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: 30 October 2020
Caffeine consumption may reduce the risk of cognitive decline
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide and the main source of caffeine by people living in Mediterranean countries. Besides caffeine, coffee beans contain several substances that have potential beneficial effects on health, including vitamins, minerals, polyphenols (antioxidants), and phytochemicals. In fact, in recent years the study of the effect of coffee consumption on cardiometabolic health, cancer, and mortality has been of great interest. In the last decades, the net number of individuals with neurological alterations characterized by a cognitive decline (such as Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia), has increased exponentially what has made it become a major public health issue. It is recognized that some dietary factors have a potential beneficial effect on preventing dementia onset and progression. Because of this, we aimed to explore the possible association between coffee consumption and cognitive functioning.
On: 7 October 2020
ADHD symptoms correlate with eating unhealthy food types
Everyone has certain preferences and habits regarding the foods they generally eat and drink. This is called dietary habit. It is an important and modifiable lifestyle factor that might affect the development and functioning of our brain. Previous studies have reported that in children and adolescents, ADHD symptoms were associated with high consumption of refined sugar and saturated fat and low consumption of fruits and vegetables. However, it is unclear how ADHD symptoms associate with dietary habits in adults. Therefore, we aimed to identify and quantify the associations between ADHD symptom dimensions and different dietary habits in adults, stratified by age, gender and socioeconomic status. We also aimed to investigate whether genetic and environmental factors could explain the potential associations between adult ADHD symptoms and different dietary habits.
On: 14 September 2020
Obesity, reward and genetics
It is thought that how sensitive an individual is to rewards plays a role in obesity. However, research findings about the role of reward sensitivity in obesity have so far been inconsistent. One explanation is that reward sensitivity is a complex construct that includes several different aspects of processing and responding to rewards. In this study we investigated different aspects of reward sensitivity for their association with obesity. We also looked at the role of a particular gene called TFAP2B. A particular variant in this gene has previously been linked to obesity.
On: 12 August 2020
Shared genetic background between children and adults with ADHD
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by age-inappropriate symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that persist into adulthood in the majority of the diagnosed children. Despite several risk factors during childhood predicting the persistence of ADHD symptoms into adulthood, the genetic architecture underlying the trajectory of ADHD over time is still unclear.
On: 1 July 2020
Genetics of stress-induced aggression in mice
The contribution of gene-environment interactions that lead to excessive aggression is poorly understood. Environmental stressors and mutations of the gene encoding tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2) are known to influence aggression. For example, TPH2 null mutant mice (Tph2−/−) are naturally highly aggressive, while heterozygous mice (Tph2+/−) lack a behavioral phenotype and are considered endophenotypically normal. Here we sought to discover whether an environmental stressor would affect the phenotype of the genetically ‘susceptible’ heterozygous mice (Tph2+/−).
On: 29 June 2020
Diet quality, stress and mental health
Overall diet quality may partially mediate the detrimental effects of stress and neuroticism on common mental health problems: stressed and/or neurotic individuals may be more prone to unhealthy dietary habits, which in turn may contribute to depression and anxiety. Lifestyle interventions for depressed, anxious or at-risk individuals hinge on this idea, but evidence to support such pathway is missing. Here, we aim to prospectively evaluate the role of overall diet quality in common pathways to developing depression and anxiety.
On: 27 May 2020
Short and long-term effects of an elimination diet and healthy diet in children with ADHD: the TRACE study
Food may trigger Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Therefore, an elimination diet (ED) might be an effective treatment for children with ADHD. However, earlier studies were criticized for the nature of the control group, potential confounders explaining the observed effects, unsatisfactory blinding, potential risks of nutritional deficiencies and unknown long term and cost-effectiveness. To address these issues, this paper describes the rationale, study design and methods of an ongoing two arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the short (5 week) and long term (1 year) effects of an elimination diet and a healthy diet compared with care as usual (CAU) in children with ADHD.
On: 18 March 2020
Anxiety, depression, and diabetes associated with Western diet
Reduced function of the serotonin transporter (SERT) is associated with increased susceptibility to anxiety and depression and with type-2 diabetes, which is especially true in older women. Preference for a “Western diet” (WD), enriched with saturated fat, cholesterol, and sugars, may aggravate these conditions. In previous studies, decreased glucose tolerance, central and peripheral inflammation, dyslipidemia, emotional, cognitive, and social abnormalities were reported in WD-fed young female mice.
On: 25 February 2020
FTO gene and fat cell metabolism link to obesity
Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) variants are among genetic variants frequently associated with obesity. We analyzed the association between FTO rs1421085 polymorphism and obesity, dietary intake, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), physical activity, and socioeconomic status (SES) from the age of 9–25 years.
On: 11 February 2020
Treating impulsivity with probiotics in adults: the PROBIA study
Impulsivity and compulsivity are related to emotional and social maladjustment and often underlie psychiatric disorders. Recently, alterations in microbiota composition have been shown to have implications for brain development and social behavior via the microbiota–gut–brain axis. However, the exact mechanisms are not fully identified. Recent evidence suggests the modulatory effect of synbiotics on gut microbiota and the contribution of these agents in ameliorating symptoms of many psychiatric diseases. To date, no randomized controlled trial has been performed to establish the feasibility and efficacy of this intervention targeting the reduction of impulsivity and compulsivity. We hypothesize that supplementation with synbiotics may be an effective treatment in adults with high levels of impulsivity and/or compulsivity.