Search

Background: Non-Hispanic blacks in the United States are less likely to not meet national dietary recommendations than non-Hispanic whites; however, most studies do not consider nativity of US blacks. Objectives: With the use of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) and the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores, this cross-sectional study compared diet quality between US-born (n = 3,911) and foreign-born (n = 408) non-Hispanic black adults aged 22-79 y, based on pooled nationally representative data (NHANES 2003-2012) as well as by length of US residency. Design: The association between nativity and diet quality was determined by using multivariable-adjusted linear regression for the continuous total diet quality scores and their components or multinomial (polytomous) logistic regression for categorical tertiles (low, medium, or high) of the total scores and their components. Results: Foreign-born blacks had significantly higher AHEI-2010 β: 9.3; 95% CI: 7.5, 11.0) and DASH (β: 3.1; 95% CI: 2.5, 3.8) scores compared with US-born blacks and more favorable intakes for many of the score components. Among foreign-born blacks, diet quality did not significantly differ by length of residency. Foreign-born blacks were more likely to be in the high than in the low tertile for vegetables [excluding starchy vegetables; relative risk ratio (RRR): 1.68; 95% CI: 1.24, 2.29], fruit [excluding and including fruit juice--RRR: 2.42 (95% CI: 1.69, 3.47) and RRR: 2.95 (95% CI: 1.90, 4.59), respectively], percentage of whole grains (RRR: 2.39; 95% CI: 1.64,3.49), and omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids (RRR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.38, 2.97). Conclusions: Foreign-born blacks have better diet quality than their US-born counterparts. In nutrition research and public health efforts, considering the place of birth among US blacks may improve the accuracy of characterizing dietary intakes and facilitate the development of targeted nutrition interventions to reduce diet-related diseases in the diverse black population in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm to School Census to examine whether school districts in states with formal farm-to-school (FTS)-related laws had higher participation rates and a greater frequency of serving local foods in school meals than districts in states without such laws. The presence of FTS-related laws was associated with an increased likelihood of having FTS programs and with serving local foods at higher frequencies in school meal programs. Further research is required to assess the impact of specific types of laws in order to determine the most effective policies to support FTS programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Data from the 2007–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) suggested that nearly half of U.S. adults aged 20 to 69 reported taking at least one dietary supplement in the past month. Logistic regression showed that the following factors were independently associated with a greater likelihood of supplement use: being female, older, white, having higher level of education, non-SNAP participation, and living in a food-secure household. To compare nutrient intakes between supplement users and non-supplement users, daily intakes of eight nutrients were examined. When considering nutrients from food, supplement users tended to consume greater amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, and iron; meanwhile there was no association between supplement use and daily intakes of vitamin B12 and zinc from food sources only. Including nutrients from daily supplement use, supplement users consumed greater amounts of all eight nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper compares a qualitative and a quantitative (Rasch) method of item assessment for developing the content of a food insecurity scale for Bangladesh. Data are derived from the Bangladesh Food Insecurity Measurement and Validation Study, in which researchers collected 2 rounds of ethnographic information and 3 rounds of conventional household survey data between 2001 and 2003. The qualitative method of scale development relied on content experts and respondents themselves to evaluate household food insecurity items generated through ethnographic research. The quantitative method applied the Rasch model to assess the fit of the same items using representative survey data. The Rasch model was then used to test for differential item functioning (DIF) across diverse demographic and geographic subgroups. The qualitative assessment flagged and discarded 10 items, leaving 13. The Rasch assessment of infit and outfit flagged 3 items, and the Rasch DIF test discarded another 10 items, leaving a total of 10 items in the Rasch-derived scale. The 2 scales contained 8 of the same items. The qualitatively and quantitatively derived scales were highly correlated (r = 0.96, P < 0.01), and the 2 methods located 90% of households in the same food insecurity tercile. This convergence lends added confidence to the use of either scale for identifying food-insecure households in different regions of Bangladesh. Multiple methods should continue to be applied in a systematic and transparent way to lend additional credence to the results when they converge and to pinpoint directions for further clarification where they do not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2004, almost 12% of all U.S. households, and about one in three low-income households (36.8%) were food insecure While the Food Stamp Program (FSP) is intended to provide a safety net for low-income households to purchase food, recent data indicate it reaches only about 55% of those eligible. The purpose of this study was to examine one specific group of underserved, the working poor, in order to assess the reasons why income-eligible households do or do not participate in the FSP. Participants were selected based on their income-between 100 and 130% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and FSP participation (divided proportionately) from a larger pool of working families receiving state subsidized child care assistance in Rhode Island. Individuals from 418 low-income households were surveyed regarding household demographics, participation in food assistance programs (Food Stamps, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), National School Lunch (NSL), and School Breakfast), food security and hunger, and child well-being. Results indicate that more than half (56%) of the low-income working families were food insecure over the past year and close to 20% of households had members who experienced hunger. Further, households participating in the FSP were more disadvantaged than those not participating. Households receiving FSP benefits had lower incomes, higher rates of food insecurity, and more reported difficulties with their children, despite greater use of other food assistance programs. Finally, participation in all of the nutritional assistance programs was low relative to estimated eligibility. The findings highlight the difficulties of working families, who despite employment, and in many cases, nutritional assistance, were still experiencing hunger and food insecurity in unacceptably high percentages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review examines the relationship among malabsorption, diarrhea, dietary intake, and body composition in an outpatient cohort of individuals with HIV infection. Twenty-three percent of the participants had malabsorption, which was not associated with the presence of current or chronic diarrhea. In this ‘outpatient’ HIV cohort with a mean body-mass Index (BMI) of 25 kg/m², the presence of malabsorption did not have adverse nutritional outcomes in terms of body weight, lean body mass, hemoglobin, or albumin. The diets of those with or without malabsorption did not meet the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Median dietary intake was high in percentage of total fat and saturated fat and low in total fiber intake and some key micronutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]