Location: Healthy Body Weight Research
2015 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
Fiscal year 2015 represents the initiation of project plan Dietary Guidelines Adherence and Healthy Body Weight Maintenance (5450-51000-051-00D). The theme of the current project plan connects with the old project in name/title and in thematic focus. The new plan brings a continued focus on studying how best to encourage behavior change to adhere to the dietary guidelines and, in turn, to maintain a healthy body weight. The current plan emphasizes studies that test whether incentive sensitization and dietary macronutrient intake can change the reinforcing value of physical activity and foods.
Objective 1. The human study protocol was refined and developed and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained for study 1A.1 (Determine whether incentive sensitization for exercise is dependent on the dose of exercise). The study has begun human subject recruitment and will determine whether repeatedly engaging in 150 kcal or 300 kcal of exercise 3 times per week for 6 weeks increases the motivating value or attractiveness of exercise. This study directly addresses whether incentive sensitization for physical activity is dependent on the dose of physical activity (Objective 1A.).
Subordinate studies for Objective 1 include those of genetic factors that may be associated with the motivating aspect or attractiveness of exercise and therefore the choice to exercise rather than to be sedentary. We are studying the association of genomic signatures with the reinforcing (motivating) value of different types of exercise. The purpose is to assess genetic underpinnings of the motivating value of resistance and aerobic exercise, and to determine whether the motivating value of aerobic and resistance exercise are associated with usual participation in these modes of exercise. The human study protocol was refined and developed and IRB approval was obtained. To date, 72 subjects have completed the study protocol. This work extends Objective 1: Identify psychological and physiological processes and factors that influence the motivation to exercise.
Objective 2. The IRB protocol has been developed and refined for study 2A. 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. Recruitment is in progress.
Objective 3. The human study protocol was developed and IRB approval was obtained 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). The study has begun human subject recruitment and 16 subjects have completed all study related testing. An additional 3 subjects have completed the first study visit.
Subordinate studies for Objective 3 include developing methods for assessing patterns of energy expenditure that include validation of carbon stable isotope ratio in breath as an indicator of energy substrate utilization. We are testing 1) the degree of caloric restriction required to detect a noticeable shift the in breath 13C:12C (d13C), and 2) how much variation in breath d13C is caused by dietary fluctuations in 13C under hypo- and hyper-caloric conditions. The human study protocol was developed and IRB approval was obtained. To date, 21 subjects have completed the study protocol. This work extends Objective 3: Use breath analyses to determine the effect of meal macronutrient composition on energy metabolism and substrate utilization and satiety.
Accomplishments
1. Winter-specific park features promote healthy physical activity during low-activity season. Physical activity improves the health of almost every body system. Most people living in northern climates do not participate in the physical activity amounts recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. ARS researchers in Grand Forks, North Dakota, demonstrated that park visitation was highest in spring and lowest in winter. Amenity use varied by season. However, physical activity intensity was lowest in summer and highest in winter for each age group. Parks with ice rinks were visited most in winter and people engaging in ice skating and hockey were responsible for the high intensity of activity observed during winter. Information on park visitation, amenity use, and activity intensity across seasons can be used when designing or redesigning parks in order to promote year-round physical activity. Redesigning parks in cold climates to include ice rinks, sledding hills, cross-country skiing, and indoor areas for physical activity could increase winter visitation and allow the park to serve as a year-round resource for physical activity.
2. The isotopic signature (d13C) of meals can be approximated if the d13C and caloric contribution of the meal constituents are known. Variations in the isotopic signature of carbon in biological samples can be used to distinguish dietary patterns and monitor shifts in metabolism. But for these variations to have meaning, the isotopic signature of the diet must be known. ARS researchers at Grand Forks, North Dakota, have developed an equation that is less complex than the carbon mass balance calculation which is customarily used to approximate dietary d13C. Because researchers may not have control over d13C of study diets or the ability to analyze the individual study diets of all participants, the availability of this simple calculation will aid in the characterization of individual dietary intake and facilitate protocol development for 13CO2 testing.
Review Publications
Feda, D.M., Roemmich, J.N. 2014. Effect of interpersonal and cognitive stressors on habituation and the utility of heart rate variability to measure habituation. Stress and Health. Available: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002.
Roemmich, J.N., Feda, D.A., Lambiase, M.J. 2014. Stress, behavior, and biology: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in youth. American College of Sports Medicine. 42(4):145-152.
Quattrin, T., Roemmich, J.N., Paluch, R., Yu, J., Epstein, L.H., Ecker, M.A. 2014. Treatment outcomes of overweight children and parents in the medical home. Pediatrics. 134(2):290-297.
Roemmich, J.N., Johnson, L. 2014. Seasonal alterations in park visitation, amenity use and physical activity - Grand Forks, North Dakota, 2012-2013. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 11:E155.
Roemmich, J.N., Balantekin, K.N., Beeler, J.E. 2015. Park-like campus settings and physical activity. Journal of American College Health. 63(1):68-72.
Feda, D.M., Roemmich, J.N., Roberts, A., Epstein, L.H. 2015. Food reinforcement and delay discounting in zBMI-discordant siblings. Appetite. 85:185-189.
Claycombe, K.J., Roemmich, J.N., Johnson, L., Dekrey, E.E., Johnson, W.T. 2015. Skeletal muscle Sirt3 expression and mitochondrial respiration are regulated by a prenatal low protein diet. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 26(2):184-189.
Claycombe, K.J., Dekrey, E.E., Roemmich, J.N., Ghribi, O., Rhen, T. 2015. Maternal low protein diet causes body weight loss in male, neonate Sprague-Dawley rats involving UCP-1 mediated thermogenesis. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 26(7):729-735.
Raatz, S.K., Jahns, L.A., Johnson, L.K., Crosby, R.D., Mitchell, J.E., Crow, S.J., Peterson, C.B., Legrange, D., Wonderlich, S.A. 2015. Nutritional adequacy of dietary intake in women with anorexia nervosa. Nutrients. 7(5):3652-3665.
Nguyen, L.M., Scherr, R.E., Ermakov, I.V., Gellermann, W., Jahns, L.A., Keen, C.L., Miyamoto, S., Steinberg, F.M., Young, H.M., Zidenberg-Cherr, S. 2015. Evaluating the relationship between plasma and skin carotenoids and reported dietary intake in elementary school children to assess fruit and vegetable intake. Archives Of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 572:73-80.
Raatz, S.K., Scheett, A.J., Johnson, L.K., Jahns, L.A. 2015. Validity of electronic diet recording nutrient estimates compared to dietitian analysis of diet records: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 17(1).
Jahns, L.A., Raatz, S.K., Johnson, L.K., Kranz, S., Silverstein, J., Picklo, M.J. 2014. Intake of seafood in the U.S. varies by age, income, and education level but not by race-ethnicity. Nutrients. 6(12):6060-6075.
Jahns, L.A., McDonald, L.R., Wadsworth, A., Morin, C., Liu, Y. 2014. Barriers and facilitators to being physically active on a rural, Northern Plains American Indian Reservation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 11:12053-12603.
Jahns, L.A., McDonald, L., Wadsworth, A., Morin, C., Liu, Y., Nicklas, T. 2015. Barriers and facilitators to following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans reported by rural, Northern Plains American-Indian children. Public Health Nutrition. 18(3):482-489.
Jahns, L.A., Johnson, L.K., Mayne, S.T., Cartmel, B., Picklo, M.J., Ermakov, I.V., Gellermann, W., Whigham Grendell, L.D. 2014. Skin and plasma carotenoid response to a provided intervention diet high in vegetables and fruit: uptake and depletion kinetics. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 100:930-937.
Casperson, S.L., Sieling, J., Moon, J., Johnson, L.K., Roemmich, J.N., Whigham Grendell, L.D. 2015. A mobile phone food record app to digitally capture dietary intake for adolescents in a free-living environment: Usability study. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 3(1):e30.
