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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]

Objective: To determine whether, after adjustment for glycemia and other selected covariates, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) differed among adults from six Hispanic/Latino heritage groups (Central American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and South American) and between Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic white adults without self-reported diabetes.Research Design and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from 13,083 individuals without self-reported diabetes from six Hispanic/Latino heritage groups, enrolled from 2008 to 2011 in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, and 2,242 non-Hispanic white adults enrolled during the 2007-2012 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We compared HbA1c levels among Hispanics/Latinos and between Hispanics/Latinos and non-Hispanic whites before and after adjustment for age, sex, fasting (FPG) and 2-h post-oral glucose tolerance test (2hPG) glucose, anthropometric measurements, and selected biochemical and hematologic variables and after stratification by diabetes status: unrecognized diabetes (FPG ≥7.1 mmol/L or 2hPG ≥11.2 mmol/L), prediabetes (FPG 5.6-7.0 mmol/L or 2hPG 7.8-11.1 mmol/L), and normal glucose tolerance (FPG <5.6 mmol/L and 2hPG <7.8 mmol/L).Results: Adjusted mean HbA1c differed significantly across all seven groups (P < 0.001). Non-Hispanic whites had significantly lower HbA1c (P < 0.05) than each individual Hispanic/Latino heritage group. Upon stratification by diabetes status, statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) in adjusted mean HbA1c persisted across all seven groups.Conclusions: HbA1c differs among Hispanics/Latinos of diverse heritage groups and between non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics/Latinos after adjustment for glycemia and other covariates. The clinical significance of these differences is unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tobacco smoking and binge or excess drinking are unhealthy behaviors that frequently co-occur. Studies of Hispanics/Latinos have mostly been of Mexican Americans although there are substantial differences in smoking and drinking by heritage background. Associated with co-use by 5 subpopulations., Methods: Cross-sectional data of 16,412 Hispanics/Latinos from Miami, the Bronx, Chicago and San Diego collected between 2008 and 2011 as part of the HCHS/SOL were analyzed. Smoking and alcohol consumption and demographic data were measured by self-report. Prevalence of smoking and alcohol consumption and co-use were reported. Logistic regression models examined the odds of co-use of smoking and binge or excess alcohol use by Hispanic/Latino background group., Results: Men of Cuban (10.3%), Puerto Rican (8.9%), and Mexican (8.9%) background had the highest prevalence of co-use of smoking and binge drinking compared to men of Central American (6.1%) and Dominican (6.6%) background. Women of Dominican (16.4%) and Puerto Rican (19.7%) background had the highest prevalence of binge drinking compared to women of Central American (10%) and Cuban (8%) background and Puerto Rican (34.1%) and Cuban (21.8%) women were the most likely to report current smoking compared to women of Central American (8.3%) and Mexican (10.4%) background. Acculturation was not associated with co-use among men and women. Elevated depressive symptoms were positively associated with smoking and binge drinking among men, OR = 1.5 [1.2-2.0], and women, OR = 1.5 [1.1-2.2]. Puerto Rican women had increased odds of co-use of smoking and binge or excess drinking compared to Mexican American women, OR = 3.2 [1.5-6.6]., Conclusions: Puerto Rican and Dominican Latinas and Central American and South American men have a higher prevalence of co-use., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: We estimated the prevalence and correlates of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among middle-aged and older diverse Hispanics/Latinos., Methods: Middle-aged and older diverse Hispanics/Latinos enrolled (n = 6377; 50-86 years) in this multisite prospective cohort study were evaluated for MCI using the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association diagnostic criteria., Results: The overall MCI prevalence was 9.8%, which varied between Hispanic/Latino groups. Older age, high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and elevated depressive symptoms were significant correlates of MCI prevalence. Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE) and APOE2 were not significantly associated with MCI., Discussion: MCI prevalence varied among Hispanic/Latino backgrounds, but not as widely as reported in the previous studies. CVD risk and depressive symptoms were associated with increased MCI, whereas APOE4 was not, suggesting alternative etiologies for MCI among diverse Hispanics/Latinos. Our findings suggest that mitigating CVD risk factors may offer important pathways to understanding and reducing MCI and possibly dementia among diverse Hispanics/Latinos., (Copyright © 2019 the Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: In the present study, we investigated associations among cigarette smoking, smoking cessation treatment, and depressive symptoms in Hispanic/Latino adults., Methods: The multisite prospective population-based Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) enrolled a cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults (aged 18-74) from diverse backgrounds (n = 16,412) in 4U.S. communities (Chicago, San Diego, Miami, and Bronx). Households were selected using a stratified 2-stage probability sampling design and door-to-door recruitment, and sampling weights calibrated to the 2010U.S. Population Census. Hispanic/Latino individuals of Dominican, Central American, South American, Cuban, Mexican, and Puerto Rican background were considered. Cigarette smoking, smoking cessation treatment, and depressive symptoms were measured by self-report., Results: Results indicated that current smokers had greater odds for significant depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥ 10) than never smokers in all Hispanic background groups [odds ratio (OR) > 1.5]. Depressed persons were not more likely to receive prescribed smoking cessation medications from a doctor (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 0.98-2.08), take over-the-counter medications (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.75-1.66), or receive psychotherapy (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.57-1.85)., Conclusions: In conclusion, these findings suggest that the positive association between smoking status and depressive symptoms is present in all examined Hispanic/Latino background groups., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Context: Major cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are leading causes of mortality among US Hispanic and Latino individuals. Comprehensive data are limited regarding the prevalence of CVD risk factors in this population and relations of these traits to socioeconomic status (SES) and acculturation., Objectives: To describe prevalence of major CVD risk factors and CVD (coronary heart disease [CHD] and stroke) among US Hispanic/Latino individuals of different backgrounds, examine relationships of SES and acculturation with CVD risk profiles and CVD, and assess cross-sectional associations of CVD risk factors with CVD., Design, Setting, and Participants: Multicenter, prospective, population-based Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos including individuals of Cuban (n = 2201), Dominican (n = 1400), Mexican (n = 6232), Puerto Rican (n = 2590), Central American (n = 1634), and South American backgrounds (n = 1022) aged 18 to 74 years. Analyses involved 15,079 participants with complete data enrolled between March 2008 and June 2011., Main Outcome Measures: Adverse CVD risk factors defined using national guidelines for hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and smoking. Prevalence of CHD and stroke were ascertained from self-reported data., Results: Age-standardized prevalence of CVD risk factors varied by Hispanic/Latino background; obesity and current smoking rates were highest among Puerto Rican participants (for men, 40.9% and 34.7%; for women, 51.4% and 31.7%, respectively); hypercholesterolemia prevalence was highest among Central American men (54.9%) and Puerto Rican women (41.0%). Large proportions of participants (80% of men, 71% of women) had at least 1 risk factor. Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of 3 or more risk factors was highest in Puerto Rican participants (25.0%) and significantly higher (P < .001) among participants with less education (16.1%), those who were US-born (18.5%), those who had lived in the United States 10 years or longer (15.7%), and those who preferred English (17.9%). Overall, self-reported CHD and stroke prevalence were low (4.2% and 2.0% in men; 2.4% and 1.2% in women, respectively). In multivariate-adjusted models, hypertension and smoking were directly associated with CHD in both sexes as were hypercholesterolemia and obesity in women and diabetes in men (odds ratios [ORs], 1.5-2.2). For stroke, associations were positive with hypertension in both sexes, diabetes in men, and smoking in women (ORs, 1.7-2.6)., Conclusion: Among US Hispanic/Latino adults of diverse backgrounds, a sizeable proportion of men and women had adverse major risk factors; prevalence of adverse CVD risk profiles was higher among participants with Puerto Rican background, lower SES, and higher levels of acculturation.