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The purpose of this study was to develop a bilingual, user-friendly food label (UFFL) for low-literacy audiences. The UFFL developed was based on (a) a quantitative and qualitative needs assessment of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food label understanding and use, (b) the development of a UFFL, and (c) a qualitative evaluation of the UFFL. Subjects consisted of a convenience sample (N = 150) of low-income Latino caretakers living in Hartford with children under 6 years of age, who were recruited from local community agencies. The primary outcomes measured in this study were food label use, knowledge, and understanding. Chi-square analyses were conducted to determine relationships between subjects' socioeconomic status and demographic characteristics with food label use, knowledge, and understanding. Although 96% of respondents were familiar with the FDA food label, only 30% used it routinely when grocery shopping. FDA food label knowledge was positively associated (p < .05) with younger age, level of education, and being an English speaker. A UFFL was developed that included color coding, bilingual text, and a shaded Food Guide Pyramid. Results indicated that participants found the UFFL easy to understand. The UFFL can be used as a nutrition education tool and the methodology developed may help food policy makers to improve the nutrition education value of the FDA food label.

Objective To identify factors associated with the initiation of breast-feeding in a predominantly Puerto Rican population living in inner-city Hartford, Conn. Design Retrospective study of 144 Latino women (mean± standard deviation age = 26.3±5.7 years) with children at least 1 year old but younger than 6 years old (mean±standard deviation age = 3.0±l.2 years) at the time of the survey. Women were recruited from agencies sponsoring health programs for mothers and children. They were interviewed in their homes (69%) or at the Hispanic Health Council, Hartford, Conn (31%). Subjects/setting Low-income Latino women who had at least 1 preschooler at the time of the interview. The women lived in inner-city Hartford, and the overwhelming majority were Puerto Rican and received welfare assistance and food stamps. Seventy-eight percent of the women chose to be interviewed in Spanish; the other 22% were interviewed in English. Statistical analyses Explanatory variables that related to breast-feeding initiation (P≤.2) in bivariate [X.sup.2] analyses were entered into a multivariate logistic regression model that was reduced using backward stepwise elimination procedures. Results Multivariate analyses indicated that breast-feeding the previous child, shorter length of maternal residence in the United States, not receiving prenatal bottle-feeding advice, more recent birth, and higher birth weight were positively associated with breast-feeding initiation. A major reason for choosing not to breast-feed was that women felt socially uncomfortable doing it. Applications Breast-feeding initiation was more likely in Latino women who received prenatal breast-feeding counseling and postpartum support. Mothers of low-birth-weight infants and women breast-feeding for the first time may need additional help. These findings can be used by programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to increase breast-feeding initiation., The US Public Health Service reported that in 1993 only 56% of all women were initiating breast-feeding (1), a figure far below the 75% goal for the year 2000 (1). [...]

A randomized trial has documented a causal link between periconceptional consumption of folic acid and incidence of neural tube defects (1). In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [...]

ANIR GONZ[acute{A}]LEZ RAFAEL P[acute{E}]REZ-ESCAMILLA IVETTE M[acute{E}]NDEZ Social marketing interventions have been successful in increasing the consumption of 1% milk [1,2] and of fruits and vegetables [3-5]. However, few of these [...]