Opportunities for the Primary Prevention of Obesity during Infancy

Are chubby babies healthy babies? Whereas most seem well during infancy, evidence is increasing that heavier babies have a poorer long-term health trajectory than their trimmer counterparts. Data have emerged over the past 2 decades that early life growth patterns and behaviors play an important role in the etiology of obesity, yet there has been very little focus on the primary prevention of obesity during infancy by the medical, behavioral health, and public health communities. A recent report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) highlighted the need for very early intervention when it revealed that between 2003 and 2006, a staggering 24.4% of children aged 2 to 5 years already were overweight or obese (body mass index [BMI; calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] 85th–94th and ≥95th percentiles, respectively) [1]. NHANES data also have described obesity (weight-for-length/height ≥95th percentile) among infants younger than 2 years ( Fig. 1). Between the late 1970s and 2000, the prevalence of obesity among infants 6 to 23 months old increased by more than 60% [2]. Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System [3] and a Massachusetts Health Maintenance Organization [4] similarly showed significant increases in the prevalence of overweight for infants and toddlers for all age groups since the 1980

My Baby, My Move+: Feasibility of a Community Prenatal Wellbeing Intervention

Background Excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG), insufficient prenatal physical activity and sleep, and poor psychological wellbeing independently increase risks for adverse maternal and infant outcomes. A novel approach to mitigate these risks is utilizing peer support in a community-based prenatal intervention. This study assessed the feasibility (acceptability, demand, implementation, and practicality) of a remotely delivered prenatal physical activity intervention called My Baby, My Move + (MBMM +) that aims to increase prenatal physical activity, enhance mood and sleep hygiene, and reduce EGWG. Methods Participants were recruited through community organizations, local clinics, and social media platforms in the Fall of 2020 and Spring of 2021. Eligible pregnant women were randomized to either the MBMM + intervention or the control group. Each group met over Zoom for 16 sessions (twice weekly for 60 min over 8 weeks) to learn either behavioral change and wellbeing knowledge and skills (MBMM +) or knowledge and skills related to parenting (control group). Multiple methods of evaluation to better understand the feasibility of the intervention were conducted. Results A total of 49 women (25 MBMM + intervention, 24 control) completed both pre- and post-survey assessments and were included in the analyses. A subsample of 19 (39%) intervention participants completed a combination of semi-structured interviews/surveys to assess acceptability, demand, implementation, and practicality. Participants expressed positive feedback regarding acceptability (satisfaction and intent to continue use) and were extremely likely or likely to recommend the program to a friend (demand). Implementation metrics were assessed by observation and feedback forms completed by peer leaders and demonstrated high-quality control. Findings suggest that the intervention was practical due to remote sessions and cost-effectiveness. Conclusion The MBMM + intervention was deemed to be a feasible intervention with high acceptability, demand, implementation, and practicality. These findings can be used to inform the scalability of the intervention and implementation of a larger efficacy trial

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Nutritional Status Differs by Prescription Opioid Use among Women of Reproductive Age: NHANES 1999–2018

Prescription opioid use among pregnant women has increased in recent years. Prenatal exposure to opioids and poor nutrition can both negatively impact maternal–fetal outcomes. The objective of this study was to characterize the nutrition and health status of reproductive-age women taking prescription opioids, compared to women not taking opioids. Using NHANES 1999–2018 data, non-pregnant women aged 20–44 years were classified as taking a prescription opioid in the last 30 days (n = 404) or unexposed controls (n = 7234). Differences in anthropometric, cardiovascular, hematologic, and micronutrient status indicators between opioid-exposed and unexposed women were examined. Opioid-exposed women were older, had lower income and education, and were more likely to be non-Hispanic White, to smoke, and to have chronic health conditions compared to unexposed women. In unadjusted analyses, several nutrition and health markers were significantly different between opioid exposure groups. After controlling for covariates, women taking opioids had higher odds of Class II (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1–2.3) or III obesity (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1–2.5), and lower levels of serum folate, iron, and transferrin saturation. Reproductive-age women taking prescription opioids may be at risk for poorer nutritional and cardiometabolic health. Future research is needed to explore whether nutritional status impacts maternal–fetal outcomes for women exposed to opioids during pregnancy

Perceptions of Exercise Stages, Barrier Self-Efficacy, and Decisional Balance for Middle-Level School Students

It is important to examine theoretically the determinants of exercise for middle school children because of the rapid decline in exercise during adolescence. The purpose for this study was to examine the validity of the Stages of Change (SOC) construct of the Transtheoretical Model with 387 middle school children. The students completed an SOC, barrier self-efficacy, and decisional balance questionnaire, as well as objective and self-report measures of exercise behavior/fitness level. Classification by SOC revealed that 236 children were in the maintenance stage, 108 in the action stage, 25 in the preparation stage, and 18 in the contemplation/precontemplation stage. Barrier self-efficacy, 1-mile run/walk, curl-up, and push-up scores improved at each level from the precontemplation through to the maintenance stage. There were no significant differences in decisional balance scores across the SOC. This study provided preliminary cognitive and behavioral support for the use of the SOC construct with middle school children