Background: Childhood obesity constitutes a complex medical and psychosocial challenge that requires both nutritional knowledge and sensitive, relationship-oriented doctor-patient communication. The Planetary Health Diet links individual health promotion with environmental sustainability and represents a relevant framework for contemporary medical education. Objective: This proof-of-concept study investigated how different information sources influence medical students’ acquisition, structuring, and application of knowledge on childhood obesity and the Planetary Health Diet within a communication-based teaching setting, including the exploratory use of artificial intelligence–based tools. Methods: A total of 359 second-year medical students participated in a mandatory communication seminar during the 2023‐2024 academic year. Following a precourse knowledge assessment and a brief theoretical introduction, students worked on a standardized counseling scenario addressing childhood obesity. In small groups, students used only 1 assigned information source (ChatGPT, Google Search, scientific papers, or instructional videos) to prepare a counseling approach. Group outcomes were assessed using a predefined scoring system based on a sample solution, complemented by thematic content analysis. Results: All information sources enabled students to acquire relevant knowledge on childhood obesity and the Planetary Health Diet. However, groups differed with regard to the depth, differentiation, and structuring of their responses. The ChatGPT group achieved the highest conformity scores with the sample solution and provided the most additional information, followed by the Google and video groups, while the paper group achieved the lowest scores. Prior to the course, students reported limited knowledge of the Planetary Health Diet and little practical experience in counseling children with obesity and their families. Conclusions: Communication-based teaching formats provide an effective framework for introducing medical students to complex topics such as childhood obesity and sustainability-related nutrition early in their training. Easily accessible digital tools, including artificial intelligence–based systems, may facilitate knowledge acquisition and elaboration; however, their use requires explicit didactic framing, critical source evaluation, and reflection on the complexity of chronic conditions to support responsible and realistic learning outcomes in future physicians.
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Virtual reality-based inhibition training influences food-related responses: no additional effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Combining cognitive inhibition training with brain stimulation techniques has received increasing attention as a potential approach to modulating maladaptive food craving and food intake. Building on previous work in this line of research, the current study examined whether virtual reality (VR)-based no-go inhibition training paired with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modulates implicit food-related attitudes, craving and food-choice behaviors. Healthy women with high trait food cravings and a preference for high-calorie foods were assigned to one of four groups in a 2 (rTMS: active vs. sham) × 2 (training: no-go vs. neutral) between-subjects design. High-frequency rTMS was applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and no-go training was implemented in a VR environment using food stimuli tailored to participants’ self-reported preferences. Implicit attitudes and food craving were assessed before and after the intervention, while food choice was measured post-intervention only. Following training, the no-go group showed reduced positive implicit attitudes toward high-calorie foods and increased craving for low-calorie foods compared to pre-training levels, whereas no such changes were observed in the neutral group. Moreover, compared to the neutral group, the no-go group made healthier food choices. No-go training effects on food choice were more pronounced among individuals with low-to-moderate baseline preferences for high-calorie foods. In contrast, no significant main effects or additive effects of rTMS were observed. The present study demonstrates that VR-based no-go training can effectively regulate food-related responses and extends earlier work by demonstrating robust inhibition training effects across implicit and explicit measures, while highlighting the importance of considering individual differences in future research.
Reestablishing Normal Gut-brain Interaction in Anorexia Nervose With Normal Gut Microbiota
Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa
Interventions: Biological: Psychotherapy as usual combined with single dose normal gut microbiota; Other: Psychotherapy treatment as usual (TAU)
Sponsors: Haukeland University Hospital; The Dam Foundation
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Biological: Psychotherapy as usual combined with single dose normal gut microbiota; Other: Psychotherapy treatment as usual (TAU)
Sponsors: Haukeland University Hospital; The Dam Foundation
Not yet recruiting
Pediatric Prolonged-Release Melatonin for Sleep Disturbances in Children and Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa (MELSom-ANOREXIA)
Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa; Sleep Disorders in Children
Interventions: Drug: Pediatric Prolonged-Released Melatonin (PedPRM); Drug: Placebo
Sponsors: Assistance Publique Hopitaux De Marseille
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Drug: Pediatric Prolonged-Released Melatonin (PedPRM); Drug: Placebo
Sponsors: Assistance Publique Hopitaux De Marseille
Not yet recruiting
Examining the Influence of Social Network Factors on Weight Loss Among Latina and Non-Hispanic White Breast Cancer Survivors: Observational Cohort Study
<strong>Background:</strong> Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and is the leading cause of cancer death among Latina individuals. Breast cancer survivors are at increased risk of obesity. Mobile health interventions have been shown to be an effective way of reducing the risk of weight gain. Less studied but also important is the extent to which social networks play a role in supporting or undermining weight loss efforts. <strong>Objective:</strong> We examined the association between 4 kinds of social network interactions and change in BMI among Latina and non-Hispanic White breast cancer survivors engaging in a mobile health app pilot study. <strong>Methods:</strong> Latina and non-Hispanic White breast cancer survivors were randomized to engage in either the <i>Mi Salud</i> or <i>Mi Vida, Mi Salud</i> app. <i>Mi Salud</i> allowed participants to engage in self-monitoring by recording their behaviors and symptoms. <i>Mi Vida, Mi Salud</i> used these same features in addition to a self-discovery feature that would summarize and report back this information to participants. We collected information on BMI and health-related social support; positive and negative health-related social control (which included persuasion and pressure, respectively); and undermining at baseline and after 12 weeks of the intervention. <strong>Results:</strong> While participants (non-Hispanic White n=22 and Latina n=22) in both study arms experienced decreased BMI over the 12-week period, this change in BMI did not differ according to ethnicity. Furthermore, change in social support was not associated with decreased BMI (B=−0.19, <i>P</i>=.12). However, the interaction between change in social support and ethnicity was significant, such that predicted margins were significant for non-Hispanic White individuals (B=−0.57, <i>P</i>=.02) but not for Latina individuals (B=−0.54, <i>P</i>=.72). Change in persuasion was not associated with change in BMI (B=0.072, <i>P</i>=.61); however, increased pressure was associated with increased BMI (B=0.66, <i>P</i>=.02). Finally, change in undermining was not associated with change in BMI (B=0.32, <i>P</i>=.11). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Latina and non-Hispanic White participants did not differ in weight loss. However, our findings regarding social network involvement and change in BMI show the importance of considering social network processes in weight loss among breast cancer survivors. These findings buttress existing research suggesting the benefits of social support, particularly within specific cultural frameworks, while attempts to increase participants’ healthy behaviors that involve criticism can be detrimental to change efforts. Future research that builds on these findings is needed to elucidate the specific social network processes that may drive health behavior among diverse breast cancer survivors.
Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1s Linked to Deep Brain Activity and Reduced Cravings in Mice
Interest in glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) continues to surge due to their effectiveness in reducing body weight and improving metabolic outcomes. This includes interest in small molecule oral GLP-1s which are more bioavailable and more easily manufactured than their injectable counterparts.
Now data from a new study in mice performed by scientists at the University of Virginia shows that this emerging class of weight-loss drugs suppress hedonic eating by modulating a reward circuit deep in the brain that is separate from previously described mechanisms that broadly affect appetite. The scientists believe that this pathway could be an avenue by which GLP-1s treat other dysfunctions in reward processing such as substance use disorders.
Details of the National Institutes of Health-funded study were published this week in a Nature paper titled “A brain reward circuit inhibited by next-generation weight-loss drugs in mice.” In it, the team reported that they investigated the small-molecule GLP-1s including Eli Lilly’s recently approved drug orforglipron, also known by the brand name Foundayo, as well as danuglipron, an oral GLP-1 that was being developed by Pfizer until the company decided to discontinue its development in 2025.
Previous studies that explored the effects of larger peptide GLP-1s such as semaglutide in the brain have found that they suppress hunger-driven eating by engaging networks in the hypothalamus and hindbrain. What has been less clear is the mechanism by which small-molecule GLP-1s work. “As the accessibility of these medications continues to rise and patient uptake increases, it’s crucial that we understand the neural mechanisms underlying the effects we’re seeing,” said Lorenzo Leggio, MD, PhD, clinical director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The current study gets scientists one step closer to that goal. According to the paper, the scientists first used gene editing to modify the GLP-1 receptors of mice to make them more humanlike. They then administered orforglipron or danuglipron to the mice, and identified brain regions where the drugs induced activity. The results showed that in addition to inducing activity in familiar pathways, the drugs also triggered the central amygdala, a region associated with desire that is deeper in the brain than scientists previously thought GLP-1s could directly reach. Further testing showed that once activated, the central amygdala reduced the release of dopamine into key hubs of the brain’s reward circuitry during hedonic feeding.
“We’ve known that GLP-1 drugs suppress feeding behavior driven by energy demand,” said co-corresponding author Ali Guler, PhD, a professor of biology at the University of Virginia. “Now it seems oral small-molecule GLP-1s also dial back eating for pleasure by engaging a brain reward circuit.”
Given the effect of these drugs on eating for pleasure, future studies could explore whether small-molecule GLP-1s can also suppress cravings for other addictive substances. It is a question that the team hopes to explore in follow up studies focused specifically on substance use disorder.
The post Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1s Linked to Deep Brain Activity and Reduced Cravings in Mice appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
Seaport’s IPO adventure, obesity pill battles, and Makary’s troubles
On this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” we chat with Seaport Therapeutics CEO Daphne Zohar, fresh off the biotech’s successful IPO. Plus, Elaine, Allison, and Adam chat about this week’s notable news, including the obesity pill battle between Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, a Phase 3 study win for Cytokinetics, and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary’s White House troubles.
Oh, by the way, this is the 400th episode of your favorite biotech podcast.
Oral small-molecule GLP-1 drugs penetrate deep into the brain to suppress cravings
NIH-funded research identifies new mechanism of action for next-generation weight-loss drugs
Early Glucagon Elevation Linked to MASLD in Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers at the German Diabetes Centre have found that glucagon, a hormone that is considered to be a counterbalance to insulin, is elevated early in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and closely linked to the development of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD). The findings, published in the journal Diabetes Care, indicate that dysregulation of glucagon occurs soon after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and is associated with liver fat accumulation, information that could prompt a shift in the understanding of how MASLD progresses and suggesting new ways to treat it.
“Our findings highlight that type 2 diabetes should not be viewed solely from the perspective of insulin action. The liver and the regulation of glucagon play a special role in metabolism,” said senior author Michael Roden, MD, scientific director of the German Diabetes Centre.
The aim of the research was to address unresolved questions about the activity of glucagon in early type 2 diabetes and how it may influence the development of fatty liver disease (MASLD). While insulin resistance is central to diabetes research, glucagon is also known to contribute to elevated blood glucose by stimulating hepatic glucose production. MASLD is also common in people with type 2 diabetes, yet the interaction between liver fat and glucagon regulation is not well understood.
To investigate glucagon’s role in this regard, the researchers analyzed 50 adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 50 people with normal glucose tolerance matched for age, sex, and body mass index. Participants underwent mixed-meal tolerance tests to assess glucagon and metabolites, hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps to measure insulin sensitivity, and imaging using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and MRI to quantify hepatic lipid content and visceral fat.
The resulting data indicated that those people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes had significantly higher liver fat and elevated glucagon levels both when fasting and after meals.
“Individuals with T2D had an ∼65% higher HLC as well as higher fasting and postprandial glucagonemia (∼30% and ∼75%) than those with NGT,” the research noted. The presence of MASLD, rather than diabetes itself, was associated with higher fasting glucagon levels. Elevated glucagon levels after a meal were specifically linked to liver fat content in those people with type 2 diabetes.
These associations were independent of insulin sensitivity and visceral adipose tissue. “Hyperglucagonemia in the face of higher HLC in early T2D is not due to differences in insulin sensitivity or glucagonotropic metabolites but could suggest hepatic glucagon resistance,” the researchers wrote.
The study also addressed the role of amino acids and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs), which previous research has suggested serve as mediators of glucagon secretion. But the current research did not show this to be the case. “This study demonstrates that 1) fasting glucagon concentrations are elevated and tightly associated with MASLD already in newly diagnosed T2D and 2) increased postprandial glucagon levels are positively linked to HLC only in early T2D, but not NGT… but 3) neither amino acids nor NEFAs mediate this hepatopancreatic relationship,” the researchers wrote.
These findings could boost current development of glucagon-based drugs, including dual- and triple-agonists targeting incretin and glucagon receptors, which are already being studied for the treatment of MASLD. The study implicates that altered glucagon physiology in type 2 diabetes may influence how patients respond to drugs, and differences in glucagon signaling may help explain why some therapies appear less effective in individuals with diabetes compared to those without.
While this study was cross-sectional and does establish causality, the researchers pointed to the consistent associations across multiple metabolic measurements as evidence to support further investigation. Additional work could determine whether hepatic glucagon resistance can be directly measured and targeted. Future research will also focus on finding out whether modifying glucagon signaling can alter the progression of MASLD and type 2 diabetes, and how new therapies in development can be personalized for patients with different metabolic profiles.
The post Early Glucagon Elevation Linked to MASLD in Type 2 Diabetes appeared first on Inside Precision Medicine.
Behavior Change Techniques in Digital Health Interventions for Promoting Adolescent Health Behaviors: Systematic Umbrella Review
Background: Digital health interventions (DHIs) using behavior change techniques (BCTs) show promise in addressing adolescent health behaviors, but evidence of their effectiveness across health behavior domains remains fragmented and poorly summarized. Objective: This systematic umbrella review synthesized evidence from existing systematic reviews on the effectiveness of BCTs within DHI targeting key adolescent health behavior domains: alcohol consumption, tobacco use, physical activity, dietary habits, and obesity management. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, and CINAHL in April 2024 for reviews of DHI for adolescents (10‐19 years old). We coded all identified BCTs using the Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy version 1 (BCTTv1). Data on BCT effectiveness, intervention characteristics, and review quality were extracted and narratively synthesized using AMSTAR-2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2). Results: A total of 20 reviews, comprising 224,135 participants, were included. These examined DHIs targeting physical activity (7 reviews), dietary habits (3 reviews), alcohol consumption (2 reviews), combined alcohol and nicotine use (1 review), and obesity management (1 review), with an additional 6 reviews covering multiple health behaviors. Across reviews, 65% (13/20) reported statistically significant positive effects on at least one health behavior outcome. “Social support (unspecified)” was the most consistently adopted and effective BCT, especially with parental/peer involvement. The combination of “self-monitoring,” “goal setting,” and “feedback” also commonly appeared in successful interventions. Intervention effectiveness appeared linked to strategic BCT selection and individualization rather than the total number of techniques. The methodological quality of included reviews was predominantly low, with only 2 rated high. Conclusions: This umbrella review identified “social support (unspecified)” as a consistently effective BCT across multiple adolescent health behavior domains, particularly with parental/peer involvement. Intervention success appears linked to targeted and individualized BCT use. Future research should prioritize clarifying the specific components and delivery methods of effective social support, rigorously evaluating BCT configurations in underexplored areas such as adolescent smoking cessation, and examining their long-term impact on behavior change.
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