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High Fat Diet, Obesity and Their Relations to Cognitive and Behavioral Health

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2023) | Viewed by 10961

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Panagiota Pervanidou

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Guest Editor

Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
Interests: stress; HPA-axis; autonomic nervous system; stress-related disorders; PTSD; ADHD; autism spectrum disorders; neurodevelopmental disorders; obesity; psychoneuroendocrinology
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Prof. Dr. Mary Yannakoulia

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Guest Editor

Professor of Nutrition and Eating Behavior, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece
Interests: eating behavior; nutrition assessment; obesity; metabolic syndrome; eating disorders
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Prof. Dr. Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein

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Guest Editor

First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian, University of Athens Medical School, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
Interests: diabetes; childhood obesity; insulin resistance; glucose metabolism; clinical endocrinology; human nutrition; obesity; diabetes mellitus; metabolic syndrome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

High-fat diets and obesity have been reciprocally related to cognition and behavior. Both experimental and clinical studies, from prenatal life and through the lifespan, have investigated the effects of high-fat diet/obesity on cognitive function and behavioral parameters. In the other direction, cognitive and executive functions of an individual, as well as behavioral features can lead to increased or specific eating conditions and obesity. Cardiometabolic and mental health adverse outcomes are the long-term implications of the inter-relations between high-fat diet/obesity and cognitive/behavioral health.

This Special Issue welcomes original research and review articles, with clinical, experimental and epidemiological content, concerning the relations of high-fat diet and/or obesity with cognitive and behavioral health, with a particular focus on:

The effects of prenatal food/nutrition alterations and/or obesity on brain function and behavior of the offspring,
The effects of diet and obesity on cognitive and behavioral measures in adults and children
The relations of cognition-related conditions (e.g., intellectual disability, executive dysfunction in ADHD and other mental health conditions, cognitive decline, etc.) with nutrition and obesity
The relations between behavioral problems and disorders, including stress-related conditions with nutrition and obesity
Behavioral interventions for obesity
Nutritional interventions for cognitive and/or behavioral conditions
Mechanisms of action, pathways and molecules mediating the relations between diet, obesity, cognition and behavior, including methods such as proteomics, metabolomics, etc.
Genetics linking diet, obesity, cognition and behavior
Development of tools, methods and strategies targeting obesity, by using behavioral techniques

Dr. Panagiota Pervanidou
Prof. Dr. Mary Yannakoulia
Prof. Dr. Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

obesity
high fat diet
metabolism
cognition
behavior
stress
mental health

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 303 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Longitudinal Examination of Body Mass Index and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: The HELIAD Study

by Ismini Grapsa, Eirini Mamalaki, Eva Ntanasi, Mary H. Kosmidis, Efthimios Dardiotis, Georgios M. Hadjigeorgiou, Paraskevi Sakka, Nikolaos Scarmeas and Mary Yannakoulia

Nutrients 2023, 15(7), 1795; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071795 - 06 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1992

Abstract

Given the increase in the aging population and thus in the prevalence of dementia, the identification of protective factors against cognitive decline is necessary. In a cohort of 1076 non-demented adults ≥ 65 years old (59.7% women) from the HELIAD study, we assessed whether changes in body mass index (BMI) were associated with changes in cognition over a 3-year follow-up period separately for those ≤ 75 and >75 years old. We identified six BMI trajectory groups based on participants’ BMI status at baseline and at the first follow-up visit; normal to normal BMI was the reference group. Major cognitive domains were evaluated, and a composite index reflecting global cognition was calculated. In participants aged ≤75 years, weight loss—moving from obesity to overweight or normal BMI—was associated with less decline in the memory composite score over time (β = 0.141; p = 0.035), while 3-year maintenance of a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² was related to greater reduction in the visuospatial composite score over time (β = −0.093; p = 0.020). Regarding participants aged >75 years, 3-year maintenance of a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² contributed to a slower rate of decline in the memory composite score over time (β = 0.102; p = 0.042), whereas weight loss—from overweight to normal BMI—was associated with a decreased attention/processing speed composite score longitudinally (β = −0.275; p = 0.043). Our findings indicated that the association between changes in BMI and cognitive functioning was modified by age. Weight management may have the potential to delay cognitive decline in older adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Fat Diet, Obesity and Their Relations to Cognitive and Behavioral Health)

20 pages, 2245 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of the ENDORSE Digital Weight Management Program on the Metabolic Profile of Children and Adolescents with Overweight and Obesity and on Food Parenting Practices

by Panagiota Pervanidou, Evi Chatzidaki, Nicolas C. Nicolaides, Antonis Voutetakis, Nektaria Polychronaki, Vassiliki Chioti, Rosa-Anna Kitani, Eleni Kyrkopoulou, Konstantia Zarkogianni, Eleftherios Kalafatis, Kostas Mitsis, Κonstantinos Perakis, Konstantina Nikita and Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein

Nutrients 2023, 15(7), 1777; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071777 - 05 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2087

Abstract

Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem worldwide. The ENDORSE platform is an innovative software ecosystem based on Artificial Intelligence which consists of mobile applications for parents and health professionals, activity trackers, and mobile games for children. This study explores the impact of the ENDORSE platform on metabolic parameters associated with pediatric obesity and on the food parenting practices of the participating mothers. Therefore, the metabolic parameters of the 45 children (mean age: 10.42 years, 53% girls, 58% pubertal, mean baseline BMI z-score 2.83) who completed the ENDORSE study were evaluated. The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire was used for the assessment of food parenting practices. Furthermore, regression analysis was used to investigate possible associations between BMI z-score changes and changes in metabolic parameters and food parenting practices. Overall, there was a statistically significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin (mean change = −0.10, p = 0.013), SGOT (mean change = −1.84, p = 0.011), and SGPT (mean change = −2.95, p = 0.022). Emotional feeding/food as reward decreased (mean change −0.21, p = 0.007) and healthy eating guidance increased (mean change = 0.11, p = 0.051). Linear regression analysis revealed that BMI z-score change had a robust and significant correlation with important metabolic parameters: HOMA-IR change (beta coefficient = 3.60, p-value = 0.046), SGPT change (beta coefficient = 11.90, p-value = 0.037), and cortisol change (beta coefficient = 9.96, p-value = 0.008). Furthermore, healthy eating guidance change had a robust negative relationship with BMI z-score change (beta coefficient = −0.29, p-value = 0.007). Conclusions: The Endorse digital weight management program improved several metabolic parameters and food parenting practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Fat Diet, Obesity and Their Relations to Cognitive and Behavioral Health)

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21 pages, 2057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The ENDORSE Feasibility Study: Exploring the Use of M-Health, Artificial Intelligence and Serious Games for the Management of Childhood Obesity

by Konstantia Zarkogianni, Evi Chatzidaki, Nektaria Polychronaki, Eleftherios Kalafatis, Nicolas C. Nicolaides, Antonis Voutetakis, Vassiliki Chioti, Rosa-Anna Kitani, Kostas Mitsis, Κonstantinos Perakis, Maria Athanasiou, Danae Antonopoulou, Panagiota Pervanidou, Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein and Konstantina Nikita

Nutrients 2023, 15(6), 1451; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061451 - 17 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2902

Abstract

Childhood obesity constitutes a major risk factor for future adverse health conditions. Multicomponent parent–child interventions are considered effective in controlling weight. Τhe ENDORSE platform utilizes m-health technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and serious games (SG) toward the creation of an innovative software ecosystem connecting healthcare professionals, children, and their parents in order to deliver coordinated services to combat childhood obesity. It consists of activity trackers, a mobile SG for children, and mobile apps for parents and healthcare professionals. The heterogeneous dataset gathered through the interaction of the end-users with the platform composes the unique user profile. Part of it feeds an AI-based model that enables personalized messages. A feasibility pilot trial was conducted involving 50 overweight and obese children (mean age 10.5 years, 52% girls, 58% pubertal, median baseline BMI z-score 2.85) in a 3-month intervention. Adherence was measured by means of frequency of usage based on the data records. Overall, a clinically and statistically significant BMI z-score reduction was achieved (mean BMI z-score reduction −0.21 ± 0.26, p-value < 0.001). A statistically significant correlation was revealed between the level of activity tracker usage and the improvement of BMI z-score (−0.355, p = 0.017), highlighting the potential of the ENDORSE platform. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Fat Diet, Obesity and Their Relations to Cognitive and Behavioral Health)

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12 pages, 1682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

C57bl/6 Mice Show Equivalent Taste Preferences toward Ruminant and Industrial Trans Fatty Acids

by Farzad Mohammadi, Nicolas Bertrand and Iwona Rudkowska

Nutrients 2023, 15(3), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030610 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1534

Abstract

Two distinct types of trans fatty acids (TFA) are found in the diet. Industrial TFA such as elaidic acid (EA) have deleterious effects on metabolic risk factors, and oppositely ruminant TFA including trans-palmitoleic acid (TPA) may have beneficial effects. The objective is to evaluate the taste preference between EA, TPA, lecithin or water. In this study, 24 female C57BL/6 mice were microchipped and placed in two separate IntelliCages^®. Nano encapsulated TFA or lecithin were added to drinking water in different corners of the cage with normal diet. The study was carried out over 5 weeks, during which mice were exposed to water only (weeks 1 and 3), TFA or lecithin (week 2), and EA or TPA (weeks 4 and 5). Mice weights, corner visits, nose pokes (NP), and lick number were measured each week. The results demonstrated that mice consume more TFA, either EA or TPA, compared with lecithin. In addition, the mice licked more EA compared with TPA in one cage; conversely, in the other cage they licked more TPA compared with EA. However, when TFA positions were swapped, mice had equal licks for EA and TPA. In sum, mice preferred TFA, in equal matter compared with controls; therefore, the results demonstrate the potential for TFA-type substitution in diet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Fat Diet, Obesity and Their Relations to Cognitive and Behavioral Health)

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14 pages, 2935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Regulates Depression-like Behaviors in Shortening-Induced Obese Mice

by Ping Wang, Fan-Zhi Kong, Xiao-Hong Hong, Li Zhang, Wan-Hong Zhao, Jin-Cui Yang and Heng Zhang

Nutrients 2022, 14(20), 4302; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204302 - 14 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1496

Abstract

Shortening is mainly derived from the partial hydrogenation of palm oil and widely used in fast food. Food processed with shortening contains high levels of industrial trans fatty acids. Studies have shown that there is a correlation between industrial trans fatty acids, obesity, and depression. However, the regulatory effect of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) on depression in obese patients is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore mood changes in obese mice fed a high shortening diet, and to determine the regulatory effect of nNOS on depressive-like behaviors in obese mice. We used a high shortening diet-induced obesity mouse model to systematically assess the metabolic response, behavioral changes, prefrontal and hippocampal nNOS protein levels, and the effect of nNOS inhibitors (7-nitroindole) on depression-like behavior in obese mice. Interestingly, obese mice on a 9-week high-shortening diet developed short-term spatial working memory impairment and anxiety-like behavior, and obesity may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment and mood disorders. In animals fed a high shortening diet for 12 weeks, obese mice developed depression-like behavior and had significantly elevated levels of nNOS protein expression in the hippocampus and prefrontal lobe. Administration of the nNOS inhibitor 7-nitroindole could improve depression-like behaviors in obese mice, further suggesting that inhibition of nNOS is helpful for depression associated with obesity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Fat Diet, Obesity and Their Relations to Cognitive and Behavioral Health)

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