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In addition to clinical criteria, self-perceptions of vision-related functioning and well-being are recognized as important measures for characterizing the disability associated with visual impairment. This report assessed the impact of visual impairment in a subset of the African-origin participants of the population-based Barbados Eye Studies, using the US National Eye Institute's 25-item Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25). Visual impairment was associated with significantly (P 0.01) lower VFQ scores in multidimensional aspects of vision-related quality of life (QOL), including vision-related activities and psychosocial functioning. Adjusted mean composite scores were 12 points (95% confidence interval: 9.5, 14.5) and 31 points (26.7, 34.6) lower for low vision and blindness, respectively, compared with no impairment, and 13 points (7.7, 17.6) lower for visual impairment not correctable, compared with correctable with refraction. In this population with high rates of visual disability, impaired visual acuity adversely impacted the self-perceived QOL, as measured by this instrument. Copyright © 2009 SAGE Publications Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The dietary habits of the Caribbean have been changing to include more fast foods and a less nutrient dense diet. The aims of this study are to examine dietary patterns in Barbados and highlight foods for a nutritional intervention. METHODS: Four-day food diaries collected from control participants in the population-based, case-control Barbados National Cancer Study (BNCS). RESULTS: Forty-nine adult participants (91% response) completed the diaries providing 191 days of dietary data. Total energy intake was almost identical to data collected 5-years earlier in the Barbados Food Consumption and Anthropometric Survey 2000, but the percent energy derived from fat was from 2.1% to 5.2% higher. Sugar intake exceeded the Caribbean recommendation almost four-fold, while intakes of calcium, iron (women only), zinc and dietary fibre were below recommendations. Fish and chicken dishes were the two largest sources of energy and fat. Sweetened drinks and juices provided over 40% of total sugar intake. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide existing dietary patterns and strongly justify a nutritional intervention program to reduce dietary risk factors for chronic disease. The intervention could focus on the specific foods highlighted, both regarding frequency and amount of consumption. Effectiveness can be evaluated pre- and post-intervention using our Food Frequency Questionnaire developed for BNCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) for the Barbados National Cancer Study (BNCS) that will permit examination of associations of diet with breast and prostate cancer.Design: Population intake data from the year 2000 Barbados Food Consumption and Anthropometric Surveys (BFCAS 2000) were used to derive a list of foods consumed by the population. A 192-item draft QFFQ was developed from this list.Setting: Barbados, West Indies provides an ideal environment to understand cancer risk in African-origin populations, with high relevance to African-Americans. The BNCS is a population-based case-control study examining risk factors for breast and prostate cancer in such populations.Subjects: A total of 1600 persons, 18 years and older, completed a 24-hour recall in the BFCAS 2000. Fifty of 63 randomly selected residents (79% response rate) gave additional updated information on foods consumed.Results: The 50 participants provided a one-time 24-hour recall and completed the draft QFFQ. The final instrument contains 148 items: breads, cakes, cereals = 17; rice, pastas, noodles = 8; dairy = 10; meat, fish, poultry = 42; fruit = 16; vegetables = 26; soft drinks = 14; alcoholic beverages = 5; others = 10. Additional questions include supplement use and food preparation methods such as grilling.Conclusion: The final instrument is concise, complete and the most up-to-date for assessing the food and nutrient intake of African-origin Barbadians and the associations with breast and prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study evaluated the association of age-related lens opacities with the use of nutritional supplements and demographic factors among 4314 black participants (> or = 40 years) in the population-based Barbados Eye Study.Methods: Lenses were classified at the slit lamp by the Lens Opacities Classification System II (LOCS II); a score > or = 2 was used to define the presence of gradable lens opacities, by type. Lens changes also included prior cataract surgery or cataract too advanced to grade. Associations with risk factors were evaluated by logistic regression analyses.Results: The study identified 1800 individuals with lens changes in at least one eye; 229 had nuclear opacities only; 851 had cortical opacities only. Older age and indicators of lower socioeconomic status (low education and/or non-professional occupation), were positively associated with both nuclear (odds ratio [OR] = 1.90) and cortical (OR = 1.47) opacities. Women had an increased risk of cortical opacities (OR = 1.41). Regular users of nutritional supplements were less likely to have lens changes (OR = 0.78) and, specifically, cortical opacities (OR = 0.77). The association with nutritional supplements was present in those < 70 years, but not at older ages.Conclusions: The study supports the association of lower socioeconomic status with lens changes, including nuclear and cortical lens opacities. The findings also suggest that regular users of nutritional supplements have a one-fourth lower risk of lens changes and particularly, of cortical opacities; a result seen at ages under 70 years. The associations with potentially modifiable factors indicate the need for further evaluations, given the high prevalence of lens opacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use is associated with breast cancer in many epidemiological studies. Most, however, have measured risk from recent consumption patterns, and only a few include analyses for duration of drinking or age that a woman started to drink. The authors studied the effect of these variables, as well as of recent alcohol consumption patterns, on breast cancer risk.Methods: Data from a large case-control study conducted in Long Island, New York from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 1986 were used. A total of 1214 women aged 20-79 years with incident breast cancer were interviewed. A control was selected for each case from driver's license files, and matched on age and county of residence. Alcohol consumption was measured as: ever versus never, grams of alcohol per day, age started drinking, and total years drinking.Results: After adjustment for breast cancer risk factors, the odds ratio for ever versus never drinking was 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.79); odds ratios for > 0-5 and > or = 5 grams of alcohol use per day, as compared to nondrinkers, were 1.29 (95% CI: 1.00-1.65) and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.13-1.89), respectively. Age when drinking began was not related to breast cancer risk, but the greater the total years of drinking, up to 40 years (odds ratio 1.48, 95% CI: 1.13-1.93), the greater the risk. However, when grams per day and duration of drinking were simultaneously included in the multivariate model, duration was not important as a risk factor. This suggests that intensity of drinking may be the important factor for breast cancer risk. After covariate adjustment, risk from alcohol intake did not differ between pre- and postmenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]