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Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Very limited work has evaluated associations of sociocultural processes with prevalence of the MetS.Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate associations between family environment (cohesion/conflict) and the MetS, in a multi-site sample of US Hispanics/Latinos.Methods: A total of 3278 participants from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos underwent a clinical exam and completed psychosocial measures including family environment (cohesion and conflict) as part of the Sociocultural Ancillary Study.Results: The association between family environment and the MetS was moderated by sex. Among all women, higher family conflict was associated with MetS prevalence. Results by ancestry group showed that only among Cuban women, higher conflict was associated with the MetS, whereas only among Dominican men, greater cohesion was associated with the MetS.Conclusions: The family context may be a sociocultural protective or risk factor among Hispanics/Latinos in terms of MetS risk, but these associations may vary by sex and Hispanic background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We assessed risk of cigarette smoking initiation among Hispanics/ Latinos during adolescence by migration status and gender. Methods. The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/ SOL) surveyed persons aged 18 to 74 years in 2008 to 2011. Our cohort analysis (n = 2801 US-born, 13 200 n on-US-born) reconstructed participants' adolescence from 10 to 18 years of age. We assessed the association between migration status and length o f US residence and risk of cigarette smoking initiation during adolescence, along with effects o f gender and Hispanic/Latino background. Results. Among individuals who migrated by 18 years of age, median age and year of arrival were 13 years and 1980, respectively. Among women, but not men, risk o f smoking initiation during adolescence was higher among the US-born (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.10; 95% confidence interval [Cl] = 1.73, 2.57; P<.001), and those who had resided in the United States for 2 or more years (HR = 1.47; 95% Cl = 1.11, 1.96; P= .01) than among persons who lived outside the United States. Conclusions. Research examining why some adolescents begin smoking after moving to the United States could inform targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]