Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and peptide YY (PYY) are involved in metabolic regulation. The purpose of the study was to assess the serum levels of NPY and PYY in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) or obesity (OB), as well as in a healthy control group (CG). The effects of potential confounders on their concentrations were also analysed. Eighty-nine adolescents were included in this study (AN = 30, OB = 30, and CG = 29). Anthropometric measurements and psychometric assessment of depressive symptoms, eating behaviours, body attitudes, and fasting serum levels of NPY and PYY were analysed. The AN group presented severe depressive symptoms, while the OB group held different attitudes towards the body. The levels of NPY were lower in the AN and OB groups as compared with the CG. The PYY levels were higher in the OB group than in the AN group and the CG. The severity of eating disorder symptoms predicted fasting serum concentrations of NPY. Lower levels of NPY in AN, as well as in OB suggests the need to look for a common link in the mechanism of this effect. Higher level of PYY in OB may be important in explaining complex etiopathogenesis of the disease. The psychopathological symptoms may have an influence on the neurohormones regulating metabolism.

Prader-Willi Syndrome is a genetic condition caused by an abnormality of chromosome 15, mostly resulting from a deletion.The prevalence of syndrome in Europe has been reported between 1 in 8,000 to 1 in 45,000 births. Characteristic features of the syndrome include hypotonia, short stature, psychomotor development delay, hypogonadism and progressive, life-threatening obesity. Treatment of Prader-Willi Syndrome consists of intensive rehabilitation, psychologicalcare, speech therapy and also, if patient is fulfilling appropriate criteria, growth hormone treatment. An extremely important element of therapy is also properly planned and implemented nutritional management. Adequate diet prevents the malnutrition in the first stage of life and the development of excessive weight in subsequent years. The aim of this article is to provide practical and accurate guidance on nutritional management and diet therapy for physicians and nutritionists who work with children, adolescents and adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome.

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Introduction. Food is the basic source of energy for humans. Properly matched for the age and needs of the body, a balanced diet is a condition for proper growth and development during childhood. The aim of the study is to review the current state of knowledge regarding the impact of the nutrition model, diet composition and behavioral aspects related to food intake on the occurrence of obesity in children and adolescents.Conclusions. Too much energy charge in food, disturbing the balance between energy supply and expenditure, is a common cause of childhood obesity. The rate of weight gain in children is also aff ected by other factors, such as the model of feeding during infancy, eating habits in the early years of life, and a number of behavioral aspects related to food intake.Taste preferences and eating habits are formed in a child from the first years of life and are often continued during adulthood, therefore, an essential element of obesity prevention must cover the extensive early education involving parents, caregivers and the children themselves.