Eating and Feeding Behavior: Exploring Phenotypes and Influencing Outcomes

本研究小组调查了4-5岁儿童父母接受基于公共健康型家族史（FH）的肥胖风险信息的影响。这是一项随机的、实验性的试验，在试验中，母亲们获得了对照（食品安全）信息、一般儿童肥胖信息，或儿童肥胖信息加上基于fh的个性化风险信息。我们使用虚拟现实自助餐厅来评估儿童的喂养行为。我们发现，母亲在收到FH风险信息后，主要是在只有母亲（而不是生父）的体重状况会给孩子带来风险的情况下，为孩子选择更少的卡路里。这项工作表明，在公共卫生或媒体环境中很容易提供的生殖健康信息对对儿童健康至关重要的行为具有直接影响。目前正在审查的第二项分析表明，母亲自身体重史的轨迹（例如，她是否从小超重还是最近体重增加）对她的喂养行为有影响。然而，体重轨迹并不通过对基因组因果感知的影响来发挥其影响。此外，对父母食物选择行为的时间模式的分析被接受发表。

Our study team investigated the influence of receiving public health-style family history (FH)-based obesity risk information on parents of 4-5 year old children. This was a randomized, experimental trial in which mothers received either control (food safety) information, general childhood obesity information, or childhood obesity information plus personalized FH-based risk information for their child. We assessed child feeding behavior using a virtual reality buffet restaurant. We showed that mothers chose fewer calories for their child after receiving the FH risk message, primarily when it was only the mothers' (and not the biological fathers') weight status that conferred risk to the child. This work demonstrates the direct influence of FH information, as could easily be provided in public health or media contexts, on behavior that is crucial for child health. A second analysis currently under review demonstrated that the trajectory of a mothers own weight history (e.g., whether she has been overweight since childhood versus gained weight recently) is influential on her perceived feeding behavior. Weight trajectory, however, does not exert its influence through effects on genomic causal perceptions. In addition, analysis of the temporal patterns within parents' food choice behavior accepted for publication. A sub-study of this trial focused on mothers guilt reactions to receipt of FH-based obesity risk information for their child. We investigated the complex psychological interplay between FH risk information provision, guilt, and parental feeding behavior. We are currently designing a follow-up lab-based trial to address the psychological aspects of these processes in more detail. In the course of doing so, we have run an online experiment assessing parent reaction to four different types of causal explanations for children's obesity risk (versus two control conditions) on cognitive and affective reactions. Data from this study were analyzed. One paper is under review and another is in preparation. In addition, following pilot testing, in this year we run an experimental study to assess the influence of control versus genetic versus family environmental versus gene-by-family environment interaction causal information related to children's obesity risk on parents' feeding reactions. This study is currently in data collection. Layered on top of this study, we are also assessing avenues for recruitment of fathers into the study given the difficulty we and our colleagues have had in identifying and effectively recruiting fathers for research. Data for both elements of the study have been collected and are currently being analyzed. In terms of the second research project, related to the identification of eating-related phenotypes, we conducted a survey of healthy volunteer participants. Participants filled out surveys related to eating habits, diet and weight history, food preferences and taste sensitivity, and beliefs about the role of heredity in eating habits and weight. We have published manuscripts on the construction of phenotypes, and characterizing health adults' beliefs about genetic factors in eating behavior. An additional two manuscripts are in preparation in this area focusing on adult's beliefs about the role of genetics in specific eating behaviors, and also related to the beliefs of parents vis a vis the role of genes in their children's eating behaviors. A final study brings together elements of previous work to itertively built and evaluate the use of virtual reality technology to teach individuals concepts related to the role of gene-environment interaction in eating behaviors.