Appetite News and Research

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Ultra-processed foods increase risk of anxiety and depression, study shows

A large UK Biobank study linked ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption to increased risks of anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and other mental health outcomes. A metabolomic signature associated with UPF intake partially mediated these relationships, especially in adults under 60.

5 May 2025

Study shows brain estrogen directly regulates appetite in mice

Researchers in Japan found that estrogen produced within the brain, called neuroestrogen, suppresses appetite and reduces body weight in mice by enhancing MC4R expression. The study also showed that neuroestrogen boosts leptin sensitivity, suggesting new targets for obesity treatment.

2 May 2025

New imaging technique reveals live neural activity in deep brain regions

The communication between the brain and bodily organs is fundamental to emotion regulation and overall mental health.

2 May 2025

Plasma activated medium shows promise against synovial sarcoma

Plasma-activated medium (PAM) shows tumor-fighting effects against the rare form of cancer known as synovial sarcoma, an Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team has found.

2 May 2025

Federal cuts gut food banks as they face record demand

Food bank shortages caused by high demand and cuts to federal aid programs have some residents of a small community that straddles Idaho and Nevada growing their own food to get by.

1 May 2025

High fructose diets impair brain function and appetite control, study shows

Review highlights how excessive fructose intake disrupts brain energy balance, appetite regulation, and cognitive function. Processed sources, such as sugary drinks, may overwhelm metabolic pathways and induce neuroinflammation, particularly during adolescence.

30 Apr 2025

Extreme temperatures drive people toward high-fat diets, study finds

Short-term exposure to extreme temperatures alters dietary patterns by increasing fat intake, even when total calorie consumption remains stable. This shift, driven by physiological appetite regulation, raises the risk of high-fat diets and diet-related diseases, especially among vulnerable groups.

30 Apr 2025

Disrupted body clocks raise risk of early death, study finds

A large cohort study from China and the U.S. shows that Circadian Syndrome (CircS)—a cluster of metabolic and behavioral disruptions—is linked to higher all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The risk increases with the number of CircS components, especially among adults aged 40–60.

29 Apr 2025

Obesity changes how the gut responds to plant compounds, researchers report

Researchers found that the impact of polyphenols rutin and genistein on the human fecal metabolome varies significantly by body mass index (BMI). Lower BMI individuals showed more diverse metabolic responses, revealing how gut health and obesity could shape polyphenol metabolism.

28 Apr 2025

CommunityRx program reduces ER visits for food insecure children

In a new clinical study published in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine found that a low-intensity program that "prescribes" community resources to every parent or other primary caregiver of a hospitalized child reduced the use of acute care for children of food-insecure families in the following year, saving potentially thousands of dollars in healthcare expenditures while demanding little more than minutes of staff time per family.

28 Apr 2025

Babies in crisis settings show remarkable social abilities

Babies living as refugees have some of the same social skills as children with more secure home conditions.

24 Apr 2025

Body image concerns drive interest in GLP-1 weight loss drugs, study finds

A new study from Rutgers University links higher body dissatisfaction, BMI, and maladaptive weight loss behaviors with interest in GLP-1 medications for weight loss. Conversely, body appreciation appears to protect against this interest, especially in the face of potential side effects.

23 Apr 2025

Why “eat 1 more” boosts fruit and vegetable intake more than “5 a day”

Setting specific goals, especially achievable ones like "Eat 1 more", significantly increased fruit and vegetable intake in both controlled and real-world environments. However, whether the goal was framed around current or future benefits had little impact on consumption.

18 Apr 2025

How a cartoon bear revealed surprising gaps in toddler hunger awareness

Preschool children aged 3–5 successfully used the Teddy the Bear pictorial scale to rate hunger before and after meals, supporting its validity for group-level research. However, younger children, especially three-year-olds, struggled more with using the tool accurately.

17 Apr 2025

Internal appetite signals vary with socioeconomic background

Published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, the research highlights how physiological signals, particularly those transmitted via the vagus nerve, interact with socio-economic factors to shape dietary behavior.

16 Apr 2025

Food pantries uncover hidden diabetes crisis in West Chicago

A screening initiative in West Chicago found that 50% of food-insecure individuals had abnormal A1c levels, with many unaware they were diabetic or prediabetic. The findings highlight a critical gap in diagnosis and control among underserved communities.

13 Apr 2025

Study reveals how the brain balances hormones and metabolism during lactation

Nursing poses major metabolic demands on mothers, to which they respond by eating more and saving energy to sustain milk production.

10 Apr 2025

Can psychedelics break compulsive eating habits in obesity?

A review by Oxford researchers explores how psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD may help disrupt compulsive eating behaviors in subsets of obese individuals. The paper outlines proposed neurobiological, epigenetic, and gut-brain mechanisms while emphasizing the need for human trials.

10 Apr 2025

Oklahoma Children's Hospital improves care for babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome

In years past, health care providers took a punitive stance toward women giving birth to babies exposed to substances like opioids in the womb.

9 Apr 2025

Eating ultra-processed foods may rewire your brain’s hunger and reward circuits

High intake of ultra-processed foods is linked to adverse metabolic health and microstructural brain changes in regions that control appetite and reward. These effects occur both through obesity-related pathways and independently via inflammation and dyslipidemia.

9 Apr 2025