On this page we show you all research publications of the Eat2beNICE consortium. These publications report on the research output of the project. For each publication we provide a summary or the publication’s abstract. If you want to read the full article, you can click on the link below the summary or abstract. For PDFs of our own press releases about progress within the Eat2beNICE project please go to DOWNLOADS. To receive our project newsletter please subscribe here!
On: 21 September 2022
Risk-taking in traffic is associated with unhealthy lifestyle: Contribution of aggressiveness and the serotonin transporter genotype
Risk taking behaviour, including in traffic, is related to impulsivity and aggressiveness, and so is unhealthy lifestyle. The serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) has been associated with impulsivity, aggression, alcohol use, speed limit exceeding and traffic accidents. The aim of this study was to examine whether subjects with less healthy eating and exercise habits take more risks in traffic, and whether impulsivity, aggressiveness and the serotonin transporter genotype could mediate or moderate any such associations.
On: 9 September 2022
Individual differences in the dietary response to stress in ecological momentary assessment: Does the individual-difference model need expansion?
According to the individual-difference model, individuals differ in the way stress changes their eating behaviour. Research shows that some increase, some decrease, and others show no change in food intake. Despite numerous efforts to identify moderating variables that explain these individual (i.e., between-person) differences, evidence remains inconclusive.
On: 6 September 2022
Bacon, Brownie, or Broccoli? Beliefs about Stress-Relieving Foods and Their Relationship to Orthorexia Nervosa
Background: Nutritional beliefs play an important role when it comes to food choice. However, little attention has been paid to which foods individuals believe to be comforting when experiencing stress. With increasing health awareness in the general public, this study aims to examine whether the nutritional belief exists that only healthy foods relieve stress.
On: 10 August 2022
Impulsive personality traits predict weight loss in individuals with type 2 diabetes after 3 years of lifestyle interventions
What was the goal of your research or experiment?
We investigated the influence of impulsive personality traits on the effectivity of a 3-year weight-loss program with a Mediterranean diet. We conducted this intervention trial with elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that people who are more impulsive will have more trouble to control their weight and blood glucose levels over the duration of the diet intervention.
On: 1 August 2022
The relationship between dairy consumption and cognitive health in elderly individuals
What was the goal of your research or experiment?
Good cognitive health provides us with the ability to clearly think, learn and remember. These abilities are required to adequately perform daily activities. For elderly individuals, they are a major factor to ensure good quality of life and preserve independence. As the population ages, the increasing global prevalence of cognitive impairment, including dementia, is a growing public health concern. Faster rates of cognitive decline are likely to result in earlier onset of cognitive impairment and dementia. To date, there are still no effective treatments available to cure cognitive disorders or slow the rate of cognitive decline. Therefore, prevention strategies targeting modifiable risk factors, such as dietary intake and eating habits, are a promising approach.
On: 28 April 2022
The role of neurotrophin genes in gambling disorder
What was the goal of your research or experiment?
Gambling Disorder is caused by a complex interplay of biological, psychological and social factors. Earlier research has identified a possible role of neurotrophic factors in addiction-related disorders. Therefore, these factors could be a promising biomarker for Gambling Disorder. Neurotrophic factors are small proteins that play an important role in the growth, survival and development of brain cells. The main goal of this study was to explore the association between neurotrophic genes and Gambling Disorder. We hypothesized that certain variations in neurotrophin genes could constitute potential biological risk factors for this disorder
On: 29 March 2022
Binge eating disorder
Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by regular binge eating episodes
during which individuals ingest comparably large amounts of food and experience
loss of control over their eating behaviour. The worldwide prevalence of BED for the years 2018–2020 is estimated to be 0.6–1.8% in adult women and 0.3–0.7% in adult men. BED is commonly associated with obesity and with somatic and mental health comorbidities. People with BED experience considerable burden and impairments in quality of life, and, at the same time, BED often goes undetected and untreated. The aetiology of BED is complex, including genetic and environmental factors as well as neuroendocrinological and neurobiological contributions. Neurobiological findings highlight impairments in reward processing, inhibitory control and emotion regulation in people with BED, and these neurobiological domains are targets for emerging treatment approaches.
On: 3 January 2022
Impulsive and compulsive behaviors linked to obesity and diabetes
A group of PRIME researchers, led by Giulia Testa and Fernando Fernandez-Aranda have discovered that individuals with obesity on average show more compulsive behavioural characteristics. They have also found that having obesity and diabetes is linked to certain impulsive behaviours. These findings are important for healthcare professionals treating individuals with obesity, because impulsive and compulsive behaviours may hinder adherence to certain treatments.
On: 12 August 2021
Probiotics can alleviate the effects of stress on cognition in healthy women
Probiotics are living microorganisms intended to have health benefits when consumed in sufficient amounts. The use of probiotics can be advised for example when using antibiotics, aiming to protect and maintain a healthy and diverse community of gut bacteria, called the gut microbiota. Besides the role of the gut microbiota in intestinal health, awareness of their important role in mental health has increased.
On: 10 August 2021
Breastfeeding, diet quality and impulsive behavior of toddlers
We wanted to know whether breastfeeding duration and diet quality predicts impulsive behavior in toddlers. While breastfeeding might play a role in the development of child impulse control, its role has only been investigated in relation to ADHD and cognition. Moreover, we don’t know much yet about the role of diet on preschoolers’ impulsivity.