5 research outputs found
Ethnic Differences in Therapy Outcome for Foster Youth
This study evaluates the impact of relationship-based therapy on a random sample of White and Black foster youth, as reported by semi-structured telephone interviews with their therapists at the start and end of treatment.
Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant difference in reported school problems between Black and White foster youth over the course of treatment, F(1,37) = 7.336, p=0.010. Black foster youth had significantly greater school problems (M=3.21, SD=1.35) compared to White foster youth (M=2.05, SD=1.39) at the start of treatment. Although school problems significantly improved throughout treatment (F(1,37) = 9.531, p=0.004), Black foster youth still had significantly greater school problems (M=2.42, SD=1.09) at the end of treatment.
Limitations of this study include a small sample size, potential bias of therapist informants, and lack of a comparison group. Future research should further examine ethnic differences in treatment outcomes among foster youth
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Body Composition Trajectories During the First 23 Months of Life Differ by HIV Exposure Among Infants in Western Kenya: A Prospective Study.
BackgroundInfants who are HIV-exposed and uninfected have suboptimal growth patterns compared to those who are HIV-unexposed and uninfected. However, little is known about how these patterns persist beyond 1 year of life.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine whether infant body composition and growth trajectories differed by HIV exposure during the first 2 years of life among Kenyan infants using advanced growth modeling.MethodsRepeated infant body composition and growth measurements (mean: 6; range: 2-7) were obtained from 6 weeks to 23 months in the Pith Moromo cohort in Western Kenya (n = 295, 50% HIV-exposed and uninfected, 50% male). Body composition trajectory groups were fitted using latent class mixed modeling (LCMM) and associations between HIV exposure and growth trajectories were examined using logistic regression analysis.ResultsAll infants exhibited poor growth. However, HIV-exposed infants generally grew suboptimally than unexposed infants. Across all body composition models except for the sum of skinfolds, HIV-exposed infants had a higher likelihood of belonging to the suboptimal growth groups identified by LCMM than the HIV-unexposed infants. Notably, HIV-exposed infants were 3.3 times more likely (95% CI: 1.5-7.4) to belong to the length-for-age z-score growth class that remained at a z-score of < -2, indicating stunted growth. HIV-exposed infants were also 2.6 times more likely (95% CI: 1.2-5.4) to belong to the weight-for-length-for-age z-score growth class that remained between 0 and -1, and were 4.2 times more likely (95% CI: 1.9-9.3) to belong to the weight-for-age z-score growth class that indicated poor weight gain besides stunted linear growth.ConclusionsIn a cohort of Kenyan infants, HIV-exposed infants grew suboptimally compared to HIV-unexposed infants beyond 1 year of age. These growth patterns and longer-term effects should be further investigated to support the ongoing efforts to reduce early-life HIV exposure-related health disparities
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Prenatal weight and regional body composition trajectories and neonatal body composition: The NICHD Foetal Growth Studies.
BackgroundGestational weight gain (GWG) and anthropometric trajectories may affect foetal programming and are potentially modifiable.ObjectivesTo assess concomitant patterns of change in weight, circumferences and adiposity across gestation as an integrated prenatal exposure, and determine how they relate to neonatal body composition.MethodsData are from a prospective cohort of singleton pregnancies (n = 2182) enrolled in United States perinatal centres, 2009-2013. Overall and by prepregnancy BMI group (overweight/obesity and healthy weight), joint latent trajectory models were fit with prenatal weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), triceps (TSF) and subscapular (SSF) skinfolds. Differences in neonatal body composition by trajectory class were assessed via weighted least squares.ResultsSix trajectory patterns reflecting co-occurring changes in weight and MUAC, SSF and TSF across pregnancy were identified overall and by body mass index (BMI) group. Among people with a healthy weight BMI, some differences were observed for neonatal subcutaneous adipose tissue, and among individuals with overweight/obesity some differences in neonatal lean mass were found. Neonatal adiposity measures were higher among infants born to individuals with prepregnancy overweight/obesity.ConclusionsSix integrated trajectory patterns of prenatal weight, subcutaneous adipose tissue and circumferences were observed that were minimally associated with neonatal body composition, suggesting a stronger influence of prepregnancy BMI
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The Pattern and Timing of Weight Changes in Pregnancy Impact Child Growth and Weight Trajectories for Girls but not Boys
Current obesity prevalence in the U.S. is 14% among preschool aged children, 18% among school aged children, 21% among adolescents, and 40% among adults. Pregnancy is a critical period that can shape later health and obesity risk for both the woman carrying the pregnancy and the eventual child. The Institute of Medicine recommends that researchers explore how the pattern of prenatal weight gain, rather than total prenatal weight gain, impacts children’s health outcomes. Responding to this call, PRC faculty scholar Beth Widen and colleagues designed a study to understand how patterns of weight changes over the course of pregnancy are linked to body composition and growth patterns of the children born of these pregnancies. They found that unlike boys, girls exposed to high prenatal weight changes are likely more vulnerable to excess body fat across childhood and into early adolescence. These findings will likely be included in future Institute of Medicine recommendations for healthy weight changes throughout pregnancy.Population Research Cente