Assessing Child Obesity and Physical Activity in a Hard-to-Reach Population in California's Central Valley, 2012-2013.

IntroductionIn California's agricultural Central Valley, the rate of childhood obesity is higher than the national average. Adequate physical activity contributes to obesity prevention and its assessment is useful to evaluate the impact of interventions.MethodsNiños Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family [NSFS]) uses community-based participatory research to implement an intervention program to reduce childhood obesity among people of Mexican origin in the Central Valley. Anthropometric measurements were conducted on more than 650 children enrolled in NSFS. Physical activity data from a subgroup of children aged 4 to 7 years (n = 134) were collected via a wearable accelerometer.ResultsChildren were classified on the basis of age and sex-adjusted body mass index as healthy weight (57.7%); overweight (19.3%), or obese (23%). Logistic regression showed that moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was associated with a child's likelihood of having a healthy BMI (odds ratio: 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05; P = .017).ConclusionNSFS's community-based participatory approach resulted in successful use of a commercial electronic device to measure physical activity quantity and quality in this hard-to-reach population. Promotion of adequate daily MVPA is an appropriate and necessary component of NSFS's childhood obesity prevention strategy

The Impact of the California Drought on Food Security among Rural Families of Mexican Origin

Introduction: The year 2015 marks the fourth year of a drought in California. With no signs of the drought improving, communities in California are left to prioritize their water usage. In the Central Valley, the limited water supply has forced farmers to prioritize on acreage and planting, decisions that trickle down and may impact farmworker families. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a drought in California on family decision-making and coping strategies in the context of broader community changes affecting rural families of Mexican-origin. Methods: This study recruited participants from the Niños Sanos, Familia Sana (NSFS, Healthy Children, Healthy Family) childhood obesity intervention study, conducted from 2011-2015. The primary occupation of two-thirds of the NSFS families was agricultural work. Based on the US Department of Agriculture 18-item food security assessment tool, a baseline household survey among 336 families in 2012 revealed that 45% of the households were food insecure. In 2015, a bilingual graduate student moderated four focus groups in a convenience sample of 26 NSFS families, who were recruited by promotoras (local lay workers). Males and females were assigned to different focus group discussions, each of which lasted 1 ½ hours. Two researchers reviewed transcriptions of the audio recordings and analyzed them for emerging themes. Results/Conclusions: In this Mexican-origin rural population, households headed by less educated mothers, older fathers, and adults engaged in farm work were most vulnerable to food insecurity. The focus groups revealed community changes including out-migration of families, increased food prices, and changes in employment (fewer hours, less predictable, need to travel further to find work). These changes have led families to shift their family decision-making and economize to cope with the unpredictable nature of the agricultural workforce. Paying bills and rent takes priority over food, clothing, medicine and other expenses. All groups mentioned having to deny child requests and family outings. Women noted increased stress on the family and concern about keeping families together. Men expressed the desire to avoid disruption to their children’s lives but were actively considering moving elsewhere. As a community, they have remained united and working together to withstand the challenges the drought has introduced

The mode of grass supply to dairy cows impacts on fatty acid and antioxidant profile of milk

The optimization of milk production includes a rational use of forages, respect for the environment and offers the best quality to consumers. Milk production based on grass and forages produceshealthier milk and it is widely spread throughout the Atlantic arc to maximize milk yield per hectare. However, the mode of offeringthe grass can have a major influence on milk composition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of grass supply mode (grazing, zero-grazing or ensiling) on dairy cows'performance, with particular reference to fatty acids and fat-soluble antioxidants concentration. A three by three Latin square experiment was performed with 18 dairy cows. Experimental treatments consisted of exclusive feeding with grass silageand zero-grazing, both offered ad libitum indoors, or grazing for 24 h. The results showed that grazing cows had a higher dry matter intake and greater milk yield than cows feeding on grass silage and zero-grazing, as well as higher concentrations of protein, lactose, nonfat-solidsand urea in milk than housed cows. Milk fatfrom grazing cows had a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids than from cows feeding on grass silage and zero-grazing, with significant differences in the proportion of vaccenic and rumenic acids. The 18:1 trans-11to 18:1 trans-10 ratio is proposed as biomarker to identify the milk produced from the management system of grazing cattle. Milk from grazing cows had a greater proportion of lutein than cows eating grass silage, with the zero-grazing system having intermediate values. In conclusion, the mode of grass supply affectsfatty acid and antioxidant profiles of milk.Work financed by National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA, Spain) through project RTA2014-00086-C02, by the Principality of Asturias through PCTI IDI2018-000237 (GRUPIN NySA) and co-financed with European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). S. De La Torre-Santos is recipient of a SENACYT-IFARHU, Panama, doctoral fellowship

Adaptation of a culturally relevant nutrition and physical activity program for low-income, Mexican-origin parents with young children.

Latino children experience higher rates of obesity than do non-Latino white children. Family-centered nutrition interventions can slow the rate of weight gain in this population. Niños Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family) is a 5-year, community-based, participatory research study that targets rural Mexican-origin farmworker families with children aged 2 to 8 years in California's Central Valley. Adaptation of a culturally relevant obesity prevention program involved qualitative research to tailor key obesity prevention messages, pilot testing and implementation of key messages and activities at family nights, and continual modification to incorporate culturally innovative elements. Of the 238 families enrolled, 53% (125) attended the recommended minimum of 5 (of 10 possible) classes during the first year. A university and community partnership can guide development of a culturally tailored obesity prevention program that is suitable for reaching a high-risk Mexican-origin audience through cooperative extension and other public health programs

A three-year multifaceted intervention to prevent obesity in children of Mexican-heritage.

BackgroundObesity and overweight have increased dramatically in the United States over the last decades. The complexity of interrelated causal factors that result in obesity needs to be addressed within the cultural dynamic of sub-populations. In this study, we sought to estimate the effects of a multifaceted, community-based intervention on body mass index (BMI) among Mexican-heritage children.MethodsNiños Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family) was a quasi-experimental intervention study designed to reduce the rate of BMI growth among Mexican-heritage children in California's Central Valley. Two rural communities were matched based on demographic and environmental characteristics and were assigned as the intervention or comparison community. The three-year intervention included parent workshops on nutrition and physical activity; school-based nutrition lessons and enhanced physical education program for children; and a monthly voucher for fruits and vegetables. Eligible children were between 3 and 8 years old at baseline. Intent-to-treat analyses were estimated using linear mixed-effect models with random intercepts. We ran a series of models for each gender where predictors were fixed except interactions between age groups and obesity status at baseline with intervention to determine the magnitude of impact on BMI.ResultsAt baseline, mean (SD) BMI z-score (zBMI) was 0.97 (0.98) in the intervention group (n = 387) and 0.98 (1.02) in the comparison group (n = 313) (NS). The intervention was significantly associated with log-transformed BMI (β = 0.04 (0.02), P = 0.03) and zBMI (β = 0.25 (0.12), P = 0.04) among boys and log-transformed BMI among obese girls (β = - 0.04 (0.02), P = 0.04). The intervention was significantly and inversely associated with BMI in obese boys and girls across all age groups and normal weight boys in the oldest group (over 6 years) relative to their counterparts in the comparison community.ConclusionsA community-based, multifaceted intervention was effective at slowing the rate of BMI growth among Mexican-heritage children. Our findings suggest that practitioners should consider strategies that address gender disparities and work with a variety of stakeholders to target childhood obesity.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01900613 . Registered 16th July 2013

Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Fear of Childbirth Questionnaire (CFQ-e)

The fear of childbirth is a topical concern, yet the issue has barely been studied in Spain, and only one fear of childbirth measurement instrument has been validated in the country. The aim of this study was to translate, adapt and validate the Fear of Childbirth Questionnaire (CFQ) for use in Spain, as well as to describe and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of this instrument. In a first phase, a methodological study was carried out (translation–backtranslation and cross-cultural adaptation), and pilot study was carried out in the target population. In addition, content validation of the instrument was obtained (CFQ-e) from 10 experts. In the second phase, a cross-sectional study was carried out at several centres in Gran Canaria Island to obtain a validation sample. The evaluation of the psychometric properties of the CFQ-e, including construct validity through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, the calculation of reliability via factor consistency using the ORION coefficients as well as alpha and omega coefficients were carried out. The CFQ-e showed evidence of content validity, adequate construct validity and reliability. The CFQ-e is composed of 37 items distributed in four subscales or dimensions: “fear of medical interventions”; “fear of harm and dying”; “fear of pain” and “fears relating to sexual aspects and embarrassment”. The CFQ-e constitutes a valid and reliable tool to measure the fear of childbirth in the Spanish pregnant population

Efecto de la adición de harina de soja y concentrado proteico de suero de queso sobre la calidad del pan y la dializabilidad de minerales

En este trabajo se estudió el efecto de la incorporación de harina de soja y de concentrado proteico de suero de queso sobre las propiedades físicas de la masa y sobre la calidad del pan de molde. Se realizaron estudios farinográficos y alveográficos sobre las masas. Los panes fueron evaluados por sus atributos sensoriales a través de un panel entrenado y con relación a sus características nutricionales a través de puntaje químico, lisina disponible y disponibilidad potencial del hierro de fortificación y del zinc y calcio intrínsecos. La incorporación de harina de soja (HS) y de concentrado proteico de suero de queso (WPC) produjeron una importante modificación en las propiedades físicas de la masa. El agregado de WPC a un nivel de 6% de reemplazo, incrementó el puntaje químico del pan de 40.2 a 41.4, mientras que con 6% de harina de soja se elevó a 52.2. La mezcla de ambas fuentes proteicas (HS 6% + WPC 6%) permitió aumentar ese puntaje químico a 60.0 sin deterioro evidente de las características organolépticas de los panes. Además, la pérdida de lisina disponible que ocurrió con el WPC fue atenuada con la incorporación simultánea de harina de soja. El agregado de WPC si bien incrementó el aporte de Ca, disminuyó la disponibilidad de Fe y Zn. Este efecto negativo sobre el Fe fue superado por el agregado de promotores de la absorción de minerales, siendo el agregado del EDTA el más beneficioso. Por otra parte el agregado de harina de soja al 6% mejoró el aporte de proteínas sin perjudicar el de minerales.Fil: Visentin, Alexis Nahuel. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Drago, Silvina Rosa. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Osella, Carlos Alberto. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: de la Torre, María Adela Guadalupe. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Sanchez, Hugo Diego. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Rolando Jose. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos; Argentin