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Background: Dietary acculturation, or adoption of dominant culture diet by migrant groups, influences human health. We aimed to examine dietary acculturation and its relationships with cardiovascular disease (CVD), gut microbiota, and blood metabolites among US Hispanic and Latino adults., Methods: In the HCHS/SOL (Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos), US exposure was defined by years in the United States (50 states and Washington, DC) and US nativity. A dietary acculturation pattern was derived from 14 172 participants with two 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline (2008-2011) using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, with food groups as predictors of US exposure. We evaluated associations of dietary acculturation with incident CVD across ≈7 years of follow-up (n=211/14 172 cases/total) and gut microbiota (n=2349; visit 2, 2014 to 2017). Serum metabolites associated with both dietary acculturation-related gut microbiota (n=694) and incident CVD (n=108/5256 cases/total) were used as proxy measures to assess the association of diet-related gut microbiome with incident CVD., Results: We identified an empirical US-oriented dietary acculturation score that increased with US exposure. Higher dietary acculturation score was associated with higher risk of incident CVD (hazard ratio per SD, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.13-1.57]), adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Sixty-nine microbial species (17 enriched from diverse species, 52 depleted mainly from fiber-utilizing Clostridia and Prevotella species) were associated with dietary acculturation, driven by lower intakes of whole grains, beans, and fruits and higher intakes of refined grains. Twenty-five metabolites, involved predominantly in fatty acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism (eg, branched-chain 14:0 dicarboxylic acid** and glycerophosphoethanolamine), were associated with both diet acculturation-related gut microbiota and incident CVD. Proxy association analysis based on these metabolites suggested a positive relationship between diet acculturation-related microbiome and risk of CVD ( r =0.70, P <0.001)., Conclusions: Among US Hispanic and Latino adults, greater dietary acculturation was associated with elevated CVD risk, possibly through alterations in gut microbiota and related metabolites. Diet and microbiota-targeted interventions may offer opportunities to mitigate CVD burdens of dietary acculturation., Competing Interests: Dr Knight is a scientific advisory board member and consultant for BiomeSense, Inc, has equity, and receives income. He is a scientific advisory board member and has equity in GenCirq. He is a consultant and scientific advisory board member for DayTwo and receives income. He has equity in and acts as a consultant for Cybele. He is a cofounder of Biota, Inc and has equity. He is a cofounder of Micronoma, has equity, and is a scientific advisory board member. The terms of these arrangements have been reviewed and approved by the University of California, San Diego in accordance with its conflict of interest policies. The other authors report no conflicts.

Purpose: To study associations between language acculturation level and changes in cigarette consumption among the diverse and growing U.S.-based Hispanic/Latino population and inform culturally tailored smoking prevention and cessation strategies., Methods: In the Hispanic Community Health Survey/Study of Latinos cohort, we used cigarette consumption behaviors at baseline (2008-2011) and follow-up (2014-2017) and a modified Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) language subscale to measure associations of language acculturation (unidimensional) with changes in cigarette consumption and quitting rates. Weighted multivariable linear and logistic regressions were stratified by daily (n = 1397) and nondaily (n = 633) smoking, and either sex, educational attainment, or migration status., Results: Smokers at baseline (n = 2030) on average were aged 42 years old (SE = 0.5) with a mean SASH-language score of 2.3 (SE = 0.1; range = 1-5), indicating more Spanish language use. Among male daily smokers, we observed increases in smoked cigarettes-per-day (CPD) with unit increases in SASH-language score (1.08, 95% CI: 0.24-1.92). Associations with acculturation trended toward greater increases in CPD and lower odds of quitting as educational attainment increased., Conclusions: Language acculturation level is an important determinant for increased smoking behaviors, particularly among men. Our findings are significant in informing smoking reduction programs for the Hispanic/Latino population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: In the United States, Hispanic/Latino adults face a high burden of obesity; yet, not all individuals are equally affected, partly due in part to this ethnic group's marked sociocultural diversity. We sought to analyze the modification of body mass index (BMI) genetic effects in Hispanic/Latino adults by their level of acculturation, a complex biosocial phenomenon that remains understudied., Methods: Among 11,747 Hispanic/Latinos adults in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos aged 18 to 76 years from four urban communities (2008-2011), we a) tested our hypothesis that the effect of a genetic risk score (GRS) for increased BMI may be exacerbated by higher levels of acculturation and b) examined if GRS acculturation interactions varied by gender or Hispanic/Latino background group. All genetic modeling controlled for relatedness, age, gender, principal components of ancestry, center, and complex study design within a generalized estimated equation framework., Results: We observed a GRS increase of 0.34 kg/m 2 per risk allele in weighted mean BMI. The estimated main effect of GRS on BMI varied both across acculturation level and across gender. The difference between high and low acculturation ranged from 0.03 to 0.23 kg/m 2 per risk allele, but varied across acculturation measure and gender., Conclusions: These results suggest the presence of effect modification by acculturation, with stronger effects on BMI among highly acculturated individuals and female immigrants. Future studies of obesity in the Hispanic/Latino community should account for sociocultural environments and consider their intersection with gender to better target obesity interventions., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychosomatic Society.)

The acculturation gap theory provides a complex illustration of how cultural orientations affect health behaviors among adolescents, by assuming that familial cultural orientation gaps lead to compromised family functioning and children adopting negative health behaviors. This analysis used three methods to conceptualize cultural gaps to examine the relationships between familial cultural orientation gaps and family functioning and substance use susceptibility among the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Hispanic/Latino Youth population. Results did not support the assumptions behind the acculturation gap theory. The methods used to conceptualize cultural gaps did not illustrate consistent underlying trends when measuring the relationship between cultural gaps and substance use susceptibility. There was no evidence of mediation on substance use susceptibility by perceived family functioning for either cultural domains using each method. This analysis underscores the need to refine the framework behind the acculturation gap theory and how cultural gaps are measured among Hispanic/Latino youth., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Hispanic/Latino youth are disproportionately burdened by obesity and have a high prevalence of prediabetes and dyslipidemia. Differences in parent and child acculturation related to language use and preference (i.e., language acculturation) are associated with adverse cardiometabolic health behaviors, but no study has examined associations with cardiometabolic markers., Purpose: To determine whether discordance in parent-child language acculturation (parent-child acculturation gap) was associated with poor youth cardiometabolic health., Methods: Hispanic/Latino 8-16-year-olds (n = 1,466) and parents from the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth) were examined. Mean scores for the Brief ARSMA-II's Anglo (AOS) and Latino (LOS) Orientation Scales represented language acculturation. Cardiometabolic markers included youth body mass index (BMI) percentile, blood pressure percentiles, and dysglycemia and hyperlipidemia measures. Missing data were imputed. Survey-weighted multivariable linear regression examined the association of youth, parent, and youth × parent (the acculturation gap) AOS and LOS scores separately with each cardiometabolic marker., Results: Youth reported greater English and lower Spanish use than parents. Greater discordance in AOS scores was associated with elevated BMI percentile only (p-for-interaction < .01). The LOS acculturation gap was not associated with any outcome. Adjustment for acculturative stress, family functioning and closeness, parenting style, and youth's diet and physical activity did not alter findings. Removal of nonsignificant acculturation gaps did not indicate an association between individual youth or parent AOS or LOS scores and any cardiometabolic marker., Conclusions: Discordance in Hispanic/Latino parent-child dyads' English use may relate to increased risk for childhood obesity. Future studies should identify mediators of this association., (© Society of Behavioral Medicine 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that chronic and acculturative stress would be negatively associated with neurocognitive function among middle aged to older Hispanics/Latinos., Method: Our analytic sample consisted of 3,265 participants (mean age = 56.7 (±0.24)) from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos who participated in its Sociocultural Ancillary Study. During the baseline phase of this project, participants were assessed on multiple domains of neurocognitive function, and completed self-report measures of chronic and acculturative stress., Results: Each standard deviation increase in chronic stress was associated with lower performance in a verbal learning task (B = -.17, 95% CI [-.32, -.01]); this association was no longer significant after adjusting for mental and physical health symptoms, including depression and anxiety symptoms, and cardiovascular health. A standard deviation increase in acculturative stress was associated with poorer performance in all cognitive measures (Bs range = -.13 to -1.03). Associations of acculturation stress with psychomotor speed, verbal learning, and word fluency remained significant after adjusting for mental and physical health symptoms., Discussion: Our results suggest that mental and physical health may help explain some cross-sectional associations between stress and cognition and highlight the need to examine culture-specific psychosocial stressors to better understand the context of psychosocial risk factors for neurocognitive performance., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Maintaining a bond with one's family as well coping with stress while acculturating to the US may protect Hispanic/Latino youth from increased sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption, which heightens the risk for overweight and obesity. This study aims to examine associations between acculturative stress, family functioning, and SSB consumption by acculturation status among U.S. Hispanic/Latino youth., Methods: With cross-sectional data on 1465 youth 8-16y (49.6% females) participating in the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Latino Youth, we classified youths into four acculturation groups - assimilated, integrated, marginalized/separated, and unclassified. SSB consumption was assessed through two 24-h diet recalls and defined as intake frequency of soda, fruit juice, sweetened soft and fruit drinks. Multi-group path regression models were used to test associations of Hispanic/Latino youth' acculturative stress and family functioning with SSB consumption, as well as the moderating role of acculturation status., Results: When controlling for age, sex, and study site, acculturative stress (β = - 0.13, p = 0.01) was inversely associated with SSB, and poor family functioning (β = 0.11, p = 0.07) was only marginally associated with SSB consumption among youth classified as assimilated but not among youth classified as integrated, marginalized/separated, or unclassified., Conclusions: A socio-ecological perspective that incorporates the role of key acculturation-related factors across multiple levels may aid efforts to identify mechanisms that influence the relationship between acculturation status and diet among Hispanic/Latino youth and their families.

Purpose: We examined the correlates and health implications of household food insecurity among Hispanic/Latino youth (aged 8-16 years), a high food insecurity-risk population., Methods: Using the Hispanic Community Children's Health/Study of Latino Youth (n = 1,362) and bivariate and multivariate analyses, we examined the correlates of household and child food insecurity and very low food security. We assessed the influence of four sets of risk/protective factors-child demographic, acculturation, socioeconomic, and family/social support. We then examined associations between food insecurity and four health indicators-body mass index, diet quality, depression, and anxiety-and used modification effects to assess whether these associations differed by sex, age, household income, parent nativity, and acculturative stress levels., Results: We found high rates of food insecurity: 42% of Hispanic/Latino youth experienced household food insecurity and 33% child food insecurity. Moreover, 10% lived in a very low food secure household. Compared with their food secure peers, Hispanic/Latino youth in food insecure households experienced greater parent/child acculturative and economic stress and weakened family support systems. Associations of food insecurity with health outcomes varied by sex, age, household income, parent nativity, and child acculturative stress levels., Conclusions: Food insecurity is highly prevalent among Hispanic/Latino youth and has detrimental health implications, especially for girls, older youth, and youth experiencing acculturative stress. Reducing food insecurity and improving health among Hispanic/Latino youth will likely require comprehensive policies that address their multiple migration, familial, and economic stressors., (Copyright © 2018 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Acculturation among Hispanic/Latinos has been linked to deteriorating dietary quality that may contribute to obesity risks. This study examined the relationship between acculturation, ethnic identity, and dietary quality in U.S. Hispanic/Latino youth., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1298 Hispanic/Latino youth ages 8-16 from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (HCHS/SOL Youth), an ancillary study of offspring of participants in the adult HCHS/SOL cohort. Multivariable regression analyses assessed relationships between acculturation and ethnic identity with dietary quality as measured by Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores, accounting for covariates, design effects, and sample weights. We also compared HEI scores by immigrant generation and language of interview., Results: Youth were 12 ± 2.5 -years and 49.3% female. They were placed into five acculturation categories-including 48% integrated (bicultural orientation), 32.7% assimilated (high U.S. and low Latino orientation), 5.9% separated (high Latino and low U.S. orientation) or marginalized (neither U.S. nor Latino orientation), and 13.3% unclassified. Mean HEI was 53.8; there were no differences in HEI scores by acculturation category, but integrated youth had higher whole grains scores, lower sodium scores, and lower empty calories scores compared to assimilated youth. There were no differences in HEI scores by ethnic identity scores, and no consistent trend between dietary quality and ethnic identity. First- and second-generation youth had higher HEI scores, compared to third-generation youth, and, Spanish-speaking youth had higher HEI scores compared to English-speaking youth., Conclusion: Results suggest that integrated youth in the U.S. may engage in healthier eating behaviors than those who are assimilated. Additional research on Hispanic/Latino youths' acculturation and diet can inform health promotion efforts to improve eating habits and health outcomes among this population., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Individuals with favorable levels of all readily measured major CVD risk factors (low CV risk) during middle age incur lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, lower all-cause mortality, and lower Medicare costs at older ages compared to adults with one or more unfavorable CVD risk factors. Studies on predictors of low CV risk in Hispanics/Latinos have focused solely on Mexican-Americans. The objective of this study was to use data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL; enrolled 2008 to 2011) to assess relationships of nativity and length of residence in the US, a commonly used proxy for acculturation, with low CV risk (not currently smoking; no diabetes; untreated total cholesterol <200mg/dL; untreated blood pressure<120/<80; body mass index <25kg/m(2); and no major ECG abnormalities) in 15,047 Central American, South American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican men and women, and Hispanic/Latino men and women identifying as other or >1 heritage. We also tested whether associations varied by Hispanic/Latino background. Women living in the US<10years were 1.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.37, 2.80) times more likely to be low CV risk than US-born women after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, diet, physical activity, and self-reported experiences of ethnic discrimination. Findings varied in men by Hispanic/Latino background, but length of residence was largely unrelated to low CV risk. These findings highlight the role acculturative processes play in shaping cardiovascular health in Hispanics/Latinos., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We examined the association between exposure to the U.S. and symptoms of poor mental health among adult Hispanic/Latinos (N = 15,004) overall and by Hispanic/Latino background. Using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), we estimated logistic regressions to model the risk of moderate to severe symptoms of psychological distress, depression, and anxiety as a function of years in the U.S. and six key psychosocial risk and protective factors. In unadjusted models, increased time in the U.S. was associated with higher risk of poor mental health. After adjustment for just three key factors--perceived discrimination, perceived U.S. social standing, and the size of close social networks--differences in the odds of poor mental health by years in the U.S became insignificant for Hispanics/Latinos overall. However, analyses by Hispanic/Latino background revealed different patterns of association with exposure to the U.S. that could not be fully explained.

Background: The study examined the association of obesity with acculturation in a large and diverse sample of US Hispanic/Latino adults., Methods: The Hispanic Community Health Study (HCHS)/Study of Latinos (SOL) is a community-based cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18-74 years (N = 16,415) from four urban areas. Height and weight were directly measured using a standardized protocol. Acculturation was assessed by the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH). Other immigration related variables included place of birth, length of residency in the US, and age at immigration. Odds ratios were calculated to assess the association of overweight, moderate obesity, and extreme obesity (≥40 kg/m(2)) with acculturation and sociodemographic variables., Results: The prevalence of obesity was 42.4% for women and 36.5% for men and varied by field center and Hispanic/Latino background. The strongest predictor of moderate and extreme obesity was length of residency in mainland US. This association was consistent across Hispanic/Latino backgrounds. Acculturation was not significantly associated with obesity., Discussion: The burden of obesity is high among Hispanic/Latino adults. The study findings suggest that prolonged exposure to the environments in these communities, rather than acculturation, is an important risk factor for obesity in this population.

Purpose: This article describes the conceptual model developed for the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latino Youth, a multisite epidemiologic study of obesity and cardiometabolic risk among U.S. Hispanic/Latino children., Methods: Public health, psychology, and sociology research were examined for relevant theories and paradigms. This research, in turn, led us to consider several study design features to best represent both risk and protective factors from multiple levels of influence, as well as the identification of culturally relevant scales to capture identified constructs., Results: The Socio-Ecological Framework, Social Cognitive Theory, family systems theory, and acculturation research informed the specification of our conceptual model. Data are being collected from both children and parents in the household to examine the bidirectional influence of children and their parents, including the potential contribution of intergenerational differences in acculturation as a risk factor. Children and parents are reporting on individual, interpersonal, and perceived organizational and community influences on children's risk for obesity consistent with Socio-Ecological Framework., Conclusions: Much research has been conducted on obesity, yet conceptual models examining risk and protective factors lack specificity in several areas. Study of Latino Youth is designed to fill a gap in this research and inform future efforts., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This article describes the design and methodology of the Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth) study, a multicenter study of Hispanic/Latino children living in the United States., Methods: Participants are children aged 8-16 years whose parents/legal guardians participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, a large community-based cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults living in the United States., Results: Between 2012 and 2014, 1600 children recruited from four field centers (Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego) will undergo a 3.5-hour examination to collect biospecimens, obtain anthropometric measures, blood pressure, fitness level, dietary intake, and physical activity. Psychosocial and environmental characteristics are assessed by questionnaire. Primary study aims are to examine associations of youth's lifestyle behaviors and cardiometabolic risk factors with (1) youth's acculturation and parent-child differences in acculturation; (2) parenting strategies, family behaviors, and parental health behaviors; and (3) youth's psychosocial functioning., Conclusions: SOL Youth will determine the prevalence and distribution of obesity-promoting lifestyle behaviors, cardiometabolic risk profiles, and novel biomarkers associated with obesity and insulin resistance. This article describes the study methodology and considers advantages and limitations of embedding a cohort of children within a well-characterized cohort of adults., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

BackgroundObesity and related comorbidities are major health concerns among many US immigrant populations. Emerging evidence suggests a potential involvement of the gut microbiome. Here, we evaluated gut microbiome features and their associations with immigration, dietary intake, and obesity in 2640 individuals from a population-based study of US Hispanics/Latinos.ResultsThe fecal shotgun metagenomics data indicate that greater US exposure is associated with reduced ɑ-diversity, reduced functions of fiber degradation, and alterations in individual taxa, potentially related to a westernized diet. However, a majority of gut bacterial genera show paradoxical associations, being reduced with US exposure and increased with fiber intake, but increased with obesity. The observed paradoxical associations are not explained by host characteristics or variation in bacterial species but might be related to potential microbial co-occurrence, as seen by positive correlations among Roseburia, Prevotella, Dorea, and Coprococcus. In the conditional analysis with mutual adjustment, including all genera associated with both obesity and US exposure in the same model, the positive associations of Roseburia and Prevotella with obesity did not persist, suggesting that their positive associations with obesity might be due to their co-occurrence and correlations with obesity-related taxa, such as Dorea and Coprococcus.ConclusionsAmong US Hispanics/Latinos, US exposure is associated with unfavorable gut microbiome profiles for obesity risk, potentially related to westernized diet during acculturation. Microbial co-occurrence could be an important factor to consider in future studies relating individual gut microbiome taxa to environmental factors and host health and disease.

Background Underuse of cardiovascular medications for secondary prevention among individuals with peripheral artery disease (PAD) has been reported. Little is known about PAD treatment status in the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States, who may have limited access to health care and who have worse clinical outcomes than non-Hispanic individuals. Methods and Results We studied the use of cardiovascular therapies in 1244 Hispanic/Latino individuals recruited from 4 sites in the United States, including 826 individuals who reported diagnosis of PAD by physician and 418 individuals with coronary artery disease alone, in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. We compared the prevalence of using antiplatelet therapy, lipid-lowering therapy and antihypertensive therapy by PAD and coronary artery disease status. Among those with PAD, we studied factors associated with taking cardiovascular medications, including demographic and socioeconomic factors, acculturation, access to health care and comorbidities, using multivariable regression models. The overall prevalence for individuals with PAD taking antiplatelet therapy, lipid-lowering therapy and, among hypertensive individuals, antihypertensive therapy was 31%, 26% and 57%, respectively. Individuals of Mexican background had the lowest use for all classes of cardiovascular medications. Older age, number of doctor visits and existing hypertension and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with taking cardiovascular therapies in adjusted models. Compared with those with PAD alone, individuals with PAD and concurrent coronary artery disease were 1.52 (95% CI, 1.20-1.93) and 1.74 (1.30-2.32) times more likely to use antiplatelet agents and statins according to multivariable analysis. No significant difference of antihypertensive medication use was found among PAD patients with or without coronary artery disease. Conclusions Hispanic/Latino individuals with known PAD underuse cardiovascular medications recommended in clinical guidelines. More efforts should be directed to improve treatment in this important group.

BackgroundHispanics living in the USA may have unrecognized potential birthplace and lifestyle influences on the gut microbiome. We report a cross-sectional analysis of 1674 participants from four centers of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), aged 18 to 74 years old at recruitment.ResultsAmplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene V4 and fungal ITS1 fragments from self-collected stool samples indicate that the host microbiome is determined by sociodemographic and migration-related variables. Those who relocate from Latin America to the USA at an early age have reductions in Prevotella to Bacteroides ratios that persist across the life course. Shannon index of alpha diversity in fungi and bacteria is low in those who relocate to the USA in early life. In contrast, those who relocate to the USA during adulthood, over 45 years old, have high bacterial and fungal diversity and high Prevotella to Bacteroides ratios, compared to USA-born and childhood arrivals. Low bacterial diversity is associated in turn with obesity. Contrasting with prior studies, our study of the Latino population shows increasing Prevotella to Bacteroides ratio with greater obesity. Taxa within Acidaminococcus, Megasphaera, Ruminococcaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, Clostridiales, Christensenellaceae, YS2 (Cyanobacteria), and Victivallaceae are significantly associated with both obesity and earlier exposure to the USA, while Oscillospira and Anaerotruncus show paradoxical associations with both obesity and late-life introduction to the USA.ConclusionsOur analysis of the gut microbiome of Latinos demonstrates unique features that might be responsible for health disparities affecting Hispanics living in the USA.

We assess how immigrant parent legal status shapes children's physical and mental health. Using the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latino Youth—a multi-site dataset—we evaluated mean differences in multiple physical and mental health indicators and parents' and children's stress and resilience by parents' (primarily mothers') legal status (N = 1177). We estimated regression models of two overall child health outcomes—allostatic load and any internalized disorder. Average allostatic load was 28% higher (0.36 standard deviations) and average prevalence of any internalizing disorder was 16% points greater for children of foreign-born unauthorized versus US-born parents. Higher levels of socioeconomic and acculturative stress contributed to children of foreign-born unauthorized parents' heightened health risk, while resilience factors—parental health and familial support—protected their health. Children with unauthorized immigrant parents experience both negative physical and mental health outcomes that can have potential long-term costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hispanic/Latino youth are less physically active than non-Hispanic/Latino youth. We assessed whether activity-specific parenting practices relate to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior among Hispanic/Latino youth, and whether cultural (acculturation) and neighborhood characteristics (perceived barriers to activity) relate to the use of parenting practice patterns. Using the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth, n = 976 8–16-year-olds), we modeled linear regression associations between parenting practices and mean daily MVPA and sedentary behavior. Parenting practice patterns were then developed using k-means cluster analysis, and regressed on parental acculturation and neighborhood characteristics. Discipline predicted higher MVPA in females (β 1.89 [95% CI 0.11–3.67]), while Monitoring/Reinforcement predicted higher MVPA in males (β 4.71 [95% CI 0.68–8.74]). Three patterns were then identified: Negative Reinforcement (high Limit Setting and Discipline use), Positive Reinforcement (high Limit Setting and Monitoring/Reinforcement use), and Permissive Parenting (low parenting practice use). Higher acculturation predicted use of Positive Reinforcement. Activity-specific parenting practices are associated with activity in sex-specific ways among Hispanic/Latino youth, and cultural factors predict the use of parenting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the United States, Hispanic‐Latino children reach puberty earlier on average than non‐Hispanic white children. Yet among U.S. Hispanic/Latino children, pubertal timing comparisons between immigrant generations have not been made, hence we examined whether pubertal timing differs by immigrant generational status, independent of BMI and acculturation measures. Methods: Cross‐sectional data on 724 boys and 735 girls, aged 10–15 years, from the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Latino (SOL) Youth, were used to predict the median ages of thelarche, pubarche, and menarche in girls, and pubarche and voice change in boys, using Weibull survival models, while adjusting for SOL center, BMI, and acculturation. Results: In girls, the first generation began thelarche earlier than second and third generations (median age [years] [95% confidence interval]: 7.4 [6.1, 8.8] vs. 8.5 [7.3, 9.7] and 9.1 [7.6, 10.7], respectively), but began menarche later (12.9 [12.0,137] vs. 11.8 [11.0, 12.5] and 11.6 [10.6, 12.6], respectively). Pubertal timing and tempo for boys did not differ by generational status. Conclusions: First‐generation U.S. Hispanic/Latino girls had the earliest thelarche, latest menarche and longest pubertal tempo, compared to second and third generations. Factors beyond BMI and acculturation may account for the differences in pubertal timing by generational status of U.S. Hispanic/Latino girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hispanic/Latinos experience a disproportionate burden of obesity. Acculturation to US obesogenic diet and practices may lead to an exacerbation of innate genetic susceptibility. We examined the role of gene–environment interactions to better characterize the sociocultural environmental determinants and their genome-scale interactions, which may contribute to missing heritability of obesity. We utilized polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for body mass index (BMI) to perform analyses of PRS-by-acculturation and other environmental interactors among self-identified Hispanic/Latino adults from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). Methods: PRSs were derived using genome-wide association study (GWAS) weights from a publicly available, large meta-analysis of European ancestry samples. Generalized linear models were run using a set of a priori acculturation-related and environmental factors measured at visit 1 (2008–2011) and visit 2 (2014–2016) in an analytic subsample of 8,109 unrelated individuals with genotypic, phenotypic, and complete case data at both visits. We evaluated continuous measures of BMI and waist-to-hip ratio. All models were weighted for complex sampling design, combined, and sex-stratified. Results: Overall, we observed a consistent increase of BMI with greater PRS across both visits. We found the best-fitting model adjusted for top five principal components of ancestry, sex, age, study site, Hispanic/Latino background genetic ancestry group, sociocultural factors and PRS interactions with age at immigration, years since first arrival to the United States (p < 0.0104), and healthy diet (p < 0.0036) and explained 16% of the variation in BMI. For every 1-SD increase in PRS, there was a corresponding 1.10 kg/m2 increase in BMI (p < 0.001). When these results were stratified by sex, we observed that this 1-SD effect of PRS on BMI was greater for women than men (1.45 vs. 0.79 kg/m2, p < 0.001). Discussion: We observe that age at immigration and the adoption of certain dietary patterns may play a significant role in modifying the effect of genetic risk on obesity. Careful consideration of sociocultural and immigration-related factors should be evaluated. The role of nongenetic factors, including the social environment, should not be overlooked when describing the performance of PRS or for promoting population health in understudied populations in genomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of cardiovascular risk factors including elevated blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, impaired fasting glucose, and abdominal obesity, which disproportionately affects Hispanics/Latinos. The present study examined associations between perceived discrimination and MetS in Hispanic/Latino adults from various background groups (i.e., Dominican, Central American, Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South American). Methods: Data were obtained from 5174 Hispanics/Latinos who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Sociocultural Ancillary Study. MetS components and covariates were measured at a baseline examination, and perceived discrimination was assessed within 9 months of baseline. Path analysis modeled associations of perceived discrimination with MetS prevalence and each of the six components of MetS, controlling for age, sex, income, acculturation, physical activity, diet, smoking, and alcohol use. Results: Among the full cohort, perceived discrimination was not associated with MetS prevalence in any of the models evaluated. Higher perceived discrimination at work/school was associated with larger waist circumference. When examining background groups separately, higher perceived ethnicity-associated threat was related to increased MetS prevalence only among individuals of Central American background. Differential patterns of association between perceived discrimination and MetS components were found for different background groups. Conclusions: Overall results suggested that perceived discrimination was not strongly or consistently associated with MetS among Hispanics/Latinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined associations of immigrant generation, acculturation, and sources of stress and resilience with four outcomes—depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, alcohol susceptibility, and smoking susceptibility. We used data from 1466 youth (ages 8-16) enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth), a probability sample of Hispanic/Latino youth living in Chicago (IL), Miami (FL), Bronx (NY), and San Diego (CA). We found no evidence of an immigrant paradox. Greater children's acculturative stress was associated with depression/anxiety symptoms; greater parent's acculturative stress was associated with smoking susceptibility. Family functioning and children's ethnic identity were associated with fewer depression/anxiety symptoms and lower alcohol/smoking susceptibility. Although acculturation-related stressors increase youths' risks for poor mental health and substance use, the development of positive ethnic identities and close, well-functioning family support systems can help protect Latino/Hispanic children from the negative behavioral and health-related consequences of stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines patterns of smoking cessation among Hispanics/Latinos with particular attention to gender, acculturation, and national background. Data are from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, a population-based study of 16,415 non-institutionalized Hispanics/Latinos ages 18-74 from a stratified random sample of households in Chicago, Miami, the Bronx, and San Diego. Face-to-face interviews, in English or Spanish, were conducted from 2008 to 2011. Findings are based on 6398 participants who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Associations with smoking cessation outcomes were assessed in bivariate and multivariable analyses. Findings indicate that approximately equal proportions of men and women were former smokers. There was little difference by gender in socioeconomic characteristics associated with smoking cessation. Both men and women who lived in households with smokers were less likely to be abstinent. Multivariable analysis indicated that the likelihood of quitting varied by national background primarily among men, however, Puerto Rican and Cuban smokers of both genders were the least likely to successfully quit smoking. Among women, but not men, younger and more socially acculturated individuals had lower odds of sustaining cessation. Over 90% of female and male former smokers reported quitting on their own without cessation aids or therapy. The results suggest that many Hispanics/Latinos are self-motivated to quit and are able to do so without clinical assistance. Heterogeneity in smoking behaviors among Hispanics/Latinos should be taken into account when developing and delivering smoking cessation interventions and public health campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hispanics/Latinos face specific sociocultural stressors associated with their marginalized status in the United States. While stress is known to cause poor sleep, the differential effects of the specific stressors faced by Hispanics/Latinos have not been evaluated. Using cross-sectional data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study, we conducted weighted generalized linear models to evaluate the associations of acculturation stress, ethnic discrimination, and chronic moderate/severe stress with self-reported sleep outcomes (insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, sleep duration) in individual and aggregate models adjusted for site, socio-demographics, behavioral, and medical conditions. Participants included 5313 Hispanic/Latino adults; 43.5% ≥ age 45, 54.8% female, and 22.0% US-born. Chronic moderate/severe stress, ethnic discrimination, and acculturation stress were each positively associated with sleep. In the adjusted aggregate model, only chronic moderate/severe stress was associated with insomnia symptoms (exp(b) = 1.07 for each additional stressor, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.09). Both acculturation stress (exp(b) = 1.05 for each additional SD, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.10) and ethnic discrimination (exp(b) = 1.05 for each additional SD, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.08) were associated with daytime sleepiness. Each SD increase in ethnic discrimination related to a 16% and 13% increased prevalence of short (< 7 h) (RRR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.31) and long sleep duration (> 9 h) (RRR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.00, 1.27), respectively. These associations were consistent across sex. Acculturation stress and ethnic discrimination are associated with poor sleep in Hispanics/Latinos. Future research should explore whether behavioral sleep interventions minimize the impact of sociocultural stressors on sleep.

BACKGROUND: Dietary acculturation, or adoption of dominant culture diet by migrant groups, influences human health. We aimed to examine dietary acculturation and its relationships with cardiovascular disease (CVD), gut microbiota, and blood metabolites among US Hispanic and Latino adults. METHODS: In the HCHS/SOL (Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos), US exposure was defined by years in the United States (50 states and Washington, DC) and US nativity. A dietary acculturation pattern was derived from 14 172 participants with two 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline (2008-2011) using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, with food groups as predictors of US exposure. We evaluated associations of dietary acculturation with incident CVD across ≈7 years of follow-up (n=211/14 172 cases/total) and gut microbiota (n=2349; visit 2, 2014 to 2017). Serum metabolites associated with both dietary acculturation-related gut microbiota (n=694) and incident CVD (n=108/5256 cases/total) were used as proxy measures to assess the association of diet-related gut microbiome with incident CVD. RESULTS: We identified an empirical US-oriented dietary acculturation score that increased with US exposure. Higher dietary acculturation score was associated with higher risk of incident CVD (hazard ratio per SD, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.13-1.57]), adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Sixty-nine microbial species (17 enriched from diverse species, 52 depleted mainly from fiber-utilizing Clostridia and Prevotella species) were associated with dietary acculturation, driven by lower intakes of whole grains, beans, and fruits and higher intakes of refined grains. Twenty-five metabolites, involved predominantly in fatty acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism (eg, branched-chain 14:0 dicarboxylic acid and glycerophosphoethanolamine), were associated with both diet acculturation-related gut microbiota and incident CVD. Proxy association analysis based on these metabolites suggested a positive relationship between diet acculturation-related microbiome and risk of CVD (r=0.70, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among US Hispanic and Latino adults, greater dietary acculturation was associated with elevated CVD risk, possibly through alterations in gut microbiota and related metabolites. Diet and microbiota-targeted interventions may offer opportunities to mitigate CVD burdens of dietary acculturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nondaily smoking is increasing in the United States and common among Hispanic/Latino smokers. We characterized factors related to longitudinal smoking transitions in Hispanic/Latino nondaily smokers.Methods: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos is a population-based cohort study of Hispanics/Latinos aged 18-74 years. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the baseline factors (2008-2011) associated with follow-up smoking status (2014-2017) in nondaily smokers (n = 573), accounting for complex survey design.Results: After ∼6 years, 41% of nondaily smokers became former smokers, 22% became daily smokers, and 37% remained nondaily smokers. Factors related to follow-up smoking status were number of days smoked in the previous month, household smokers, education, income, and insurance. Those smoking 16 or more of the last 30 days had increased risk of becoming a daily smoker [vs. < 4 days; relative risk ratio (RRR) = 5.65, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.96-16.33]. Greater education was inversely associated with transitioning to daily smoking [>high school vs. Conclusions: Many Hispanic/Latino nondaily smokers became daily smokers, which may increase their risk of adverse health outcomes. Addressing different smoking patterns in primary care may be useful to prevent smoking-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some food parenting practices (FPPs) are associated with obesogenic dietary intake in non-Hispanic youth, but studies in Hispanics/Latinos are limited. We examined how FPPs relate to obesogenic dietary intake using cross-sectional data from 1214 Hispanic/Latino 8-16-year-olds and their parents/caregivers in the Hispanic Community Children's Health Study/Study of Latino Youth (SOL Youth). Diet was assessed with 2 24-h dietary recalls. Obesogenic items were snack foods, sweets, and high-sugar beverages. Three FPPs (Rules and Limits, Monitoring, and Pressure to Eat) derived from the Parenting strategies for Eating and Activity Scale (PEAS) were assessed. K-means cluster analysis identified 5 groups of parents with similar FPP scores. Survey-weighted multiple logistic regression examined associations of cluster membership with diet. Parents in the controlling (high scores for all FPPs) vs. indulgent (low scores for all FPPs) cluster had a 1.75 (95% CI: 1.02, 3.03) times higher odds of having children with high obesogenic dietary intake. Among parents of 12-16-year-olds, membership in the pressuring (high Pressure to Eat, low Rules and Limits and Monitoring scores) vs. indulgent cluster was associated with a 2.96 (95% CI: 1.51, 5.80) times greater odds of high obesogenic dietary intake. All other associations were null. Future longitudinal examinations of FPPs are needed to determine temporal associations with obesogenic dietary intake in Hispanic/Latino youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]