P01.10
Purpose: Obesity has become a public health crisis, not sparing a quickly expanding population of older adults. Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic disease; thus, there is a growing need to understand the etiology of food consumption among older adults. Important to this research direction is the role that liquid meal replacements (MR) have in calorie-restricted diets for weight loss. We hypothesize that MR beverages modulate a hedonic brain network of appetite (HBN-A) and decrease state-craving.
Methods: The sample included (n=14) obese, older adults. The participants completed two visits. During each visit, participants consumed a calorie-controlled breakfast. After a 2.5 hour fast, participants either consumed a can of BOOST ® (MR beverage) or an equivalent amount of water. On both visits, an MRI scan was performed and the Food Craving Questionnaire (FCQstate) was administered. Functional brain networks were created for each individual. Hubs-of-interest for the HBN-A were defined as regions of interest with a greater number of connections in the fasting condition (p<0.10). To fully characterize the HBN-A, the direct and indirect connections among these hubs were quantified between conditions.
Results: In investigating the HBN-A, we found that in the fasting state, brain networks had hubs in the following regions: anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala, insula, right hippocampus and superior temporal pole. Importantly, all interconnections among these five hubs were greater in the fasting condition than the MR condition. For direct connections, the effect sizes ranged from 0.44 to 1.11; whereas, for indirect connections, the effect sizes ranged from 0.77 to 1.19. We also show that when individuals consume a MR beverage, they also report significantly less craving.
Conclusion: In summary, we found that MR beverages down-regulated the HBN-A after a short-term fast in older, obese adults. Additionally, the consumption of MR beverages also lowered craving, reinforcing their value in weight-management programs.
Contact: Brielle Paolini, bpaolin@wakehealth.edu
