The Child and Adult Care Food Program and young children's health: a systematic review.

CONTEXT: The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal nutrition program that supports young children's nutrition. Its potential impacts on child well-being have not been summarized. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to summarize the evidence for the impact of CACFP on children's diet quality, weight status, food insecurity, and cognitive development. DATA SOURCES: Databases searched included MEDLINE, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science Core Collection, ERIC, PsycInfo, Dissertations & Theses Global (Proquest), EconLit, NBER, and the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), from database inception to November 12, 2021. Studies were included if the sample drew from child care programs serving children between the ages of 2 years and 18 years and if a comparison group of nonparticipating programs was included. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design, year(s) of data collection, region, sample size, participant demographics, outcomes, and risk of bias. DATA ANALYSIS: Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a narrative synthesis was used. RESULTS: Nineteen articles were reviewed, most of which had been published since 2012. Seventeen used cross-sectional designs. Twelve evaluated foods and beverages served; 4 evaluated dietary intake; 4 evaluated the child care nutrition environment; 2 evaluated food insecurity, 1 evaluated weight status; none evaluated cognitive outcomes. Studies typically found either a small beneficial association with CACFP or no significant association. CONCLUSION: Currently, evidence for an association between CACFP and children's health is inconclusive, though it is slightly suggestive of a benefit for some dietary quality outcomes. More research, with stronger study designs, is needed. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: A protocol for this systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO systematic review protocol registry (PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021254423).

"It's Not the Stereotypical 80s Movie Bullying": A Qualitative Study on the High School Environment, Body Image, and Weight Stigma.

BACKGROUND: Schools are crucial for preventing negative health outcomes in youth and are an ideal setting to address weight stigma and poor body image. The current study sought to examine and describe the nature of weight stigma and body image in adolescents, ascertain aspects of the school environment that affect body image, and identify recommendations for schools. METHODS: We conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with students at 2 high schools in 2020. Qualitative data were analyzed using inductive coding and an immersion/crystallization approach. RESULTS: Students did not report weight discrimination or harmful body image messaging from teachers or administrators. Physical education (PE) class and dress codes were 2 instances where covert weight stigma appeared. The most common forms of peer weight stigma reported were weight-based teasing and self-directed appearance critiques. Students recommended that schools eliminate dress codes, diversify PE activities, address body image issues in school, and be cognizant of teasing within friend groups. CONCLUSIONS: Weight stigma presents itself in unique ways in high school settings. Schools can play a role in reducing experiences of weight stigma and negative body image. Weight-related teasing within friend groups was common and may not be captured in traditional assessments of bullying. More nuanced survey instruments may be needed.

Effect of Medical Marijuana Card Ownership on Pain, Insomnia, and Affective Disorder Symptoms in Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Despite the legalization and widespread use of cannabis products for a variety of medical concerns in the US, there is not yet a strong clinical literature to support such use. The risks and benefits of obtaining a medical marijuana card for common clinical outcomes are largely unknown. Objective: To evaluate the effect of obtaining a medical marijuana card on target clinical and cannabis use disorder (CUD) symptoms in adults with a chief concern of chronic pain, insomnia, or anxiety or depressive symptoms. Design, Setting, and Participants: This pragmatic, single-site, single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted in the Greater Boston area from July 1, 2017, to July 31, 2020. Participants were adults aged 18 to 65 years with a chief concern of pain, insomnia, or anxiety or depressive symptoms. Participants were randomized 2:1 to either the immediate card acquisition group (n = 105) or the delayed card acquisition group (n = 81). Randomization was stratified by chief concern, age, and sex. The statistical analysis followed an evaluable population approach. Interventions: The immediate card acquisition group was allowed to obtain a medical marijuana card immediately after randomization. The delayed card acquisition group was asked to wait 12 weeks before obtaining a medical marijuana card. All participants could choose cannabis products from a dispensary, the dose, and the frequency of use. Participants could continue their usual medical or psychiatric care. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were changes in CUD symptoms, anxiety and depressive symptoms, pain severity, and insomnia symptoms during the trial. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for CUD diagnosis, and linear models were used for continuous outcomes to estimate the mean difference (MD) in symptom scores. Results: A total of 186 participants (mean [SD] age 37.2 [14.4] years; 122 women [65.6%]) were randomized and included in the analyses. Compared with the delayed card acquisition group, the immediate card acquisition group had more CUD symptoms (MD, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.15-0.40; P < .001); fewer self-rated insomnia symptoms (MD, -2.90; 95% CI, -4.31 to -1.51; P < .001); and reported no significant changes in pain severity or anxiety or depressive symptoms. Participants in the immediate card acquisition group also had a higher incidence of CUD during the intervention (17.1% [n = 18] in the immediate card acquisition group vs 8.6% [n = 7] in the delayed card acquisition group; adjusted odds ratio, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.17-7.07; P = .02), particularly those with a chief concern of anxiety or depressive symptoms. Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial found that immediate acquisition of a medical marijuana card led to a higher incidence and severity of CUD; resulted in no significant improvement in pain, anxiety, or depressive symptoms; and improved self-rating of insomnia symptoms. Further investigation of the benefits of medical marijuana card ownership for insomnia and the risk of CUD are needed, particularly for individuals with anxiety or depressive symptoms. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03224468.

Improving Healthy Food Choices in Low-Income Settings in the United States Using Behavioral Economic-Based Adaptations to Choice Architecture.

Low diet quality is a significant public health problem in the United States, especially among low-income populations. The food environment influences dietary choices. When applied to eating behavior, behavioral economics (BE) recognizes that decision biases instigated by a food environment saturated with unhealthy foods may lead people to purchase such foods, even when they possess the necessary information and skills to make healthy dietary choices. Choice architecture, a BE concept that involves modifying the appeal or availability of choices to "nudge" people toward a certain choice, retains freedom of choice but makes unhealthy options less convenient or visible. Choice architecture has been demonstrated to influence food choices in various settings, including supermarkets, convenience stores, and food pantries. These modifications are low-cost and feasible to implement, making them a viable strategy to help "nudge" patrons toward healthier choices in food establishments serving low-income populations, including food pantries and retailers accepting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This narrative review searched, appraised, and underscored the strengths and limitations of extant research studies that used choice architecture adaptations to influence food choices among low-income populations in the United States. Findings from studies in food pantry settings suggest the potential of BE strategies to improve the healthfulness of food choices and dietary intake in low-income populations. In food retail settings, research suggests that BE strategies increase sales of healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables. We identify new areas of research needed to determine if BE-based modifications in low-income settings have sustained impacts on diet quality.

Patient Experience and Predictors of Improvement in a Group Behavioral and Educational Intervention for Individuals With Diabetes and Serious Mental Illness: Mixed Methods Case Study.

BACKGROUND: In a previous study, participation in a 16-week reverse integrated care and group behavioral and educational intervention for individuals with diabetes and serious mental illness was associated with improved glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c) and BMI. To inform future implementation efforts, more information about the effective components of the intervention is needed. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to identify the aspects of the intervention participants reported to be helpful and to evaluate the predictors of outcomes. METHODS: This study involved qualitative evaluation and post hoc quantitative analysis of a previous intervention. Qualitative data were collected using semistructured interviews with 69% (24/35) of the individuals who attended 1 or more group sessions and 35% (9/26) of the individuals who consented but attended no sessions. Quantitative mixed effects modeling was performed to test whether improved diabetes knowledge, diet, and exercise or higher group attendance predicted improved hemoglobin A1c and BMI. These interview and modeling outcomes were combined using a mixed methods case study framework and integrated thematically. RESULTS: In qualitative interviews, participants identified the application of health-related knowledge gained to real-world situations, accountability for goals, positive reinforcement and group support, and increased confidence in prioritizing health goals as factors contributing to the success of the behavioral intervention. Improved knowledge of diabetes was associated with reduced BMI (ß=-1.27, SD 0.40; P=.003). No quantitative variables examined were significantly associated with improved hemoglobin A1c levels. CONCLUSIONS: In this mixed methods analysis of predictors of success in a behavioral diabetes management program, group participants highlighted the value of positive reinforcement and group support, accountability for goals set, and real-world application of health-related knowledge gained. Improved diabetes knowledge was associated with weight loss.

The effect of appearance-related media on implicit cognitive responses to food.

The goal of this study was to investigate how exposure to commercials featuring thin or plus-size models affects women's implicit cognitive responses to food. One hundred sixteen college-age women watched a neutral documentary that contained a commercial depicting either a thin woman (n = 39), a plus-size woman (n = 38), or content with no human actors (n = 39). After the documentary, women completed the Flanker task to measure their implicit attention to foods, the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) to measure their implicit evaluation of food, and a measure of state body dissatisfaction. Results revealed those who viewed the commercial of the plus-size model experienced response conflict in the Flanker task on trials in which the healthy food targets were flanked by unhealthy distractor foods, whereas those who viewed the thin model or the neutral commercial did not. The groups did not differ in their implicit liking of the foods in the AMP or their state body dissatisfaction. These results suggest that although briefly viewing appearance-related media may not shift women's state body image or their evaluation of food, they are more easily distracted by unhealthy foods and as a result, may be more motivated to consume unhealthy foods.