Association Of Supermarket Characteristics With The Body Mass Index Of Their Shoppers

Background Research on the built food environment and weight status has mostly focused on the presence/absence of food outlets while ignoring their internal features or where residents actually shop. We explored associations of distance travelled to supermarkets and supermarket characteristics with shoppers’ body mass index (BMI). Methods Shoppers (n=555) of five supermarkets situated in different income areas in the city were surveyed for food shopping habits, demographics, home postal code, height and weight. Associations of minimum distance to a supermarket (along road network, objectively measured using ArcGIS), its size, food variety and food basket price with shoppers’ BMI were investigated. The ‘food basket’ was defined as the mixture of several food items commonly consumed by residents and available in all supermarkets. Results Supermarkets ranged in total floor space (7500–135 000 square feet) and had similar varieties of fruits, vegetables and cereals. The majority of participants shopped at the surveyed supermarket more than once per week (mean range 1.2 ± 0.8 to 2.3 ± 2.1 times per week across the five supermarkets, p < 0.001), and identified it as their primary store for food (52% overall). Mean participant BMI of the five supermarkets ranged from 23.7 ± 4.3 kg/m2 to 27.1 ± 4.3 kg/m2 (p < 0.001). Median minimum distance from the shoppers’ residence to the supermarket they shopped at ranged from 0.96 (0.57, 2.31) km to 4.30 (2.83, 5.75) km (p < 0.001). A negative association was found between food basket price and BMI. There were no associations between BMI and minimum distance to the supermarket, or other supermarket characteristics. After adjusting for age, sex, dissemination area median individual income and car ownership, BMI of individuals who shopped at Store 1 and Store 2, the supermarkets with lowest price of the ‘food basket’, was 3.66 kg/m2 and 3.73 kg/m2 higher compared to their counterparts who shopped at the supermarket where the ‘food basket’ price was highest (p < 0.001). Conclusions The food basket price in supermarkets was inversely associated with BMI of their shoppers. Our results suggest that careful manipulation of food prices may be used as an intervention for decreasing BMI

Sleep Change of English, French and Chinese speaking Immigrants in Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada

The International Journal of Health Sciences & Research is a multidisciplinary indexed open access double-blind peer-reviewed international journalObjectives: This multicultural study aimed at examining sleep change of English, French and Chinese speaking immigrants in Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada, and identifying demographic factors that impact the change. Materials and Methods: 810 immigrants of the three language sub-groups were recruited by purposive-sampling. Using self-reports, respondents answered questions of sleep change (sleep behavior change and sleep belief change) and demography in Multicultural Lifestyle Change Questionnaire of English, French or Chinese version. Data were analyzed statistically. Results: Immigrants of different gender, language and category sub-groups exhibited different Sleep Time Change Rates, Sleep Time Increasing Rates, Sleep Time Decreasing Rates, Sleep Quality Change Rates, Sleep Quality Improving Rates, Sleep Quality Declining Rate and Sleep Belief Change Rates, but no statistical difference between the rates. Sleep Change (Sleep Behavior Change + Sleep Belief Change) and Sleep Behavior Change were correlated negatively with Mother Tongue, and positively with Age and Primary Occupation. Age and Primary Occupation significantly impacted Sleep Change. Gender significantly impacted Sleep Behavior Change. Mother Tongue significantly impacted Sleep Belief Change. Conclusion: Immigrants of different sub-groups in Canada experienced different sleep changes. Age and Primary Occupation were main impacting factors. Gender was a sleep behavior influencing factor. Mother Tongue was an important sleep belief affecting factor. Culture was a significant contributing factor. Acculturation was a relating impacting factor. Data may provide evidence and implication for immigrant health policy-making and policy-revising in Canada

Determinants of changes in dietary patterns among Chinese immigrants: a cross-sectional analysis

Background: Chinese individuals who have immigrated to a Western country initially tend to have a lower risk ofcardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to people who are already living there. Some studies have found, however,that CVD risk increases over time in immigrants and that immigration to a western country is associated withchanges in dietary patterns. This could have unfavourable effects on the risk of CVD. There is limited knowledge onthe food patterns, awareness and knowledge about healthy nutrition among Chinese immigrants. The objective forthis study is to explore changes in food patterns, and levels of awareness and knowledge of healthy nutrition bylength of residence among Chinese immigrants to Canada.Methods: 120 Chinese individuals born in China but currently living in Canada completed an assessment on sociodemographiccharacteristics, changes in dietary patterns and variables of awareness and knowledge about healthyfoods. With ordinal logistic regression the associations between the quartiles of length of residence and dietarypatterns, variables of awareness and knowledge about healthy foods were explored, adjusting for age, sex,education and body mass index.Results: More than 50% of the participants reported increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreasingthe use of deep-frying after immigration. Increased awareness and knowledge about healthy foods was reportedby more than 50% of the participants. Ordinal regression indicated that Chinese immigrants who lived in Canadathe longest, compared to Chinese immigrants who lived in Canada the shortest, consumed significant greaterportion sizes (OR: 9.9; 95% CI: 3.11 - 31.15), dined out more frequently (OR: 15.8; 95% CI: 5.0 - 49.85), and consumedconvenience foods more often (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.23 - 10.01).Conclusions: Chinese immigrants reported some favourable changes in their dietary intake and greater awarenessand more knowledge about healthy foods after immigration. However, an increase in portion size, an increasedfrequency of dining out and an increased consumption of convenience foods could indicate some unfavourablechanges. These results suggest that health promotion strategies should build on the observed benefits ofimproved nutritional knowledge and target areas of portion size and convenience eating

Smoking change of English-, French-, and Chinese speaking immigrants in Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.Background: Immigrant smoking change is of particular interest to multicultural health researchers and policymakers. Objective: To examine the smoking change of the English-, French-, and Chinese-speaking immigrants in Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada, and identify the demographic factors that correlate with the change and impact the change. Materials and Methods: In total, 810 immigrants of the three language subgroups were recruited by purposive-sampling method. Using self-reports, the participants answered questions regarding smoking change and demography in multicultural lifestyle change questionnaire of English, French, or Chinese version. Percentage, significance, and multivariate (correlation and regression) analysis methods were used in data analysis for the different subgroups. Result: Immigrants of different gender, language, and category subgroups exhibited values for different smoking rates, smoking rates before and after immigration, smoking change rates, and smoking belief change rates but no statistical difference between the rates. Smoking change (smoking behavior change + smoking belief change) correlated positively with age and duration of residence in Canada and negatively with gender and category of immigration. Smoking behavior change correlated positively with age and duration of residence in Canada and negatively with mother tongue and gender. Age and gender significantly impacted smoking change (smoking behavior change and smoking belief change). The duration of residence in Canada significantly impacted smoking belief change. Conclusion: The immigrants in Canada experienced different smoking changes. Age, gender, and duration of residence were the main impacting factors. Culture and acculturation were the relating contributing factors. Data of immigrant smoking change may provide an evidence for smoking control policymaking and policy-revising in Canada

Neighbourhood socio-economic status and all-cause mortality in adults with atrial fibrillation: A cohort study of patients treated in primary care in Sweden.

Our aim was to study the potential impact of neighbourhood socio-economic status (SES) on all-cause mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated in primary care

Sex differences in the association of vitamin D and metabolic risk factors with carotid intima-media thickness in obese adolescents

BACKGROUND: It has been shown that vitamin D is associated with obesity and the development of atherosclerosis. Less is known about this association among adolescents with obesity. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association of vitamin D level and metabolic risk factors with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) among obese adolescents. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among obese children aged 15 to 17 years in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The association of vitamin D and other metabolic risk factors (triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and insulin resistance using homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)) with CIMT was explored by multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS: Out of 156 obese adolescents, 55.8% were boys. Compared to girls, boys had higher BMI z-score, waist circumference, and HDL-cholesterol. After adjustment for age, sex and second-hand smoke exposure, high HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels were associated with higher odds of elevated CIMT. In analyses stratified by sex, a similar trend was observed in boys, while none of the risk factors were associated with CIMT in girls. We observed no association between vitamin D and CIMT. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperinsulinemia, higher total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were associated with greater odds of elevated CIMT among obese adolescent boys

Explaining trace-based learner profiles with self-reports:The added value of psychological networks

Background: Learner profiles detected from digital trace data are typically triangulated with survey data to explain those profiles based on learners' internal conditions (e.g., motivation). However, survey data are often analysed with limited consideration of the interconnected nature of learners' internal conditions. Objectives: Aiming to enable a thorough understanding of trace-based learner profiles, this paper presents and evaluates a comprehensive approach to analysis of learners' self-reports, which extends conventional statistical methods with psychological networks analysis. Methods: The study context is a massive open online course (MOOC) aimed at promoting physical activity (PA) for health. Learners' (N = 497) perceptions related to PA, as well as their self-efficacy and intentions to increase the level of PA were collected before and after the MOOC, while their interactions with the course were logged as digital traces. Learner profiles derived from trace data were further examined and interpreted through a combined use of conventional statistical methods and psychological networks analysis. Results and Conclusions: The inclusion of psychological networks in the analysis of learners' self-reports collected before the start of the MOOC offers better understanding of trace-based learner profiles, compared to the conventional statistical analysis only. Likewise, the combined use of conventional statistical methods and psychological networks in the analysis of learners' self-reports before and after the MOOC provided more comprehensive insights about changes in the constructs measured in each learner profile. Major Takeaways: The combined use of conventional statistical methods and psychological networks presented in this paper sets a path for a comprehensive analysis of survey data. The insights it offers complement the information about learner profiles derived from trace data, thus allowing for a more thorough understanding of learners' course engagement than any individual method or data source would allow.</p