Health Behaviors among Low-income Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Women

Objectives: We determined relationships between food behaviors and health-risk factors by acculturation among limited-income Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women. Methods: Women aged 18-49 years were recruited from income-based programs in metro-Phoenix, Arizona. Self-administered surveys in English or Spanish included demographics, a 10-item food behavior checklist, health-risk factors, food security, and acculturation. Differences by 4 acculturation/ ethnicity categories were assessed with chi-square and analysis of variance (ANOVA). We created a food behavior scale. Results: Eighty-two percent self-identified as Hispanic (N = 358), with 45% Hispanic-dominant, 25% bicultural, 12% English-dominant, and 18% non-Hispanic white for acculturation status. Food behavior checklist results showed that English-dominant Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women were more likely to feed their children soon after waking, refrigerate meat/dairy promptly, not add salt to food, smoke cigarettes and be food insecure (p \u3c .001). Education, not acculturation, was a significant predictor of the food behavior scale. BMI did not differ by acculturation, but 33% of Hispanic-dominant Latinas did not know their height and/or weight. These less acculturated Latinas had significantly greater food security, but lacked health insurance and years of education. Conclusions: Program outreach tailored by acculturation that considers educational level is needed to emphasize existing positive behaviors and address knowledge gaps among low socioeconomic women to improve health and reduce disparities

U.S. Dietary and Physical Activity Guideline Knowledge and Corresponding Behaviors Among 4th and 5th Grade Students: A Multi-Site Pilot Study

Knowledge of U.S. dietary and physical activity recommendations and corresponding behaviors were surveyed among 4th and 5th graders in five Arizona counties to determine the need for related education in SNAP-Ed eligible schools.

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Organically Grown Foods versus Non-Organically Grown Foods

Diet plays an important role in health and disease. The foods we choose to eat can help in the prevention of many illnesses, thus increasing our quality of life. In the local supermarket or health food store, there are more food choices than eve

Food Allergies

Revised; Originally Published 20062 pp

Food Product Dating and Storage Times

Revised 06/2015; Originally published: 07/20063 pp.Nutritious food is an important part of individual health and wellness. One way to ensure food is nutritious is to check the date on packages. The date is a guideline to help consumers use food when it is at its peak quality or before spoilage begins. Proper storage conditions and times are also essential in keeping healthy food safe to consume

Physical Activity: Get Up and Move!

Regular physical activity provides many valuable health benefits. Some of the advantages that regular exercise offers the mind and body include: Building and maintaining healthy bones and muscles. Reducing the risk and problems associated with depression and anxiety. Promoting better sleep quality. Helping maintain a healthy weight. Reducing the risk of many chronic diseases

Ideas for Picky Eaters

3 pp.Parents of picky eaters often find it challenging to motivate their children to eat healthy, balanced meals. Two important goals of ensuring healthy lifestyles for our children include teaching them about the importance of a balanced, nutritious diet, and modeling healthy meals at home. For parents of picky eaters, this can seem like an impossible task

Delicious and Nutritious: Meals for Families with Toddlers

Providing healthy family meals your toddler approves of may seem nearly impossible to do. Oftentimes, it seems like toddlers go through phases of not wanting to eat what is prepared for the family. Furthermore, it seems like healthy eating can take too much time to prepare. These challenges can make busy parents feel overwhelmed and desperate for a solution. This publication is intended to help parents find ways to include healthy, age-appropriate options that are a part of regular family meals

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is best identified as the source that helps keep food moving through our gastric system effectively. It is a broad term that describes the part of plant foods that our bodies cannot digest. There are two categories of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. Most foods contain mixtures of both soluble and insoluble fibers. For good health, it is important to have both types of fiber in our diets. A diet rich in high-fiber foods tends to be lower in fat and higher in vitamins and minerals than a low-fiber diet. Differences between Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber Soluble fiber refers to the type of fiber that dissolves in water and is mostly responsible for the health claims of lowering blood lipid (fat) levels. Soluble fiber is found i