Sensitization of the reinforcing value of food as a predictor of weight change in adolescents

 描述（由申请人提供）：青少年的大脑被驱使去寻找新的刺激物，但是大脑中涉及冲动控制和执行功能的区域直到成年早期仍然不成熟。这可能使青少年特别容易暴饮暴食和体重增加。吃的动机，或强化价值，是能量消耗和肥胖的一个强有力的预测因素。了解导致更高水平的食物强化价值的因素是开发新治疗和预防的关键第一步 肥胖症的治疗策略我们之前的研究表明，重复摄入零食，如薯片和巧克力糖，会降低非肥胖成年人的零食强化价值，但会增加肥胖成年人的零食强化价值。到目前为止，这种关系已经在横断面研究中得到证实。此外，我们在本申请中提供的初步数据表明，对更健康的零食（能量密度<1.5千卡/克）的反应增加的个体体重低于重复给药后对这些食物的反应减少的个体。这表明，对食物强化价值的敏感性可能是一种风险或预防肥胖的保护因素，具体取决于所食用的食物类型。另一个保护因素可能是身体活动的高强化值。最后，我们和其他人的研究表明，那些食物强化价值高、延迟折扣高的人可能有更大的体重增加风险。这项研究的目的是：1）确定高能量密度零食的强化值增加是否会随着时间的推移预测体重增加。2)确定低能量密度零食的强化值的增加是否防止体重随时间增加3）确定身体活动的强化值和/或延迟折扣是否缓和食物的强化值对青少年体重变化的敏感性之间的关系。这些研究将使我们不仅能够确定食物强化价值的致敏性的体重相关后果，而且还可以确定随着时间的推移减轻体重变化的因素，因为它们与食物的强化价值有关。一旦这些因素被确定和表征，未来的研究可能会集中在改进改变食物强化价值的方法上，以增加健康饮食和减少不健康的食物摄入。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The adolescent brain is driven to seek out novel reinforcers, but the areas of the brain involved in impulse control and executive function remain immature until early adulthood. This may make adolescents particularly susceptible to overeating and weight gain. Motivation to eat, or reinforcing value, is a strong predictor of energy consumption and adiposity. Understanding factors that lead to higher levels of the reinforcing value of food is a critical first step toward developing novel treatment and prevention strategies for obesity. Our previous work has shown that repeated intake of snack foods, such as potato chips and chocolate candy, decreases the reinforcing value of that snack food in non-obese adults, but increases the reinforcing value of that snack food in a subset of obese adults. To date, this relationship has been demonstrated in cross-sectional studies. In addition, our preliminary data, presented in this application, suggest that individuals who increase responses for healthier snack foods (energy density <1.5 kcal/gram) weigh less than those who decrease responses for these foods after repeated administration. This suggests that sensitization of the reinforcing value of food may be a risk or a protective factor against obesity depending on the type of food being consumed. Another protective factor may be having a high reinforcing value of physical activity. Studies have shown that individuals who find physical activity very reinforcing weigh less. Finally, our work and that of others suggests that individuals who are high in reinforcing value of food and high in delay discounting may be at greater risk for weight gain. The purpose of the proposed study is to 1) determine if increases in the reinforcing value of high energy density snack foods predict weight gain over time. 2) Determine if increases in the reinforcing value of low energy density snacks protects against weight gain over time 3) to determine if reinforcing value of physical activity and/or delay discounting moderate the relationship between sensitization of the reinforcing value of food on weight change in adolescents. These studies will allow us not only to determine the weight-related consequences of sensitization of the reinforcing value of food, but also to identify factors that moderate changes in body weight over time as they relate to the reinforcing value of food. Once these factors are identified and characterized, future studies could focus on refining methods for altering the reinforcing value of food as a way to increase healthy eating and decrease less healthy food intake.