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Effects of Eating Behavior on Energy Intake and Body Mass Index (BMI)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2025) | Viewed by 1822

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Nursing and Health Professions, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
Interests: obesity; community engagement; lifestyle management; nutrition; public health; social determinants of health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

While much progress has been made to identify the multi-faceted determinants of dietary behaviors on energy intake and body mass index, obesity prevalence is at an all time high and on the rise in many communities across the United States and other developed countries. There is a need for science and innovations that support the development of evidence-based practices that yield clinically significant improvements in energy intake, diet quality and obesity at the population level. In this Special Issue, contributions providing novel directions for addressing dietary behaviors and its effect on energy intake and body mass index are of interest. Eligible submissions include works that aim to understand or demonstrate the effects of dietary behavior on energy intake and body mass index. Works across the research continuum (basic, translational or clinical) with expressed implications for population health are encouraged. All article types and works inclusive of underrepresented and underreached populations are welcome. 

Dr. Jennifer L. Lemacks
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • dietary behavior
  • energy intake
  • body mass index
  • obesity
  • nutrition

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 246 KiB  
Article
Eating in the Absence of Hunger in Hispanic Preschoolers: Relationships with Child Sex, Food Preference, and Weight Status
by Adriana Verdezoto Alvarado, Bin C. Suh, Michael Todd, Jacob Szeszulski, Elizabeth Lorenzo, Meg Bruening, Clare Schuchardt and Rebecca E. Lee
Nutrients 2025, 17(7), 1266; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071266 - 4 Apr 2025
Viewed by 490
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study examines the relationship of eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) with child sex, food preference, and body mass index (BMI) percentiles in primarily Hispanic preschoolers, an understudied population. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from 211 children [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study examines the relationship of eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) with child sex, food preference, and body mass index (BMI) percentiles in primarily Hispanic preschoolers, an understudied population. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from 211 children (79% Hispanic) aged 3 to 5 years from low-income families who completed a cluster randomized controlled trial from September 2017 to June 2020. Weight and height were used to calculate BMI percentiles. Sweet (animal crackers) and salty (pretzels) snacks were used to conduct a validated classroom-based EAH assessment. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach investigated associations between the grams of snacks consumed and BMI percentiles. A set of nested multivariable GEEs were estimated, while adjusting for potentially important covariates. Results: Boys significantly consumed more snacks than girls (13.34 ± 9.71 g vs. 8.13 ± 7.36 g; p < 0.001). Children who indicated greater preference for sweet snacks consumed more sweet snacks (r = 0.19; b = 2.05, p < 0.001) and total grams of total snacks (r = 0.18; b = 2.42, p = 0.004) but not salty snacks (pretzels). Consuming more sweet snacks was significantly associated with higher BMI percentiles (b = 0.55; p = 0.024). Conclusions: The findings suggest that a preference for sweet snacks is associated with EAH, and eating sweet snacks in the absence of hunger is related to higher BMI percentiles. Obesity prevention programs may focus on addressing eating sweet snacks in the absence of hunger starting in early childhood. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Eating Behavior on Energy Intake and Body Mass Index (BMI))

Review

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35 pages, 2165 KiB  
Review
The Interplay Between Psychological and Neurobiological Predictors of Weight Regain: A Narrative Review
by Małgorzata Moszak, Justyna Marcickiewicz, Marta Pelczyńska and Paweł Bogdański
Nutrients 2025, 17(10), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17101662 - 13 May 2025
Viewed by 962
Abstract
Introduction: Obesity is a global health problem requiring effective interventions to achieve weight loss and maintain it in the long term. A major challenge for clinicians is weight regain (WR), defined as progressive weight gain following successful weight loss. WR is affected [...] Read more.
Introduction: Obesity is a global health problem requiring effective interventions to achieve weight loss and maintain it in the long term. A major challenge for clinicians is weight regain (WR), defined as progressive weight gain following successful weight loss. WR is affected by multiple factors, including psychological traits linked to specific brain alterations. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial in developing strategies to prevent WR and to ensure effective weight control. Objectives: This narrative review aims to gather current findings on the psychological and neurobiological determinants of WR and to discuss the interplay between these factors. Methods: A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science for English-language studies published between December 1990 and November 2024. Results: WR is driven by interconnected psychological and neurobiological factors that influence eating behavior and the regulation of body weight. Certain personality traits and emotional patterns are associated with specific changes in brain activity, which together affect vulnerability to WR. Although distinct mechanisms can be identified, the complexity of homeostatic and nonhomeostatic appetite control suggests that no single factor predominates. Conclusions: This review highlights the dynamic interplay between psychological and neurobiological predictors of WR. However, due to the narrative nature of this review, the focus on selected determinants, and the limited quality and size of the available studies, further research is needed to comprehensively understand causality and to improve relapse prevention strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Eating Behavior on Energy Intake and Body Mass Index (BMI))
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