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Focus groups (n = 7) were conducted with Chinese students (n = 43) studying in the USA to determine how acculturation and environmental factors influence dietary behavior and body mass index (BMI). This study used mixed methodology, collecting both qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (24-h dietary recalls, food adoption scores, degree of acculturation, and height and weight measures) data. Themes emerging from focus group discussions were: a) dietary and social acculturation, b) factors influencing food intake, c) cultural importance of food, and d) changes in weight and BMI status. Environmental, behavioral, and cultural factors appear to have impacted the eating behaviors of the students. Because of the nature of the study, self-reported heights and weights were used to calculate BMI while living in China and actual heights and weights were taken for each student at the focus group to calculate current BMI after living in the USA. The majority of Chinese students (69% males; 85% females) experienced weight gain, resulting in an increased BMI based on weight/height data and as reported in focus group discussions. As a result, if students continue to gain weight, they may be at higher risk of developing chronic diseases in the future. Further, implemented dietary change may be transferred to other family members if students return to China. Results suggest that nutrition education should be provided to incoming foreign students during their orientation., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The higher rate of obesity among low-income women has widely been attributed to environmental barriers; however, many low-income women are still able to maintain a healthy weight despite obesogenic environments. To better understand personal and behavioral attributes related to food choice and weight, overweight/obese women and lean/normal weight women living in similar low-income environments, participated in focus groups, and taste testing sessions to investigate food liking (n=83). During focus groups, lean/normal weight participants reported that health was influential in food choice, while overweight/obese participants expressed cost as being more of a factor. Both BMI (kg/m(2)) groups reported that taste was of greatest importance. Personal factors, like emotional eating, and overeating were also discussed with differences noted between BMI (kg/m(2)) groups. Quantitative data also showed cost to be more important for overweight/obese women. Taste testing results revealed that overweight/obese participants had a higher overall liking for both healthy and less healthy foods, as well as other food categories. Additionally, these women had a higher liking of fat in the context of spreadable fats. Our results show that a variety of complex factors interact to influence eating behavior and present weight status of women living in similarly impoverished environments. However, findings from this exploratory study should be confirmed through further research., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a key enzymatic component of the folate cycle, converting 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate into 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the methyl donor for remethylation of homocysteine into methionine. Severe MTHFR deficiency is a rare recessive disease leading to major hyperhomocysteinemia, homocystinuria, and progressive neurological distress within the two first decades of life. More than 50 mutations have been reported so far in affected patients but only a few cases with very early onset of symptoms during the first weeks have been described, most of them showing a particular severe clinical course. We detected two novel mutations by direct sequencing of MTHFR in compound heterozygous patients with extremely low or undetectable enzyme activity; one of them had clinical onset during the first week of life and fatal issue at the age of six weeks. Prenatal diagnosis of his sibling allowed for early treatment with B vitamins and betaine and a favorable outcome. One of these mutations (c.523G>A) led to an Ala>Thr transition in the catalytic domain of the enzyme, the other (c.1166G>A) induced alternative splicing of exon 7 at the junction of the catalytic and regulatory domains. Both parents carried only one of these mutations and presented with moderate and intermediate hyperhomocysteinemia, respectively, without neurological symptoms. Severe MTHFR deficiency thus has to be taken into consideration when investigating neurological distress even in the newborn, regarding the need for an earliest possible treatment. Characterization of the relatives further allows for preventive measure to limit the risks of chronic hyperhomocysteinemia.

In-depth interviews were conducted with veterans (n=64) with an average age of 57 years to investigate eating behavior and food insecurity during military service and examine if it affects post-war eating behavior, and if this contributes to the high incidence of obesity found in veterans. About half of the subjects served during the Vietnam War, while smaller numbers served in WWII, the Korean War, Desert Storm, or other conflicts. The mean BMI was 30.5+/-6.7 kg/m(2). Only 12.5% of participants were classified as normal weight, while 37.5% were overweight, 46.9% were obese, and 3.1% were classified as excessively obese. Five major themes were identified including, (a) military service impacts soldier's food environment, (b) food insecurity influences eating behavior and food choices, (c) military impacts weight status during and post-service, (d) military service has health consequences, and (e) post-service re-adjustment solutions are needed to ease re-entry into civilian life.

Focus groups (n=65) were conducted with Hmong adults in St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN to determine how environmental factors, acculturation, and food insecurity influence dietary behavior, body mass index (BMI), and health. Acculturation was assessed by examining linguistic, social, and eating behavior, length of time in the US, and BMI for B-TL(1) (born in Thailand/Laos and in US < or =5 years), B-TL(2) (in Thailand/Laos through adolescence, had food memories, and in US >5 years), and B-US (born in US or in Thailand/Laos less than 8 years and no food memories from there). Acculturation was associated with years lived in the US, household size and income, and food assistance usage. Years lived in the US was correlated with food assistance usage, education, household size and income, and perception of diet. B-TL(1) and B-TL(2) were on average overweight (BMI> or =25<30), US men were obese (mean BMI=32.4+/-7.4), and women were overweight (mean BMI=29.1+/-6.8). Themes identified were cultural values impact eating and lifestyle behaviors, food insecurity history influences post-migration behavior, acculturation impacts BMI through diet and exercise, and health status is influenced by changed environments. Environmental changes and increased acculturation have negatively impacted the weight and health of Hmong adults.

Sedentary lifestyles, along with diets low in fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates, and high in fat and total energy are increasing among youth. These unhealthy behaviors contribute to an increase in childhood overweight, which is associated with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Healthful dietary behaviors, such as eating a balanced and varied diet may be addressed in garden-based programs for youth. Therefore, this project assessed the influence of a garden program, with a newly developed nutrition curriculum, on youth's eating and gardening behavior using the Theory of Planned Behavior. The model included the constructs of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (PBC). Youth (age 8-15 years) involved in a garden program in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota completed a pre- (n=96) and a post-survey (n=66) assessing the theory's constructs with regard to eating and gardening behaviors. Fruit and vegetable consumption were assessed using survey questions and a 24-h recall. In addition to finding gender differences regarding associations between intention and behavior and the constructs correlated with behavior, results indicated that attitude was most predictive of intention at both pre- and post-survey for both boys and girls with behavior associated to PBC in girls, but not for boys. A high level of intention for boys pre-survey marginally predicted some behavioral change post-survey, but girls with high levels of intention at pre-survey did not show positive behavioral changes at post-survey. Additionally, the garden program positively impacted youth fruit and vegetable consumption, as determined from a mean computed from the responses to the fruit and vegetable behavior survey questions and the 24-h recall food group data. Because youth in the garden program consumed more fruit and vegetables at post-survey compared to pre-survey, we conclude that garden programs may be a viable way to assist youth in making healthy lifestyle changes.