The Association Between Family Social Network Size and Healthy Lifestyle Factors: Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

We examined associations of central family (i.e., children, parents, in-laws) social network size with healthy lifestyle factors (i.e., favorable body mass index, physical activity, diet, alcohol use, smoking). Using data on 15,511 Hispanics/Latinos 18-74 years old from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, multivariable adjusted survey logistic regression was used to compute associations of social network size with healthy lifestyle factors. A one-unit higher total of central family size was associated with lower odds of healthy body mass index (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.86-0.93) and having all five healthy lifestyle factors (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.85-0.96). Findings suggest familial structural social support may contribute to healthy lifestyle factors and differ based on the type of relationship among Hispanics/Latinos.

Machismo, Marianismo, and Negative Cognitive-Emotional Factors: Findings From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study.

There is limited research on the traditional Hispanic male and female gender roles of machismo and marianismo, respectively, in relation to negative cognitions and emotions. Given the vulnerability of Hispanics to negative cognitions and emotions, it is important to examine sociocultural correlates of emotional distress. Therefore, we examined associations of machismo and marianismo with negative cognitive-emotional factors (i.e., depression symptoms; cynical hostility; and trait anxiety and anger) in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study, a cross-sectional cohort study of sociocultural and psychosocial correlates of cardiometabolic health. Participants were aged 18-74 years and self-identified as Hispanic of Central American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South American, and other Hispanic background (N = 4,426). Results revealed that specific components of machismo (traditional machismo) and marianismo (family and spiritual pillar dimensions) were associated with higher levels of negative cognitions and emotions after adjusting for socio-demographic factors (p < .05); these associations remained consistent across sex, Hispanic background group, and acculturation. Findings can inform mental health interventions and contribute to our understanding of the importance of gender role socialization in the context of self-reported negative cognitive-emotional factors in Hispanics.

Hostility and quality of life among Hispanics/Latinos in the HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if hostility is associated with physical and mental health-related quality of life (QoL) in US. Hispanics/Latinos after accounting for depression and anxiety. METHODS: Analyses included 5313 adults (62% women, 18-75 years) who completed the ancillary sociocultural assessment of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Participants completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Spielberger Trait Anxiety Scale, Spielberger Trait Anger Scale, Cook-Medley Hostility cynicism subscale and Short Form Health Survey. In a structural regression model, associations of hostility with mental and physical QoL were examined. RESULTS: In a model adjusting for age, sex, disease burden, income, education and years in the US., hostility was related to worse mental QoL, and was marginally associated with worse physical QoL. However, when adjusting for the influence of depression and anxiety, greater hostility was associated with better mental QoL, and was not associated with physical QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate observed associations between hostility and QoL are confounded by symptoms of anxiety and depression, and suggest hostility is independently associated with better mental QoL in this population. Findings also highlight the importance of differentiating shared and unique associations of specific emotions with health outcomes.

Behaviors and Knowledge of HealthCorps New York City High School Students: Nutrition, Mental Health, and Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: HealthCorps provides school wellness programming using curricula to promote changes in nutrition, mental health, and physical activity behaviors. The research objective was to evaluate effects of implementing its curricula on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity knowledge and behavior. METHODS: Pre- and postsurvey data were collected (N = 2255) during the 2012-2013 academic year from 14 New York City public high schools. An 18-item knowledge questionnaire addressed 3 domains; 26 behavioral items were analyzed by factor analysis to identify 6 behavior domains, breakfast being a seventh 1-item domain. We examined the effects stratified by sex, applying mixed-effects models to take into account clustering effects of schools and participants adjusted for age. RESULTS: The HealthCorps program significantly increased all 3 knowledge domains (p < .05), and significantly changed several key behavioral domains. Boys significantly increased fruits/vegetables intake (p = .03). Girls increased acceptance of new fruits/vegetables (p = .03) and breakfast consumption (p = .04), and decreased sugar-sweetened beverages and energy dense food intake (p = .03). The associations between knowledge and behavior were stronger in boys than girls. CONCLUSION: The HealthCorps program significantly increased participants' knowledge on nutrition, mental health, and physical activity. It also improved several key behavioral domains, which are targets of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines to address obesity in youth.

The association of emotion regulation with lifestyle behaviors in inner-city adolescents.

PURPOSE: Recent research suggests a role of cognitive self-regulation skills on obesity and lifestyle behaviors. However, very little is known about the role of emotion regulation. This study examined the association of emotion regulation with lifestyle behaviors and examined a mediational model testing the effects of emotion regulation through self-efficacy and depressive symptoms. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 602 adolescents (mean age 12.7 years) from 4 public schools in the Bronx, NY. The sample was 58% female, predominantly Hispanic (74%) and US born (81%). Emotion regulation was assessed by 3 indicators and defined as a latent variable. Dependent variables included fruit/vegetable intake, snack/junk food intake, frequency of physical activity, and time spent in sedentary behaviors. Structural equation modeling examined the association of emotion regulation with lifestyle behaviors, with self-efficacy and depressive symptoms defined as potential mediators. RESULTS: The analyses showed that there was a positive association of emotion regulation with higher intake of fruits/vegetable and greater physical activity, which was mediated by self-efficacy. Emotion regulation was related to snack/junk food intake and sedentary behavior, and the structural equation model indicated pathways through an inverse relation to depressive symptoms, but these pathways were only observed in adolescent girls and not boys. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the ability to regulate emotions among adolescents has a role in weight-related behaviors. Future studies may need to explore the relation of other dimensions of emotion to positive health behaviors and study aspects of emotion regulation that may be more relevant for boys.

Social anxiety and disordered overeating: an association among overweight and obese individuals.

OBJECTIVE: The study objectives were to evaluate the relationship between social anxiety, binge eating, and emotional eating in overweight and obese individuals and to evaluate the relationship between weight and social anxiety. METHODS: Using an internet based survey, overweight and obese men and women (n=231; mean age=36.0±12.8; mean BMI=33.7 kg/m(2)±6.7) completed several self-report measures including: social anxiety, social physique anxiety, binge eating, and emotional eating. The relationships among variables were evaluated using Spearman's correlations, ANOVAs, and linear and logistic regression equations. RESULTS: Clinically significant levels of social anxiety were reported in 59% of participants, and binge eating disorder criteria were met by 13%. Social anxiety was significantly associated with binge eating (r=.36; OR=1.06, CI=1.02-1.10) and emotional eating (r=.46; ß=0.36), but was not associated with restrained eating. The association between social physique anxiety and emotional and binge eating did not remain significant in regression equations. BMI was associated with binge eating (r=.19) but not emotional eating. Level of social anxiety was not significantly higher among extremely obese participants, compared to overweight and obese participants. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, social anxiety was associated with binge eating and emotional eating in overweight and obese men and women. When appropriate, interventions could address social anxiety as a barrier to normative eating patterns and weight loss.

Health effects of low-carbohydrate diets: where should new research go?

There has been considerable debate about the metabolic effects of restricting carbohydrate intake in weight and diabetes management. However, the American Diabetes Association has noted that weight and metabolic improvements can be achieved with low carbohydrate, low fat (implicitly higher carbohydrate), or a Mediterranean style diet (usually an intermediate level of carbohydrate). Our paper addresses variability in the definition for low or restricted carbohydrate, the effects of carbohydrate restriction on diabetes-related health outcomes, strategies for restricting carbohydrate intake, and potential genetic variability in response to dietary carbohydrate restriction. Issues for future research are also addressed.