Keming Yuan

Non−High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: Distribution and Prevalence of High Serum Levels in Children and Adolescents: United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2005-2010

OBJECTIVES To estimate age-related changes for serum concentration of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), describe non-HDL-C distribution, and examine the prevalence of high non-HDL-C levels in children and adolescents by demographic characteristics and weight status. STUDY DESIGN Data from 7058 participants ages 6-19 years in the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were analyzed. A high level of non-HDL-C was defined as a non-HDL-C value ≥ 145 mg/dL. RESULTS Locally weighted scatterplot smoothing-smoothed curves showed that non-HDL-C levels increased from 101 mg/dL at age 6 to 111 mg/dL at age 10, decreased to 101 mg/dL at age 14, and then increased to 122 mg/dL at age 19 in non-Hispanic white males. Non-HDL-C levels generally were greater in female than male subjects, lower in non-Hispanic black subjects, and similar in male and slightly lower in female Mexican American subjects, compared with non-Hispanic white subjects. The overall mean was 108 (SE 0.5), and the percentiles were 67 (5th), 74 (10th), 87 (25th), 104 (50th), 123 (75th), 145 (90th), and 158 (95th) mg/dL. Mean and percentiles were greater among age groups 9-11 and 17-19 years than others and greater among non-Hispanic white than non-Hispanic black subjects. The prevalence of high non-HDL-C was 11.8% (95% CI 9.9%-14.0%) and 15.0% (95% CI 12.9%-17.3%) for the age groups 9-11 and 17-19, respectively. It varied significantly by race/ethnicity and overweight/obesity status. CONCLUSION Non-HDL-C levels vary by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and weight classification status. Evaluation of non-HDL-C in youth should account for its normal physiologic patterns and variations in demographic characteristics and weight classification.

Sodium and Sugar in Complementary Infant and Toddler Foods Sold in the United States

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sodium and sugar content of US commercial infant and toddler foods. METHODS: We used a 2012 nutrient database of 1074 US infant and toddler foods and drinks developed from a commercial database, manufacturer Web sites, and major grocery stores. Products were categorized on the basis of their main ingredients and the US Food and Drug Administration’s reference amounts customarily consumed per eating occasion (RACC). Sodium and sugar contents and presence of added sugars were determined. RESULTS: All but 2 of the 657 infant vegetables, dinners, fruits, dry cereals, and ready-to-serve mixed grains and fruits were low sodium (≤140 mg/RACC). The majority of these foods did not contain added sugars; however, 41 of 79 infant mixed grains and fruits contained ≥1 added sugar, and 35 also contained >35% calories from sugar. Seventy-two percent of 72 toddler dinners were high in sodium content (>210 mg/RACC). Toddler dinners contained an average of 2295 mg of sodium per 1000 kcal (sodium 212 mg/100 g). Savory infant/toddler snacks (n = 34) contained an average of sodium 1382 mg/1000 kcal (sodium 486 mg/100 g); 1 was high sodium. Thirty-two percent of toddler dinners and the majority of toddler cereal bars/breakfast pastries, fruit, and infant/toddler snacks, desserts, and juices contained ≥1 added sugar. CONCLUSIONS: Commercial toddler foods and infant or toddler snacks, desserts, and juice drinks are of potential concern due to sodium or sugar content. Pediatricians should advise parents to look carefully at labels when selecting commercial toddler foods and to limit salty snacks, sweet desserts, and juice drinks.

Sources of Sodium in US Adults From 3 Geographic RegionsClinical Perspective

Background: Most US adults consume excess sodium. Knowledge about the dietary sources of sodium intake is critical to the development of effective reduction strategies. Methods: A total of 450 adults were recruited from 3 geographic locations: Birmingham, AL (n=150); Palo Alto, CA (n=150); and the Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN (n=150), metropolitan areas. Equal numbers of women and men from each of 4 race/ethnic groups (blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites) were targeted for recruitment. Four record-assisted 24-hour dietary recalls were collected from each participant with special procedures, which included the collection of duplicate samples of salt added to food at the table and in home food preparation. Results: Sodium added to food outside the home was the leading source of sodium, accounting for more than two thirds (70.9%) of total sodium intake in the sample. Although the proportion of sodium from this source was smaller in some subgroups, it was the leading contributor for all subgroups. Contribution ranged from 66.3% for those with a high school level of education or less to 75.0% for those 18 to 29 years of age. Sodium inherent to food was the next highest contributor (14.2%), followed by salt added in home food preparation (5.6%) and salt added to food at the table (4.9%). Home tap water consumed as a beverage and dietary supplement and nonprescription antacids contributed minimally to sodium intake (<0.5% each). Conclusions: Sodium added to food outside the home accounted for ≈70% of dietary sodium intake. This finding is consistent with the 2010 Institute of Medicine recommendation for reduction of sodium in commercially processed foods as the primary strategy to reduce sodium intake in the United States. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02474693.

Trends and Clustering of Cardiovascular Health Metrics Among U.S. Adolescents 1988–2010

PURPOSE American Heart Association recently published a set of seven cardiovascular (CV) health metrics for adults and children, emphasizing importance of preventing CV risk factors. Although CV disease risk factors have generally improved in adults, there is concern that this has not been true among adolescents. The present study examined trends and disparities of CV health metrics among U.S. adolescents. METHODS We used data from a series of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994, 1999-2004, and 2005-2010) including 11,233 adolescents aged 12-17 years. We estimated prevalence and mean score of CV health metrics and examined the disparities in mean score by sex, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and poverty-income ratio. RESULTS The prevalence of nonsmoking and healthy diet increased from 1988 through 2010, while the prevalence of normal body mass index and physical activity decreased, resulting in an unchanged distribution of overall CV health scores since 1988. The prevalence of adolescents meeting all seven CV health metrics was low, 3.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-5.4), 4.0% (95% CI 3.3-4.8), and 4.0% (95% CI 2.9-5.3) in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988-1994, 1999-2004, and 2005-2010, respectively. The disparities in adjusted mean scores persisted between non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks, families/households with >12 versus <12 years of education, and poverty-income ratio of >3 versus <3 (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS The proportion of adolescents achieving all seven CV health metrics was low and remained unchanged during 1988-2010. The disparities in mean CV health score persisted among adolescents.

Iodized salt sales in the United States.

Iodized salt has been an important source of dietary iodine, a trace element important for regulating human growth, development, and metabolic functions. This analysis identified iodized table salt sales as a percentage of retail salt sales using Nielsen ScanTrack. We identified 1117 salt products, including 701 salt blends and 416 other salt products, 57 of which were iodized. When weighted by sales volume in ounces or per item, 53% contained iodized salt. These findings may provide a baseline for future monitoring of sales of iodized salt.

Top sources of dietary sodium from birth to age 24 mo, United States, 2003–2010

BACKGROUND Sodium intake is high in US children. Data are limited on the dietary sources of sodium, especially from birth to age 24 mo. OBJECTIVE We identified top sources of dietary sodium in US children from birth to age 24 mo. DESIGN Data from the NHANES 2003-2010 were used to examine food sources of sodium (population proportions and mean intakes) in 778 participants aged 0-5.9 mo, 914 participants aged 6-11.9 mo, and 1219 participants aged 12-23.9 mo by sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS Overall, mean dietary sodium intake was low in 0-5.9-mo-old children, and the top contributors were formula (71.7%), human milk (22.9%), and commercial baby foods (2.2%). In infants aged 6-11.9 mo, the top 5 contributors were formula (26.7%), commercial baby foods (8.8%), soups (6.1%), pasta mixed dishes (4.0%), and human milk (3.9%). In children aged 12-23.9 mo, the top contributors were milk (12.2%), soups (5.4%), cheese (5.2%), pasta mixed dishes (5.1%), and frankfurters and sausages (4.6%). Despite significant variation in top food categories across racial/ethnic groups, commercial baby foods were a top food contributor in children aged 6-11.9 mo, and frankfurters and sausages were a top food contributor in children aged 12-23.9 mo. The top 5 food categories that contributed to sodium intake also differed by sex. Most of the sodium consumed (83-90%) came from store foods (e.g., from the supermarket). In children aged 12-23.9 mo, 9% of sodium consumed came from restaurant foods, and 4% of sodium came from childcare center foods. CONCLUSIONS The vast majority of sodium consumed comes from foods other than infant formula or human milk after the age of 6 mo. Although the majority of sodium intake was from store foods, after age 12 mo, restaurant foods contribute significantly to intake. Reducing the sodium content in these settings would reduce sodium intake in the youngest consumers.

Sodium Content of Foods Contributing to Sodium Intake: Comparison between Selected Foods from the CDC Packaged Food Database and the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

The sodium concentration (mg/100g) for 23 of 125 Sentinel Foods (e.g. white bread) were identified in the 2009 CDC Packaged Food Database (PFD) and compared with data in the USDA’s 2013 National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference(SR 26). Sentinel Foods are foods identified by USDA to be monitored as primary indicators to assess the changes in the sodium content of commercially processed foods from stores and restaurants. Overall, 937 products were evaluated in the CDC PFD, and between 3 (one brand of ready-to-eat cereal) and 126 products (white bread) were evaluated per selected food. The mean sodium concentrations of 17 of the 23 (74%) selected foods in the CDC PFD were 90%–110% of the mean sodium concentrations in SR 26 and differences in sodium concentration were statistically significant for 6 Sentinel Foods. The sodium concentration of most of the Sentinel Foods, as selected in the PFD, appeared to represent the sodium concentrations of the corresponding food category. The results of our study help improve the understanding of how nutrition information compares between national analytic values and the label and whether the selected Sentinel Foods represent their corresponding food category as indicators for assessment of change of the sodium content in the food supply.

Do Lower Calorie or Lower Fat Foods Have More Sodium Than Their Regular Counterparts

The objective of this study was to compare the sodium content of a regular food and its lower calorie/fat counterpart. Four food categories, among the top 20 contributing the most sodium to the US diet, met the criteria of having the most matches between regular foods and their lower calorie/fat counterparts. A protocol was used to search websites to create a list of “matches”, a regular and comparable lower calorie/fat food(s) under each brand. Nutrient information was recorded and analyzed for matches. In total, 283 matches were identified across four food categories: savory snacks (N = 44), cheese (N = 105), salad dressings (N = 90), and soups (N = 44). As expected, foods modified from their regular versions had significantly reduced average fat (total fat and saturated fat) and caloric profiles. Mean sodium content among modified salad dressings and cheeses was on average 8%–12% higher, while sodium content did not change with modification of savory snacks. Modified soups had significantly lower mean sodium content than their regular versions (28%–38%). Consumers trying to maintain a healthy diet should consider that sodium content may vary in foods modified to be lower in calories/fat.

Association of Birthplace and Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke Among US Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2006 to 2014

Background The proportion of foreign‐born US adults has almost tripled since 1970. However, less is known about the cardiovascular morbidity by birthplace among adults residing in the United States. This studys objective was to compare the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke among US adults by birthplace. Methods and Results We used data from the 2006 to 2014 National Health Interview Survey. Birthplace was categorized as United States or foreign born. Foreign born was then grouped into 6 birthplace regions. We defined CHD and stroke as ever being told by a physician that she or he had CHD or stroke. We adjusted for select demographic and health characteristics in the analysis. Of US adults, 16% were classified as foreign born. Age‐standardized prevalence of both CHD and stroke were higher among US‐ than foreign‐born adults (CHD: 8.2% versus 5.5% for men and 4.8% versus 4.1% for women; stroke: 2.7% versus 2.1% for men and 2.7% versus 1.9% for women; all P<0.05). Comparing individual regions with those of US‐ born adults, CHD prevalence was lower among foreign‐born adults from Asia and Mexico, Central America, or the Caribbean. For stroke, although men from South America or Africa had the lowest prevalence, women from Europe had the lowest prevalence. Years of living in the United States was not related to risk of CHD or stroke after adjustment with demographic and health characteristics. Conclusions Overall, foreign‐born adults residing in the United States had a lower prevalence of CHD and stroke than US‐born adults. However, considerable heterogeneity of CHD and stroke risk was found by region of birth.

Modeled changes in US sodium intake from reducing sodium concentrations of commercially processed and prepared foods to meet voluntary standards established in North America: NHANES

Background: Approximately 2 in 3 US adults have prehypertension or hypertension that increases their risk of cardiovascular disease. Reducing sodium intake can decrease blood pressure and prevent hypertension. Approximately 9 in 10 Americans consume excess sodium (≥2300 mg/d). Voluntary sodium standards for commercially processed and prepared foods were established in North America, but their impact on sodium intake is unclear.Objective: We modelled the potential impact on US sodium intake of applying voluntary sodium standards for foods.Design: We used NHANES 2007-2010 data for 17,933 participants aged ≥1 y to model predicted US daily mean sodium intake and the prevalence of excess sodium intake with the use of the standards of the New York Citys National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI) and Health Canada for commercially processed and prepared foods. The Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies food codes corresponding to foods reported by NHANES participants were matched to NSRI and Health Canada food categories, and the published sales-weighted mean percent reductions were applied.Results: The US population aged ≥1 y could have reduced their usual daily mean sodium intake of 3417 mg by 698 mg (95% CI: 683, 714 mg) by applying NSRI 2014 targets and by 615 mg (95% CI: 597, 634 mg) by applying Health Canadas 2016 benchmarks. Significant reductions could have occurred, regardless of age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, or hypertension status, up to a mean reduction in sodium intake of 850 mg/d in men aged ≥19 y by applying NSRI targets. The proportion of adults aged ≥19 y who consume ≥2300 mg/d would decline from 88% (95% CI: 86%, 91%) to 71% (95% CI: 68%, 73%) by applying NSRI targets and to 74% (95% CI: 71%, 76%) by applying Health Canada benchmarks.Conclusion: If established sodium standards are applied to commercially processed and prepared foods, a significant reduction of US sodium intake could occur.