Browsing by Author "DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G."
Now showing 1 - 15 of 15
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- The Effect of Episodic Future Thinking on a Novel Measure of Behavioral Economic Demand for ExerciseBrown, Jeremiah M. (Virginia Tech, 2024-05-06)Physical inactivity is a major contributor to increased disease prevalence and reduced quality of life. Measuring behavioral economic demand for exercise may enable more effective physical activity intervention development. In study one, we developed the leisure-time-as-price exercise purchase task (LT-EPT), wherein participants (n = 175) indicate hypothetical likelihood to trade leisure time for access to exercise time. We observed weak to moderate correlations between demand indices (Q1%, α, BP1, and Pmax) generated from the LT-EPT and self-reported leisure and exercise time, demonstrating initial validation of the LT-EPT. In study two, we examine the effect of episodic future thinking (EFT; vivid, personalized prospection of future events) in adults not meeting physical activity guidelines (n = 127) on demand for exercise and delay discounting (sensitivity to delayed rewards). We observed reduced delay discounting in participants randomized to engage in EFT, but no difference between EFT and health information thinking (HIT) controls. In study three, we further examined the effect of EFT on demand for exercise in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity participating in a 24-week randomized controlled trial (n = 71). All participants engaged in a multicomponent behavioral intervention focused on weight loss and glycemic control; additionally, participants were randomized to engage in EFT or HIT thrice daily beginning in week 3. We measured demand for exercise and delay discounting (among other outcomes) at weeks 0, 8, and 24, observing no differences between EFT or HIT groups in demand indices (Q1%, α) or delay discounting at any time point. In conclusion, early evidence suggests that the LT-EPT may be a valid method to measure behavioral economic demand for exercise; however, EFT may not be an effective intervention to increase demand for exercise.
- Fat and Carbohydrate Interact to Potentiate Food Reward in Healthy Weight but Not in Overweight or ObesityPerszyk, Emily E.; Hutelin, Zach; Trinh, Jessica; Kanyamibwa, Arsene; Fromm, Sophie; Davis, Xue S.; Wall, Kathryn M.; Flack, Kyle D.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; Small, Dana M. (MDPI, 2021-04-06)Prior work suggests that actual, but not estimated, energy density drives the reinforcing value of food and that energy from fat and carbohydrate can interact to potentiate reward. Here we sought to replicate these findings in an American sample and to determine if the effects are influenced by body mass index (BMI). Thirty participants with healthy weight (HW; BMI 21.92 ± 1.77; M ± SD) and 30 participants with overweight/obesity (OW/OB; BMI 29.42 ± 4.44) rated pictures of common American snacks in 120-kcal portions for liking, familiarity, frequency of consumption, expected satiety, healthiness, energy content, energy density, and price. Participants then completed an auction task where they bid for the opportunity to consume each food. Snacks contained either primarily carbohydrate, primarily fat, or roughly equal portions of fat and carbohydrate (combo). Replicating prior work, we found that participants with HW bid the most for combo foods in linear mixed model analyses. This effect was not observed among individuals with OW/OB. Additionally, in contrast with previous reports, our linear regression analyses revealed a negative relationship between the actual energy density of the snacks and bid amount that was mediated by food price. Our findings support altered macronutrient reinforcement in obesity and highlight potential influences of the food environment on the regulation of food reward.
- Gut-brain interactions in food rewardBurns, Amber Lynn (Virginia Tech, 2024-01-11)Food choice and preference have been linked to post-ingestive consequences of food consumption. Many ultra-processed foods deliver calories rapidly and are highly rewarding. In literature surrounding substances of abuse, the speed at which a drug reaches the brain affects its abuse potential; this is known as the "rate hypothesis." Here, we test whether the rate hypothesis of addiction may apply to food, specifically whether caloric availability, or the speed at which carbohydrate becomes available for use, contributes to food reward and preference. To do this, we use beverages with novel flavors (conditioned stimulus (CS)) mixed with either a slow metabolizing carbohydrate (maltodextrin and inulin; CS+Slow), a fast-metabolizing carbohydrate (sucrose; CS+Fast), or no carbohydrate (sucralose; CS-). Participants are given each of these drinks 6 times to consume (conditioning period). 2 of these consumption periods occur during in-lab sessions. In one session, blood glucose is measured over one hour post-consumption. In another, we perform indirect calorimetry to assess post-consumption changes in substrate oxidation rates. At the post-testing session, changes in self-reported liking, wanting, and ad libitum intake of each beverage are recorded. Brain response to each flavor cue (without calories) is measured using fMRI at the post-test. We hypothesize the flavor paired with the CS+Fast will be the most liked, wanted, and consumed. We expect greater BOLD (blood oxygenated level dependent) activation to the CS+Fast relative to the CS+Slow and CS- in the nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus. This is an ongoing study and, here, we present our preliminary analysis of the data.
- Habitual daily intake of a sweet and fatty snack modulates reward processing in humansThanarajah, Sharmili Edwin; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; Albus, Kerstin; Kuzmanovic, Bojana; Rigoux, Lionel; Iglesias, Sandra; Hanßen, Ruth; Schlamann, Marc; Cornely, Oliver A.; Brüning, Jens C.; Tittgemeyer, Marc; Small, Dana M. (Elsevier, 2023-04-04)Western diets rich in fat and sugar promote excess calorie intake and weight gain; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Despite a well-documented association between obesity and altered brain dopamine function, it remains elusive whether these alterations are (1) pre-existing, increasing the individual susceptibility to weight gain, (2) secondary to obesity, or (3) directly attributable to repeated exposure to western diet. To close this gap, we performed a randomized, controlled study (NCT05574660) with normal-weight participants exposed to a high-fat/high-sugar snack or a low-fat/low-sugar snack for 8 weeks in addition to their regular diet. The high-fat/high-sugar intervention decreased the preference for low-fat food while increasing brain response to food and associative learning independent of food cues or reward. These alterations were independent of changes in body weight and metabolic parameters, indicating a direct effect of high-fat, high-sugar foods on neurobehavioral adaptations that may increase the risk for overeating and weight gain.
- Hedgehog-interacting protein acts in the habenula to regulate nicotine intakeCaligiuri, Stephanie P. B.; Howe, William M.; Wills, Lauren; Smith, Alexander C. W.; Lei, Ye; Bali, Purva; Heyer, Mary P.; Moen, Janna K.; Ables, Jessica L.; Elayouby, Karim S.; Williams, Maya; Fillinger, Clementine; Oketokoun, Zainab; Lehmann, Vanessa E.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; Johnson, Paul M.; Beaumont, Kristin; Sebra, Robert P.; Ibanez-Tallon, Ines; Kenny, Paul J. (National Academy of Sciences, 2022-11-08)Hedgehog-interacting protein (HHIP) sequesters Hedgehog ligands to repress Smoothened (SMO)-mediated recruitment of the GLI family of transcription factors. Allelic variation in HHIP confers risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other smoking-related lung diseases, but underlying mechanisms are unclear. Using single-cell and cell-type-specific translational profiling, we show that HHIP expression is highly enriched in medial habenula (MHb) neurons, particularly MHb cholinergic neurons that regulate aversive behavioral responses to nicotine. HHIP deficiency dysregulated the expression of genes involved in cholinergic signaling in the MHb and disrupted the function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) through a PTCH-1/cholesterol-dependent mechanism. Further, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genomic cleavage of the Hhip gene in MHb neurons enhanced the motivational properties of nicotine in mice. These findings suggest that HHIP influences vulnerability to smoking-related lung diseases in part by regulating the actions of nicotine on habenular aversion circuits.
- High Levels of Total Energy Expenditure in Ultra-Endurance Athletes: Is There Evidence for Constraint?Howard, Kristen Renee (Virginia Tech, 2024-05-14)The benefits of an active lifestyle are undisputed, yet our understanding of the contribution of physical activity (PA) to the daily energy budget is limited. The prevailing model of a linear relationship between PA and total energy expenditure (TEE) has been challenged by models that predict an upper limit of TEE (constrained) or a compensatory decrease elsewhere in the budget in response to increased PA (compensated). The purpose of this study was to determine the equation of best fit between PA and TEE using linear and non-linear modeling in the light of existing models. Secondarily, we sought to explore relationships between PA and postulated means of behavioral (time sedentary) and physiologic (i.e. Immune, reproductive) compensation. We measured TEE in 57 healthy weight stable adults (18 to 58 yrs., F = 28) who ranged from being sedentary to ultra-endurance trained runners (0 to 78 mi/wk.) using the doubly labeled water technique and PA and sedentary time using a waist mounted triaxial accelerometer during the same 14-day period. We obtained fasting serum (albumin, cortisol, TNFα, C-reactive protein, free testosterone, TSH and T3), plasma (leptin) and whole blood (WBC with differential) concentrations. Using linear and non-linear modeling, we observed a positive linear relationship between PA (Vector Magnitude Counts per Minute ) and TEE (R2=0.313, Y = 1.427*X + 1930 and adjusted for fat free mass (FFM) R2=0.363, Y = 1.151*X + 2155). We identified no association between PA and RMR ( R2=0.015 and adjusted for FFM R2=0.010). In addition, we observed an association between higher PA and lower % time sedentary (R2=0.723). Although inconsistent, there was a general trend for higher PA but not TEE or its components to be associated with lower immune and reproductive biomarkers. These findings support a conventional linear model though intervention studies will be needed to further address this issue.
- Highly processed foods can be considered addictive substances based on established scientific criteriaGearhardt, Ashley N.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G. (Wiley, 2022)Background: There is growing evidence that an addictive-eating phenotype may exist. There is significant debate regarding whether highly processed foods (HPFs; foods with refined carbohydrates and/or added fats) are addictive. The lack of scientifically grounded criteria to evaluate the addictive nature of HPFs has hindered the resolution of this debate. Analysis: The most recent scientific debate regarding a substance’s addictive potential centered around tobacco. In 1988, the Surgeon General issued a report identifying tobacco products as addictive based on three primary scientific criteria: their ability to (1) cause highly controlled or compulsive use, (2) cause psychoactive (i.e. mood-altering) effects via their effect on the brain and (3) reinforce behavior. Scientific advances have now identified the ability of tobacco products to (4) trigger strong urges or craving as another important indicator of addictive potential. Here, we propose that these four criteria provide scientifically valid benchmarks that can be used to evaluate the addictiveness of HPFs. Then, we review the evidence regarding whether HPFs meet each criterion. Finally, we consider the implications of labeling HPFs as addictive. Conclusion: Highly processed foods (HPFs) can meet the criteria to be labeled as addictive substances using the standards set for tobacco products. The addictive potential of HPFs may be a key factor contributing to the high public health costs associated with a food environment dominated by cheap, accessible and heavily marketed HPFs.
- The impact of caloric availability on eating behavior and ultra-processed food rewardKelly, Amber L.; Baugh, Mary Elizabeth; Oster, Mary E.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G. (Elsevier, 2022-11-01)The food environment has changed rapidly and dramatically in the last 50 years. While industrial food processing has increased the safety and stability of the food supply, a rapid expansion in the scope and scale of food processing in the 1980's has resulted in a market dominated by ultra-processed foods. Here, we use the NOVA definition of category 4 ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as they make up around 58% of total calories consumed in the US and 66% of calories in US children. UPFs are formulated from ingredients with no or infrequent culinary use, contain additives, and have a long shelf-life, spending long periods in contact with packaging materials, allowing for the absorption of compounds from those materials. The full implications of this dietary shift to UPFs on human health and disease outcomes are difficult, if not impossible, to quantify. However, UPF consumption is linked with various forms of cancer, increased cardiovascular disease, and increased all-cause mortality. Understanding food choice is, therefore, a critical problem in health research. Although many factors influence food choice, here we focus on the properties of the foods themselves. UPFs are generally treated as food, not as the highly refined, industrialized substances that they are, whose properties and components must be studied. Here, we examine one property of UPFs, that they deliver useable calories rapidly as a potential factor driving UPF overconsumption. First, we explore evidence that UPFs deliver calories more rapidly. Next, we examine the role of the gut-brain axis and its interplay with canonical reward systems, and last, we describe how speed affects both basic learning processes and drugs of abuse.
- The Impact of Weight Bias and Stigma on Energy Misreporting in 24-Hour Dietary RecallsHowes, Erica Marie (Virginia Tech, 2023-04-25)Obesity research remains a high priority worldwide, given the sustained high levels of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) and class III obesity (body mass index ≥40 kg/m2) across many demographic groups. One component of obesity research is the study of how diet can contribute to obesity, and thus it is crucial to evaluate how existing dietary assessment methods perform for people with obesity, and to develop or refine methods to enhance their accuracy. Researchers should be prepared to include more individuals with obesity and class III obesity, a growing demographic, in studies that assess dietary intake. With the inclusion of these groups, it is vital to consider the potential impact of weight bias and weight stigma on dietary research. Weight bias is negative attitudes and stereotypes about people with obesity, while weight stigma is how these attitudes collectively devalue people with obesity, which could result in acts of discrimination. This dissertation: 1) defined the issues of weight bias and weight stigma, and how they affect dietetics practice, including research, 2) determined the representation of participants with class III obesity in studies validating self-reported measures of dietary assessment using doubly-labeled water, and 3) explored how weight bias and weight stigma might impact misreporting of energy intake among people with overweight and obesity. Findings include that: 1) weight bias and weight stigma are important issues when working with people with obesity, and dietetics professionals can address these in many areas of practice; 2) in studies validating self-reported dietary assessment methods using doubly-labeled water, people with class III obesity are underrepresented, and thus the validity of existing methods to assess diet among people with class III obesity requires further research; 3) in a sample of participants with self-reported overweight and obesity, previous experiences of weight stigma were common, though internalized weight bias, weight bias toward others, and experiences of weight stigma were not predictive of the validity of energy intake reporting. Researchers should consider the potential impact of weight stigma on recruitment, retention, and participant experience when working with participants with obesity.
- The Impact of Weight Bias and Stigma on the 24 h Dietary Recall Process in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Pilot StudyHowes, Erica M.; Parker, Molly K.; Misyak, Sarah A.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; Davy, Brenda M.; Brown, Letisha Engracia Cardoso; Hedrick, Valisa E. (MDPI, 2024-01-06)People with overweight and obesity tend to both underreport dietary energy intake and experience weight stigma. This exploratory pilot study aimed to determine the relationship between weight bias and weight stigma and energy intake reporting accuracy. Thirty-nine weight-stable adults with BMI ≥ 25 completed three 24 h dietary recalls; indirect calorimetry to measure resting metabolic rate; a survey measuring weight stigma, psychosocial constructs, and physical activity; and a semi-structured qualitative interview. Multiple linear regression was used to determine if weight bias internalization, weight bias toward others, and experiences of weight stigma were predictive of the accuracy of energy reporting. A thematic analysis was conducted for the qualitative interviews. Weight stigma was reported by 64.1% of the sample. Weight stigma constructs did not predict the accuracy of energy intake reporting. People with obesity underreported by a mean of 477 kcals (p = 0.02). People classified as overweight overreported by a mean of 144 kcals, but this was not significant (p = 0.18). Participants reported a desire to report accurate data despite concerns about reporting socially undesirable foods. Future research should quantify the impact of weight stigma on energy reporting in 24 h recalls using a larger, more diverse sample size and objective measures like doubly labeled water for validation.
- Neural correlates of ‘Liking’ and ‘Wanting’ in short-term eating behaviours and long-term energy balanceBaugh, Mary Elizabeth; Hutelin, Zach; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G. (Elsevier, 2022-12-01)‘Liking’ and ‘wanting’ are two components of food reward that are separable neurobiologically and psychologically, especially in animal models. Here, we examine recent advancements in the neurobiology of ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ in humans and animal models. Further, we identify several food properties that influence ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ and explore whether they separably predict clinical outcomes related to obesity, weight gain and weight loss. We conclude by discussing key aspects of translational methodologies needed to more thoroughly describe the neurobiology of ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ and their potential effects on short-term eating behaviours and long-term energy balance.
- Opposing roles for striatonigral and striatopallidal neurons in dorsolateral striatum in consolidating new instrumental actionsSmith, Alexander C. W.; Jonkman, Sietse; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; O'Connor, Richard M.; Ghoshal, Soham; Romano, Michael F.; Everitt, Barry J.; Kenny, Paul J. (2021-08-25)Comparatively little is known about how new instrumental actions are encoded in the brain. Using whole-brain c-Fos mapping, we show that neural activity is increased in the anterior dorsolateral striatum (aDLS) of mice that successfully learn a new lever-press response to earn food rewards. Post-learning chemogenetic inhibition of aDLS disrupts consolidation of the new instrumental response. Similarly, post-learning infusion of the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin into the aDLS disrupts consolidation of the new response. Activity of D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) increases and D2-MSNs activity decreases in the aDLS during consolidation. Chemogenetic inhibition of D1-MSNs in aDLS disrupts the consolidation process whereas D2-MSN inhibition strengthens consolidation but blocks the expression of previously learned habit-like responses. These findings suggest that D1-MSNs in the aDLS encode new instrumental actions whereas D2-MSNs oppose this new learning and instead promote expression of habitual actions. New instrumental learning occurs through an unexpected delivery of a rewarding stimulus or the withdrawal of a punishing stimulus. The authors show that D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the anterior dorsolateral striatum encode newly learned instrumental actions whereas D2 MSNs promote the expression of habitual actions.
- The risks of misclassifying addictive food substances as non-addictiveGearhardt, Ashley N.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G. (Wiley, 2023-04-01)There is evidence that the rise of ultra-processed foods has been associated with an increase in addictive eating, diet-related disease and preventable death. As with tobacco, misclassifying these food substances as non-addictive or para-addictive leaves consumers ill-informed and is an obstacle to developing more innovative solutions.
- Semaglutide and Tirzepatide reduce alcohol consumption in individuals with obesityQuddos, Fatima; Hubshman, Zachary; Tegge, Allison; Sane, Daniel; Marti, Erin; Kablinger, Anita S.; Gatchalian, Kirstin M.; Kelly, Amber L.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; Bickel, Warren K. (Nature Portfolio, 2023)Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) contributes significantly to global mortality. GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide-1) and GLP-1/GIP (Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide) agonists, FDA-approved for managing type 2 diabetes and obesity, where the former has shown to effectively reduce the consumption of alcohol in animal models but no reports exist on the latter. In this report, we conducted two studies. In the first study, we conducted an analysis of abundant social media texts. Specifically, a machine-learning based attribution mapping of ~ 68,250 posts related to GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP agonists on the Reddit platform. Secondly, we recruited participants (n = 153; current alcohol drinkers; BMI ≥ 30) who self-reported either taking Semaglutide (GLP-1 agonist), Tirzepatide (the GLP-1/GIP combination) for ≥ 30 days or, as a control group; no medication to manage diabetes or weight loss for a within and between subject remote study. In the social media study, we report 8 major themes including effects of medications (30%); diabetes (21%); and Weight loss and obesity (19%). Among the alcohol-related posts (n = 1580), 71% were identified as craving reduction, decreased desire to drink, and other negative effects. In the remote study, we observe a significantly lower self-reported intake of alcohol, drinks per drinking episode, binge drinking odds, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores, and stimulating, and sedative effects in the Semaglutide or Tirzepatide group when compared to prior to starting medication timepoint (within-subjects) and the control group (between-subjects). In summary, we provide initial real-world evidence of reduced alcohol consumption in people with obesity taking Semaglutide or Tirzepatide medications, suggesting potential efficacy for treatment in AUD comorbid with obesity.
- Social, clinical, and policy implications of ultra-processed food addictionGearhardt, Ashley N.; Bueno, Nassib B.; DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G.; Roberto, Christina A.; Jiménez-Murcia, Susana; Fernandez-Aranda, Fernando (BMJ, 2023-10)The scientific understanding of addiction is evolving. Although addiction to certain foods is not included in diagnostic frameworks such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), research on this topic has grown rapidly in the past 20 years. Much of this research uses the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), which was developed to measure food addiction by assessing DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder in the context of food intake (box 1). A recent analysis of two systematic reviews including 281 studies from 36 different countries found the overall pooled prevalence of food addiction using YFAS was 14% in adults and 12% in children. This reported prevalence is similar to the levels of addiction seen for other legal substances in adults (eg, 14% for alcohol and 18% for tobacco), but the level of implied addiction in children is unprecedented. In populations with defined clinical diagnoses, YFAS identified prevalence of food addiction reaches 32% in people with obesity having bariatric surgery,12 and over 50% in those with binge eating disorder. Food addiction based on the YFAS is also associated with core mechanisms of addiction, such as reward related neural dysfunction, impulsivity, and emotion dysregulation, as well as poorer physical and mental health and lower quality of life. Thus, there is converging and consistent support for the validity and clinical relevance of food addiction; what remains a more open question is the types of foods that are addictive. Despite the uncertainty, classifying foods as addictive could stimulate research and shift attitudes to regulation.