Welcome to the Weekly Medius PsychNews. Every week, we select five thought-provoking Psychology articles from hundreds published in journals and other media. Psychology Drives Everything.

A matter of taste:
At the annual International Society of Neurogastronomy Symposium, chefs go head to head to create delicious dishes—but it’s not your average cook-off. These culinary creatives team up with experts in neuroscience, psychology, food technology and medicine to prepare foods that will delight judges with taste impairments or dietary restrictions. Full article.

Family-based behavioral treatment is key to addressing childhood obesity:
The rate of child obesity in the United States has been triggering alarm bells for years. Nearly one in five children had obesity in 2015–16, according to the most recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The rate of child obesity, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex, has more than tripled since the 1976–1980 NHANES. Among teens, the rate quadrupled, from 5 percent to more than 20 percent. Full article.

Stress Won’t Go Away? Maybe You Are Suffering from Chronic Stress:
Some stress is positive. It causes our bodies to release adrenaline, which helps us to accomplish assignments and projects, and can even enhance our performance and problem-solving ability. But chronic stress, which is constant and persists over an extended period of time, can be debilitating and overwhelming. Chronic stress can affect both our physical and psychological well-being by causing a variety of problems including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Research shows that stress can contribute to the development of major illnesses, such as heart disease, depression and obesity. The consequences of chronic stress are serious. Yet, many Americans who experience prolonged stress are not making the necessary lifestyle changes to reduce stress and ultimately prevent health problems. Full article.

What is cognitive behavioral therapy and how does it work?
There’s no one-size-fits-all fix to treating insomnia, depression, anxiety, drug addiction, eating disorders, and other psychological problems. But there does seem to be a common starting place most psychologists and other therapists rely on: cognitive behavioral therapy (or “CBT” as it’s commonly referred to). CBT falls under the broader category of psychotherapy. (Psychotherapies differ from other types of therapy, such as medications, in that they involve a psychologist or other trained professional working with an individual or group to identify a problem and develop solutions. Usually that process involves a lot of talking and thinking.) The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes CBT as one of the most effective forms of psychological therapy and psychiatric medications. And based on the evidence proving it works when it comes to managing anxiety disorders, bulimia, insomnia, personality disorders, stress management, and more, CBT is considered the gold-standard of psychotherapies in the field. Full article.

Prebiotics and Probiotics Evaluated for Depression, Anxiety Treatment:
According to the results of a random-effects meta-analysis, there is a small, but significant, amount of evidence that supports the use of probiotics in the treatment of depression and anxiety. The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of both prebiotics and probiotics in the management of depression and anxiety. The authors searched Embase, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO for controlled clinical trials conducted in humans that analyzed the effects of prebiotic or probiotic monotherapy on depression or anxiety. A total of 34 controlled clinical trials met the study author’s inclusion criteria. Full article.