Reestablishment of ad libitum feeding following partial food deprivation: Impact on locomotor activity, visceral fat, food intake, and circadian glycemic curve.

Food deprivation has been associated with the development of metabolic pathologies. Few studies have explored the repercussions of a partial food deprivation following the reestablishment of an ad libitum diet. This study investigates the impact of a partial food deprivation (an 8-hour food intake restriction coupled with a 4-hour feeding window during the active phase) and the subsequent return to ad libitum feeding on the glycemic curve, food intake, and locomotor behavior. Wistar rats aged 45 days were subjected to 6 weeks of a partial food deprivation followed by 6 weeks of ad libitum feeding. Body weight, visceral fat, food intake, circadian glycemia, oral glucose tolerance, and locomotor activity were evaluated. It was found that the partial food deprivation resulted in the reduction of both the body weight and food intake; however, it increased visceral fat by 60%. Circadian glycemic values were altered at all intervals during the light phase, and glucose sensitivity improved at 60 minutes in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In the food-deprived group, the locomotor activity rhythm was reduced, with an observed delay in the peak of activity, reduction in total activity, and a decrease in the rhythmicity percentage. After the reestablishment of the ad libitum feeding, there was recovery of body weight, no difference in visceral fat, normalization of the food intake pattern, circadian glycemia, and oral glucose tolerance. Additionally, the return to ad libitum feeding restored locomotor activity, although the duration required for its complete recovery warrants further investigation. In conclusion, partial food deprivation induces physio-metabolic changes in rats, most of which are reversed after reestablishing ad libitum feeding.

Different stressors uniquely affect the expression of endocannabinoid-metabolizing enzymes in the central ring ganglia of Lymnaea stagnalis.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in neuroprotection, neuroplasticity, energy balance, modulation of stress, and inflammatory responses, acting as a critical link between the brain and the body's peripheral regions, while also offering promising potential for novel therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, in humans, pharmacological inhibitors of different ECS enzymes have led to mixed results in both preclinical and clinical studies. As the ECS has been highly conserved throughout the eukaryotic lineage, the use of invertebrate model organisms like the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis may provide a flexible tool to unravel unexplored functions of the ECS at the cellular, synaptic, and behavioral levels. In this study, starting from the available genome and transcriptome of L. stagnalis, we first identified putative transcripts of all ECS enzymes containing an open reading frame. Each predicted protein possessed a high degree of sequence conservation to known orthologues of other invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. Sequences were confirmed by qualitative PCR and sequencing. Then, we investigated the transcriptional effects induced by different stress conditions (i.e., bacterial LPS injection, predator scent, food deprivation, and acute heat shock) on the expression levels of the enzymes of the ECS in Lymnaea's central ring ganglia. Our results suggest that in Lymnaea as in rodents, the ECS is involved in mediating inflammatory and anxiety-like responses, promoting energy balance, and responding to acute stressors. To our knowledge, this study offers the most comprehensive analysis so far of the ECS in an invertebrate model organism.

Elevated sleep quota in a stress-resilient Drosophila species.

Sleep is broadly conserved across the animal kingdom but can vary widely between species. It is currently unclear which selective pressures and regulatory mechanisms influence differences in sleep between species. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has become a successful model system for examining sleep regulation and function, but little is known about the sleep patterns in many related fly species. Here, we find that fly species with adaptations to extreme desert environments, including D. mojavensis, exhibit strong increases in baseline sleep compared with D. melanogaster. Long-sleeping D. mojavensis show intact homeostasis, indicating that desert flies carry an elevated drive for sleep. In addition, D. mojavensis exhibit altered abundance or distribution of several sleep/wake-related neuromodulators and neuropeptides that are consistent with their reduced locomotor activity and increased sleep. Finally, we find that in a nutrient-deprived environment, the sleep patterns of individual D. mojavensis are strongly correlated with their survival time and that disrupting sleep via constant light stimulation renders D. mojavensis more sensitive to starvation. Our results demonstrate that D. mojavensis is a novel model for studying organisms with high sleep drive and for exploring sleep strategies that provide resilience in extreme environments.

Environmental variation associated with overwintering elicits marked metabolic plasticity in a temperate salmonid, Salvelinus fontinalis.

Poleward winters commonly expose animals, including fish, to frigid temperatures and low food availability. Fishes that remain active over winter must therefore balance trade-offs between conserving energy and maintaining physiological performance in the cold, yet the extent and underlying mechanisms of these trade-offs are not well understood. We investigated the metabolic plasticity of brook char (Salvelinus fontinalis), a temperate salmonid, from the biochemical to whole-animal level in response to cold and food deprivation. Acute cooling (1°C day-1) from 14°C to 2°C had no effect on food consumption but reduced activity by 77%. We then assessed metabolic performance and demand over 90 days with exposure to warm (8°C) or cold winter (2°C) temperatures while fish were fed or starved. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) decreased substantially during initial cooling from 8°C to 2°C (Q10=4.2-4.5) but brook char exhibited remarkable thermal compensation during acclimation (Q10=1.4-1.6). Conversely, RMR was substantially lower (40-48%) in starved fish, conserving energy. Thus, the absolute magnitude of thermal plasticity may be masked or modified under food restriction. This reduction in RMR was associated with atrophy and decreases in in vivo protein synthesis rates, primarily in non-essential tissues. Remarkably, food deprivation had no effect on maximum oxygen uptake rates and thus aerobic capacity, supporting the notion that metabolic capacity can be decoupled from RMR in certain contexts. Overall, our study highlights the multi-faceted energetic flexibility of Salvelinus spp. that likely contributes to their success in harsh and variable environments and may be emblematic of winter-active fishes more broadly.

Effects of testosterone enanthate on aggression, risk-taking, competition, mood, and other cognitive domains during 28 days of severe energy deprivation.

RATIONALE: Behavioral effects of testosterone depend on dose, acute versus sustained formulation, duration of administration, personality, genetics, and endogenous levels of testosterone. There are also considerable differences between effects of endogenous and exogenous testosterone. OBJECTIVES: This study was the secondary behavioral arm of a registered clinical trial designed to determine if testosterone protects against loss of lean body mass and lower-body muscle function induced by a severe energy deficit typical of sustained military operations. METHODS: Behavioral effects of repeated doses of testosterone on healthy young men whose testosterone was reduced by severe energy deficit were examined. This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-group study. Effects of four weekly intramuscular injections of testosterone enanthate (200 mg/week, N = 24) or matching placebo (N = 26) were evaluated. Determination of sample size was based on changes in lean body mass. Tasks assessing aggression, risk-taking, competition, social cognition, vigilance, memory, executive function, and mood were repeatedly administered. RESULTS: During a period of artificially induced, low testosterone levels, consistent behavioral effects of administration of exogenous testosterone were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Exogeneous testosterone enanthate (200 mg/week) during severe energy restriction did not reliably alter the measures of cognition. Study limitations include the relatively small sample size compared to many studies of acute testosterone administration. The findings are specific to healthy males experiencing severe energy deficit and should not be generalized to effects of other doses, formulations, or acute administration of endogenous testosterone or studies conducted with larger samples using tests of cognitive function designed to detect specific effects of testosterone.

Hunger in Brazil: Notes on the narratives in the Folha de São Paulo newspaper during the 2020 pandemic period / A fome no Brasil: notas sobre as narrativas no jornal Folha de São Paulo no período pandêmico de 2020

ABSTRACT Objective This survey aims atreviewing the journalistic narratives of the newspaper Folha de São Paulo (digital edition) about hunger in Brazil during the 2020 pandemic period. It is known that journalism plays an important role in keeping the public informed and in helping to contribute to the shaping of society's opinion. Despite hunger being a structural phenomenon in this country, little is published in the mainstream media discussing the magnitude of the problem and the articulation of measures taken in the three government spheres (federal, state and municipal), to ensure access to food to the most vulnerable populations. Method News excerpts addressing hunger as the main topic were selected from Folha de São Paulo daily newspaper and were highlighted based on reading keys (n=11, published between March and December 2020). Results In all the selected articles, the newspaper addressed the cause of hunger from the perspective of the pandemic (passing event and manifestation). Issues linked to the economic and social crisis experienced in the country were not emphasized. This form of covering hunger in news articles can enhance the idea that the poor are the result of the currently spreading fatality. Conclusion Finally, from these first results we could infer that the newspaper, when addressing hunger in Brazil in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, sought to construct a biased reality that hunger was derived from the health crisis, at the same time that it presents the hungry people narratives as a discursive strategy to sensitize the reader to Folha de São Paulo intentions.

RESUMO Objetivo A nota tem como objetivo examinar as narrativas jornalísticas do jornal Folha de São Paulo (digital) sobre a fome no Brasil, no período pandêmico de 2020, uma vez que se compreende que as narrativas jornalísticas têm um papel importante na formação de opinião da sociedade. Apesar da fome ser um fenômeno estrutural no país, pouco se vê nos grandes meios de comunicação o debate sobre a magnitude dos problemas e articulação de medidas governamentais nas três esferas de gestão (federal, estadual e municipal), que possam assegurar o acesso à alimentação adequada e saudável dos mais vulneráveis. Método Foram selecionadas notícias na Folha de São Paulo que tratavam da fome como pauta principal, sendo analisadas com base em chaves de leitura (n=11, divulgadas entre março e dezembro de 2020). Resultados Em todas as matérias selecionadas o jornal abordou a causa da fome a partir da perspectiva da pandemia (acontecimento e manifestação passageira). As questões vinculadas à crise econômica e social vivenciada no país não foram enfatizadas. A forma de acionar os famintos nas matérias pode reforçar a ideia de que os pobres são fruto da fatalidade que se propaga. Conclusão Por fim, os resultados iniciais permitem inferir que o jornal ao editar a fome no Brasil, no primeiro ano da pandemia de COVID-19, procurou construir uma realidade enviesada de que a fome é derivada de uma crise sanitária ao mesmo tempo que apresenta as narrativas dos famintos como estratégia discursiva para sensibilizar o leitor em relação às suas intenções.

Role of serotonin in the lack of sensitization caused by prolonged food deprivation in Aplysia.

Food deprivation may cause neurological dysfunctions including memory impairment. The mollusk Aplysia is a suitable animal model to study prolonged food deprivation-induced memory deficits because it can sustain up to 14 days of food deprivation (14DFD). Sensitization of defensive withdrawal reflexes has been used to illustrate the detrimental effects of 14DFD on memory formation. Under normal feeding conditions (i.e., two days food deprivation, 2DFD), aversive stimuli lead to serotonin (5-HT) release into the hemolymph and neuropil, which mediates sensitization and its cellular correlates including increased excitability of tail sensory neurons (TSNs). Recent studies found that 14DFD prevents both short-term and long-term sensitization, as well as short-term increased excitability of TSNs induced by in vitro aversive training. This study investigated the role of 5-HT in the absence of sensitization and TSN increased excitability under 14DFD. Because 5-HT is synthesized from tryptophan obtained through diet, and its exogeneous application alone induces sensitization and increases TSN excitability, we hypothesized that 1) 5-HT level may be reduced by 14DFD and 2) 5-HT may still induce sensitization and TSN increased excitability in 14DFD animals. Results revealed that 14DFD significantly decreased hemolymph 5-HT level, which may contribute to the lack of sensitization and its cellular correlates, while ganglia 5-HT level was not changed. 5-HT exogenous application induced sensitization in 14DFD Aplysia, albeit smaller than that in 2DFD animals, suggesting that this treatment can only induce partial sensitization in food deprived animals. Under 14DFD, 5-HT increased TSN excitability indistinguishable from that observed under 2DFD. Taken together, these findings characterize 5-HT metabolic deficiency under 14DFD, which may be compensated, at least in part, by 5-HT exogenous application.

Acute fasting reduces tolerance to progressive central hypovolemia in humans.

Potential health benefits of an acute fast include reductions in blood pressure and increases in vagal cardiac control. These purported health benefits could put fasted humans at risk for cardiovascular collapse when exposed to central hypovolemia. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that an acute 24-h fast (vs. 3-h postprandial) would reduce tolerance to central hypovolemia induced via lower body negative pressure (LBNP). We measured blood ketones (ß-OHB) to confirm a successful fast (n = 18). We recorded the electrocardiogram (ECG), beat-to-beat arterial pressure, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; n = 7), middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAv), and forearm blood flow. Following a 5-min baseline, LBNP was increased by 15 mmHg until -60 mmHg and then increased by 10 mmHg in a stepwise manner until onset of presyncope. Each LBNP stage lasted 5-min. Data are expressed as means ± SE ß-OHB increased (ß-OHB; 0.12 ± 0.04 fed vs. 0.47 ± 0.11, P < 0.01 mmol/L fast). Tolerance to central hypovolemia was decreased by ∼10% in the fasted condition measured via total duration of negative pressure (1,370 [Formula: see text] 89 fed vs. 1,229 ± 94 s fast, P = 0.04), and was negatively associated with fasting blood ketones (R = -0.542, P = 0.02). During LBNP, heart rate and MSNA increased similarly, but in the fasted condition forearm vascular resistance was significantly reduced. Our results suggest that acute fasting reduces tolerance to central hypovolemia by blunting increases in peripheral resistance, indicating that prolonged fasting may hinder an individual's ability to compensate to a loss of blood volume.NEW & NOTEWORTHY An acute 24 h fasting reduces tolerance to central hypovolemia, and tolerance is negatively associated with blood ketone levels. Compared with a fed condition (3-h postprandial), fasted participants exhibited blunted peripheral vasoconstriction and greater reductions in stroke volume during stepwise lower body negative pressure. These findings suggest that a prolonged fast may lead to quicker decompensation during central hypovolemia.

The Effects of Stocking Density and Food Deprivation on Mucous Cells and Lysozyme Activity in the Skin and Gills of Silver Catfish.

This study aimed to identify the regions of the body surface of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) with a higher population of mucous cells in the skin. Additionally, the effects of stressful conditions, such as different stocking densities and food deprivation, on the proliferative response of mucous cells in the skin and gill epithelium and their impact on cutaneous mucous lysozyme activity were investigated. Silver catfish were divided into four experimental groups: high stocking density (32 kg/m3) and fed (HSD-F), high stocking density and fasted (HSD-FS), low stocking density (2.5 kg/m3) and fed (LSD-F), and low stocking density and fasted (LSD-FS). Fish in the fed groups received commercial feed twice a day, amounting to 1% of the tank biomass. After a 14-day experimental period, the fish were anesthetized and euthanized. Samples of cutaneous mucous and skin fragments from seven different points and the second left branchial arch were collected. Histological slides of the skin and gills were stained with PAS + Alcian Blue at pH 2.5, and the epidermal mucous lysozyme activity was assessed using the turbidimetric method. The ventral point in front of the ventral fin was found to be the optimal location for collecting cutaneous epithelia due to its higher density of mucous cells. The population of mucous cells in both the skin and gills varied based on the collection point and treatment applied. The highest lysozyme activity in the epidermal mucous was observed in fish from the HSD-F group. Overall, these findings suggest that stocking density and food deprivation create stressful conditions for silver catfish, which modulate their mucosal response to each situation.

Food deprivation among adults in India: an analysis of specific food categories, 2016-2021.

Background: Adult undernourishment remains pervasive throughout India, and often results from food deprivation, which refers to the inadequate consumption of foods with caloric and nutrient significance. Therefore, understanding the extent to which food groups are missing from an individual's diet is essential to understanding the extent to which they are undernourished. Methods: We used data from two National Family Health Surveys conducted in 2016 and 2021 for this cross-sectional analysis. The study population consisted of women and pregnant women between the ages of 15-49, and men between the ages of 15-54. We examined shifts in the percentage of people not consuming dairy, pulses/beans/legumes, dark leafy green vegetables, fruits, eggs, and fish and meat among women, pregnant women, and men between the two time points. We also examined these patterns by household wealth and education, two important markers of socioeconomic status. Findings: Overall, we found that fewer women, pregnant women, and men were not eating each of the six food groups in 2021 than in 2016. Additionally, the gap in food group consumption between women, pregnant women, and men in the lowest and highest socioeconomic groups shrank between 2016 and 2021. Yet, food group deprivation remained most prevalent among those in the lowest socioeconomic groups. The two exceptions for this were for eggs and meat/fish. Nevertheless, the majority of India's poorest and least educated adults are not consuming high-quality protein sources, including dairy, the consumption of which is far more common among wealthier and more educated Indian adults. Interpretation: Our results show that fewer adults were not consuming important food groups in 2021 than in 2016. However, many of India's poorest and least educated adults are still not consuming high-quality sources of protein or fruits, two food groups that are essential for good health. While adults might be getting protein and nutrients from pulses, legumes, beans, and other vegetables, efforts are needed to improve affordability of, and access to, high-quality sources of protein and fruits. Funding: This work was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, INV- 002992.

Expression Level Changes in Serotonin Transporter are Associated with Food Deprivation in the Pond Snail Lymnaea stagnalis.

In the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, serotonin (5-HT) plays an important role in feeding behavior and its associated learning (e.g., conditioned taste aversion: CTA). The 5-HT content in the central nervous system (CNS) fluctuates with changes in the nutritional status, but it is also expected to be influenced by changes in the serotonin transporter (SERT) expression level. In the present study, we identified SERT in Lymnaea and observed its localization in 5-HTergic neurons, including the cerebral giant cells (CGCs) in the cerebral ganglia and the pedal A cluster neurons and right and left pedal dorsal 1 neurons in the pedal ganglia by in situ hybridization. Real-time PCR revealed that the SERT mRNA expression level was lower under severe food deprivation than under mild food deprivation in the whole CNS as well as in a single CGC. These results inversely correlated with previous data that the 5-HT content in the CNS was higher in the severely food-deprived state than in the mildly food-deprived state. Furthermore, in single CGCs, we observed that the 5-HT level was significantly increased in the severely food-deprived state compared with the mildly food-deprived state. Our present findings suggest that changes in the SERT expression level associated with food deprivation may affect 5-HT signaling, probably contributing to learning and memory mechanisms in Lymnaea.

Prenatal caloric restriction adjusts the energy homeostasis and behavior in response to acute and chronic variations in food availability in adulthood.

Fetal metabolic programming produced by unfavorable prenatal nutritional conditions leads to the development of a disorder called "thrifty phenotype", which is associated with pathologies such as diabetes and obesity in adulthood. However, from an ecophysiological approach, few studies have addressed the development of thrifty phenotypes in terms of energy. This might represent an adaptive advantage against caloric deficiency conditions extending into adulthood. The objective of this study is to investigate the potential adaptive value of the thrifty phenotype expression through prenatal programming in a rodent model experiencing varying dietary conditions in different temporal contexts. To fill this gap, adult males of Mus musculus (BALB/C) from two maternal pregnancy groups were analyzed: control (ad libitum feeding) and caloric restriction from day 10 of gestation (70% restriction). Adult offspring of these groups were split further for two experiments: acute food deprivation and chronic caloric restriction at 60%. The acute food deprivation was performed for 24, 48 or 72 h while the caloric restriction regime was sustained for 20 days. For each experiment, morphological variables, such as body and organ mass, and gene expression related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism from the liver and brain, were evaluated. In chronic caloric restriction, behavioral tests (open-field test and home-cage behavior) were performed. Our results indicate that under acute deprivation, the liver mass and triglyceride content remained unchanged in individuals subjected to prenatal restriction, in contrast to the reduction experienced by the control group. The latter is associated with the expression of the key genes involved in energy homeostasis (Pepck, Pparα/Pparγ), indicating a differential use of nutritional resources. In addition, thrifty animals, subjected to chronic caloric restriction, showed a severe reduction in locomotor and gluconeogenic activity, which is consistent with the regulatory role of Sirt1 and its downstream targets Mao and Pepck. Our results reveal that prenatal caloric restriction translates into a sparing metabolism in response to acute and chronic lack of food in adulthood.

Fasting increases circulating angiotensin levels and brain Agtr1a expression in male rats.

In addition to being recognised for involvement in cardiovascular control and hydromineral balance, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has also been associated with the neuroendocrine control of energy balance. One of the main brain sites for angiotensin II (ANG II)/type 1 receptor (AT1 R) signalling is the subfornical organ (SFO), a circumventricular organ related to the control of autonomic functions, motivated behaviours and energy metabolism. Thus, we hypothesised that circulating ANG II may act on the SFO AT1 R receptors to integrate metabolic and hydromineral balance. We evaluated whether food deprivation can modulate systemic RAS activity and Agrt1a brain expression, and if ANG II/AT1 R signalling influences the hypothalamic expression of mRNAs encoding neuropeptides and food and water ingestion in fed and fasted Wistar rats. We found a significant increase in both ANG I and ANG II plasma levels after 24 and 48 h of fasting. Expression of Agrt1a mRNA in the SFO and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) also increased after food deprivation for 48 h. Treatment of fasted rats with low doses of losartan in drinking water attenuated the decrease in glycemia and meal-associated water intake without changing the expression in PVN or arcuate nucleus of mRNAs encoding selected neuropeptides related to energy homeostasis control. These findings point to a possible role of peripheral ANG II/SFO-AT1 R signalling in the control of refeeding-induced thirst. On the other hand, intracerebroventricular losartan treatment decreased food and water intake over dark time in fed but not in fasted rats.

FOXO in Lymnaea: Its Probable Involvement in Memory Consolidation.

Food deprivation activates forkhead box O (FOXO), a transcription factor downstream of insulin receptors. In the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, insulin signaling and food deprivation improve memory consolidation following conditioned taste aversion (CTA) learning. We investigated the subcellular localization of FOXO in Lymnaea and changes in its expression levels following food deprivation, CTA learning, and insulin administration. Immunohistochemistry revealed that Lymnaea FOXO (LymFOXO) was located in the central nervous system (CNS) neuronal cytoplasm in food-satiated snails but was mainly in neuronal nuclei in food-deprived snails. Following CTA acquisition, LymFOXO translocated to the nuclei in food-satiated snails and remained in the nuclei in food-deprived snails. Contrary to our expectations, insulin administered to the CNS did not induce LymFOXO translocation into the nuclei in food-satiated snails. Real-time PCR was used to quantify LymFOXO mRNA levels, its target genes, and insulin signaling pathway genes and revealed that LymFOXO mRNA was upregulated in food-deprived snails compared to food-satiated snails. Insulin applied to isolated CNSs from food-satiated snails increased LymFOXO compared to vehicle-treated samples. Food deprivation prepares FOXO to function in the nucleus and enhances CTA learning in snails. Insulin application did not directly affect LymFOXO protein localization. Thus, insulin administration may stimulate pathways other than the LymFOXO cascade.

Influence of Nutritional Stress on Female Allocation and Somatic Growth in the Simultaneously Hermaphroditic Polychaete Worm Ophryotrocha diadema.

Hermaphrodites are characterized by plastic sex allocation, by which they adjust their allocation of reproductive resources according to mating opportunities. However, since the plasticity of sex allocation is influenced by environmental conditions, it may also be affected by species-specific life-history traits. In this study, we explored the trade-off between nutritional stress due to food deficiency and the investment of resources in female allocation and somatic growth in the simultaneously hermaphroditic polychaete worm, Ophryotrocha diadema. To achieve this, we exposed adult individuals to three food supply levels: (1) ad libitum-100% food supply, (2) intense food deficiency-25% food resources, and (3) extreme food deficiency-0% food resources. Our findings show a progressive decrease in female allocation in the numbers of cocoons and eggs and in body growth rate of O. diadema individuals as the level of nutritional stress increased.

Prevalence of Zero-Food among infants and young children in India: patterns of change across the States and Union Territories of India, 1993-2021.

Background: The extent of food deprivation and insecurity among infants and young children-a critical phase for children's current and future health and well-being-in India is unknown. We estimate the prevalence of food deprivation among infants and young children in India and describe its evolution over time at sub-national levels. Methods: Data from five National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) conducted in 1993, 1999, 2006, 2016 and 2021 for the 36 states/Union Territories (UTs) of India were used. The study population consisted of the most recent children (6-23 months) born to mothers (aged 15-49 years), who were alive and living with the mother at the time of survey (n = 175,614 after excluding observations that had no responses to the food question). Food deprivation was defined based on the mother's reporting of the child having not eaten any food of substantial calorific content (i.e., any solid/semi-solid/soft/mushy food types, infant formula and powdered/tinned/fresh milk) in the past 24 hours (h), which we labelled as "Zero-Food". In this study, we analyzed Zero-Food in terms of percent prevalence as well as population headcount burden. We calculated the Absolute Change (AC) to quantify the change in the percentage points of Zero-Food across time periods for all-India and by states/UTs. Findings: The prevalence of Zero-Food in India marginally declined from 20.0% (95% CI: 19.3%-20.7%) in 1993 to 17.8% (95% CI: 17.5%-18.1%) in 2021. There were considerable differences in the trajectories of change in the prevalence of Zero-Food across states. Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Jammu and Kashmir experienced high increase in the prevalence of Zero-Food over this time period, while Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh witnessed a significant decline. In 2021, Uttar Pradesh (27.4%), Chhattisgarh (24.6%), Jharkhand (21%), Rajasthan (19.8%) and Assam (19.4%) were states with the highest prevalence of Zero-Food. As of 2021, the estimated number of Zero-Food children in India was 5,998,138, with the states of Uttar Pradesh (28.4%), Bihar (14.2%), Maharashtra (7.1%), Rajasthan (6.5%), and Madhya Pradesh (6%) accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total Zero-Food children in India. Zero-Food in 2021 was concerningly high among children aged 6-11 months (30.6%) and substantial even among children aged 18-23 months (8.5%). Overall, socioeconomically advantaged groups had lower prevalence of Zero-Food than disadvantaged groups. Interpretation: Concerted efforts at the national and state levels are required to further strengthen existing policies, and design and develop new ones to provide affordable food to children in a timely and equitable manner to ensure food security among infants and young children. Funding: This study was supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation INV-002992.

Food intake behaviors change as a function of maternal diet and time-restricted feeding / Las conductas de ingesta de alimentos se alteran en función de la dieta materna y la alimentación limitada en el tiempo

Introduction: changes in dietary/energetic composition during the critical period of development (pregnancy/lactation) or even during meal times may contribute to changes in metabolic and behavioral parameters such as feeding behavior. Objective: the study aimed to examine the repercussions of time-restricted feeding on feeding behavior and on some parameters of glycemic and lipemic metabolism of the offspring of adult rats whose mothers were fed a westernized diet during pregnancy and lactation. Methods: initially, 43 male Wistar rats were used. At 60 days of life, the rats were divided into 4 groups: C: control group; RC: control group with time-restricted feeding; W: westernized diet during pregnancy/lactation group; RW: westernized diet group during pregnancy/lactation group with time-restricted feeding. The following parameters were evaluated: behavioral sequence of satiety (BSS), biochemical parameters, and abdominal fat. Results: findings highlighted a high level of abdominal fat in the groups whose mothers were submitted to a westernized diet, as well as hypertriglyceridemia, and clear differences in feed rate and meal length. This study showed that the westernized diet ingested by mothers during pregnancy and lactation induced hyperlipidemia and changes in the feeding behavior of their adult offspring. Conclusions: these changes may be responsible for eating disorders and risk factors for metabolism disturbance-related diseases. (AU)

Introducción: los cambios en la composición dietética/energética durante el período crítico de desarrollo (embarazo/lactancia) o incluso durante las comidas pueden contribuir a cambios en los parámetros metabólicos y conductuales como el comportamiento alimentario. Objetivo: el estudio tuvo como objetivo examinar las repercusiones de la alimentación restringida en el tiempo sobre el comportamiento alimentario y sobre algunos parámetros del metabolismo glucémico y lipémico de crías de ratas adultas cuyas madres fueron alimentadas con una dieta occidentalizada durante el embarazo y la lactancia. Métodos: inicialmente se utilizaron 43 ratas Wistar macho. A los 60 días de vida, las ratas se agruparon en 4 grupos: C: grupo de control; RC: grupo de control con alimentación restringida en el tiempo; W: grupo de dieta occidentalizada durante el embarazo/lactancia; RW: grupo de dieta occidentalizada durante el embarazo y la lactancia con alimentación restringida en el tiempo. Se evaluaron los siguientes parámetros: secuencia conductual de saciedad (BSS), parámetros bioquímicos y grasa abdominal. Resultados: destacó una grasa abdominal elevada en los grupos cuyas madres fueron sometidas a una dieta occidentalizada, así como hipertrigliceridemia y una diferencia evidente en la tasa de alimentación y la duración de la comida. Este estudio demostró que la dieta occidentalizada ingerida por las madres durante el embarazo y la lactancia induce hiperlipidemia y cambios en el comportamiento alimentario de las crías adultas. Conclusiones: estos cambios pueden ser responsables de trastornos alimentarios y factores de riesgo de enfermedades relacionadas con alteraciones del metabolismo. (AU)

Homeostatic Regulation of Energetic Arousal During Acute Social Isolation: Evidence From the Lab and the Field.

Recent evidence suggests that social contact is a basic need governed by a social homeostatic system. Little is known, however, about how conditions of altered social homeostasis affect human psychology and physiology. Here, we investigated the effects of 8 hr of social isolation on psychological and physiological variables and compared this with 8 hr of food deprivation in a lab experiment (N = 30 adult women). Social isolation led to lowered self-reported energetic arousal and heightened fatigue, comparable with food deprivation. To test whether these findings would extend to a real-life setting, we conducted a preregistered field study during a COVID-19 lockdown (N = 87 adults; 47 women). The drop in energetic arousal after social isolation observed in the lab replicated in the field study for participants who lived alone or reported high sociability, suggesting that lowered energy could be part of a homeostatic response to the lack of social contact.

The Role of Beta-Endorphin in Food Deprivation-Mediated Increases in Food Intake and Binge-Eating.

Food deprivation and binge eating represent significant public health concerns. Previous studies have implicated that hypothalamic opioids are affected following food deprivation. However, the role of each opioid peptide is not fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the role of endogenous beta-endorphin in food deprivation-mediated increases in food intake and binge eating. Male mice lacking beta-endorphin and their respective controls were subjected to 24 h food deprivation and then were randomly assigned to receive a regular diet (RD) or a high-fat diet (HFD). After four to five weeks, animals were re-exposed to an HFD to assess if previous exposure to HFD would enhance binge-eating behavior. We report that food deprivation significantly increases food intake; however, beta-endorphin may not be involved in this process. In addition, our findings suggest that prior exposure to an HFD promotes binge-eating behavior in wildtype mice, and that these effects were modestly decreased in beta-endorphin knockout mice. Overall, our results support that beta-endorphin may play a modest role in mediating palatability-driven feeding, but not hunger-associated feeding. A better understanding of neural mechanisms involved in binge eating and deprivation-induced increases in food intake may inspire new prevention or treatment options to decrease the burden of eating disorders.

Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Hypothalamus in Mice during Short-Term Starvation.

Molecular profiling of the hypothalamus in response to metabolic shifts is a critical cue to better understand the principle of the central control of whole-body energy metabolism. The transcriptional responses of the rodent hypothalamus to short-term calorie restriction have been documented. However, studies on the identification of hypothalamic secretory factors that potentially contribute to the control of appetite are lacking. In this study, we analyzed the differential expression of hypothalamic genes and compared the selected secretory factors from the fasted mice with those of fed control mice using bulk RNA-sequencing. We verified seven secretory genes that were significantly altered in the hypothalamus of fasted mice. In addition, we determined the response of secretory genes in cultured hypothalamic cells to treatment with ghrelin and leptin. The current study provides further insights into the neuronal response to food restriction at the molecular level and may be useful for understanding the hypothalamic control of appetite.