Effects of Age and Genotype on Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) and Fiber Contents in Brassica napus

Rape (Brassica napus) is one of the major vegetables grown in Zambia and is an important source of nutrients in human diet. Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant molecule while fiber on the other hand plays a key role in mitigating constipation. However, the effects of rape genotype and the vegetative maturity (age) on nutrient content on vitamin C and fiber is not clearly understood. The objectives of the study were therefore, to; i) to evaluate the effects of age on vitamin C and fiber nutrient content in rape leaves and ii) evaluate the genotypic effect of rape leaves on vitamin C and fiber contents. The experiment was conducted Munachoonga farm, in Monze district, Zambia (16 o 16’ 45’’ S; 27o 28’25’’ E) during the 2020/ 2021 cropping season. The experiment was laid as a split plot design with three replications. Soil fertilizer amendments were the main plot while variety (genotype) as a subplot. Data was collected at 6 and 10 weeks old after transplanting. However, for each treatment, a representative sample was collected by thoroughly mixing all three associated reps and obtaining a representative leaf sample giving 18 experimental units. The dried samples were taken to the University of Zambia Lab for analysis. The results showed that the mean fiber content was higher at week 10 than week 6 (P< 0.001), while vitamin C was higher at week 6 than week 10 (P= 0.05). Implying that younger leaves are likely to supply a higher content of vitamin C than older leaves. The lesser content of fiber at younger stage of rape explains why most consumers found rape more palatable at a younger stage. It was also revealed that vitamin C and fiber nutrient contents did not depend on the type of genotype. Furthermore, a study to evaluate the precise effects of fertilizer amendment on vitamin C and fiber contents should be undertaken.

Consumo de alimentos altamente procesados y de alta palatabilidad y su relación con el sobrepeso y la obesidad / Ultra-processed and highly palatable foods on the development of obesity

Resumen Introducción: la obesidad es un rasgo multifactorial determinado por la interacción de factores biológicos, ambientales, psicosociales y político-socioeconómicos. Propósito: el objetivo de esta revisión descriptiva-exploratoria es discutir el papel del consumo de alimentos altamente procesados y de alta palatabilidad (APAP) en la epidemia de la obesidad, así como presentar algunas propuestas para disminuir su ingesta. Argumentos para la discusión: los APAP se caracterizan por ser energéticamente densos, ricos en grasas y azúcares. En su formulación se utiliza una gran cantidad de aditivos industriales para potenciar su sabor, vida útil y la estabilidad de sus componentes. Suelen contener sustancias químicas conocidas como disruptores endocrinos (EDC) que se transfieren de los empaques al alimento, como el bisfenol A y los ftalatos, y afectan distintas vías de señalización hormonal, promoviendo alteraciones en el metabolismo del tejido adiposo y otros sistemas endocrinos. El sobreconsumo de APAP induce a cambios neuroplásticos en el sistema de recompensa y esto aumenta, a la vez, el número de porciones, con la subsecuente acumulación de grasa corporal; además, dicho abuso causa desbalances en la composición del microbioma intestinal (disbiosis) asociados al desarrollo de obesidad. Conclusiones: el sobreconsumo de APAP incrementa el riesgo de obesidad y enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, máxime si se inicia a edades tempranas. Para contrarrestar esta problemática, se plantea cambiar la estructura de la canasta básica, regular la venta dentro y alrededor de centros educativos, crear mayores impuestos y fortalecer la investigación en obesidad, APAP y EDC.

Abstract Introduction. Obesity is a multifactorial trait provoked by the interaction of biological, environmental, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors. Proposal: The goal of the present review is to discuss the role of ultra-processed and highly palatable foods (UPHP) in the development of the obesity epidemic through an exploratory-descriptive review and to present some suggestions for controlling its consumption. Arguments for discussion: UPHP are energy dense foods with high contents of fat and sugar. UPHP are formulated with many industrial additives used for enhancing flavor, shelf life, and the stability of their components. UPHP used to contain diverse chemicals known as endocrine disruptors (EDC), which are transferred from packaging to foods, with bisphenol A and phthalates as the most common EDC. The EDC disrupt different hormonal signaling pathways affecting the metabolism of the adipose tissue and other endocrine systems. The overconsumption of UPHP induces neuroplastic changes in the brain reward system that increases their consumption, leading to body fat accumulation. In addition, the overconsumption of UPHP alters the composition of the intestinal microbiome (dysbiosis), which is associated with the development of obesity. Conclusions: The overconsumption of UPHP increases the risk of obesity and its related chronic, non-communicable diseases, especially when consumption initiates during early life. To counteract this problem, we proposed the following actions: changing the structure of the market-food basket, incorporating regulations to reduce the UPHP supply in and around educational centers, creating new taxes upon UPHP, and strengthening the research regarding obesity, and the effects of UPHP and EDC.

Evaluation of Taste Aversion Learning Procedure for the Generalization of Aversion Using Palatable Foods / Evaluación del procedimiento aprendizaje aversivo gustativo para la generalización de la aversión con dos alimentos palatables

Abstract An experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of the taste aversion conditioning paradigm in the generalization of aversion with palatable foods was performed. Ten experimentally naive females Wistar rats and three types of foods were used: a) standard purina rodent chow, b) vanilla flavor cookies and c) chocolate-flavored cookies. Subjects were divided into two groups, five subjects per group. Using the taste aversion conditioning paradigm protocol, subjects were exposed to the types of food keeping an intake record. The experiment demonstrated that rats can acquire an aversion to palatable foods accompanied by a tendency to generalize, when using elements that share characteristics such as nutritional content and texture. In addition, the intake of a food that does not share the characteristics of texture, taste, smell and energy content with the one used for conditioning was not been affected. These findings indicate that the aversion generalization seems to depend on the properties of the food used.

Resumen Se evaluó experimentalmente la efectividad del paradigma de aprendizaje aversivo gustativo en la generalización de la aversión utilizando alimentos palatables. Se utilizaron diez ratas Wistar hembras experimentalmente ingenuas y tres tipos de alimentos: a) purina comida estándar para roedores, b) galletas con sabor a vainilla y c) galletas con sabor a chocolate. Los sujetos fueron divididos en dos grupos, cinco sujetos en cada uno. Usando el paradigma de condicionamiento de aversión al sabor, los sujetos fueron expuestos a los tipos de alimentos manteniendo un registro de ingesta. El experimento demostró que las ratas pueden adquirir una aversión a los alimentos palatables acompañados por una tendencia a generalizarse, cuando se utilizan elementos que comparten características como el contenido nutricional y la textura. Además, la ingesta de un alimento que no comparte características como la textura, sabor, olor y contenido energético como el utilizado para el condicionamiento no se vio afectada. Estos hallazgos demuestran que la generalización de la aversión parece depender de las propiedades de los alimentos utilizados.

Factors affecting emotional eating and eating palatable food in adults

Anti-inflammatory Effect of a Goji Berry Extract (Lycium barbarum) in Rats Subjected to Inflammation by Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)

Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of a Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum) fruit extract in Wistar rats submitted to a palatable diet presenting systemic inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Forty-two Wistar female rats (Rattus Novergicus) were used with 60 days old. The animals were feed for 60 days and divided in six groups (n=7): standard diet+water; standard diet+L. barbarum; palatable diet+water; palatable diet+L. barbarum; standard diet+water+LPS; standard diet+L. barbarum+LPS. A significant difference was shown between the analyzed groups concerning C-reactive protein, with the standard diet+water+LPS group presenting the highest inflammatory response in comparison to the other groups. Decreased inflammatory response was observed in the group administered a palatable diet along with the fruit extract when compared to the group that received only a palatable diet. Significant decrease in glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activity was observed in the standard diet+L. barbarum+LPS group compared to the standard diet+water group, as well as in the palatable diet+L. barbarum group compared to the palatable diet+water group. A significant increase in creatinine in the standard diet+water+LPS group was observed in according to the L. barbarum administration groups. The gene expression of the inflammatory markers genes in the liver showed a significant increase in TNF-α and IL-6 genes in the group treated with standard diet+L. barbarum+LPS when compared to the standard diet+LPS group. Thus, the administered L. barbarum extract displays the potential to reduce inflammatory responses induced by LPS and a palatable diet.

An interventional proposal for binge eating among individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery / Uma proposta interventiva à compulsão alimentar de indivíduos submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica / Una propuesta de intervención para la compulsión alimentaria de individuos sometidos a la cirugía bariátrica

This study's objective was to investigate the effects of providing instructions and token reinforcement in the control of the eating behavior for two women who had undergone bariatric surgery and described a compulsive eating pattern. The design consisted of four phases: 1. baseline, 2. reinforcing correspondence between electronic recording and pictures of meals, 3. composed of two subphases: 3.1. instruction and contingent reinforcement of eating every three hours and 3.2. instructing and reinforcing the preparation and ingestion of a daily portion of palatable food, up to 150 kcal. The results show a decrease in the intervals between meals and an increase in the continuous and limited intake of palatable foods, accompanied by a decrease in the report of compulsive episodes. The results suggest that a decrease in binge eating can be achieved by avoiding food restrictions and intermittent access to palatable foods, as previously reported by experimental studies.

A pesquisa investigou o efeito de instruções e de um procedimento de economia de fichas no controle do comportamento alimentar de duas mulheres que haviam realizado cirurgia bariátrica e descreviam um padrão alimentar compulsivo. O delineamento consistiu em quatro fases: 1. linha de base, 2. reforçamento para a correspondência entre registro eletrônico e foto das refeições, 3. composta por duas subfases: 3.1. instrução e reforço contingente para alimentação de três em três horas e 3.2. instrução e reforçamento para a preparação e ingestão de uma porção diária de alimento palatável de até 150 kcal. Os resultados apontaram a redução nos intervalos entre as refeições e o aumento na ingestão de palatáveis de forma contínua e limitada, acompanhados da diminuição no relato de episódios compulsivos. A redução na compulsão alimentar pareceu ser alcançada quando se evitaram a restrição alimentar e o acesso intermitente aos alimentos palatáveis, tal como antes indicado na literatura.

En el presente trabajo se investigó el efecto de instrucciones y un procedimiento de economia de fichas en el control del comportamiento alimentario compulsivo de dos mujeres que realizaron la cirugia bariátrica. El diseno tuvo cuatro fases: 1. linea de base, 2. reforzamiento para la correspondencia entre el registro electrónico y la foto de las comidas, 3. compuesta por dos subfases: 3.1. instrucción y refuerzo contingente para una alimentación de tres en tres horas y 3.2. instrucción y reforzamiento contingente para la preparación e ingestión de una porción diaria de alimentos palatables (150 calorias). Los resultados senalaron la reducción en los intervalos entre las comidas y el aumento en la ingestión de palatables de forma continua y limitada, acompanada de una reducción en el relato de episodios compulsivos. Tal constatación sugiere que la reducción en la compulsión alimentaria puede alcanzarse al evitar la restricción alimentaria y el acceso intermitente a los alimentos palatables.

Highly Palatable Food during Adolescence Improves Anxiety-Like Behaviors and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Dysfunction in Rats that Experienced Neonatal Maternal Separation

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to examine the effects of ad libitum consumption of highly palatable food (HPF) during adolescence on the adverse behavioral outcome of neonatal maternal separation. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley pups were separated from dam for 3 hours daily during the first 2 weeks of birth (maternal separation, MS) or left undisturbed (nonhandled, NH). Half of MS pups received free access to chocolate cookies in addition to ad libitum chow from postnatal day 28 (MS+HPF). Pups were subjected to behavioral tests during young adulthood. The plasma corticosterone response to stress challenge was analyzed by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Daily caloric intake and body weight gain did not differ among the experimental groups. Ambulatory activities were decreased defecation activity and rostral grooming were increased in MS controls (fed with chow only) compared with NH rats. MS controls spent less time in open arms, and more time in closed arms during the elevated plus maze test, than NH rats. Immobility duration during the forced swim test was increased in MS controls compared with NH rats. Cookie access normalized the behavioral scores of ambulatory and defecation activities and grooming, but not the scores during the elevated plus maze and swim tests in MS rats. Stress-induced corticosterone increase was blunted in MS rats fed with chow only, and cookie access normalized it. CONCLUSION: Prolonged access to HPF during adolescence and youth partly improves anxiety-related, but not depressive, symptoms in rats that experienced neonatal maternal separation, possibly in relation with improved function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Experience of Neonatal Maternal Separation May Lead to a Long-term Modulation in the Neuronal Activity of Nucleus Accumbens in the Offspring

Dysfunction of the nucleus accumbens (NAcb) is implicated in the development of anhedonia, a core symptom of major depressive disorder. In order to define the neural basis of depression-like behaviors induced by experience of neonatal maternal separation (MS), both basal and stress-induced neuronal activations in the NAcb of adolescent rats with MS experience were examined parallel with palatable food intake. Rat pups were separated from dam daily for 180 min during the first two weeks of age (MS), and non-handled control (NH) pups were left undisturbed. After weaning on postnatal day (PND) 22, a half of NH or MS pups were subjected to 1 h of restraint stress every even day during PND 28~40 (NH/R or MS/R), and then had free choices of chow and chocolate cookie for 1 h immediately after returned to home cage. The rest half of NH and MS pups (NH/C or MS/C) received free choices of chow and cookie in the same time schedule with stress group, just omitting restraint stress. Cookie intake was significantly decreased in MS/C, whereas c-Fos expression in the NAcb and plasma corticosterone increased, compared to NH/C. Restraint stress suppressed cookie intake and increased the NAcb c-Fos expression in NH/R, but not in MS/R. The plasma corticosterone of NH/R, but not of MS/R, increased following repeated restraint stress. These results suggest that the increased neuronal activation in the NAcb of MS/C may be implicated in the development of anhedonia by MS experience, perhaps, in relation with a blunted responsivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis to stress.

Efeitos do exercício crônico sobre a concentração circulante da leptina e grelina em ratos com obesidade induzida por dieta / Effects of the chronic exercise on the circulating concentration of leptin and ghrelin in rats With diet-induced obesity

A obesidade vem se tornando uma das maiores epidemias mundiais, dessa forma, conhecer sua etiologia e mecanismos que regulam seu desenvolvimento é de grande relevância para o seu Tratamento. Portanto, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da obesidade exógena induzida pela dieta de cafeteria e da atividade física crônica em ratos, sobre a adiposidade e a concentração sérica dos hormônios reguladores do balanço energético (leptina e grelina). Foram utilizados 32 ratos Wistar machos, divididos em quatro grupos: Sedentário alimentado com dieta padrão (SN), sedentário alimentado com dieta de cafeteria (SC), treinado alimentado com dieta padrão (TN) e treinado alimentado com dieta de cafeteria (TC). A dieta de cafeteria aumentou significativamente a adiposidade central (RET) e visceral (EPI) (p<0,05), induzindo a obesidade. Por outro lado, o treinamento físico minimizou o efeito da dieta de cafeteria, diminuindo tanto a adiposidade central como a visceral. A atividade física crônica não impediu o desenvolvimento da hiperleptinemia nos ratos normocalóricos e alimentados com dieta de cafeteria. Observou-se ainda que decorrente do treinamento físico e consequente redução de massa, nos animais normocalóricos, houve diminuição na concentração plasmática de grelina. Concluímos com este estudo que a qualidade da dieta e a quantidade de tecido adiposo, apresentaram-se como importantes reguladores da concentração plasmática de hormônios reguladores do balanço energético, reforçando a importância de uma dieta adequada e da atividade física contínua na manutenção do peso corporal no combate aos efeitos deletérios da obesidade.

Obesity is becoming one of the biggest worldwide epidemics. Therefore, knowing its etiology and mechanisms that regulate its development is of great relevance for its treatment. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of obesity induced by the palatable hyperlipidic diet and of the chronic physical activity in rats, on the adiposity and the serum concentration of regulating hormones of the energy balance (leptin and ghrelin). 32 male Wistar rats were divided in four groups: Sedentary fed with chow diet (SN), sedentary fed with cafeteria diet (SC), trained fed with chow diet (TN) and trained fed with cafeteria diet (TC). The cafeteria diet led to a significant increase of central (RET) and visceral (EPI) adiposity (p<0.05). Conversely,the exercise training minimized the effect of the cafeteria diet, diminishing the central and visceral adiposity. Leptin was also increased in the groups fed with the cafeteria diet, suggesting increase of the resistance to the action of this hormone. Chronic physical activity did not hinder the development of hyperleptinemia. Reduction in the serum ghrelin concentration was observed only in the normocaloric group. Therefore,it has been concluded that the quality of diet and the quantity of adipose tissue mass behaved as important regulators of the serum concentration of leptin and ghrelin, reinforcing the importance of a suitable diet and continuous physical activity in the maintenance of body weight in the combat to the deleterious effects of obesity.