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Objective: To evaluate dietary and physical activity behavior in relation to loneliness among college students. Participants: Three-hundred forty-six incoming first-year students in Fall 2019 at a large state University in the US. Methods: Students completed online surveys in Fall 2019. Multivariable regression analyses were used to model associations of health behaviors with loneliness, adjusting for gender and body mass index (BMI). Results: Two-hundred sixty-four students were included in this analysis. Students in loneliness score ranges of 4–6 and 7–9 have higher fat diet than students in score range of 10–12 (p =.007). Sedentary (19.2%) and low active (53.8%) behaviors were more frequent in students reporting high loneliness than those reporting low loneliness (13.8%, 36.7%, respectively) (p =.006). Conclusions: In this sample of college students, loneliness was related to altered diet quality and physical inactivity. Interventions to reduce loneliness may have a positive effect on health promotion in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examine the proportion of students with rapid firearm access and associations with recent alcohol and marijuana use. Cross-sectional data from college freshmen (n = 183) in 2020 who participated in the Mason: Health Starts Here study. Using logistic regression, associations were examined between past 30-day substance use and access to firearms within 15-min. More than 10% of students could rapidly access a firearm, 53% of whom were current binge drinkers, compared to 13% of those who could not rapidly access firearms. Non-Hispanic White students (AOR = 4.1, 95%CI = 1.3,12.7) and past 30-day binge drinkers (AOR = 6.4, 95%CI = 2.1,19.7) had greater odds of having rapid firearm access. Age, sex, and past 30-day marijuana use were not associated with rapid access. A notable proportion of students had rapid firearm access, which was strongly associated with recent binge drinking. Campus prevention programs should consider how their alcohol and firearm policies could be enhanced to prevent violence/self-harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to evaluate how well college students meet U.S. dietary guidelines by examining the mean intakes of nutrients to limit (sodium, sugar, refined grains, and saturated fat), and what factors lead to exceeding the dietary recommendations. Participants were first-year undergraduate students (N = 269). Diet was assessed using a DHQ-III and estimated with food source composition tables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to model variables associated with exceeding the recommendations. One-sample t-tests were performed to compare the cohort with national intakes. One-third met added sugar guidelines; only 4% met daily refined grains requirements, Fewer than half met saturated fat guidelines, and slightly over half met recommended sodium guidelines. Level of physical activity, race/ethnicity, and living on campus were the important predictors for exceeding recommended intakes. Most students do not adhere to the U.S. dietary guidelines for nutrients to limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-racial violence is a high-profile issue in the United States; however, there is little empirical research on the epidemiology of cross-racial homicides. The objective of this work was to use national-level data to evaluate the characteristics of homicides in which the victim and suspect are of the same or different race or Hispanic ethnicity. Victims and suspects from National Violent Death Reporting System data (2005-2015) were classified into seven-categories on the basis of race/ethnicity (six non-Hispanic races or Hispanic ethnicity), and 51,454 homicide events were classified as concordant (same race or ethnicity), discordant (different race or ethnicity), or unknown (missing race or ethnicity or no suspect information). While discordancy was observed to be similar across all race and ethnicity groups, it was less likely with relatives, romantic partners, and relatives of romantic partners; less likely to occur at home; less likely to occur in intimate partner violence–related homicides; less likely when the homicide was preceded by an argument over money or property; less likely when the homicide was associated with a family problem; more likely among rival gangs and strangers than other known person relationships; and more likely with drug-involved homicides. There were differences for victims of non-Hispanic Black race. Notably, discordance was more likely for justifiable self-defense and more likely with victim having used a weapon. These results suggest that discordant homicides may follow patterns of peer groups and close relationships in society regardless of victim race/ethnicity, that is, individuals may form closer relationships with individuals of the same race/ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to compare nutrient intake of two 24-hour recalls collected using the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall to a 4-day food record. A convenience sample of university-affiliated adults was chosen because of the diverse population at this university. Ninety-three participants completed the 4-day record and were then prompted to complete two 24-hour recalls within 2 weeks after. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for nutrient intake and Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI-2005), a summary measure of diet quality. Nutrients and HEI-2005 were also divided into quartiles and percent agreement and κ values were calculated. Results indicated that mean nutrient intakes were similar across the recall and record. Pearson correlations comparing the record and recall ranged from 0.16 to 0.78; with most correlations being between 0.4 and 0.6. For quartiles of dietary intake, percent agreement was moderately high (62.6% to 79.8%), with low to moderate κ values (κ=0.11 to 0.52). The 24-hour recall provided a good overall ranking of intake compared to a 4-day food record. Overall correlations and percent agreement were moderate across the nutrients and HEI-2005, suggesting that the 24-recalls may have been capturing different information than the food record in our population. Individual researchers will need to weigh the benefits of a more automated system, such as efficiency, against the potential loss of food item detail and potential need for larger sample sizes, for their particular study populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]