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Nutrients
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The Effect of Lifestyle and Eating Habits on Obesity
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The Effect of Lifestyle and Eating Habits on Obesity

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2024) | Viewed by 14993

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alessandra Feraco

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, 00166 Rome, Italy
2. Laboratory of Cardiovascular Endocrinology, San Raffaele Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy
Interests: adipose tissue; human nutrition; Mediterranean diet; ketogenic diet; insulin resistance; physical exercise; metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Andrea Armani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Open University, 00166 Rome, Italy
2. Laboratory of Cardiovascular Endocrinology, San Raffaele Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele, Via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166 Rome, Italy
Interests: adipose tissue; human nutrition; Mediterranean diet; ketogenic diet; nutraceuticals; physical exercise; metabolism; brown adipose tissue function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mauro Lombardo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Roma Open University, 00166 Rome, Italy
Interests: obesity; sports nutrition; bariatric surgery; body composition; Mediterranean diet; clinical nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity has emerged as a global health epidemic, with its prevalence steadily increasing over the past few decades. Obesity is defined as a multifactorial disease, characterized by an excessive accumulation of body fat, with significant health risks and challenges to individuals and healthcare systems worldwide. The observed increase in obesity rates can be attributed to a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and predominantly lifestyle-related factors. One of the primary contributors to the obesity pandemic is a transformation in lifestyle patterns, marked by sedentary behaviors and dietary shifts. Modern urbanization as well as smart working, adopted in particular during and after the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2021, have led to a decline in physical activity levels, with technological advancements promoting a more sedentary lifestyle and contributing to the energy imbalance as a driver of obesity. Furthermore, changes in dietary habits have played a pivotal role in the obesity surge. The ubiquity of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, often high in sugars and fats, has become a hallmark of contemporary diets. Fast food consumption, coupled with a shift towards larger portion sizes and increased intake of processed foods, has led to a caloric surplus that exceeds the body's metabolic needs. Such an imbalance has been closely linked to weight gain and the onset of obesity. Moreover, economic factors, such as limited access to affordable, nutritious foods in certain communities, can exacerbate disparities in obesity prevalence. Additionally, marketing practices promoting unhealthy food choices can influence individual behaviors, contributing to the obesogenic environment. In conclusion, the increasing prevalence of obesity is a critical public health concern. In this context, this Special Issue aims to explore the relationship between lifestyle choices, (including physical activity, sleep patterns, and stress management), dietary habits or interventions, and the prevalence of obesity in order to provide novel effective prevention and intervention strategies.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Alessandra Feraco
Dr. Andrea Armani
Prof. Dr. Mauro Lombardo
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

  • mediterranean diet
  • adipose tissue
  • cardiovascular disease
  • physical exercise
  • dietary supplements
  • nutraceuticals
  • human nutrition
  • inflammation
  • type 2 diabetes

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1166 KiB  
Article
Food Preference Assessed by the Newly Developed Nutrition-Based Japan Food Preference Questionnaire and Its Association with Dietary Intake in Abdominal-Obese Subjects
by Naoko Nagai, Yuya Fujishima, Chie Tokuzawa, Satoko Takayanagi, Mikiko Yamamoto, Tomoyuki Hara, Yu Kimura, Hirofumi Nagao, Yoshinari Obata, Shiro Fukuda, Megu Y. Baden, Junji Kozawa, Norikazu Maeda, Hitoshi Nishizawa and Iichiro Shimomura
Nutrients 2024, 16(23), 4252; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234252 - 9 Dec 2024
Viewed by 932
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Understanding food preferences is important for weight management. However, methods for assessing food preferences are not well established, especially in Japan. This study aimed to examine detailed food preferences and their associations with actual food intake in non-obese and abdominal-obese subjects using [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Understanding food preferences is important for weight management. However, methods for assessing food preferences are not well established, especially in Japan. This study aimed to examine detailed food preferences and their associations with actual food intake in non-obese and abdominal-obese subjects using a newly developed questionnaire tailored for the Japanese population. Methods: We developed the Japan Food Preference Questionnaire (JFPQ) to evaluate food preferences across four nutrient groups based on nutritional evidence: carbohydrate, fat, protein, and dietary fiber. A total of 38 non-obese and 30 abdominal-obese participants completed both the JFPQ and the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Food preferences for each nutrient were compared between the two groups, and correlations between food preferences (assessed by the JFPQ) and food intake (assessed by the FFQ) were analyzed. Results: Compared with the non-obese group, the abdominal-obese group showed significantly greater preferences for carbohydrates, fat, and protein, with no significant difference in dietary fiber after adjusting for age and sex. Furthermore, in the abdominal-obese group, positive correlations were found between actual intake and preference for high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods. Conclusions: Our findings from this pilot study demonstrated that abdominal-obese individuals had greater preferences for fat and carbohydrates, which were linked to actual fat and carbohydrate intake and possibly contributed to the development of obesity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Lifestyle and Eating Habits on Obesity)
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15 pages, 1262 KiB  
Article
Gender Differences in Dietary Patterns and Eating Behaviours in Individuals with Obesity
by Alessandra Feraco, Andrea Armani, Stefania Gorini, Elisabetta Camajani, Chiara Quattrini, Tiziana Filardi, Sercan Karav, Rocky Strollo, Massimiliano Caprio and Mauro Lombardo
Nutrients 2024, 16(23), 4226; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234226 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 898
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Obesity is a global health problem with significant chronic disease risks. This study examined gender differences in eating behaviour, body composition, eating frequency and time of hunger in an Italian cohort with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) to inform gender-specific management strategies. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Obesity is a global health problem with significant chronic disease risks. This study examined gender differences in eating behaviour, body composition, eating frequency and time of hunger in an Italian cohort with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) to inform gender-specific management strategies. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 720 adults (51.5% female, mean age 44.4 ± 13.8 years) assessed body composition and eating behaviour using principal component analysis (PCA) to classify eating profiles (structured, irregular, social and disordered/impulsive eaters). Results: Males showed higher weight, abdominal circumference and fat mass, while females showed higher fat mass percentages (p < 0.001). Gender differences were observed in the frequency of meals (e.g., 54.7% of males and 64.7% of females consumed 4–5 meals per day, p = 0.0018) and the time of hunger (males: before dinner; females: morning hunger, p = 0.005). The PCA profiles revealed that the ‘structured eaters’ had a healthier body composition, whereas the ‘disordered/impulsive eaters’ had a higher fat mass. Irregular eaters were predominantly male (41.0%), while disordered eaters were predominantly female (39.9%) (p = 0.0016). Conclusions: Gender-specific eating patterns influence obesity outcomes. Structured eating was associated with healthier profiles, whereas impulsive or irregular patterns were related to higher fat mass. The retrospective design and non-validated questionnaire for dietary behaviour assessment limit generalisability, warranting further research for tailored interventions. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06654674). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Lifestyle and Eating Habits on Obesity)
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20 pages, 1163 KiB  
Article
Positive Effects of Aerobic-Resistance Exercise and an Ad Libitum High-Protein, Low-Glycemic Index Diet on Irisin, Omentin, and Dyslipidemia in Men with Abdominal Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial
by Agnieszka Suder, Karol Makiel, Aneta Targosz, Piotr Kosowski and Robert M. Malina
Nutrients 2024, 16(20), 3480; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16203480 - 14 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1503
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this research was to evaluate changes in body composition, adipokine levels, and dyslipidemia parameters in males with abdominal obesity following two distinct interventions: exercise alone and exercise combined with an ad libitum diet. Methods: This study included 44 males [...] Read more.
Objectives: The aim of this research was to evaluate changes in body composition, adipokine levels, and dyslipidemia parameters in males with abdominal obesity following two distinct interventions: exercise alone and exercise combined with an ad libitum diet. Methods: This study included 44 males with abdominal obesity (mean age 34.7 ± 5.5 years, waist circumference [WC] 110.3 ± 8.5, BMI 32.0 ± 3.9), who were randomly assigned to three groups: an experimental group engaging in aerobic-resistance exercise (II, n = 16), an experimental group engaging in aerobic-resistance exercise combined with an ad libitum high-protein, low-glycemic index carbohydrate diet (III, n = 16), both interventions lasting 6 weeks, and a control group without interventions (I, n = 12). Body composition metrics (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], body fat [BF], abdominal fat [ABD]) and fat-free mass [FFM], along with biochemical blood analyses (irisin [IR], omentin [OMEN], glucose [GLU], insulin [INS], LDL- and HDL-cholesterol), were measured at baseline and after the 6-week intervention. The effects of the interventions on the analyzed variables across groups were assessed using mixed ANOVA tests with post-hoc comparisons. Effect size (ES) was also calculated using partial eta squared (ηp2). Results: The intervention in group III resulted in a significant decrease in IR (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.03) by 41% and LDL-C (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.02) by 14%. These effects were associated with a reduction in BF (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.02) by 14%, ABD (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.03) by 31%, and WC (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.01) by 3%. In group II, decreases after 6 weeks of intervention were noted only in WC (p = 0.02, ηp2 = 0.01) by 1% and in INS (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.04) by 47%. No differences were found between groups. The use of low-glycemic index carbohydrates (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.06) and increased protein intake (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.30) led to changes in the fiber-to-energy value of the diet ratio (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.18) and a reduction in dietary energy value (p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.13) by 23%, resulting in a greater energy deficit than in the II group. Conclusions: These findings highlight the effect of combining dietary and exercise interventions to achieve significant changes in body composition and metabolic parameters, even over a short period of intervention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Lifestyle and Eating Habits on Obesity)
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12 pages, 797 KiB  
Article
Dietary Fibre Intake, Adiposity, and Metabolic Disease Risk in Pacific and New Zealand European Women
by Nikki Renall, Benedikt Merz, Jeroen Douwes, Marine Corbin, Joanne Slater, Gerald W. Tannock, Ridvan Firestone, Rozanne Kruger and Lisa Te Morenga
Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3399; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193399 - 7 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1519
Abstract
Background/Objectives: To assess associations between dietary fibre intake, adiposity, and odds of metabolic syndrome in Pacific and New Zealand European women. Methods: Pacific (n = 126) and New Zealand European (NZ European; n = 161) women (18–45 years) were recruited based on normal [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: To assess associations between dietary fibre intake, adiposity, and odds of metabolic syndrome in Pacific and New Zealand European women. Methods: Pacific (n = 126) and New Zealand European (NZ European; n = 161) women (18–45 years) were recruited based on normal (18–24.9 kg/m2) and obese (≥30 kg/m2) BMIs. Body fat percentage (BF%), measured using whole body DXA, was subsequently used to stratify participants into low (<35%) or high (≥35%) BF% groups. Habitual dietary intake was calculated using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) method, involving a five-day food record and semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Fasting blood was analysed for glucose and lipid profile. Metabolic syndrome was assessed with a harmonized definition. Results: NZ European women in both the low- and high-BF% groups were older, less socioeconomically deprived, and consumed more dietary fibre (low-BF%: median 23.7 g/day [25–75-percentile, 20.1, 29.9]; high-BF%: 20.9 [19.4, 24.9]) than Pacific women (18.8 [15.6, 22.1]; and 17.8 [15.0, 20.8]; both p < 0.001). The main source of fibre was discretionary fast foods for Pacific women and whole grain breads and cereals for NZ European women. A regression analysis controlling for age, socioeconomic deprivation, ethnicity, energy intake, protein, fat, and total carbohydrate intake showed an inverse association between higher fibre intake and BF% (β= −0.47, 95% CI = −0.62, −0.31, p < 0.001), and odds of metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.84, 0.98, p = 0.010) among both Pacific and NZ European women (results shown for both groups combined). Conclusions: Low dietary fibre intake was associated with increased metabolic disease risk. Pacific women had lower fibre intakes than NZ European women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Lifestyle and Eating Habits on Obesity)
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Review

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15 pages, 2400 KiB  
Review
Is Fasting Superior to Continuous Caloric Restriction for Weight Loss and Metabolic Outcomes in Obese Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
by Víctor Siles-Guerrero, Jose M. Romero-Márquez, Rosa Natalia García-Pérez, Cristina Novo-Rodríguez, Juan Manuel Guardia-Baena, María Hayón-Ponce, Carmen Tenorio-Jiménez, Martín López-de-la-Torre-Casares and Araceli Muñoz-Garach
Nutrients 2024, 16(20), 3533; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16203533 - 18 Oct 2024
Viewed by 9526
Abstract
Background: fasting-based strategies (FBS) and continuous caloric restriction (CCR) are popular methods for weight loss and improving metabolic health. FBS alternates between eating and fasting periods, while CCR reduces daily calorie intake consistently. Both aim to create a calorie deficit, but it is [...] Read more.
Background: fasting-based strategies (FBS) and continuous caloric restriction (CCR) are popular methods for weight loss and improving metabolic health. FBS alternates between eating and fasting periods, while CCR reduces daily calorie intake consistently. Both aim to create a calorie deficit, but it is still uncertain as to which is more effective for short- and long-term weight and metabolic outcomes. Objectives: this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the effectiveness of FBS and CCR on these parameters in obese adults. Methods: after screening 342 articles, 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 623 participants were included. Results: both interventions led to weight loss, with a reduction of 5.5 to 6.5 kg observed at the six-month mark. However, the results showed that FBS led to slightly greater short-term reductions in body weight (−0.94 kg, p = 0.004) and fat mass (−1.08 kg, p = 0.0001) compared to CCR, although these differences are not clinically significant. Both interventions had similar effects on lean mass, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, lipid profiles, and glucose metabolism. However, FBS improved insulin sensitivity, with significant reductions in fasting insulin (−7.46 pmol/L, p = 0.02) and HOMA-IR (−0.14, p = 0.02). Conclusions: despite these short-term benefits, FBS did not show superior long-term outcomes compared to CCR. Both strategies are effective for weight management, but more research is needed to explore the long-term clinical relevance of FBS in obese populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Lifestyle and Eating Habits on Obesity)
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