David Benton

• DSc
• Professor (Full) at Swansea University

Limited research has examined the effect of meal composition on sleep. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that a low glycemic index (LGI) drink containing 50g isomaltulose (Palatinose™, GI = 32) would result in more N3 sleep, less rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and better memory consolidation than a high glycemic index (HGI) drink contain...

Consumers often cite cognitive improvements as reasons for making dietary changes or using dietary supplements, a motivation that if leveraged could greatly enhance public health. However, rarely is it considered whether standardized cognitive tests that are used in nutrition research are aligned to outcomes of interest to the consumer. This knowle...

A healthy and balanced diet is an important factor to assure a good functioning of the central and peripheral nervous system. Retinoid X receptor (RXR)-mediated signaling was identified as an important mechanism of transmitting major diet-dependent physiological and nutritional signaling such as the control of myelination and dopamine signalling. R...

A range of approaches taken by government to encourage a healthy diet are reviewed. The problems with the American pyramid are considered. There is little evidence that banning television advertising to children has an influence on obesity. Placing calories on restaurant menus makes little difference. The nutritional information on packaging has li...

Consumers often cite cognitive improvements as reasons for making dietary changes or using dietary supplements, a motivation that if leveraged could greatly enhance public health. However, rarely is it considered whether standardized cognitive tests that are used in nutrition research are aligned to outcomes of interest to the consumer. This knowle...

Objective To examine associations between different types of sweet drinks consumed in early life and adult adiposity. Design The analysis involved the secondary analysis of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children which followed children from birth to 24 years. Adiposity was measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry while food fre...

The obesity pandemic and its adverse effect on health and quality of life are well established. In younger populations, interoception and aberrant eating behaviour contribute to overconsumption and being overweight. Although the incidence of obesity is higher in older individuals, they remain under-researched in the obesity literature. Therefore, t...

Interoception, the process of detecting and interpreting bodily sensations, may facilitate self-regulation and thereby play a crucial role in achieving elite performance in competitive sports. However, there is a lack of research conducted in world-class athletes. In the present research, two studies examined self-reported (interoceptive sensibilit...

As we continue to elucidate the mechanisms underlying age-related brain diseases, the reductionist strategy in nutrition-brain function research has focused on establishing the impact of individual foods. However, the biological processes connecting diet and cognition are complex. Therefore, consideration of a combination of nutritional compounds m...

Sleep problems are extremely common in industrialized countries and the possibility that diet might be used to improve sleep has been considered. The topic has been reviewed many times, resulting in the frequent suggestion that carbohydrate increases the uptake of tryptophan by the brain, where it is metabolized into serotonin and melatonin, with t...

Interoception, the process of detecting and interpreting bodily sensations, may facilitate self-regulation and thereby play a crucial role in achieving elite performance in competitive sports. However, there is a lack of research conducted in world-class athletes. In the present research, two studies examined self-reported (interoceptive sensibilit...

Objective: A Mediterranean style diet (i.e., high in fruit, vegetables, fish, pulses, and wholegrains) is said to benefit psychological health. Many low-level interoceptive processes, such as those involved in the 'gut-brain' axis, are suggested to play a mechanistic role in in this relationship. However, interoceptive sensations in other domains,...

The effect of breakfast glycaemic load (GL) on cognition was systematically examined. Randomised and non-randomised controlled trials were identified using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library (up to May 2022). 15 studies involving adults (aged 20-80 years) were included. Studies had a low risk, or some concerns, of bias. A random-effects meta-anal...

Background/objectives Obesity affects more than forty percent of adults over the age of sixty. Aberrant eating styles such as disinhibition have been associated with the engagement of brain networks underlying executive functioning, attentional control, and interoception. However, these effects have been exclusively studied in young samples overloo...

Androstenol has been reported to influence judgements of attractiveness and to affect participants’ mood. In the present study, participants were asked to sniff androstenol or a control odour (pure ethanol) unilaterally with the left or right nostril. Subsequently, they rated the attractiveness of photographs of the opposite sex and their own feeli...

Objectives Carbohydrate is the nutrient most commonly said to influence sleep: it is proposed that a high intake increases the uptake of tryptophan by the brain, where it is metabolized into serotonin and melatonin. As this mechanism depends on the relative amount of carbohydrate and protein, studies were reviewed where diets differed in these macr...

Objectives A systematic review and meta-analysis compared the effects of high (HGL) and low glycemic load (LGL) breakfasts on the cognitive performance of adults. In particular, the time after eating that cognition was assessed and the influence of pre-existing glucose tolerance (GT) were considered. Methods A systematic search for randomized and...

Those with disordered eating and/or obesity often express difficulties in sensing or interpreting what is happening in the body (interoception). However, research is hindered by conceptual confusion, concerns surrounding domain specificity, and an inability to distinguish sensory (bottom-up) and expectation driven (top-down) interoceptive processes...

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a prevalent and dangerous behavior. Those with a history of NSSI often report high levels of self-critical rumination (SCR), a form of negatively-valenced introspective self-referential processing. It is plausible that this overly analytical style of relating to the self might hinder the ability to process interoce...

Glycaemic load and cognition: comments concerning Marchand et al. - David Benton

Objectives The study examined the long-term effects of a botanical supplement containing cinnamon, turmeric/curcumin, chromium and alpha-lipoic acid on blood glucose (BG), blood lipids and cognitive measures of healthy, older adults. Methods Healthy, older adults aged 51 to 79 years (N = 30, 16 females, 14 males) were randomized to consume either...

Dehydration (water loss >2.0% of body weight) has significant negative effects on physical and mental performance. In two studies the effects of minor hypo-hydration (water loss <1.0% of body weight) on CNS function, mood and cardiovascular functioning were measured. Study 1: On two mornings twelve male participants were exposed to a temperature of...

Background: Polyphenolics from botanical ingredients and common spices are known to influence blood glucose (BG) levels in numerous ways and may be useful as part of an integrative approach to maintaining BG within the normal range. The effects of cinnamon, curcumin, and turmeric have been investigated for their potential role in mediating glucose...

Plasma and serum osmolality are often used to indicate hydration status; however, as serum osmolality varies very little over a wide range of urine osmolality, it has been assumed that there is little likelihood of either dehydration or hyperhydration. That is, adequate hydration is maintained by homeostatic mechanisms when you respond to thirst wi...

Although there is strong evidence that consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a reduced rate of all-cause mortality, only a minority of the population consumes 5 servings a day, and campaigns to increase intake have had limited success. This review examines whether encouraging the consumption of fruit juice might offer a step toward...

Traditionally, it has been thought necessary to lose 2% of body mass due to dehydration to disrupt functioning, although recently, adverse effects have been reported, with a loss of 0.5%-0.7%. It is, however, unclear whether the response to small reductions in mass reflects dehydration as homeostatic mechanisms are thought to be effective. As psych...

Traditionally it has been thought necessary to lose 2% of body mass due to dehydration, before functioning is disrupted, although recently adverse effects have been reported with a loss of 0.5-0.7%. It is, however, unclear whether the response to small decreases in mass reflects dehydration, mechanisms that help to adapt to a loss of bodily fluid,...

Chazelas and colleagues report that sugar intake, including fruit juice, is associated with a higher incidence of cancer.1 A fundamental question is whether examining a single nutritional villain in isolation is meaningful, rather than acknowledging the need for a wide ranging, varied, and balanced diet?

Objectives: Reviews consistently find that a loss of about 2% of body mass was needed before either athletic or psychological functioning is disrupted. However, although it is usually assumed that the minor changes in hydration status, that occur during normal life, do not impact on performance, experimentally the topic has been virtually ignored....

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the deliberate and direct injury of one’s own body tissue without suicidal intent. As the known risk factors for NSSI predispose to a range of psychiatric disorders, there is a limited understanding of the specific individual differences that result in NSSI. Therefore, in three studies, a multidimensional approach...

Recently, interoception and homeostasis have been described in terms of predictive coding and active inference. Afferent signals update prior predictions about the state of the body, and stimulate the autonomic mediation of homeostasis. Performance on tests of interoceptive accuracy (IAc) may indicate an individual's ability to assign precision to...

Received wisdom is that, to benefit health, the consumption of fruit and vegetables should be encouraged. Yet, although this message is well known, it is a minority of the population who consume five-a-day. Reasons given for not consuming whole fruit involve practicalities, inconvenience and the effort required. Psychologically, what is important i...

It is commonly assumed that relatively small changes in hydration (<1% of body mass) are readily compensated by homeostatic mechanisms such that they are of little functional consequence. Nonetheless an emerging literature suggests that minor hypohydration can influence cognition and mood; indeed it is possible that homeostatic autonomic adaptation...

Regular salt intake is required for the maintenance of mineral ‐ fluid balance, although excessive intake is pathophysiological. Humans typically consume vastly more salt (sodium chloride) than is physiologically required yet the introduction of policies to reduce intake have met with only limited success. Despite this, the antecedents of salt inta...

As a meta‐analysis found that micro‐nutrient supplementation improved mood (Long & Benton, 2013), to establish mechanisms and to pin‐point those more likely to benefit, the roles of various polymorphisms were examined. For three months in a double‐blind trial, 200 young healthy male adults took vitamin/mineral supplements or a placebo and ratings o...

Within the UK, the number of older adults aged 65 years and over has a projected increase of 32% by 2039. As a natural consequence of age, cognitive and cardiovascular functioning decline. Thus, having a greater understanding of the protective factors against age-related decline is important. Hydration is a modifiable lifestyle factors with a known...

Dehydration (water loss: 2.0% of body weight) has significant negative effects on physical and mental performance. In the current study, the effects of minor (water loss <1.0% of body weight) hypo-hydration on CNS function, mood and cardiovascular function were measured. On two mornings twelve male participants were exposed to a temperature of 30oC...

Recently, interoception and homeostasis have been described in terms of predictive coding and active inference. Afferent signals update prior predictions about the state of the body and stimulate autonomic mediation of homeostasis. Performance on tests of interoceptive accuracy (IAc) may indicate an individual’s ability to flexibly assign precision...

As the influence of diet on health may take place over a period of decades, there is a need for biomarkers that help to identify those aspects of nutrition that have either a positive or a negative influence. The evidence is considered that heart-rate variability (HRV) (the time differences between one beat and the next) can be used to indicate the...

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, which allows for selective inhibition or excitation of neural structures. It has demonstrated some efficacy in the treatment of mood disorders. However, these studies have predominately focused on stimulation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The cerebellum ha...

According to estimates from Public Health England, by 2034 70% of adults are expected to be overweight or obese, therefore understanding the underpinning aetiology is a priority. Eating in response to negative affect contributes towards obesity, however, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Evidence that visceral afferent signals contri...

Contains correlations between each MAIA and DEBQ subscale and the analysis concerning restrained eating, BMI and interoception. (DOCX)

As the widespread availability of highly calorific food has resulted in a high incidence of obesity, attempts to decrease body weight have concentrated on trying to reduce energy intake. It is suggested that this is not the best approach. Although consuming more calories than expended is part of the initial problem, it does not follow that reducing...

As a meta-analysis found that micro-nutrient supplementation improved mood (Long & Benton, 2013), to establish mechanisms and to pin-point those more likely to benefit, the roles of various polymorphisms were examined. For three months in a double-blind trial, 200 young healthy male adults took vitamin/mineral supplements or a placebo and ratings o...

Regular salt intake is required for the maintenance of mineral - fluid balance, although excessive intake is pathophysiological. Humans typically consume vastly more salt (sodium chloride) than is physiologically required yet the introduction of policies to reduce intake have met with only limited success. Despite this, the antecedents of salt inta...

It is commonly assumed that relatively small changes in hydration (<1% of body mass) are readily compensated by homeostatic mechanisms such that they are of little functional consequence. Nonetheless an emerging literature suggests that minor hypohydration can influence cognition and mood; indeed it is possible that homeostatic autonomic adaptation...

Consistently it has been reported that a depressed mood and low heart rate variability (HRV) are linked. However, studies have not considered that the association might be explained by dietary behaviour. The resting inter-beat interval data of 266 adults (Study 1: 156 (51 M), Study 2: 112 (38 M)) were recorded for six minutes and quantified using l...

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are chronic diseases of long duration and generally slow progression, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Morbidity and mortality due to non-communicable disease has risen tremendously over the years globally. Healthful Eating As Lifestyle (HEAL): Integrative Preve...

Background: The assumption that small changes in hydration status are readily compensated by homeostatic mechanisms has been little studied. In this study, the influence of hypohydration on cognition was examined. Objectives: We assessed whether a loss of <1% of body mass due to hypohydration adversely influenced cognition, and examined the poss...

Introduction: To date, dehydration has been typically reported to infl uence psychological parameters when there has been at least a 2% loss of body mass, although there has been little examination of those going about their everyday lives, those who have lost less than 1% of body mass. In such situations factors such as the initial hydration stat...

Introduction: To date, dehydration has been typically reported to infl uence psychological parameters when there has been at least a 2% loss of body mass, although there has been little examination of those going about their everyday lives, those who have lost less than 1% of body mass. In such situations factors such as the initial hydration stat...

Addiction to a wide range of substances of abuse has been suggested to reflect a ‘Reward Deficiency Syndrome’. That is, drugs are said to stimulate the reward mechanisms so intensely that, to compensate, the population of dopamine D2 receptors (DD2R) declines. The result is that an increased intake is necessary to experience the same degree of rewa...

Introduction: The study of small changes in hydration status has been largely ignored. Objective: To see if drinking water, when mildly hypohydrated (a loss of 0.7% of body mass), helps to maintain cognitive functioning and mood and to explore underlying mechanisms. Method: 118 (61 male) young adults were exposed to a temperature of 30oC for four h...

Both heart rate (HR) and brain functioning involve the integrated output of a multitude of regulatory mechanisms, that are not quantified adequately by linear approximations such as means and standard deviations. It was therefore considered whether non-linear measures of HR complexity are more strongly associated with cognition and mood. Whilst res...

Although it has been suggested that many in the general population are dehydrated to the extent that mood and cognition are disrupted, there has been little research investigating mild levels of dehydration. When dehydration reduces body mass by more than 2%, it has been consistently reported that mood is influenced, fatigue is greater, and alertne...

On April 7-8, 2014, the European Hydration Institute hosted a small group of experts at Castle Combe Manor House, United Kingdom, to discuss a range of issues related to human hydration, health, and performance. The meeting included 18 recognized experts who brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the topics under review. Eight selected top...

Sleep is important for children as it directly impacts their mental and physical development. Sleep is not only influenced by the timing but also the macronutrient (carbohydrate and protein) content of meals. Glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) describe the quality of carbohydrates in a food and the burden of these foods on the body's bloo...

This study examined the nutritional intake of 9-11 year old children in Wales, UK, to assess the rationale for, and potential of, school breakfast initiatives. It also examined the possible unintended consequence of over consumption. The study employed a cross-sectional observational design within a randomized controlled trial of a free school brea...

Young adults (n=147) were tested after consuming either BRAND'S Essence of Chicken (EOC) or a placebo for ten days. EOC resulted in feeling energetic, decision times (reaction time test) were quicker; reaction times on the focused attention task were also quicker; working memory imp roved, cortisol levels recovered more quickly after a stressor. Th...

Chicken extract, which is rich in anserine and carnosine, has been widely taken in Asian countries as a traditional remedy with various aims, including attenuation of psychological fatigue. The effects of consuming BRAND'S Essence of Chicken (EOC) or a placebo on 46 young adults' responses to a standard psychological "stressor" were considered. Hea...

The role played by hydration in general health and well-being is an emerging public health issue, yet there are few tools available to monitor its status in large populations. The aim was therefore to develop a questionnaire that assesses individual differences in the tendency to lose body fluid in a warm environment and hence become dehydrated. Fi...