Resemblance in Dietary Intakes between Urban Low-Income African-American Adolescents and Their Mothers: The Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles from School to Home for Kids Study

Objectives

To examine the association and predictors of dietary intake resemblance between urban low-income African-American adolescents and their mothers.

Methods

Detailed dietary data collected from 121 child-parent pairs in Chicago during fall 2003 were used. The association was assessed using correlation coefficients, kappa, and percentage of agreement, as well as logistic regression models.

Results

Overall, the association was weak as indicated by correlations and other measures. None of the mother-son correlations for nutrients and food groups were greater than 0.20. Mother-daughter pairs had stronger correlations (0.26 for energy and 0.30 for fat). The association was stronger in normal-weight mothers than in mothers with overweight or obesity. Logistic models showed that mother being a current smoker, giving child more pocket money, and allowing child to eat or purchase snacks without parental permission or presence predicted a higher probability of resemblance in undesirable eating patterns, such as high-energy, high-fat, and high-snack intakes (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Mother-child diet association was generally weak, and varied considerably across groups and intake variables in this homogenous population. Some maternal characteristics seem to affect the association.     

广西京族医药发展现状初探

目的：通过调研广西京族医药的发展现状,阐明京族医药特点,为下一步系统开发京族医药提供前期基础。方法：采取问卷调查、田野调查、文献检索、座谈讨论相结合的方式,全面了解和分析京族医药的发展现状,运用对比分析的方法找出京族医药发展存在的问题和薄弱环节,提出对策建议。结果：京族医药为保障广西京族人民群众的健康发挥了重要作用,有着广阔的发展前景。但是,目前京族医药的发展面临着许多困难和问题,影响了京族医药更好地发挥更大的作用。结论：广西京族医药的具有独特魅力,是中国民族医药的重要组成部分,但面临资源缺乏、缺少知识产权保护及传承困难等诸多困难。     

湖南省乡镇卫生院专业技术人员中医药知识知晓率及其影响因素调查研究

目的：了解湖南省乡镇卫生院专业技术人员中医药知识知晓率及其影响因素。方法：采用自编问卷,对206名湖南省乡镇卫生院专业技术人员进行调查。结果：湖南省乡镇卫生院专业技术人员中医药知识知晓率仅为63.83%,且学历和职称均偏低,不同学习背景（学习中医）对知晓率的影响有差异（χ^2=42.42,P=0.01）。结论：加强中医院校学生的中医知识教育,拓宽乡镇卫生院专业技术人员中医继续教育的途径,同时积极开展＂订单式＂中医人才培养模式。     

Use of Household Supermarket Sales Data to Estimate Nutrient Intakes: A Comparison with Repeat 24-Hour Dietary Recalls

Electronic supermarket sales data provide a promising, novel way of estimating nutrient intakes. However, little is known about how these data reflect the nutrients consumed by an individual household member. A cross-sectional survey of 49 primary household shoppers (age [mean±standard deviation age]=48±14 years; 84% female) from Wellington, New Zealand, was undertaken. Three months of baseline electronic supermarket sales data were compared with individual dietary intakes estimated from four random 24-hour dietary recalls collected during the same 3-month period. Spearman rank correlations between household purchases and individual intakes ranged from 0.54 for percentage of energy from saturated fat (P<0.001) to 0.06 for sodium (P=0.68). Other correlation coefficients were: percentage of energy from carbohydrate, 0.48; and protein, 0.44; energy density of nonbeverages, 0.37 (kcal/oz); percentage of energy from total fat, 0.34; sugar, 0.33 (oz/kcal); and energy density of beverages, 0.09 (oz/kcal; all P values <0.05). This research suggests that household electronic supermarket sales data may be a useful surrogate measure of some nutrient intakes of individuals, particularly percentage of energy from saturated and total fat. In the case of a supermarket intervention, an effect on household sales of percentage energy from saturated and total fat is also likely to impact the saturated and total fat intake of individual household members.     

Associations between Lifestyle Patterns and Body Mass Index in a Sample of Greek Children and Adolescents

Background

Although eating and physical activity behaviors have been previously individually investigated with regard to overweight in children, multidimensional lifestyle patterns, based on these behaviors, have not been explored.

Objective

To assess lifestyle patterns in relation to body mass index (BMI), in a nationally representative sample of the Greek pediatric population

Design

Cross-sectional study. Data were collected from May through July 2007.

Subjects

The sample consisted of 1,305 children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18 years).

Main outcome measures

Information on participants' dietary intake, eating behaviors, physical activity habits, and BMI were collected. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet guidelines was evaluated using the KIDMED Mediterranean diet quality index; the higher the score in this index the more favorable the dietary pattern. The Goldberg cut-off limits for the ratio of energy intake/basal metabolic rate were used to evaluate dietary low energy reporting and participants were accordingly classified as low-energy reporters.

Statistical analysis

Principal component analysis was performed to identify participants' lifestyle patterns. Associations between BMI and lifestyle patterns were further evaluated using multiple linear regression analyses, after controlling for potential confounders.

Results

Principal component analysis identified seven lifestyle patterns explaining 85% of the total variance of lifestyle habits. A lifestyle pattern characterized by higher eating frequency, breakfast consumption and higher KIDMED score was negatively associated with BMI (standardized β=−.125, P<0.001), after controlling for age, sex, and parental education. The association remained significant even when low-energy reporters were excluded from the analysis.

Conclusions

Results from the study suggest a potential intercorrelation and protective action of selected eating behaviors, namely eating frequency, breakfast consumption, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, against overweight and obesity in children and adolescents.     

Fitness and Weight Cycling in Relation to Body Fat and Insulin Sensitivity in Normal-Weight Young Women

A direct link has been established between insulin resistance and obesity; however, the influence of body fat content on insulin sensitivity in normal-weight individuals has not been explored. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine differences in insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and blood lipid levels in normal-weight, healthy participants differing in their body fat. Physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, weight cycling, nutrient intake, and eating behavior were also assessed. Two groups of normal-weight (body mass index <25) young, healthy women were recruited: a high-body-fat group with body fat >30% of body weight (n=15) and a low-body-fat group (fat ≤30%, n=17). Data were collected between November 2003 and March 2004. Participants were matched for age and body fat distribution (assessed by the waist-to-hip ratio). The high-body-fat group displayed lower values of insulin sensitivity compared to the low-body-fat group (1/homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance 1.003±0.083 vs 1.385±0.158, respectively; P<0.05), whereas no differences were observed on blood lipid levels and glycemic control between groups. High-body-fat participants had lower cardiorespiratory fitness (25.2±1.2 vs 28.2±1.4 mL/kg/min in the low-body-fat group, P<0.05) and higher incidence of weight cycling of 1.0 to 2.5 kg loss per lifetime (18±3 kg vs 8±2 kg in the low-body-fat group, P<0.05). The latter variable was the only factor significantly associated with body fat. These data suggest that increased adiposity in normal weight, healthy women may adversely affect insulin sensitivity and that it may be related to differences in physical fitness and eating behavior.     

Factors Influencing Dietary Protein Sources in the PREMIER Trial Population

Previous research suggests that protein intake, particularly plant protein, may benefit blood pressure control. However, very little has been published regarding protein sources in diets of US adults and factors influencing these choices. The purpose of this report is to describe specific sources of animal and plant proteins in diets of PREMIER clinical trial participants at baseline and how the PREMIER intervention, along with participant demographics, affected protein sources. Adult participants (n=809) who completed the 18-month PREMIER lifestyle intervention trial and had at least one diet recall at each of three study visits were included. Participants were recruited from four clinical centers in the Eastern, Southern, and Northeastern regions of United States. The PREMIER trial, conducted from 1999 to 2002, compared the impact on blood pressure of two structured behavioral interventions focusing on the traditional lifestyle modifications for blood pressure control with or without the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension dietary pattern. Protein sources were assessed by two unannounced 24-hour recalls at each of three study visits. Differences in protein sources were mainly related to participant demographics, with relatively moderate impact of the intervention. The top four protein sources for all the study participants were poultry, dairy, refined grains and beef, each contributing approximately 10% to 17% in descending order to the total protein intake at baseline. Animal and plant protein each comprised approximately 66% and 34%, respectively, to the total daily protein intake at baseline, and such overall contribution pattern remained relatively constant over time. However, sex, race, age, and body weight status all influenced contribution patterns from different food groups significantly. These influences significantly impact choice and are essential elements to consider when designing intervention programs to alter protein contributions from animal vs plant sources.     

Estimation of Dietary Sources and Flavonoid Intake in a Spanish Adult Population (EPIC-Spain)

Background

Epidemiologic studies have suggested associations between flavonoid intake and health benefits. Traditional Mediterranean diets consist of a high consumption of plant products rich in flavonoids.

Objective

This study estimates dietary flavonoid intake and main food sources in a Mediterranean population (Spanish adults).

Design

The study included 40,683 subjects aged 35 to 64 years from northern and southern regions of Spain who were included in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study Spanish cohort. Usual food intake was assessed by personal interviews using a computerized version of a validated diet history method. Expanded US Department of Agriculture databases for the flavonoid, isoflavone, and proanthocyanidin content were used.

Results

The median and mean of total flavonoids were 269.17 and 313.26 mg/day, respectively. The most abundant flavonoid subgroup was proanthocyanidins (60.1%), followed by flavanones (16.9%), flavan-3-ols (10.3%), flavonols (5.9%), anthocyanidins (5.8%), flavones (1.1%), and isoflavones (<0.01%). The main sources of total flavonoid intake were apples (23%), red wine (21%), unspecified fruit (12.8%), and oranges (9.3%).

Conclusions

These results should be very useful for evaluating the relationships between flavonoid intake and several diseases.     

Use of the Nutrition Facts Label in Chronic Disease Management: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Dietary modifications are common treatment strategies for patients with various chronic diseases, but it is unclear how often these individuals read food labels. The objective of this study was to determine whether patients with chronic disease who are advised to change their eating habits read nutrition labels more than patients who have not been so advised, and whether that impacts their energy and nutrient intake. Analysis of the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of the United States population, was performed. Adults (20 years of age or older) who participated in the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and who had type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and/or hyperlipidemia were included for analysis. There were 3,748 unweighted participants, which represents 170,958,166 in the US population. Proportions of patients with chronic disease who read nutrition labels were compared by χ² analysis, mean values of various components of their diet were compared by the two-sample independent t test, and odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were determined by logistic regression. Among patients with chronic disease, the odds of reading food labels when told by their doctor or another health professional to reduce calories or weight was 50% higher than in those without physician intervention (odds ratio=1.50, 95% confidence interval: 1.12 to 2.00). Those who read food labels consumed less energy, saturated fat, carbohydrates, and sugar, and more fiber than those who did not. These findings point to the value of dietary counseling in chronic disease management.     

Factors that Influence Breastfeeding Decisions among Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Participants from Central Louisiana

Although human milk provides optimal nutrition for infants, fewer than one third of US infants are breastfed exclusively for 6 months or more. The objectives of this study were to determine the factors that have the greatest impact on the decisions to breastfeed, and to determine the effect of formula provided by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding among WIC participants in a rural parish in central Louisiana. A cross-sectional study was done between September 2007 and March 2008 among 130 WIC participants. Approximately half (51%) of the participants reported breastfeeding their youngest child for a mean of 15.7±14.9 weeks, with more white mothers breastfeeding than did African-American mothers or other races (P<0.01). Significantly more people reported that incentives provided to encourage breastfeeding did not affect their decision to breastfeed than those who said incentives affected their decision to breastfeed (P<0.029). Finally, study participants who were breastfed as a child were significantly more likely to breastfeed their children than those who were not breastfed as a child (P<0.022). The majority (96%) of the participants in this study indicated that WIC is providing effective and clear education about the benefits of breastfeeding, and that this advice influenced their decision to breastfeed their children. These findings underscore the importance of emphasizing the health benefits of breastfeeding to increase initiation and duration rates among WIC participants.