Exploring Maternal Factors Linked to Weight Status in Salvadorian Infants

Background: Obesity rates in the US have risen dramatically, especially among Hispanic adults and children. Because of the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Latino children by preschool age, it is prudent to examine maternal factors potentially linked to weight status during an infant’s first year of life. The literature on risk factors of child obesity has focused primarily on children of Mexican descent, and little research exists for other Latino populations, such as Salvadorans. Objective: To investigate maternal physiologic and infant feeding factors associated with infant overweight and/or obesity in a sample of Salvadoran mother-infant dyads. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational study, utilizing an ecological framework, was conducted at the 9-12-month well-baby visit in two private pediatric offices on Long Island, New York. Maternal physiologic risk factors and feeding beliefs as well as infant feeding practices during the first 5 months were self-reported by the mothers. Infants birth weight, current weight and recumbent length were retrieved from the electronic charts. Bivariate logistic regression models examined the relationship of the variables with infant weight status, \u3e 85th weight-for-length percentile (WFL) for sex. Results: In this sample of mothers (N=88), 94.3% were born in El Salvador, 92.1% were married, and the mean age was 28.5 years (SD = 5.9 years); 43% of the total sample of infants had a WFL \u3e 85th percentile. After controlling for maternal age, insurance type, income, education, and marital status, no significant associations with infant WFL \u3e 85th percentile at the 9-12-month well-visit were found. Infant feeding practices in the first five months and maternal physiologic risk factors were not associated with infant weight status. Infant birth weight (kg) was the only variable significantly associated with WFL \u3e 85th percentile, p \u3c .05. Conclusion: This is the first study to examine infant weight status in the Salvadoran population. Future studies should objectively investigate infant feeding practices and other potential contributing factors among Salvadoran mother-infant dyads, since nearly half of the infant sample had a WFL \u3e 85th percentile

Eating patterns and unhealthy weight control behaviors are associated with loss-of-control eating following bariatric surgery

Background: Loss-of-control (LOC) eating is associated with poor weight-loss outcomes following bariatric surgery. It is not clear whether eating patterns (e.g., total number of daily meals/snacks, eating after suppertime, eating when not hungry) and unhealthy weight control behaviors (e.g., smoking, using laxatives) are associated with or predictive of LOC eating. Objectives: To examine whether eating patterns and unhealthy weight-control behaviors are associated with LOC eating and, if so, whether they predict LOC eating in bariatric patients. Setting: Multicenter study, United States. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery–2 study. Assessments were conducted before surgery and at 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 84 months after surgery. Logistic mixed models were used to examine the longitudinal associations between eating patterns, unhealthy weight-control behaviors, and LOC eating. Time-lag techniques were applied to examine whether the associated patterns and behaviors predict LOC eating. Results: The participants (n = 1477) were mostly women (80%), white (86.9%), and married (62.5%). At the time of surgery, the mean age was 45.4 ± 11.0 years and the mean body mass index was 47.8 ± 7.5 kg/m2. The total number of daily meals/snacks, food intake after suppertime, eating when not hungry, eating when feeling full, and use of any unhealthy weight-control behaviors were positively associated with LOC eating (P \u3c .05). Food intake after suppertime, eating when not hungry, and eating when feeling full predicted LOC eating (P \u3c .05). Conclusion: Meal patterns and unhealthy weight control behaviors may be important intervention targets for addressing LOC eating after bariatric surgery

Food and alcohol disturbance among people who have undergone bariatric surgery

Abstract There have been numerous investigations of aberrant eating and substance abuse among patients who have undergone bariatric surgery, which affects the metabolism and the pharmacokinetics of alcohol. However, there is a dearth of literature considering the complex interplay between changes in post‐surgery food and alcohol consumption. Furthermore, despite the increasing recognition of issues surrounding replacing food consumption with alcohol consumption (Food and Alcohol Disturbance [FAD]), most emerging research has focused on young adult populations. This perspective reviews and synthesizes the small but growing body of research on the interplay between food and alcohol consumption, particularly FAD, and considers its application to bariatric surgery in general. There are unique considerations for patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. Patients experience altered gastric anatomy, which affects food and alcohol metabolism, and are advised to abstain from drinking alcohol after surgery. After reviewing the available literature, this perspective highlights future directions for research and practice in bariatric surgery

Adherence to mobile-app-based dietary self-monitoring-Impact on weight loss in adults

Objectives: Greater dietary self-monitoring adherence is associated with weight loss, however, the dietary self-monitoring adherence criteria that predict weight loss are unknown. The criteria used to define adherence to dietary self-monitoring in obesity treatment tend to vary, particularly in studies that include dietary self-monitoring via mobile applications (apps). The objectives of this study were to (a) determine weight change outcomes related to app-based dietary self-monitoring and (b) determine the associations between the frequency, consistency, and completeness of dietary self-monitoring and weight change. Methods: In this single-arm uncontrolled prospective study, employees at a large, urban health system who had overweight or obesity self-monitored dietary intake for 8 weeks using the Calorie Counter by FatSecret app. A paired sample t-test examined the association of app-based dietary self-monitoring and weight change; linear regression examined the associations of frequent, consistent, and complete dietary self-monitoring and weight change. Results: A significant mean difference [t (89) = 6.59, p \u3c 0.001] was found between baseline and 8-week weight (M = −1.5 ± 2.1 kg) in the sample (N = 90). Linear regression revealed a significant association [F (1, 88) = 7.18, p = 0.009] between total weeks of consistent dietary self-monitoring (M = 4.4 ± 2.8) and percent weight loss (M = −1.54% ± 2.26%), and a significant association [F (1, 88) = 6.42, p = 0.013] between dietary self-monitoring frequency (M = 50.1% ± 33.3%) and percent weight loss. The total weeks of complete dietary self-monitoring (M = 3.42 ± 2.87) was not associated [F (1, 88) = 3.57, p = 0.062] with percent weight loss. Conclusions: Consistent and frequent app-based dietary self-monitoring were associated with short-term weight loss. Emphasizing these aspects of self-monitoring may be an avenue for decreasing the burden of self-monitoring