Francis A. Tayie

Diet Quality Is Low among Female Food Pantry Clients in Eastern Alabama.

OBJECTIVE Examine diet quality, food security, and obesity among female food pantry clients. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING A food pantry in Lee County, Alabama. PARTICIPANTS Fifty-five female food pantry clients between 19 and 50 years of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Diet quality using United States (US) Department of Agriculture Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2005), adult obesity (Body Mass Index [BMI] > or = 30 kg/m(2)), household food security (US Department of Agriculture Module). ANALYSIS Analysis of variance and multivariate models. RESULTS Diet quality of the women was generally poor, with a mean HEI of a 43 on a 100 point scale. Having low education level (less than a high school degree) and being a smoker were related to lower overall diet quality. Sixty-seven percent of the clients were obese while 65% percent were food insecure. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Food pantry clients are characterized by high levels of food insecurity, obesity and poor diet quality. Smoking was associated with food insecurity and low diet quality. Increased outreach efforts to improve nutrition education and to help food pantry clients stop smoking could be beneficial.

Hypertension, Dietary Salt Restriction, and Iodine Deficiency Among Adults

BACKGROUND A common recommendation for the treatment of hypertension is dietary salt intake restriction. However, dietary salt is one of the major sources of iodine. This study evaluated the association between dietary salt restriction and iodine deficiency among adults in the United States. METHODS Multiple regression models, which controlled for confounders, were used to evaluate the association between hypertension conditions, salt restriction and iodine deficiency among 996 men and 960 women in the blood pressure and iodine subsamples of the 2001-2004 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). RESULTS High proportions of men (24.96%) and women (40.42%) were iodine deficient. Current hypertension or having a history of hypertension among men and women did not associate significantly with iodine deficiency or high iodine status, compared with those without current or history of hypertension. Compared with men not restricting dietary salt, salt restriction did not associate significantly with iodine deficiency among men. Compared with women not restricting dietary salt, women who were restricting dietary salt associated with significantly lower urinary iodine concentration (UIC), P = 0.01, and were more likely to be iodine deficient, adjusted odds ratios, 1.79, P = 0.03. CONCLUSIONS Salt restriction associated with iodine deficiency among women but not men. Alternative sources of iodine should be suggested to persons who are consuming low levels of iodine such as women if they need to restrict dietary salt intake. Among those iodine deficient, health professionals should enquire about salt restriction.

All-age relationship between arm span and height in different ethnic groups

The objective of the present study was to establish multiethnic, all-age prediction equations for estimating stature from arm span in males and females. The arm span/height ratio (ASHR) from 13 947 subjects (40.9% females), aged 5–99 years, from nine centres (in China, Europe, Ghana, India and Iran) was used to predict ASHR as a function of age using the lambda, mu and sigma method. Z-scores for forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC in 1503 patients were calculated using measured height and height calculated from arm span and age. ASHR varied nonlinearly with age, was higher in males than in females and differed significantly between the nine sites. The data clustered into four groups: Asia, Europe, Ghana and Iran. Average predicted FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC using measured or predicted height did not differ, with standard deviations of 4.6% for FEV1, 5.0% for FVC and 0.3% for FEV1/FVC. The percentages of disparate findings for a low FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC in patients, calculated using measured or predicted height, were 4.2%, 3.2% and 0.4%, respectively; for a restrictive pattern, there were 1.0% disparate findings. Group- and sex-specific equations for estimating height from arm span and age to derive predicted values for spirometry are clinically useful. Height estimated from arm span, age and ethnic group allows clinically valid classification of spirometric data http://ow.ly/y8kiK

Height differences and the associations between food insecurity, percentage body fat and BMI among men and women.

OBJECTIVE The present study examined the associations between adult food insecurity (FI) and percentage body fat (%BF) and BMI, stratified by height (HT). DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS %BF, HT and BMI of 2117 men and 1909 women in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002 were analysed in relation to adult food security status using multiple regression procedures. RESULTS Compared with the fully food-secure, mens %BF, BMI and HT were lower as FI intensified. Marginal food security among women was associated with 1.3 cm shorter HT, P = 0.016. Marginal food security among women who were below median HT was associated with about 2.0 kg/m2 higher BMI, P = 0.042. %BF was not associated with FI among women. CONCLUSIONS FI is associated with shorter HT and lower %BF and BMI in men. Womens HT should be considered in the reported associations between FI and higher BMI.

Sex Differences in the Association between Prenatal Smoking and Decreased Birthweight, and Intensive Health Care of the Neonate

Gender-specific associations between prenatal smoking and birthweight, and neonate intensive health care were studied. Cross-sectional data from 11,583 newborns in the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2008 early childhood data sets were used. Change in infant birthweight and likelihood of receiving neonatal intensive care by prenatal smoking exposure were assessed. Multivariable regression models were used to assess the influence of prenatal smoking on birthweight and likelihood of receiving intensive neonatal health care. Compared with infants from nonsmoking mothers, prenatal smoking associated with significant decrease in infant birthweight, −203.0 g ± 32.5, P < 0.001. The change in birthweight differed between infant boys, −220.2 g ± 44.5, and girls, −184.1 g ± 38.8. Newborns exposed to prenatal smoking were more likely to have low birthweight, odds ratio 1.46, P < 0.03, and to receive neonatal intensive health care, odds ratio 1.20; P < 0.04. It is imperative that prenatal counseling emphasizes prenatal maternal smoking.