Location: Healthy Body Weight Research
2016 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Identify psychological and physiological processes and factors that influence the motivation to exercise and to eat.
Objective 1A. Determine whether incentive sensitization for physical activity is dependent on the dose and the pattern/intensity of physical activity.
Objective 1B. Determine whether the level of negative energy balance influences the magnitude of alterations in food reinforcement.
Objective 2: Determine whether the relative reinforcing value of vegetables or fruits can be increased through repeated exposure.
Objective 3: Determine the effect of meal macronutrient composition on energy metabolism and substrate utilization and satiety.
Objective 3A: Compare the effects of high- vs. low-protein breakfasts as components of two patterns of daily protein intake (even distribution of protein across all meals vs. a skewed distribution with most protein consumed at the evening meal) on energy metabolism, substrate oxidation, satiety and the reinforcing value of high-sugar, after-meal snack foods.
Objective 3B: Determine the effects of consuming a sugar-sweetened beverage as part of low- (55% CHO, 15% PRO, 30% FAT) or high-protein (40% CHO, 30% PRO, 30% FAT) meals on energy metabolism and substrate oxidation, and satiety and RRV of high-sugar, after-meal snacks.
Approach
Achieving and maintaining healthy body weight underlies many critical aspects of health. The immediate choices people make about their foods and physical activities have cumulative effects that affect body weight and, ultimately, health. Yet, the motivational bases of those choices remain poorly understood; as are ways those choices may be moved towards healthier alternatives. This knowledge is needed for the development of new and effective tools to promote behavioral choices that support healthy body weight. This project addresses these needs by investigating how to increase the reinforcing value of physical activity, and ways to increase the reinforcing value of vegetables and fruits. It also will evaluate the motivating potential of providing real-time feedback on subject energy balance based on an analysis of breath. This project will yield empirical evidence that will inform dietary and physical activity guidelines and programs, and tools that can be used by workers in the health and fitness industries to help individuals make healthy choices regarding physical activity, diet, and maintenance of a healthy body weight.
Progress Report
Objective 1A.1. Data collection for the study associated with Objective 1A.1 is well underway. A total of 90 human subjects are being asked to exercise train for 6 weeks to determine whether repeated exposures to exercise increases their motivation to exercise. Subjects complete an extensive set of outcome measures at baseline, 6 weeks, and at a 12 week follow-up visit. 65 have completed the study and 25 are enrolled and in some phase (baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks) of the study.
Milestone 2A. The Institutional Review Board protocol has been developed and refined for study 2A and IRB approval was obtained. This randomized, controlled trial will determine whether repeated exposure to Dietary Guidelines recommended amounts of vegetables will increase the reinforcing value of vegetables more than amounts currently consumed. To date, 17 subjects have completed the 16-week protocol and a group of 14 will begin in August, 2016.
Milestone 3A. The human study protocol was developed and IRB approval was obtained for study 3a (Determine the effects of high- and low-protein breakfasts as components of two patterns of daily protein intake (even distribution of protein across all meals vs. a skewed distribution with most protein consumed at the evening meal) on energy metabolism, substrate oxidation and the RRV of high-sugar snack foods). The study will begin human subject recruitment in July 2016.
Milestone 3b. Data collection and analysis has been completed for study 3b (Determine the effects of consuming a sugar-sweetened beverage as part of low- (55% CHO, 15% PRO, 30% FAT) or high-protein (40% CHO, 30% PRO, 30% FAT) meals on energy metabolism and substrate oxidation, and satiety and RRV of high-sugar, after-meal snacks). Two abstracts have been prepared and submitted. The first abstract, “The Relative Reinforcing Value of Snack Foods in Response to Consumption of Sugar- or Non-Nutritive-Sweetened Beverages”, was submitted and accepted for oral presentation at Experimental Biology, April, 2016. The second abstract, “Sugar-sweetened beverages decrease postprandial fat utilization in healthy weight adults after consuming test meals with different protein content”, was submitted to The Obesity Society Annual Meeting (Obesity Week 2016). Manuscripts are being prepared for both abstracts and will be submitted to ‘Appetite’ and “Clinical Nutrition’, respectively.
Subordinate studies for Milestone 1 include: 1) understanding why some individuals lose more weight with exercise training than others. This study is determining whether there are physiological (i.e., hormonal) and behavioral (increases in the motivation to eat, reductions in the motivation to be active, usual physical activity, usual energy intake) mechanisms that explain why some people compensate for the energy expended during exercise by eating more or being less active throughout the day resulting in no or little weight change. The study is testing whether people compensate more when expending 600 kcal/day in exercise than when expending 300 kcal/day in exercise. The goal recruitment is 30 subjects; 12 subjects have completed the study and another 18 will be enrolled by the end of FY 2016. 2) A second sibling study is determining whether reducing the amount of added sugar in the diet to the level encouraged in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans increases a person’s motivation to eat sugar. Reducing some behaviors below its baseline rate can make them more motivating. We are testing whether this psychobiological response (increased motivation) may be one barrier for Americans to make initial and sustained healthy behavior changes aligned with the Dietary Guidelines. The recruitment goal is 30 subjects and 12 have completed the study. The remaining 18 are expected to complete the study by the end of FY 2016.
Subordinate studies for Milestone 3 include: 1) testing the degree of caloric restriction required to detect a noticeable shift in the breath 13C:12C (d13C) and how much variation in breath d13C is caused by dietary fluctuations in 13C under hypo- and hyper-caloric conditions; 2) testing the efficacy of two patterns of daily protein intake (32 en% from beef) to promote healthy changes in body composition and dietary adherence during weight loss. To date, 21 subjects have completed the study protocol for subordinate study 1 and the human study protocol is developed for subordinate study 2. These works extend Objective 3: Use breath analyses to determine the effect of meal macronutrient composition on energy metabolism and substrate utilization and satiety.
Accomplishments
1. Described the quality of the mix of foods advertised in grocery store sales circulars. ARS researchers at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center were the first to document the contents of a full year of grocery store Sunday sales circulars to investigate seasonal differences in types of DGA food group recommendations (MyPlate) and HEI-2010 diet quality scores. Very few seasonal differences were found in food groups or diet quality scores. The overall diet quality score of the circulars was lower than that of the dietary intake of the U.S. population. Opportunities exist to increase the advertising of locally-grown, seasonal whole vegetables and fruits in addition to canned and frozen varieties.
2. Demonstrated that resting metabolic rate prediction equations should be used with caution. ARS researchers at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center tested the accuracy of early and modern resting metabolic rate prediction equations. The early prediction equations of Harris-Benedict and the World Health Organization were the most accurate. Modern equations that predict based on the amount of more metabolically active lean tissue or meta-regression equations derived from 47 previously published resting metabolic rate prediction equations were not as accurate. However, none of the equations were accurate at the individual-level. Thus, predicted resting metabolic rate data should be used with caution when used to determine the daily energy needs of an individual in clinical or scientific settings.
3. Demonstrated that people like to stand at work, but that it will not help them lose weight. ARS researchers at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center demonstrated, for the first time, that the short and long-term use of height adjustable desks does not alter the liking of standing office work, standing time during a free-choice period of seated or standing office work, and perceived hours willing to stand during a workday. Standing while performing office work increased energy expenditure by only 7.5 kcal/h over sitting in an office chair. Standing for a portion of the day is a small behavior change that could be adopted by many office workers and 12 months use of a height adjustable desk does not appear to reduce liking of standing office work. Standing does not increase energy expenditure enough to promote weight loss, but may help to slow weight gain or weight regain.
Review Publications
Jahns, L.A., Scheett, A.J., Johnson, L.K., Krebs-Smith, S.M., Payne, C.R., Whigham, L.D., Hoverson, B.S., Kranz, S. 2016. Diet quality of items advertised in supermarket sales circulars compared to diets of the US population, as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2010. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 116(1):115-122.e1.
Sanders, G., Juvancic-Hertzel, J., Barkley, J., Roemmich, J.N., Feda, D.M., Williamson, M. 2016. The effect of increasing autonomy through choice on young children’s physical activity behavior. Pediatric Exercise Science. 13(4):428-432.
Baek, S., Raja, S., Park, J., Epstein, L.H., Yin, Y., Roemmich, J.N. 2015. Park design and children’s active play a micro-scale spatial analysis of intensity of play in Olmsted’s Delaware Park. Journal of Environment and Planning B. 42:1079-1097.
Flack, K.D., Siders, W.A., Johnson, L., Roemmich, J.N. 2016. Cross-validation of resting metabolic rate prediction equations. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.03.018.
Garcia Garcia, R.A., Roemmich, J.N., Claycombe, K.J. 2016. Evaluation of markers of beige adipocytes in white adipose tissue of the mouse. Nutrition and Metabolism. 13:24-36.
Feda, D.M., Seelbinder, A., Baek, S., Raja, S., Yin, L., Roemmich, J.N. 2015. Neighbourhood parks and reduction in stress among adolescents: Results from Buffalo, New York. Indoor and Built Environment. 24(5):631-639.
Feda, D.M., Seelbinder, A.S., Roemmich, J.N. 2015. Habituation to a stressor predicts adolescents' adiposity. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping: An International Journal. doi:10.1080/10615806.2015.1065318.
Claycombe, K.J., Dekrey, E.E., Garcia Garcia, R.A., Johnson, W.T., Uthus, E., Roemmich, J.N. 2016. Decreased beige adipocyte number and mitochondrial respiration coincide with increased histone methyl transferase (G9a) and reduced FGF21 gene expression in Sprague Dawley rats fed prenatal low protein and postnatal high fat diets. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 31:133-121.
Roemmich, J.N. 2016. Height-adjustable desks: Energy expenditure, liking, and preference of sitting and standing. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. doi:10.1123/jpah.2015-0397.
Jahns, L.A., Roemmich, J.N. 2016. Study design for a randomized controlled trial to increase the relative reinforcing value of vegetable consumption using incentive sensitization among obese and overweight people. Contemporary Clinical Trials. 50:186-192.
