imbalances in U.S. youth

Public beliefs and knowledge about risk and protective factors for Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess public beliefs and knowledge about risk and protective factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: A brief survey module was added to the Health and Retirement Study, a longstanding national panel study of the U.S. population over the age of 50. RESULTS: Respondents were 1641 adults (mean age = 64.4 years, 53.6% female, 81.7% White). Most (60.1%) indicated interest in learning their AD risk, with 29.4% expressing active worry. Many failed to recognize that medications to prevent AD are not available (39.1%) or that having an affected first-degree relative is associated with increased disease risk (32%). Many respondents believed that various actions (e.g., mental activity, eating a healthy diet) would be effective in reducing AD risk. CONCLUSION: Older and middle-aged adults are interested in their AD risk status and believe that steps can be taken to reduce disease risk. Tailored education efforts are needed to address potential misconceptions about risk and protective factors