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Introduction : Healthy gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with improved pregnancy and delivery outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic changed eating behaviours and physical activity, and thus may have impacted GWG. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on GWG. Methods Participants (N = 371, 86% of the larger study) were part of a study focused on GWG among TRICARE beneficiaries (i.e., active-duty military personnel and other beneficiaries). Participants were randomized to two treatment groups (GWG intervention (n = 149 pre-COVID and n = 98 during COVID), and usual care condition (n = 76 pre-COVID and n = 48 during COVID). GWG was calculated as the difference between screening weight and at 36 weeks gestation. Participants who delivered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2020, N = 225) were compared to participants whose pregnancies occurred during the pandemic (N = 146). Results We found no significant difference in GWG between those who delivered prior to the pandemic (11.2 ± 4.3 kg) and those whose pregnancies occurred during COVID-19 (10.6 ± 5.4 kg), with no effect of intervention arm. While excessive GWG was higher pre-COVID (62.8%) than during the pandemic (53.7%), this difference was not significant overall or by intervention arm. In addition, we found lower attrition during the pandemic (8.9%) than in the pre-COVID period (18.7%). Discussion In contrast to prior research that indicated challenges with engaging in health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that women did not have increased GWG or higher odds of excessive GWG. This research contributes to our understanding of how the pandemic impacted pregnancy weight gain and engagement in research., Author(s): Abby McPhail [sup.1] , Marion E. Hare [sup.2] , G. Wayne Talcott [sup.3] [sup.4] , Melissa A. Little [sup.4] , Zoran Bursac [sup.5] , Rebecca A. Krukowski [sup.2] [sup.4] [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted research productivity for many faculty members. As a result, many US universities began asking promotion and tenure candidates to create COVID-19 impact statements in hopes of mitigating the negative impact of these disruptions on tenure decisions. However, little is known about how such impact statements might be evaluated by promotion and tenure committees. This study examined whether such statements might be evaluated differently based on the gender and racial/ethnic categories of the faculty that submit them. Specifically, current US faculty were asked to evaluate hypothetical tenure dossiers that varied in race/ethnicity (Black/Latinx/White) and binary gender (Male/Female). Results indicated that female candidates were evaluated more favorably than male candidates. Specifically, participants thought that female candidate’s disruptions were more understandable, that their COVID-19 impact statements should be given more weight, and that they were more likely to vote to promote female candidates. There were no significant differences across candidates by race/ethnicity. The unexpected pattern of results suggests more research is needed to understand why such patterns emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are many tools to assist with cigarette smoking cessation (e.g., counseling, pharmacotherapy). However, tool use among cancer patients is understudied despite the consequences of continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis. Objectives: Study aims included describing and comparing cessation tool use among individuals with and without cancer who were currently smoking and who quit to determine if there are different preferences among those with cancer. Methods: Participants (N = 203) completed an online survey about demographics, cigarette use, and cessation tool use. Results: Eighty-nine participants reported being diagnosed with cancer (45 quit after diagnosis, 44 currently smoking) and 114 reported not having cancer (57 quit, 57 currently smoking). Individuals with cancer who were smoking used more evidence-based resources than those with cancer who quit (B = 1.86, SE = 0.50, p < 0.0001). Individuals with cancer who were smoking used more total cessation resources than participants without cancer who were smoking (B = 2.00, SE = 0.58, p = 0.001), but there was no difference in use of evidence-based resources between these two groups (p > 0.05). Lastly, individuals with cancer who quit also used more total cessation tools (B = 1.23, SE = 0.41, p = 0.003) and evidence-based tools (B = 1.03, SE = 0.36, p = 0.005) than those without cancer who quit. Conclusions: Individuals with cancer may be using more resources before successfully quitting. Cancer patients may need additional help to quit smoking, and further research is needed to better understand unique barriers that preclude quitting among this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Introduction: Clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors in childhood significantly increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease later in life. Identification of modifiable parental factors that contribute to offspring cardiometabolic health is critical for the prevention of disease. The objective was to identify factors associated with child cardiometabolic risk factors at age 5 years. Methods: Triads from a longitudinal cohort were recalled at 5 years (n = 68). Dietary intake, anthropometrics, physical activity and serum‐based risk factors were collected. Best subset selection, linear and logistic regressions were used to identify triad variables associated with increased risk of cardiometabolic risk factor clustering at age 5 years. Results: In this cohort, best subset modelling revealed that increased paternal fat mass, serum low‐density lipoproteins and triglycerides, maternal dietary added sugar and being female were associated with increased odds of offspring having two or more cardiometabolic risk factors at age 5 years. Conclusions: Dietary and exercise interventions prior to conception targeting paternal adiposity and dyslipidaemia as well as maternal dietary habits could decrease children's cardiometabolic risk in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a widespread impact on attendance in biomedical research and health care visits. ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify when and how American adults might feel comfortable about resuming in-person research and health care visits. MethodsCross-sectional questionnaire data were collected from 135 adults (age: median 48 years; women: n=113, 83.7%; White participants: n=92, 68.2%) who were engaged in health-related research. ResultsMore than half of the respondents (65/122, 53.3%) felt that the COVID-19 pandemic positively affected their desire to participate in research. Although 73.6% (95/129) of respondents also indicated a willingness to attend in-person health care visits while Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines are implemented, 85.8% (109/127) indicated a willingness to attend in-person, outdoor visits, and 92.2% (118/128) reported a willingness to attend drive-through visits (with CDC guidelines implemented during both visit types). Videoconferencing was the most preferred format for intervention visits; however, adults over the age of 65 years preferred this format less than younger adults (P=.001). ConclusionsResearchers and clinicians should continue to provide opportunities for continuing the conduction of remote-based interventions while enforcing CDC guidelines during in-person visits.

BackgroundFeedback for participants’ self-monitoring is a crucial and costly component of technology-based weight loss interventions. Detailed examination of interventionist time when reviewing and providing feedback for online self-monitoring data is lacking. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to longitudinally examine the time counselors spent providing feedback on participant self-monitoring data (ie, diet, physical activity, weight) in a 12-month technology-based weight loss intervention. We hypothesized that counselors would compose feedback for participants more quickly over time. MethodsThe time the lay counselors (N=10) spent reviewing self-monitoring records and providing feedback to participants via email was longitudinally examined for all counselors across the three years of study implementation. Descriptives were observed for counselor feedback duration across counselors by 12 annual quarters (ie, 3-month periods). Differences in overall duration times by each consecutive annual quarter were analyzed using Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests. ResultsThere was a decrease in counselor feedback duration from the first to second quarter (mean 53 to 46 minutes; P

BackgroundIndividualized dietary and physical activity self-monitoring feedback is a core element of behavioral weight loss interventions and is associated with clinically significant weight loss. To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated individuals’ perspectives on the composition of feedback messages or the effect of feedback composition on the motivation to self-monitor. ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the perceptions of feedback emails as a function of the number of comments that reinforce healthy behavior and the number of areas for change (ie, behavioral changes that the individual might make to have an impact on weight) identified. MethodsEmailed feedback followed a factorial design with 2 factors (ie, reinforcing comments and areas for change), each with 3 levels (ie, 1, 4, or 8 comments). A total of 250 adults with overweight or obesity who were interested in weight loss were recruited from the Qualtrics research panel. Participants read 9 emails presented in a random order. For each email, respondents answered 8 questions about the likelihood to self-monitor in the future, motivation for behavioral change, and perceptions of the counselor and the email. A mixed effects ordinal logistic model was used to compute conditional odds ratios and predictive margins (ie, average predicted probability) on a 5-point Likert response scale to investigate the optimal combination level of the 2 factors. ResultsEmails with more reinforcing comments or areas for change were better received, with small incremental benefits for 8 reinforcing comments or areas for change versus 4 reinforcing comments or areas for change. Interactions indicated that the best combination for 3 of 8 outcomes assessed (ie, motivation to make behavioral changes, counselor’s concern for their welfare, and the perception that the counselor likes them) was the email with 8 reinforcing comments and 4 areas for change. Emails with 4 reinforcing comments and 4 areas for change resulted in the highest average probability of individuals who reported being very likely to self-monitor in the future. ConclusionsThe study findings suggest how feedback might be optimized for efficacy. Future studies should explore whether the composition of feedback email affects actual self-monitoring performance.