Beverage caffeine intakes in the U.S.

Caffeine is one of the most researched food components, with the vast majority of dietary contributions coming from beverage consumption; however, there is little population-level data on caffeine intakes in the U.S. This study estimated the caffeine intakes of the U.S. population using a comprehensive beverage survey, the Kantar Worldpanel Beverage Consumption Panel. A nationally representative sample of 37,602 consumers (aged ⩾ 2 years) of caffeinated beverages completed 7-day diaries which facilitated the development of a detailed database of caffeine values to assess intakes. Results showed that 85% of the U.S. population consumes at least one caffeinated beverage per day. The mean (±SE) daily caffeine intake from all beverages was 165 ± 1 mg for all ages combined. Caffeine intake was highest in consumers aged 50–64 years (226 ± 2 mg/day). The 90th percentile intake was 380 mg/day for all ages combined. Coffee was the primary contributor to caffeine intakes in all age groups. Carbonated soft drinks and tea provided a greater percentage of caffeine in the younger (<18 years) age groups. The percentage of energy drink consumers across all age groups was low (⩽10%). These data provide a current perspective on caffeinated beverage consumption patterns and caffeine intakes in the U.S. population.     

Alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality among elderly in Finland

AimsTo estimate the gender-specific prevalences of alcohol consumption levels and to investigate the association between heavy drinking and all-cause mortality among elderly males.DesignA cohort derived from a nationally representative sample of Finns aged >65 years was followed for six years. Number of subjects was 1569 (72.7% of the original sample, 65.3% females, weighted n = 1357).MeasurementsAlcohol consumption was retrospectively measured by beverage-specific quantity and frequency over a 12-month period. Mortality data were obtained from the official Cause-of-Death Register. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyse the relative risks (RRs) of death.FindingsThe prevalence of heavy drinking (>8 standard drinks per week) was 20.3% in males and 1.2% in females. Over one-tenth (11.4%) of males reported drinking ≥15 standard drinks per week. Relative death risks suggested a J-curved relationship between alcohol consumption levels and mortality. However, significant curvilinear relationship was not found, when using alcohol consumption as continuous variable. The multivariate adjusted RR of death among moderate drinkers (1–7 drinks per week) vs. abstinent subjects was 0.41 (95% CI = .23–.72). Males drinking ≥15 standard drinks per week had a two-fold multivariate adjusted risk of death (RR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.19–3.75) compared with abstinent males. The level of alcohol consumption by females was too low for analysis.ConclusionsHeavy drinking is common among Finnish elderly males but not among females. The present study shows an increased all-cause mortality risk for males drinking, on average, more than two standard drinks per day.     

Residential eviction and exposure to violence among people who inject drugs in Vancouver,Canada

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs (PWID) experience markedly elevated rates of physical and sexual violence, as well as housing instability. While previous studies have demonstrated an association between homelessness and increased exposure to violence among PWID, the relationship between residential eviction and violence is unknown. We therefore sought to examine the association between residential eviction and experiencing violence among PWID in Vancouver, Canada.MethodsData were derived from two open prospective cohort studies of PWID: the Vancouver Injection Drug Users Study (VIDUS) and the AIDS Care Cohort to evaluate Exposure to Survival Services (ACCESS). We used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to estimate the relationship between residential eviction and experiencing violence among male and female PWID, respectively.ResultsBetween June 2007 and May 2014, 1689 participants were eligible for the analysis, contributing a median of 5.5 years of follow-up. Of these, 567 (33.6%) were female. In total, 259 (45.7%) of females and 566 (50.4%) of males experienced at least one incident of violence over the study period. In multivariable GEE models, residential eviction was independently associated with greater odds of experiencing violence among both females (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–3.13) and males (AOR = 1.95; 95% CI = 1.49–2.55), after adjustment for potential confounders.ConclusionResidential eviction was independently associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing violence among both male and female PWID. These findings point to the need for evidence-based social-structural interventions to mitigate housing instability and violence among PWID in this setting.     

Association between schizotypal and borderline personality disorder traits,and cannabis use in young adults

The aim of the study was to examine the association of schizotypal and borderline personality traits to cannabis use. Participants were 476 college students (95 males; 381 females; mean age of males = 21; mean age of females = 20.7) who completed self-report questionnaires assessing cannabis use, schizotypal and borderline personality traits. Problematic cannabis use, depressive symptoms, borderline and schizotypal traits were significantly inter-correlated. A logistic regression analysis showed that only borderline traits contributed significantly to cannabis use in the total sample. A multiple regression analysis showed that only schizotypal traits were positively and uniquely associated to problematic cannabis use symptoms among users. These results may imply that schizotypal traits are not a risk factor for initiating use, but may facilitate the development of problematic use symptoms among users. This study showed the necessity of taking into account schizotypal traits when exploring the relationships between depressive symptoms, borderline traits and cannabis use.     

Gender differences in the use of alcohol and prescription drugs in relation to job insecurity. Testing a model of mediating factors

BackgroundThe results of several studies suggest that economy-related stressors are less distressing for women compared with men. This study proposed to examine the relationship of perceived job insecurity with the use of licit drugs using a theoretical model that considered antecedents and mediators of this association, in order to identify differences between working men and women.MethodsUsing information from the Catalan Health Survey (2010–2014), we selected working individuals aged 16–64 who were primary providers of household income (N = 5315). The outcomes were two measures of alcohol consumption (heavy drinking and binge drinking) and the use of hypnotics/sedatives. As antecedents of the exposure to job insecurity we considered the type of contractual relationship and occupational class. The mediating factors were poor mental health, household structure and the hours of housework per week. The theoretical model was assessed using path analysis where the moderating effect of gender was considered in all the associations.ResultsNo differences in the prevalence of job insecurity were found between men and women (17%). Job insecurity (Odds ratio [OR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23–1.48) and house workload (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.00–1.02) were positively associated with poor mental health, with no significant interactions with gender. Poor mental health was significantly associated with binge drinking (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.13–1.33) and with the use of hypnotics/sedatives (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.53–1.91). House workload showed a direct negative association with binge drinking (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98–1.00), while those in households with no children were more likely to be binge drinkers, with no significant interactions with gender. An alternative model had better fitting results for heavy drinking.ConclusionNo gender differences were found in the association of job insecurity with mental health nor with the use of substances among primary providers of household income, emphasising the importance of social roles when assessing differences in mental health among men and women.     

The long-term effects of childhood maltreatment experiences on subsequent illicit drug use and drug-related problems in young adulthood

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to examine the associations between (a) childhood maltreatment (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect) and subsequent illicit drug use and (b) childhood maltreatment and drug-related problems in young adulthood.MethodsWave 1 and Wave 3 public-use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used. Logistic regressions, controlling for adolescent drug use and other important family and peer contextual processes, were estimated to determine the associations between (a) childhood maltreatment experiences and subsequent illicit drug use and (b) childhood maltreatment and drug-related problems in young adulthood.ResultsAmong the participants, 31.9% reported some form of childhood maltreatment. Childhood physical abuse was associated with a 37% (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.80) increase in illicit drug use during the 30 days prior to the Wave 3 survey, a 48% (OR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.16, 1.89) increase in illicit drug use during the year prior to the Wave 3 survey, and a 96% (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.40, 2.76) increase in drug-related problems in young adulthood. The latter two associations persisted even after controlling for illicit drug use in adolescence. Neglect among females was associated with a higher likelihood of past year illicit drug use in young adulthood (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.002, 1.71). However, this association was not significant once the effect of illicit drug use in adolescence was statistically controlled for.ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that childhood maltreatment is related to subsequent illicit drug use and drug-related problems in young adulthood and that some of these associations differ by gender. Implications for preventive intervention are discussed.     

HIV risks among injecting and non-injecting female partners of men who inject drugs in Almaty,Kazakhstan: Implications for HIV prevention,research, and policy

BackgroundKazakhstan and other countries in Central Asia are experiencing a rapidly growing HIV epidemic, which has historically been driven by injection drug use, but is more recently being fueled by heterosexual transmission.MethodsThis paper examines HIV and HCV infection, as well as sexual and drug-related risks among female partners of men who inject drugs (MWID), comparing females who inject drugs (FWID) to non-injecting female partners on socio-demographic, relationship context, and structural characteristics.ResultsThe prevalence rate of HIV was 30.1% among FWID and 10.4% among non-IDU female partners of MWID. The prevalence rate of HCV was 89.8% among FWID and 14.8% among female non-IDUs. Less than one-fifth of all female participants had access to HIV education and services or harm reduction programs. Although high rates of non-injection drug use and sexual risk behaviors were found among both FWID and non-injecting female partners of MWID, we found that FWID were more likely to be HIV seropositive (aRR = 3.03; 95% CI = 1.78, 5.18) and HCV seropositive than non-IDU females (aRR = 6.05; 95% CI = 4.05, 9.04), were more likely to have used alcohol or drugs before sex (aRR = 1.67; 95% CI = 1.40, 2.00), and were more likely to have used sedatives, barbiturates, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, or painkillers that were not prescribed by a physician (aRR = 17.45; 95% CI = 8.01, 38.01).ConclusionGiven the spread of the HIV epidemic to heterosexual partners in Kazakhstan, more attention is needed in research, prevention, and policies regarding female partners of male injection drug users.     

Hair mercury concentrations and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes among women from a fertility clinic

Total hair mercury (Hg) was measured among 205 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and the association with prospectively collected IVF outcomes (229 IVF cycles) was evaluated. Hair Hg levels (median = 0.62 ppm, range: 0.03–5.66 ppm) correlated with fish intake (r = 0.59), and exceeded the recommended EPA reference of 1 ppm in 33% of women. Generalized linear mixed models with random intercepts accounting for within-woman correlations across treatment cycles were used to evaluate the association of hair Hg with IVF outcomes adjusted for age, body mass index, race, smoking status, infertility diagnosis, and protocol type. Hair Hg levels were not related to ovarian stimulation outcomes (peak estradiol levels, total and mature oocyte yields) or to fertilization rate, embryo quality, clinical pregnancy rate or live birth rate.     

Prenatal exposure to lead in relation to risk of preterm low birth weight: A matched case–control study in China

We investigated the association between prenatal exposure to lead (Pb) and the risk of preterm low birth weight (PLBW). Pb concentrations in maternal urine collected at birth from 408 subjects (102 cases and 306 matched controls) were analyzed and adjusted by creatinine. The median Pb concentration in the PLBW cases (10.60 μg Pb/g creatinine) was higher than that of the controls (7.28 μg Pb/g creatinine). An adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.96 (95% CI = 1.49–5.87) for PLBW was observed when the highest tertile was compared to the lowest tertile of Pb levels. The association was more pronounced among female infants (adjusted OR = 3.67 for the highest tertile; 95% CI = 1.35–9.93) than male infants (adjusted OR = 1.91 for the highest tertile; 95% CI = 0.74–4.95). Our study suggests that prenatal exposure to levels of Pb encountered today in China is associated with an elevated risk of PLBW.     

Prevalence and correlates of a lifetime cannabis use disorder among pregnant former tobacco smokers

BackgroundFollowing tobacco and alcohol, cannabis is the most commonly used substance during pregnancy. Given the high prevalence of concurrent cannabis and tobacco use as well as the health consequences associated with prenatal substance use, we sought to document the relative contributions of psychosocial and psychiatric factors commonly associated with cannabis use in predicting a lifetime cannabis use disorder (CUD) among women who had quit smoking tobacco as a result of pregnancy.MethodsPregnant former tobacco smokers (n = 273) enrolled in a larger randomized controlled trial for postpartum tobacco relapse prevention completed semi-structured psychiatric interviews and self-reported demographic, pregnancy, health, psychosocial, and tobacco use factors during their third trimester of pregnancy.ResultsIn total, 14% (n = 38) of women met criteria for a lifetime CUD. The strongest predictors of a lifetime CUD were a history of having multiple psychiatric disorders (OR = 36.44; 95% CI = 5.03–264.27; p < 0.001) followed by a lifetime alcohol use disorder (OR = 3.54; 95% CI = 1.27–9.87; p < 0.05). In addition, more frequent attempts to quit smoking tobacco (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 1.01–1.25; p < 0.05) and lower self-efficacy about weight management after quitting smoking tobacco (OR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.62–0.97; p < 0.05) also were significantly associated with a lifetime CUD.ConclusionsWomen with a history of both cannabis and tobacco dependence may represent a subset of women who need more specialized treatment during the perinatal period to improve substance use outcomes.     

A profile on HIV prevalence and risk behaviors among injecting drug users in Nigeria: Should we be alarmed?

ObjectiveInjecting drug use is now recognized as a significant risk factor for HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated prevalence and correlates of HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Nigeria.MethodsA cross sectional design using respondent driven sampling was conducted in six states in 2010. Weighted HIV prevalence and injecting risk behaviors calculated using RDS analytic tool. Logistic regression was used to determine correlates of HIV infection, stratified by state.ResultsTotal numbers of IDUs ranged from 197 in Lagos to 273 in Cross River and Oyo states. HIV prevalence was highest in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at 9.3%, Kaduna 5.8%, Oyo 5.1%, Kano 4.9%, CR 3.3% and Lagos 3.0%. Although >90% of participants were male, females had higher HIV prevalence in all states surveyed except FCT (range: 7.4% in CR to 37.7% in Kano). Logistic regression showed that females were significantly more likely to be HIV positive in Kano [OR = 33.2, 95% CI: 6.8–160.4], Oyo [AOR = 15.9, 95% CI: 3.69–68.51], Lagos [OR = 15.5, 95% CI: 2.41–99.5] and Kaduna states [AOR = 19.6, 95% CI: 4.4–87.6]. For injecting risk behavior, only receptive sharing was associated with HIV [AOR = 7.6, 95% CI: 1.2–48.7] and [AOR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.04–0.92] in Oyo and Kaduna states respectively.ConclusionsConsiderable heterogeneity in the prevalence of HIV and associated risk behaviors exist among IDUs across Nigeria. Females had higher HIV prevalence among IDUs in five of six states, suggesting a need for targeted interventions for this hidden subgroup. Further research is needed to understand HIV transmission dynamics of IDUs in Nigeria. Community-based opioid substitution therapy and needle exchange programs should be implemented without delay.     

The relationships between sensation seeking and a spectrum of e-cigarette use behaviors: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses specific to Texas adolescents

IntroductionSensation seeking is strongly associated with cigarette use in adolescents. However, few studies have investigated its relationship with adolescent e-cigarette use. This study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sensation seeking and a variety of e-cigarette use behaviors among Texas adolescents.MethodsThis study utilized two waves of data collected 6 months apart through the Texas Adolescent Tobacco and Marketing Surveillance System (TATAMS) in 2014–2015 (n = 2,488/N = 461,069). TATAMS employs a complex probability-sampling design and is representative of students in 6th, 8th and 10th grades from five counties surrounding the four largest cities in Texas (Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin). Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sensation seeking and susceptibility to e-cigarette use, ever e-cigarette use, and current (past 30 day) e-cigarette use.ResultsIn the cross-sectional analyses, higher mean sensation seeking scores were associated with higher odds of both susceptibility to e-cigarette use and ever e-cigarette use (AOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.47; AOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.43, respectively). For the longitudinal analyses, only the association between higher mean sensation seeking scores and transition to ever e-cigarette use remained statistically significant (AOR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.01, 2.08). There were no significant associations between sensation seeking and current e-cigarette use in either the cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses.ConclusionsHigher sensation seeking scores were consistently and significantly related to experimentation with e-cigarette use among Texas adolescents. Future interventions (e.g., communication campaigns) should target high sensation seeking adolescents to reduce initiation of e-cigarette use among this population.     

Urinary bisphenol A and semen quality,the LIFE Study

Bisphenol A (BPA), a high-production volume industrial chemical found in several consumer products, has been negatively associated with sperm quality. This study aimed to estimate the association between BPA and 35 measures of semen quality among reproductive aged men recruited from 16 counties in Michigan and Texas, 2005–2009. Of 501 enrolled males, 418 (83.4%) provided a urine sample and at least one semen sample. Linear and logistic regression models assessed the association between urinary BPA levels and individual semen quality endpoints. Generalized estimating equations were used to account for repeated measures of semen quality and adjusted models accounted for 11 a priori covariates. Geometric mean total urinary BPA concentration among participants was 0.55 ng/mL (95% CI 0.49–0.63). A negative relation between BPA and DNA fragmentation was the sole significant finding in adjusted linear regression (β = −0.0544, p = 0.035) and suggestive of less sperm DNA damage.     

Co-occurrence of tobacco product use,substance use,and mental health problems among youth: Findings from wave 1 (2013–2014) of the population assessment of tobacco and health (PATH) study

IntroductionCigarette use is associated with substance use and mental health problems among youth, but associations are unknown for non-cigarette tobacco product use, as well as the increasingly common poly-tobacco use.MethodsThe current study examined co-occurrence of substance use and mental health problems across tobacco products among 13,617 youth aged 12–17 years from Wave 1 (2013–2014) of the nationally representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Participants self-reported ever cigarette, e-cigarette, smokeless tobacco, traditional cigar, cigarillo, filtered cigar, hookah, and other tobacco product use; alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs; and lifetime substance use, internalizing and externalizing problems.ResultsIn multivariable regression analyses, use of each tobacco product was associated with substance use, particularly cigarillos and marijuana (AOR = 18.9, 95% CI: 15.3–23.4). Cigarette (AOR = 14.7, 95% CI: 11.8–18.2) and cigarillo (AOR = 8.1, 95% CI: 6.3–10.3) use were strongly associated with substance use problems and tobacco users were more likely to report internalizing (AOR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.4–1.8) and externalizing (AOR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3–1.6) problems. Female tobacco users were more likely to have internalizing problems than male tobacco users. Poly-tobacco users were more likely than exclusive users to use substances (AOR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.7–4.3) and have mental health (AOR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0–1.5) and substance use (AOR = 4.7, 95% CI: 3.4–6.6) problems.ConclusionsRegardless of the tobacco product used, findings reveal high co-occurrence of substance use and mental health problems among youth tobacco users, especially poly-tobacco users. These findings suggest the need to address comorbidities among high risk youth in prevention and treatment settings.     

Opiate substitution treatment to reduce in-prison drug injection: A natural experiment

BackgroundThere is emerging evidence that opiate substitution treatment (OST) in prison is associated with reduced injecting drug use (IDU). In Australia OST is available in prison for men and women in all jurisdictions except Queensland, where it is available only for women. The aim of this study was to examine the association between in-prison OST and in-prison IDU in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland.MethodsCross-sectional survey of Australian prisoners in NSW (N = 1128) and Queensland (N = 1325). Lifetime IDU and in-prison IDU measured by self-report.ResultsLifetime history of IDU was significantly more common among females than males in both jurisdictions. Among those with a lifetime history of IDU, the lifetime prevalence of in-prison IDU was significantly higher for males than females in both jurisdictions, however the magnitude of this sex difference was considerably greater in Queensland than in NSW.ConclusionProvision of OST in prison is associated with a reduced lifetime prevalence of in-prison drug injection, among those with a lifetime history of IDU. Irrespective of OST policies, women with a history of IDU are less likely than their male counterparts to inject in prison; reasons for this novel and replicable sex difference require further examination.     

Genetic modification of the effect of maternal household air pollution exposure on birth weight in Guatemalan newborns

Low birth weight is associated with exposure to air pollution during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether null polymorphisms of Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), specifically GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes in infants or mothers, modify the association between high exposures to household air pollution (HAP) from cooking fires and birth weight. Pregnant women in rural Guatemala were randomized to receive a chimney stove or continue to use open fires for cooking. Newborns were measured within 48 h of birth. 132 mother–infant pairs provided infant genotypes (n = 130) and/or maternal genotypes (n = 116). Maternal null GSTM1 was associated with a 144 g (95% CI, −291, 1) and combined maternal/infant null GSTT1 was associated with a 155 g (95% CI, −303, −8) decrease in birth weight. Although there was a trend toward higher birth weights with increasing number of expressed GST genes, the effect modification by chimney stove use was not demonstrated.     

The relationship of dysthymia,minor depression,and gender to changes in smoking for current and former smokers: Longitudinal evaluation in the U.S. population

BackgroundAlthough data clearly link major depression and smoking, little is known about the association between dysthymia and minor depression and smoking behavior. The current study examined changes in smoking over 3 years for current and former smokers with and without dysthymia and minor depression.MethodsParticipants who were current or former daily cigarette smokers at Wave 1 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions and completed the Wave 2 assessment were included in these analyses (n = 11,973; 46% female). Analyses examined the main and gender-specific effects of current dysthymia, lifetime dysthymia, and minor depression (a single diagnostic category that denoted current and/or lifetime prevalence) on continued smoking for Wave 1 current daily smokers and continued abstinence for Wave 1 former daily smokers.ResultsWave 1 current daily smokers with current dysthymia (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.23, 3.70) or minor depression (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.07, 2.18) were more likely than smokers without the respective diagnosis to report continued smoking at Wave 2. Wave 1 former daily smokers with current dysthymia (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.20, 0.96) and lifetime dysthymia (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.15, 0.91) were less likely than those without the diagnosis to remain abstinent from smoking at Wave 2. The gender-by-diagnosis interactions were not significant, suggesting that the impact of dysthymia and minor depression on smoking behavior is similar among men and women.ConclusionsCurrent dysthymia and minor depression are associated with a greater likelihood of continued smoking; current and lifetime dysthymia are associated with a decreased likelihood of continued smoking abstinence.