Psychobiological traits in the risk profile for overeating and weight gain

Abstract

Our dramatically changed food environmentFsince periods in our history when food sources were highly constrainedFhas presented new challenges for obesity research. For example, these alterations have strongly emphasized the physiological differences between the homeostatic and the hedonic regulation of food intakeFthe latter being largely responsible for the pronounced increase in obesity in the past few decades. There is also increasing agreement that compulsive overeating shares many parallels with addiction disorders such as drug abuse. These factors have also fostered a renewed interest in identifying individual differences in personality and motivational systems that increase the risk for overeating and weight gain in our population. Reward sensitivity has been the focus of a recent body of compelling research, with evidence favoring two seemingly opposite points of view. On the one hand, studies have found support for a link between low reward sensitivity and obesity, whereas other evidence suggests that a strong appetitive motivation leads to overeating and weight gain. Arguments are provided to reconcile these apparently disparate theories. Finally, the role of impulsivity and its links with symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are discussed, as well as their respective roles in the risk profile for obesity.

Canadian Youth Born Large or Small for Gestational Age and Externalizing and Internalizing Problems

“…This cohort's relative lack of detailed obstetric data leads to additional uncertainty as to whether the observed link between being born over the 95th percentile for GA and externalizing symptoms is due to LGA and its accompanying intrauterine, delivery and postnatal biochemical complications, or if LGA (over the 95th percentile) is merely a marker of putative upstream causal factors such as maternal obesity and (or) DM. Obesity and DM in pregnancy are themselves associated with increased levels of emotional and behavioural problems in offspring 35,36 and these women are also at a higher risk of manifesting maladaptive personality traits 37 and developing postpartum depression. 38 Indeed, further study is required to determine if it is these antecedents of macrosomia that are actually responsible for links to externalizing problems in youth.…”

Dietary restraint and self-regulation in eating behavior

“…35 In this situation, successful restriction of intake among restrained eaters may not necessarily translate into a negative energy balance, because a person may eat less than they wish to, while still overeating from the point of view of homeostatic demands. Similarly, successful restraint may not result in observed differences in food intake between groups of restrained and unrestrained eaters because appetitive traits vary by individual and are associated with susceptibility to weight gain, 36,37 and hence are unlikely to be evenly distributed Dietary restraint and self-regulation F Johnson et al between these groups. The cross-sectional association between restraint and body mass index (BMI) has been examined in several studies, and positive, 38,39 negative 40,41 and null associations between restraint and BMI have been reported.…”

La salud mental en el paciente con obesidad en protocolo para cirugía bariátrica

“…[37][38][39] El mecanismo neurobiológico de esta asociación es la disfunción en el control inhibitorio, que altera el funciona-miento ejecutivo generando distraibilidad, desorganización e incumplimiento en hábitos de vida saludables. 40 Además, los pacientes con TDAH muestran menos atención a las señales internas de hambre y saciedad, 41 y asociado con un componente impulsivo, presentan con frecuencia abuso de sustancias 42,43 y además, pobre tolerancia a la espera que genera mayor ingesta de alimentos hipercalóricos. 44 Se ha reportado que, cuando coexiste TDAH-obesidad, la probabilidad de presentar atracones incrementa 3.97 veces más que en los obesos sin TDAH.…”