Alex DiFeliceantonio
@difeliceantonio.bsky.social
Assist. Prof. at Virginia Tech. My lab studies brain/metabolism interactions in food reward. Scifi reader. Plant killer. She/her
DONNUT: https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/research/labs/difeliceantonio.html
DONNUT: https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/research/labs/difeliceantonio.html
We didn’t see any differences in what people chose to eat at the buffet meal, but we did observe higher nonUPF calories consumed after the UPF diet in our younger cohort. This was mainly driver by consumption of our nonUPF potato chip, so I wouldn’t conclude it was an increase in “healthy” choices.
November 19, 2025 at 11:39 AM
We didn’t see any differences in what people chose to eat at the buffet meal, but we did observe higher nonUPF calories consumed after the UPF diet in our younger cohort. This was mainly driver by consumption of our nonUPF potato chip, so I wouldn’t conclude it was an increase in “healthy” choices.
We also tested eating in the absence of hunger, a metric that predicts later weight gain in young people. Again the adolescents ate more after the UPF diet than the nonUPF diet.
They weren’t any hungrier before either meal and controlling for hunger or weight variation didn’t change our results.
They weren’t any hungrier before either meal and controlling for hunger or weight variation didn’t change our results.
November 19, 2025 at 11:39 AM
We also tested eating in the absence of hunger, a metric that predicts later weight gain in young people. Again the adolescents ate more after the UPF diet than the nonUPF diet.
They weren’t any hungrier before either meal and controlling for hunger or weight variation didn’t change our results.
They weren’t any hungrier before either meal and controlling for hunger or weight variation didn’t change our results.
We were of course inspired by @kevinh-phd.bsky.social but also asked what happens to energy intake if you hold weight stable and test younger people.
We found that overall w/o weight gain UPF consumption did not increase energy intake. But if you examined our data by age younger people ate more.
We found that overall w/o weight gain UPF consumption did not increase energy intake. But if you examined our data by age younger people ate more.
November 19, 2025 at 11:39 AM
We were of course inspired by @kevinh-phd.bsky.social but also asked what happens to energy intake if you hold weight stable and test younger people.
We found that overall w/o weight gain UPF consumption did not increase energy intake. But if you examined our data by age younger people ate more.
We found that overall w/o weight gain UPF consumption did not increase energy intake. But if you examined our data by age younger people ate more.
The full segment airs tomorrow at 8:30 on ABC Streaming.
November 18, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The full segment airs tomorrow at 8:30 on ABC Streaming.
The lab was on Good Morning America! Absolutely surreal. Everyone did so great on the filming day. I work with the best people ever.
November 18, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The lab was on Good Morning America! Absolutely surreal. Everyone did so great on the filming day. I work with the best people ever.
Since I’m not at sfn, I can start Thanksgiving prep.
Don’t forget the bay leaf, it is both an act of faith and an offering to the capricious universe.
Will it impart flavor? Who knows? Just as our fates are unknowable.
Don’t forget the bay leaf, it is both an act of faith and an offering to the capricious universe.
Will it impart flavor? Who knows? Just as our fates are unknowable.
November 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Since I’m not at sfn, I can start Thanksgiving prep.
Don’t forget the bay leaf, it is both an act of faith and an offering to the capricious universe.
Will it impart flavor? Who knows? Just as our fates are unknowable.
Don’t forget the bay leaf, it is both an act of faith and an offering to the capricious universe.
Will it impart flavor? Who knows? Just as our fates are unknowable.
I forgot to add Lily won a poster prize for the Neuroscience section!!
November 15, 2025 at 5:44 PM
I forgot to add Lily won a poster prize for the Neuroscience section!!
I made it to the land of fat squirrels!
November 10, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I made it to the land of fat squirrels!
Come by to after the plenary!!
November 4, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Come by to after the plenary!!
On Thursday don’t miss the Blackburn Symposium at 10am. @kevinh-phd.bsky.social, Aviva Musicis, and I will be presenting on ultra-processed foods!
November 4, 2025 at 12:49 PM
On Thursday don’t miss the Blackburn Symposium at 10am. @kevinh-phd.bsky.social, Aviva Musicis, and I will be presenting on ultra-processed foods!
Get excited for Obesity Week! Today at 2:30 Zach Hutelin will be presenting on our work using indirect calorimetry and fMRI to measure acute responses to ultra-processed foods. It’s in the 1:30 Neuro Session.
November 4, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Get excited for Obesity Week! Today at 2:30 Zach Hutelin will be presenting on our work using indirect calorimetry and fMRI to measure acute responses to ultra-processed foods. It’s in the 1:30 Neuro Session.
Are you going to Obesity Week? It starts on Election Day! If you are in VA that means you’re missing the Governors race. You can still apply for an absentee ballot! Or vote early at your local elections office.
September 20, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Are you going to Obesity Week? It starts on Election Day! If you are in VA that means you’re missing the Governors race. You can still apply for an absentee ballot! Or vote early at your local elections office.
🧪 The electrochemistry technique allows simultaneous measurement of DA, NE, and 5HT. When you ask how monoamines track these NPEs, you see a stark difference between patient groups (essential tremor and Parkinson's disease)
September 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🧪 The electrochemistry technique allows simultaneous measurement of DA, NE, and 5HT. When you ask how monoamines track these NPEs, you see a stark difference between patient groups (essential tremor and Parkinson's disease)
🧪 Alec Hartle took these data and noticed an interesting pattern. During surgery for DBS implantation patients played a social exchange game while recordings were made from carbon fiber electrodes in the caudate.
The structure of this game allows you to fit a norm prediction error to the behavior
The structure of this game allows you to fit a norm prediction error to the behavior
September 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🧪 Alec Hartle took these data and noticed an interesting pattern. During surgery for DBS implantation patients played a social exchange game while recordings were made from carbon fiber electrodes in the caudate.
The structure of this game allows you to fit a norm prediction error to the behavior
The structure of this game allows you to fit a norm prediction error to the behavior
Congratulations to Zach for winning best oral presentation by a graduate student (track 2)!!!
August 1, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Congratulations to Zach for winning best oral presentation by a graduate student (track 2)!!!
BUT! It was associated with metrics of glycemic control, even though every one of our participants had an HbA1c in the healthy range. 🧪🧵
July 31, 2025 at 2:20 PM
BUT! It was associated with metrics of glycemic control, even though every one of our participants had an HbA1c in the healthy range. 🧪🧵
We pooled data from two pilot studies in the lab that recruited across a range of BMIs. We found that change in liking for the calorie paired flavor was not associated with BMI, WHR, or waist circumference. 🧪🧵
July 31, 2025 at 2:20 PM
We pooled data from two pilot studies in the lab that recruited across a range of BMIs. We found that change in liking for the calorie paired flavor was not associated with BMI, WHR, or waist circumference. 🧪🧵
Geat job Zach! Thank you to everyone for supporting the lab while I've been stuck at home!
July 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Geat job Zach! Thank you to everyone for supporting the lab while I've been stuck at home!
I hope you were able to come by! Great job ME! She also just got a good impact score on her K01, fingers crossed.
July 31, 2025 at 1:59 PM
I hope you were able to come by! Great job ME! She also just got a good impact score on her K01, fingers crossed.
Great job Lara! Thank you to everyone stopping by!
July 30, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Great job Lara! Thank you to everyone stopping by!
I am beyond bummed to be missing #SSIB2025 -- I had back surgery and am not cleared to fly. Drowning my sorrows in this floof. But! If you want to know what the lab is up to, please visit our presentations 🧵🧪!
July 29, 2025 at 12:42 PM
I am beyond bummed to be missing #SSIB2025 -- I had back surgery and am not cleared to fly. Drowning my sorrows in this floof. But! If you want to know what the lab is up to, please visit our presentations 🧵🧪!
Mr. Stark, how dare you.
June 19, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Mr. Stark, how dare you.
I started getting teary at the F31s but the pages and pages of this now just make me want to throw up. Kids are going to die.
March 28, 2025 at 11:54 PM
I started getting teary at the F31s but the pages and pages of this now just make me want to throw up. Kids are going to die.
SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS
February 20, 2025 at 2:16 PM
SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS
We're really gonna give up this level of economic growth and progress so VA Republicans can pretend to be defecit hawks and pull publicity stunts? This is hurting your constituents.
February 9, 2025 at 6:07 PM
We're really gonna give up this level of economic growth and progress so VA Republicans can pretend to be defecit hawks and pull publicity stunts? This is hurting your constituents.