Barbara J Rolls

Prior studies evaluating a single meal in children characterized an “obesogenic” style of eating marked by larger bites and faster eating. It is unclear if this style is consistent across portion sizes within children so we examined eating behaviors in 91 children (7–8 years, 45 F) without obesity (BMI<90th percentile). Children consumed 4 ad libitum meals in the laboratory consisting of chicken nuggets, macaroni, grapes, and broccoli that varied in portion size (100%, 133%, 166%, 200%) with a maximum of 30 min allotted per meal. Anthropometrics were assessed using age and sex adjusted body mass index (BMI) percentile and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Bites, sips, active eating time, and meal duration were coded from meal videos; bite size (kcal and g/bite), proportion of active eating (active eating time/meal duration), and eating rate (kcal and g/meal duration) were computed. Intraclass correlation …

IntroductionRecently published studies support the beneficial effects of consuming fibre-rich legumes, such as cooked dry beans, to improve metabolic health and reduce cancer risk. In participants with overweight/obesity and a history of colorectal polyps, the Fibre-rich Foods to Treat Obesity and Prevent Colon Cancer randomised clinical trial will test whether a high-fibre diet featuring legumes will simultaneously facilitate weight reduction and suppress colonic mucosal biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods/designThis study is designed to characterise changes in (1) body weight; (2) biomarkers of insulin resistance and systemic inflammation; (3) compositional and functional profiles of the faecal microbiome and metabolome; (4) mucosal biomarkers of CRC risk and (5) gut transit. Approximately 60 overweight or obese adults with a history of noncancerous adenomatous polyps within the previous 3 years …

Emerging evidence suggests switching between foods during an eating event is positively associated with intake. However, it is unclear whether switching is a stable behavior that predicts consumption across multiple eating events. The current study explored whether switching is consistent within children and reliably associated with intake across varied eating events. We analyzed data from 88 (45 F), 7–8-year-old children without obesity participating in a 7-visit prospective cohort study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03341247). Amount consumed and energy intake were measured at 4 separate meals of foods that varied by portion sizes served. Meals included macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, broccoli, and grapes (all 0.7–2.5 kcal/g). Children's intake was also assessed during 2 eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) paradigms separated by ≥ 1 year. The EAH paradigm included 9 sweet and savory snack foods …

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.

Introduction Recently published studies support the beneficial effects of consuming fibre-rich legumes, such as cooked dry beans, to improve metabolic health and reduce cancer risk. In participants with overweight/obesity and a history of colorectal polyps, the Fibre-rich Foods to Treat Obesity and Prevent Colon Cancer randomised clinical trial will test whether a high-fibre diet featuring legumes will simultaneously facilitate weight reduction and suppress colonic mucosal biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods/design This study is designed to characterise changes in (1) body weight;(2) biomarkers of insulin resistance and systemic inflammation;(3) compositional and functional profiles of the faecal microbiome and metabolome;(4) mucosal biomarkers of CRC risk and (5) gut transit. Approximately 60 overweight or obese adults with a history of noncancerous adenomatous polyps within the previous 3 years …

Individuals eat more food when larger portions are served, and this portion size effect could be influenced by inhibitory control (the ability to suppress an automatic response). Inhibitory control may also relate to obesogenic meal behaviors such as eating faster, taking larger bites, and frequent switching between meal components (such as bites of food and sips of water). In a randomized crossover design, 44 adults ate lunch four times in the laboratory. Lunch consisted of a pasta dish that was varied in portion size (400, 500, 600, or 700 g) along with 700 g of water. Meals were video-recorded to assess meal duration and bite and sip counts, which were used to determine mean eating rate (g/min), mean bite size (g/bite), and number of switches between bites and sips. Participants completed a food-specific stop-signal task, which was used to calculate Stop-Signal Reaction Time (SSRT). Across participants, SSRT …

Overeating associated with neurogenic obesity after spinal cord injury (SCI) may be related to how persons with SCI experience satiation (processes leading to meal termination), their eating frequency, and the context in which they eat their meals. In an online, cross-sectional study, adults with (n = 688) and without (Controls; n = 420) SCI completed the Reasons Individuals Stop Eating Questionnaire-15 (RISE-Q-15), which measures individual differences in the experience of factors contributing to meal termination on five scales: Physical Satisfaction, Planned Amount, Decreased Food Appeal, Self-Consciousness, and Decreased Priority of Eating. Participants also reported weekly meal and snack frequency and who prepares, serves, and eats dinner with them at a typical dinner meal. Analysis revealed that while Physical Satisfaction, Planned Amount, and Decreased Food Appeal were reported as the most …

Larger portions of food elicit greater intake than smaller portions of food, particularly when foods are high in energy density (kcal/g; ED). The neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. The present study used fMRI to assess brain activation to food (higher-ED, lower-ED) and non-food (office supplies) images presented in larger and smaller (i.e., age-appropriate) amounts in 61, 7-8-year-olds (29 male, 32 female) without obesity. Larger amounts of food increased activation in bilateral visual and right parahippocampal areas compared to smaller amounts; greater activation to food amount (larger > smaller) in this cluster was associated with smaller increases in food intake as portions increased. Activation to amount (larger > smaller) was stronger for food than office supplies in primary and secondary visual areas, but, for office supplies only, extended into bilateral parahippocampus, inferior parietal …