Adverse Childhood Experiences and Chronic Disease Risk in the Southern Community Cohort Study.

We used the Southern Community Cohort Study of people residing in 12 states in the southeastern United States (n=38,200 participants) to examine associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and chronic disease risk. After adjustment for confounding, there were statistically significant positive associations for people reporting four or more ACEs relative to those reporting no ACEs, and this was true for all chronic diseases except hypertension. The most elevated risk was seen for depression when measured as a yes/no variable (odds ratio (OR) 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.64-3.06) or when using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Student Depression (CESD) scale (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.75-2.02). There were also statistically significant monotonic increases in risk with worsening ACE score for all chronic diseases except hypertension, cancer, and high cholesterol. The need to establish programs that build resilience during childhood is paramount for preventing chronic diseases that may result from childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction.

Patterns and correlates of sleep duration in the Southern cohort community study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether race (African American (AA) and white) is associated with sleep duration among adults from low socioeconomic (SES) strata and whether SES status, lifestyle behaviors, or health conditions are associated with sleep duration within race-sex groups. METHODS: This cross-sectional study includes 78,549 participants from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). Averaged daily sleep duration was assessed by weighted averages of self-reported sleep duration on weekdays and weekends. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of very short (<5 h/day), short (5-6 h/day), and long sleep (≥9 h/day) associated with pre-selected risk factors in each race-sex group were determined by multinomial logistic models. RESULTS: The prevalence of very short and short sleep was similar among AAs (6.2% and 29.1%) and whites (6.5% and 29.1%). Long sleep was considerably more prevalent among AAs (19.3%) than whites (13.0%). Very short sleep was associated with lower education and family income, with stronger associations among whites. Higher physical activity levels significantly decreased odds for both very short (OR = 0.80) and long sleep (OR = 0.78). Smoking, alcohol use, and dietary intake were not associated with sleep duration. Regardless of race or sex, very short, short, and long sleep were significantly associated with self-reported health conditions, especially depression (ORs were 2.06, 1.33, and 1.38, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep duration patterns differed between AAs and whites from the underrepresented SCCS population with low SES. Sleep duration was associated with several socioeconomic, health behaviors, and health conditions depending on race and sex.

Developing an Infrastructure to Cultivate Equitable and Sustainable Community-Academic Research Partnerships: Meharry Community Engagement Core.

OBJECTIVES: Achieving health equity and reducing racial and ethnic health disparities require intentional community engagement efforts by academicians. Primary among these efforts is the acknowledgement of research-related mistrust. Efforts to build trust must begin with recognition of the invaluable knowledge and experience community stakeholders possess. METHODS: The Meharry Community Engagement Core builds on the foundation provided by Meharry Medical College, a Historically Black College and University, to achieve its mission to improve health and health outcomes through long-term collaborative research partnerships with community stakeholders. Early in its development, the Core actively engaged community stakeholders throughout all research phases. RESULTS: Early successes include achieving community feedback on research priorities, policies, and procedures and developing partnerships that span the research spectrum. Core work to date is promising and may serve as a model for addressing research-related mistrust and efforts to build trust.

Food intake of folate, folic acid and other B vitamins with lung cancer risk in a low-income population in the Southeastern United States.

PURPOSE: We prospectively examined associations of lung cancer risk with food intake of B vitamins involved in one-carbon metabolism and the use of folic acid-containing supplements among a low-income population of black and white adults in the Southeastern US. METHODS: Within the Southern Community Cohort Study, we included 1064 incident lung cancer cases among 68,236 participants aged 40-79 years at study enrollment. Food intake and the use of folic acid-containing supplements were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire at study enrollment. Multivariate Cox regression was used to estimate hazards ratios (HRs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Folate and/or folic acid intake from food were not associated with lung cancer risk; HRs (95% CI) for highest compared with lowest quartile were 1.08 (0.91-1.29) for total dietary folate, 1.00 (0.84-1.19) for food folate, and 1.09 (0.91-1.30) for food folic acid, respectively. Similarly, no associations were observed after stratifying by sex, race and smoking status, except for a positive association with total dietary folate intake among black women (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.04-2.05 for the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile, P trend = 0.02). Neither the use of folic acid-containing supplements nor food intake of vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and riboflavin were associated with lung cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support a protective effect of folate or folic acid for lung cancer prevention in a low-income population of black and white adults in the Southeastern US. Our finding of a positive association with total dietary folate intake among black women needs to be interpreted with caution and replicated in other studies.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Care Utilization in a Low-Income Population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine associations of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) with adult health care utilization in an underserved, low-income population. METHODS: Questionnaires on ACE were completed by 38,200 adults (mean age 54), two-thirds African American, recruited from community health centers (CHCs) across 12 Southeastern states. Odds ratios (ORs) and accompanying 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. RESULTS: The percentages reporting emergency room visits and doctor's office visits, with high chronic disease index scores, rose monotonically (ptrend<.001) with rising ACE score. Odds ratios (CIs) for those with four or more vs. zero ACEs were 1.37 (95% CI 1.27-1.47) for 1-10 times and 1.80 (95% CI 1.29-2.52) for more than 10 times ER visits, 1.37 (95% CI 1.18-1.59) for over 10 doctor's visits, and 2.29 (95% CI 2.06-2.54) for three or more chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: High ACE levels were associated with greater chronic disease burden and greater health care utilization in adulthood. Long-lasting effects from ACE on the health care of underserved populations are indicated. There is an urgent need to train health care providers, patients, and their families on ACE effects and treatments for better health care outcomes.

Diabetes, obesity, and subsequent risk of postmenopausal breast cancer among white and black women in the Southern Community Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Meta-analyses have reported a small but positive association between diabetes and postmenopausal breast cancer risk, with summary relative risks of approximately 1.15. We analyzed data from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS) following an underserved population with high diabetes prevalence to prospectively examine whether diabetes was associated with subsequent postmenopausal breast cancer risk and whether obesity modified this effect. METHODS: Women with incident breast cancer were identified through linkage with state cancer registries and the National Death Index (213 white, 418 black cases). Person-years were calculated from date of entry into the SCCS until the earliest of date of breast cancer diagnosis, date of death, or date of last follow-up (8,277 white, 16,458 black noncases). Data on diabetes diagnosis were obtained through baseline and follow-up surveys. Cox regression was applied to examine the association between diabetes and postmenopausal breast cancer risk. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounding, there was no association between self-reported diabetes and postmenopausal breast cancer risk among white (hazard ratio [HR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-1.40) or black (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.81-1.22) women. Nor was there evidence that obesity modified the effect of diabetes on postmenopausal breast cancer in women of either race. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence of the hypothesized increased risk of breast cancer among women with diabetes. The breast cancer risks among those with diabetes in this population suggest that the association between these two illnesses is complex.

Physical Activity Levels and Cardiometabolic Risks in Obese African American Adults: A Pilot Intervention Study.

Limited information is available regarding the effects of physical activity on risks of cardiometabolic diseases among obese African American adults. We conducted a church-based 12-week weight control and cardiometabolic risk reduction intervention (n=30, 22 females, 56.7±11.4 years old, BMI 37.4±6.7 kg/m2), after which body weight was slightly reduced (98.3±18.4 and 97.3±19 kg, p=.052); body fat percentage was significantly decreased among males (34.7±8.9 to 28.5±8.4 %; p=.049); and walking steps were increased, but not significantly. Among measured cardiometabolic risk biomarkers, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was decreased significantly (6.8±1.1 to 6.1±1.1%; p=.0004) while time spent in sedentary behaviors was associated with less favorable change in total cholesterol (ß=11.49, SE=3.55, p=.003) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, ß=0.3, SE=0.13, p=.038). Our study shows that adiposity reduction was feasible through a short-term healthy lifestyle program for obese African American adults, and suggests that reducing sedentary behaviors through light physical activity might lead to a decrease in cardiovascular risks.

The obesity epidemic and rising diabetes incidence in a low-income racially diverse southern US cohort.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is known to be a major risk factor for diabetes, but the magnitude of risk and variation between blacks and whites are less well documented in populations heavily affected by obesity. Herein we assess rates and risks of incident diabetes in a diverse southern population where obesity is common. METHODS: A total of 24,000 black and 14,064 white adults aged 40-79 in the Southern Community Cohort Study with no self-reported diabetes at study enrollment during 2002-2009 was followed for up to 10 (median 4.5) years. Incidence rates, odds ratios (OR) and accompanying 95% confidence intervals (CI) for medication-treated incident diabetes were determined according to body mass index (BMI) and other characteristics, including tobacco and alcohol consumption, healthy eating and physical activity indices, and socioeconomic status (SES). RESULTS: Risk of incident diabetes rose monotonically with increasing BMI, but the trends differed between blacks and whites (pinteraction < .0001). Adjusted ORs (CIs) for diabetes among those with BMI≥40 vs 20-25 kg/m2 were 11.9 (8.4-16.8) for whites and 4.0 (3.3-4.8) for blacks. Diabetes incidence was more than twice as high among blacks than whites of normal BMI, but the racial difference became attenuated as BMI rose, with estimated 5-year probabilities of developing diabetes approaching 20% for both blacks and whites with BMI≥40 kg/m2. Diabetes risk was also associated with low SES, significantly (pinteraction≤.02) more so for whites, current cigarette smoking, and lower healthy eating and physical activity indices, although high BMI remained the predominant risk factor among both blacks and whites. From baseline prevalence and 20-year projections of the incidence trends, we estimate that the large majority of surviving cohort participants with BMI≥40 kg/m2 will be diagnosed with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Even using conservative criteria to ascertain diabetes incidence (i.e., requiring diabetes medication use and ignoring undiagnosed cases), rates of obesity-associated diabetes were exceptionally high in this low-income adult population. The findings indicate that effective strategies to halt the rising prevalence of obesity are needed to avoid substantial increases in diabetes in coming years.

Associations Between Neighborhood Environment, Health Behaviors, and Mortality.

INTRODUCTION: Considering the joint association of neighborhood socioeconomic environment and individual-level health behaviors with health outcomes may help officials design effective disease prevention strategies. This study evaluates the joint influences of neighborhood socioeconomic environment and individual health behaviors on mortality in a cohort primarily comprising people with low individual-level SES. METHODS: The prospective Southern Community Cohort Study includes 77,896 white and African American participants recruited in the years 2002-2009; 55% of participants had a household income <$15,000 at baseline interview. Mortality from cancer (n=2,471), cardiovascular diseases (n=3,005), and all-causes (n=10,099) was identified from the National Death Index through December 31, 2013 (median follow-up, 8 years). Data were analyzed in 2016 and 2017. Associations were assessed between mortality, a neighborhood deprivation index composed of 11 census tract-level variables, five health behaviors, and a composite healthy lifestyle score. RESULTS: Living in a neighborhood with the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with higher all-cause mortality in both men (hazard ratio=1.41, 95% CI=1.27, 1.57) and women (hazard ratio=1.77, 95% CI=1.57, 2.00). Associations were attenuated after adjustment for individual-level SES and major risk factors (hazard ratio for men=1.09, 95% CI=0.98, 1.22, and hazard ratio for women=1.26, 95% CI=1.12, 1.42). The dose-response association between neighborhood disadvantage and mortality was less apparent among smokers. Nevertheless, individuals who lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods and had the unhealthiest lifestyle scores experienced the highest mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Disadvantaged neighborhood socioeconomic environments are associated with increased mortality in a cohort of individuals of low SES. Positive individual-level health behaviors may help negate the adverse effect of disadvantage on mortality.

Processes in Increasing Participation of African American Women in Cancer Prevention Trials: Development and Pretesting of an Audio-Card.

The enrollment of African American women into cancer prevention trials (CPTs) continues to be low despite their higher cancer mortality rates. Clinical trials are vital to the discovery of new prevention, diagnostic, and treatment methods that improve cancer outcomes. This study addressed attitudes and beliefs associated with the sub optimal participation of African American women in CPTs through the development and pretesting of an educational tool. The use of community-engaged research (CER) in the formative phase of this study was the basis for developing an audio-card. Cultural and linguistic elements were incorporated into the tool's audio and written messages, and visual images highlighted the importance of CPT participation among African American women. The CPT beliefs and behavioral intent of 30 African American women who received information from the audio-card were compared with 30 controls. Findings indicated statistically significant differences at posttest between the control and treatment groups in personal value (p = .03), social influence (p = .03), and personal barriers (p = .0001); personal barriers in the pretest group also demonstrated significant differences (p = .009). Consideration of cultural context and language needs of populations are vital to the development and design of effective health promoting tools.

Pragmatic trial of an intervention to increase human papillomavirus vaccination in safety-net clinics.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been causally linked to six cancers, and many disproportionately affect minorties. This study reports on the development and effectiveness of an intervention aimed at increasing HPV vaccine uptake among African American and Hispanic pediatric patients in safety-net clinics. METHODS: Formative research, community engagement, and theory guided development of the intervention. A clustered, non-randomized controlled pragmatic trial was conducted in four clinics providing healthcare for the underserved in Tennessee, U.S., with two intervention sites and two usual care sites. Patients aged 9-18 years (N = 408) and their mothers (N = 305) enrolled, with children clustered within families. The intervention consisted of two provider/staff training sessions and provision of patient education materials, consisting of a video/flyer promoting HPV vaccine. Medical records were reviewed before/after the initial visit and after 12 months. RESULTS: At the initial visit, provision of patient education materials and provider recommendation were higher at intervention sites versus usual care sites, and receipt of HPV vaccine was higher at intervention sites (45.4% versus 32.9%) but not significantly after adjusting for patient's age and mother's education. Provider recommendation, but not education materials, increased the likelihood of vaccine receipt at the initial visit, although over one-third of intervention mothers cited the flyer/video as motivating vaccination. Completion of the 3-dose series at follow-up was lower in the intervention arm. CONCLUSIONS: Future interventions should combine patient education, intensive provider/staff education, and patient reminders. Research should compare patient education focusing on HPV vaccine only versus all adolescent vaccines. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02808832 , 9/12/16.

Refining a Church-Based Lifestyle Intervention Targeting African-American Adults at Risk for Cardiometabolic Diseases: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: The pilot study was intended to test the feasibility of a multiple-component lifestyle intervention targeting African American adults in a weight control and cardiometabolic risk reduction program on diet, activity, and stress, using community-engagement principles. METHODS: Applying mixed qualitative and quantitative measures, the intervention had a two-part sequential study design consisting of 12 weekly small group sessions that provided individual and group counseling in nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness, while incorporating focus group and interactive techniques to learn about barriers and acceptable practices for this population. The program was implemented at an African-American church in Nashville, Tennessee. RESULTS: Thirty-four participants (aged 56.1 ± 11 years, body mass index (BMI) 36.7 ± 6.6 kg/m2) completed the intervention. Lifestyle changes after the 12 weekly sessions showed some positive trends including reduced sodium intake (from 2725.3 ± 326.5 to 2132 ± 330, mg/day, P = 0.008), increased walking steps (from 4392.1 ± 497.2 to 4895.3 ± 497.9, steps/day, not significant), and slightly decreased Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores (from 13.7 ± 1.4 to 12.4 ± 1.5, not significant). Body fat % among male participants decreased significantly (from 33.8 ± 2.6 to 28 ± 2.6, %, P = 0.043). Among cardiometabolic risk biomarkers, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) decreased significantly (from 6.6 ± 0.2 to 6.1 ± 0.2, %, P < 0.001). The baseline PSS score was positively associated with baseline adiposity levels (e.g., weight, ß = 2.4, P = 0.006). Twenty-one participants took part in focus groups during the program to identify barriers to healthy lifestyle changes. Primary barriers reported were price, time for preparing healthy meals, unfamiliarity with mindfulness activities, their health condition, and daily schedule available for physical activities. CONCLUSIONS: This church-based pilot intervention was proven feasible by showing modest progress in reducing adiposity and decreasing HbA1c levels. The focus group and interactive methods facilitated program direction. Future full-scale studies are warranted to identify key strategies that provide more personalized approaches and supportive environments to sustain a healthy lifestyle among these at risk minorities with limited resources.

Plasma Lycopene Is Associated with Pizza and Pasta Consumption in Middle-Aged and Older African American and White Adults in the Southeastern USA in a Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The role of dietary lycopene in chronic disease prevention is not well known. METHODS: This study examined intake of lycopene and other antioxidants from lycopene-rich foods (e.g., pizza and pasta) simultaneously with plasma levels of lycopene and other antioxidants in a representative cross-sectional sample (187 Blacks, 182 Whites, 40-79 years old) from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). The SCCS is an ongoing study conducted in populations at high risk for chronic diseases living in Southeastern United States. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and plasma levels of lycopene and other antioxidants were measured at baseline (2002-2005). The participants were classified into tertiles according to consumption of pizza and pasta food groups. RESULTS: Lycopene dietary intake and plasma lycopene concentrations were significantly higher in the highest (tertile 3) compared to tertiles 1 and 2 (both P < 0.01). Total energy intake ranged from 1964.3 ± 117.1 kcal/day (tertile 1) to 3277.7 ± 115.8 kcal/day (tertile 3) (P<0.0001). After adjusting for age and energy intake, total dietary fat, saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, and sodium intakes were significantly higher in tertile 3 than tertiles 2 and 1 (all P <0.01). Vitamin C intake was significantly lower in tertile 3 than tertiles 1 and 2 (P = 0.003). Except for γ-tocopherol being higher in tertile 3 than tertiles 1 and 2 (P = 0.015), the plasma concentrations of antioxidants were lower in tertile 3 than tertiles 1 and 2 (ß-carotene, α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the SCCS population, pizza and pasta were the main sources of dietary lycopene and their intake was associated with plasma lycopene concentration. Diets with frequent pizza and pasta consumption were high in energy, saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, sodium and low in other antioxidants. Future studies of lycopene as a protective dietary factor against chronic disease should consider the overall nutritional quality of lycopene-containing foods.

Combined Impact of Health Behaviors on Mortality in Low-Income Americans.

INTRODUCTION: African Americans and low-income whites have higher mortality than the U.S. general population. This study prospectively investigated the combined influence of major lifestyle factors and poverty on mortality in this vulnerable population. METHODS: Data were collected in 2002-2009 from 79,101 Southern Community Cohort Study participants, of which 67% were African American and 55% had household incomes <$15,000. Mortality outcomes were identified from the National Death Index though December 31, 2011 (data analyzed in 2014-2015). Healthy behavior scores were created based on tobacco smoking, alcohol intake, diet, physical activity, and sedentary time. The primary analysis was performed based on the score created by counting each participant as having met/not met public health guidelines for each behavior. RESULTS: Healthy behavior scores were associated with reduced cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. Associations were stronger for whites than African Americans: hazard ratios for all-cause mortality comparing participants meeting four or five guidelines versus participants meeting zero were 0.41 (95% CI=0.30, 0.55) for African American men; 0.36 (95% CI=0.24, 0.55) for white men; 0.46 (95% CI=0.36, 0.59) for African American women; and 0.27 (95% CI=0.18, 0.43) for white women. The association between healthy lifestyle and all-cause mortality was weaker among those with incomes <$15,000 than those with higher income, particularly in men (p<0.05 for interaction). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the importance of health behaviors on mortality among all groups, but highlights the need for additional research to identify factors contributing to high risk of mortality among low-income and African American populations.

Adult Cancer Risk Behaviors Associated with Adverse Childhood Experiences in a Low Income Population in the Southeastern United States.

OBJECTIVES: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) can affect health in adulthood. We investigate the relationship between childhood experiences and adult cancer risk and screening behaviors in a racially diverse, low income population. METHODS: Nearly 22,000 adults 40 years and older in the Southern Community Cohort Study were administered the ACE questionnaire. We estimated odds ratios (OR) for the prevalence of smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI and five cancer screening methods in relation to the ACE score. RESULTS: Over half reported at least one ACE, with percentages higher for women (61%) than men (53%). Higher ACE scores were related to increased prevalence of smoking (ORs 1.25 (1.05-1.50) to 2.33 (1.96-2.77). Little association was seen between rising ACE score and alcohol consumption or BMI, except for a modest trend in morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2). Mammography and cervical cancer screening decreased with rising ACE scores, but no trends were seen with prostate or colorectal cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS: Adverse childhood experiences are strong predictors of adult cancer risk behaviors, particularly increased likelihood of smoking, and among women, lower mammography and Pap screening rates.

Adherence to Cancer Prevention Guidelines and Cancer Risk in Low-Income and African American Populations.

BACKGROUND: The American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes behavioral guidelines for cancer prevention, including standards on body weight, physical activity, nutrition, alcohol, and tobacco use. The impact of these guidelines has been rarely studied in low-income and African American populations. METHODS: The study included 61,098 racially diverse, mainly low-income adults who participated in the Southern Community Cohort Study and were followed for a median of 6 years. Cox models were used to estimate HRs for cancer incidence associated with behaviors and with an ACS physical activity/nutrition 0-to-4 compliance score indicating the number of body weight, physical activity, healthy eating, and alcohol guidelines met. RESULTS: During the study period, 2,240 incident cancers were identified. Significantly lower cancer incidence was found among never smokers and non/moderate alcohol drinkers, but not among those meeting guidelines for obesity, physical activity, and diet. The ACS compliance score was inversely associated with cancer risk among the 25,509 participants without baseline chronic disease. HRs for cancer incidence among those without baseline chronic diseases and who met one, two, three, or four guidelines versus zero guidelines were 0.93 (95% confidence intervals, 0.71-1.21), 0.85 (0.65-1.12), 0.70 (0.51-0.97), and 0.55 (0.31-0.99), respectively. Associations were consistent in analyses stratified by sex, race, household income, and smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: Meeting the ACS smoking and body weight/physical activity/dietary/alcohol guidelines for cancer prevention is associated with reductions in cancer incidence in low-income and African American populations. IMPACT: This study provides strong evidence supporting lifestyle modification to lower cancer incidence in these underserved populations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(5); 846-53. ©2016 AACR.

The Effect of Changes in Health Beliefs Among African-American and Rural White Church Congregants Enrolled in an Obesity Intervention: A Qualitative Evaluation.

Church interventions can reduce obesity disparities by empowering participants with knowledge and skills within an established community. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Biomedical/Obesity Reduction Trial (BMORe) and investigate changes in health beliefs among obese adult participants. Ten pre-/post-intervention focus groups applying the Health Belief Model conducted in two African-American churches in Tennessee (n = 20) and South Carolina (n = 20), and one rural Appalachian church in Kentucky (n = 21). Two independent coders using NVivo analyzed transcribed audio data and notes. Participants' health status of being overweight/obese and having comorbidities of diabetes and high blood pressure motivated enrollment in BMORe. Initially participants voiced low self-efficacy in cooking healthy and reading food labels. BMORe made participants feel "empowered" after 12 weeks compared to initially feeling "out of control" with their weight. Participants reported improvements in emotional health, quality of life, and fewer medications. During post-intervention focus groups, participants reported increased self-efficacy through family support, sharing healthy eating strategies, and having accountability partners. Solidarity and common understanding among BMORe participants led focus group attendees to comment how their peers motivated them to stay in the program for 12 weeks. Long-term barriers include keeping the weight off by maintaining habits of exercise and healthy eating. Implementation of pre-/post-intervention focus groups is an innovative approach to evaluate an obesity intervention and track how changes in health beliefs facilitated behavior change. This novel approach shows promise for behavioral interventions that rely on participant engagement for sustained effectiveness.

Healthy Eating and Risks of Total and Cause-Specific Death among Low-Income Populations of African-Americans and Other Adults in the Southeastern United States: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: A healthy diet, as defined by the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), has been associated with lower morbidity and mortality from major chronic diseases in studies conducted in predominantly non-Hispanic white individuals. It is unknown whether this association can be extrapolated to African-Americans and low-income populations. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We examined the associations of adherence to the DGA with total and cause-specific mortality in the Southern Community Cohort Study, a prospective study that recruited 84,735 American adults, aged 40-79 y, from 12 southeastern US states during 2002-2009, mostly through community health centers that serve low-income populations. The present analysis included 50,434 African-Americans, 24,054 white individuals, and 3,084 individuals of other racial/ethnic groups, among whom 42,759 participants had an annual household income less than US$15,000. Usual dietary intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Adherence to the DGA was measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), 2010 and 2005 editions (HEI-2010 and HEI-2005, respectively). During a mean follow-up of 6.2 y, 6,906 deaths were identified, including 2,244 from cardiovascular disease, 1,794 from cancer, and 2,550 from other diseases. A higher HEI-2010 score was associated with lower risks of disease death, with adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.73-0.86) for all-disease mortality, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.70-0.94) for cardiovascular disease mortality, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.69-0.95) for cancer mortality, and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.67-0.88) for other disease mortality, when comparing the highest quintile with the lowest (all p-values for trend < 0.05). Similar inverse associations between HEI-2010 score and mortality were observed regardless of sex, race, and income (all p-values for interaction > 0.50). Several component scores in the HEI-2010, including whole grains, dairy, seafood and plant proteins, and ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, showed significant inverse associations with total mortality. HEI-2005 score was also associated with lower disease mortality, with a HR of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.79-0.93) when comparing extreme quintiles. Given the observational study design, however, residual confounding cannot be completely ruled out. In addition, future studies are needed to evaluate the generalizability of these findings to African-Americans of other socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed, to our knowledge for the first time, that adherence to the DGA was associated with lower total and cause-specific mortality in a low-income population, including a large proportion of African-Americans, living in the southeastern US.

Prospective evaluation of the association of nut/peanut consumption with total and cause-specific mortality.

IMPORTANCE: High intake of nuts has been linked to a reduced risk of mortality. Previous studies, however, were primarily conducted among people of European descent, particularly those of high socioeconomic status. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of nut consumption with total and cause-specific mortality in Americans of African and European descent who were predominantly of low socioeconomic status (SES) and in Chinese individuals in Shanghai, China. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Three large cohorts were evaluated in the study. One included 71 764 US residents of African and European descent, primarily of low SES, who were participants in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS) in the southeastern United States (March 2002 to September 2009), and the other 2 cohorts included 134 265 participants in the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS) (December 1996 to May 2000) and the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS) (January 2002 to September 2006) in Shanghai, China. Self-reported nut consumption in the SCCS (approximately 50% were peanuts) and peanut-only consumption in the SMHS/SWHS were assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Deaths were ascertained through linkage with the National Death Index and Social Security Administration mortality files in the SCCS and annual linkage with the Shanghai Vital Statistics Registry and by biennial home visits in the SWHS/SMHS. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 5.4 years in the SCCS, 6.5 years in the SMHS, and 12.2 years in the SWHS, 14,440 deaths were identified. More than half of the women in the SCCS were ever smokers compared with only 2.8% in the SWHS. The ever-smoking rate for men was 77.1% in the SCCS and 69.6% in the SMHS. Nut intake was inversely associated with risk of total mortality in all 3 cohorts (all P<.001 for trend), with adjusted HRs associated with the highest vs lowest quintiles of intake being 0.79 (95% CI, 0.73-0.86) and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.77-0.88), respectively, for the US and Shanghai cohorts. This inverse association was predominantly driven by cardiovascular disease mortality (P<.05 for trend in the US cohort; P<.001 for trend in the Shanghai cohorts). When specific types of cardiovascular disease were examined, a significant inverse association was consistently seen for ischemic heart disease in all ethnic groups (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.45-0.85 in blacks; HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.39-0.92 in whites; and HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54-0.89 in Asians for the highest vs lowest quintile of nut intake). The associations for ischemic stroke (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60-1.00 for the highest vs lowest quintile of nut intake) and hemorrhagic stroke (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.60-0.99 for the highest vs lowest quintile of nut intake) were significant only in Asians. The nut-mortality association was similar for men and women and for blacks, whites, and Asians and was not modified by the presence of metabolic conditions at study enrollment. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Nut consumption was associated with decreased overall and cardiovascular disease mortality across different ethnic groups and among individuals from low SES groups. Consumption of nuts, particularly peanuts given their general affordability, may be considered a cost-effective measure to improve cardiovascular health.

Socioeconomic status, race, and mortality: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the independent and joint effects of race, individual socioeconomic status (SES), and neighborhood SES on mortality risk. METHODS: We conducted a prospective analysis involving 52 965 non-Hispanic Black and 23 592 non-Hispanic White adults taking part in the Southern Community Cohort Study. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine associations of race and SES with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. RESULTS: In our cohort, wherein Blacks and Whites had similar individual SES, Blacks were less likely than Whites to die during the follow-up period (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.73, 0.84). Low household income was a strong predictor of all-cause mortality among both Blacks and Whites (HR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.45, 2.12). Being in the lowest (vs highest) category with respect to both individual and neighborhood SES was associated with a nearly 3-fold increase in all-cause mortality risk (HR = 2.76; 95% CI = 1.99, 3.84). There was no significant mortality-related interaction between individual SES and neighborhood SES among either Blacks or Whites. CONCLUSIONS: SES is a strong predictor of premature mortality, and the independent associations of individual SES and neighborhood SES with mortality risk are similar for Blacks and Whites.