Eating Behaviors Among Weight-Discordant Siblings

描述(由申请人提供)： 本申请表为“导师研究科学家发展奖(K01)”。这位候选人是Tanja V.E.Kral博士，他对研究与儿童肥胖有关的行为特征有着浓厚的兴趣。拟议的研究将在一个全面培训方案的更广泛范围内进行，该方案将由一个由导师组成的专家小组提供协助。克拉尔博士的具体培训目标是接受以下方面的培训：1)进行儿童饮食行为的实验研究；2)行为遗传学；3)使用双能X射线吸收测量仪(DEXA)和人体测量学评估儿童身体成分；4)儿童发育和生物统计学。国内机构内外的领先研究机构将作为候选人的培训地点。我们提出了一个不协调的兄弟姐妹设计，以比较5-10岁的兄弟姐妹中假定的促进肥胖的饮食特征，这些兄弟姐妹在同一个家庭长大，但体重状况不一致(非超重：BMI小于或等于75%；超重/超重的风险：BMI大于或等于85%)。来自大费城地区的40对同性兄弟姐妹(男孩和女孩)将被招募参加一项为期4周的研究，在此期间，他们的饮食行为将在实验和自由生活条件下进行评估。这项研究测试了以下假设：与非超重儿童相比，有超重/超重风险的儿童表现出1)较弱的能量补偿能力，2)在没有饥饿的情况下更容易进食，3)习惯摄入模式，有利于增加饮食能量密度(千卡/克)，增加来自脂肪和热量饮料的能量百分比，并减少进食次数。使用行为基因设计来研究兄弟姐妹之间的饮食表型是阐明共同和非共同的环境影响的独特方法，这些影响可能导致儿童时期体重状况的变化。这项拟议的研究有可能阐明环境和遗传因素相互作用促进儿童能量摄入增加的机制。培训和研究计划加在一起，将为候选人提供5年的关键指导支持。所获得的技能和数据将为启动R01支持的独立研究计划奠定基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is for a "Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01)." The candidate, Tanja V.E. Kral, Ph.D., has a programmatic interest in studying behavioral traits associated with childhood obesity. The proposed research will be conducted within the broader context of a comprehensive training program which will be facilitated by an expert team of mentors. Dr. Kral's specific training goals are to receive training in 1) the conduct of experimental studies of eating behavior in children, 2) behavior genetics, 3) assessment of child body composition using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and anthropometry, and 4) child development and biostatistics. Leading research institutes, in and out of the home institution, will serve as training sites for the candidate. We propose a discordant sibling design to compare putative obesity-promoting eating traits among siblings, 5-10 years, who are raised in the same household, but are discordant for weight status (non- overweight: BMI less or equal 75th percentile; at-risk for overweight/overweight: BMI greater or equal 85th percentile). Forty pairs of same-sex siblings (boys and girls) will be recruited from the greater Philadelphia area to participate in a 4-week study during which their eating behaviors will be assessed experimentally and under free-living conditions. The study tests the hypotheses that at-risk for overweight/overweight, compared to non-overweight, children exhibit 1) a weaker ability to compensate for energy, 2) a greater vulnerability towards eating in the absence of hunger, and 3) habitual intake patterns that favor increased dietary energy density (kcal/g), increased %energy derived from fat and caloric beverages, and fewer eating episodes. The use of a behavior genetic design to study eating phenotypes among siblings is a unique approach to elucidate shared and non-shared environmental influences that can contribute to variations in weight status during childhood. The proposed research has the potential to elucidate mechanisms by which environmental and genetic factors interact to promote increased energy intake among children. Together, the training and research plan will provide 5 years of critical mentored support to the candidate. The acquired skills and data will build the basis for the commencement of an independent R01 supported research program.