The Effect of Remuneration Schedule on Data Completion and Retention in the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study (PEAS)

Maximizing data completion and study retention is essential in population research. This study examined the effect of remuneration schedule and data collection modality on data completion and retention in the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study cohort. Participants (n = 458) completed online surveys and attended six in-person study visits. Initially, remuneration was a prespecified amount per visit, then was changed mid-study to be prorated based on the number of forms completed. Additionally, survey data collection modality was changed to in-person at the sixth study visit. In this secondary data analysis, there was no effect of remuneration schedule on withdrawal rates or time-to-withdrawal. Survey completion was significantly lower under prorated remuneration at the first visit but did not significantly differ at subsequent visits. The lump sum group had significantly greater odds of completely the first and second trimester dietary record (OR = 4.1, OR = 2.6, respectively) then the prorated group but were almost half as likely to complete the dietary record at the 6-month postpartum visit (OR = 0.5). Survey completion at sixth visit was significantly higher for in-person versus online completion (68.6% vs. 93.1%). Findings suggest that remuneration schedule and data collection modality can impact completion of self- reported assessments

Eating patterns during pregnancy and postpartum and their association with diet quality and energy intake

This study investigates the relationship between meal-specific eating patterns during pregnancy and postpartum with maternal diet quality and energy intake. Participants in a prospective cohort study completed 24-h dietary recalls three times throughout both pregnancy and 1 year postpartum (n = 420). Linear regressions estimated the associations of eating frequency (number of daily main meals and eating occasions), meal and energy regularity (meal skipping and variation of daily energy intake), and intake timing patterns (distribution of energy intake throughout the day, derived using principal component analysis) with daily energy intake and diet quality (Healthy Eating Index-2015, calculated daily and overall, across both pregnancy and postpartum). Eating frequency was positively associated with energy intake and daily diet quality. Irregular meals were associated with lower energy intake in pregnancy but not postpartum and with lower pregnancy and postpartum diet quality. Energy irregularity was not associated with energy intake or diet quality. Higher postpartum diet quality was associated with a morning energy intake pattern (versus late morning/early afternoon or evening). Differences in these associations between pregnancy and postpartum suggest that efforts to support optimal energy intake and diet quality by modifying eating patterns may require specific strategies for pregnancy and postpartum

What makes a young assertive bystander? The effect of intergroup contact, empathy, cultural openness, and in-Group bias on assertive bystander intervention intentions.

The present research tests the indirect effects of intergroup contact on adolescents’ bystander intervention intentions via four potential mediators: “empathy,” “cultural openness,” “in-group bias,” and “intergroup anxiety.” British adolescents (N = 855), aged 11–13 years, completed measures of intergroup (interethnic) contact and the identified indirect variables. Intended bystander behavior was measured by presenting participants with an intergroup (immigrant) name-calling scenario. Participants rated the extent to which they would behave assertively. The findings extend previous intergroup contact research by showing a significant indirect effect of intergroup contact on assertive bystander intentions via empathy, cultural openness and in-group bias (but not via intergroup anxiety). Theoretical implications and practical suggestions for future prejudice-reduction interventions are discussed

Impact of the external school food environment on the associations of internal school food environment with high schoolers’ diet and BMI

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations of school food availability with student intake frequency and BMI, and whether the number of neighbourhood food outlets modifies these associations. DESIGN: Baseline assessment of a nationally representative cohort study of US 10th graders. Students reported intake frequency of fruits and vegetables (FV), snacks and soda. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight. Administrators of seventy-two high schools reported the frequency of school availability of FV, snacks and soda. The number of food outlets within 1 km and 5 km were linked with geocoded school addresses. Data were analysed using adjusted linear and logistic mixed models with multiple imputation for missing data. SETTING: US 2009-2010. PARTICIPANTS: Totally, 2263 US 10th graders from the Next Generation Health Study (NEXT). RESULTS: Greater school FV availability was positively associated with student FV intake. Food outlets within 5 km of schools (but not 1 km) attenuated the association of school FV availability with student intake; this was no longer significant at schools with > 58 food outlets within 5 km. School food availability was not associated with student BMI or student snack or soda intake. CONCLUSIONS: School food availability was associated with student intake of FV, but not with snacks, soda or BMI. Attenuation of the observed associations by the school neighbourhood food environment indicates a need to find ways to support healthy student eating behaviours in neighbourhoods with higher food outlet density

Associations of ultra-processed food intake with maternal weight change and cardiometabolic health and infant growth

BACKGROUND: Excessive intake of ultra-processed foods, formulated from substances extracted from foods or derived from food constituents, may be a modifiable behavioral risk factor for adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Prior work has predominately examined health correlates of maternal ultra-processed food intake in populations with substantially lower ultra-processed food intake compared to the US population. This longitudinal study investigated relations of ultra-processed food intake with maternal weight change and cardiometabolic health and infant growth in a US cohort. METHODS: Mothers in the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study were enrolled at ≤12 weeks gestation and completed multiple 24-Hour Dietary Recalls within six visit windows through one-year postpartum (458 mothers enrolled, 321 retained at one-year postpartum). The NOVA (not an acronym) system categorized food and underlying ingredient codes based on processing level. Maternal anthropometrics were measured throughout pregnancy and postpartum, and infant anthropometrics were measured at birth and ages 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Maternal cardiometabolic markers were analyzed from blood samples obtained during the second and third trimesters. RESULTS: Holding covariates and total energy intake constant, a 1-SD greater percent energy intake from ultra-processed foods during pregnancy was associated with 31% higher odds of excessive gestational weight gain (p = .045, 95% CI [1.01, 1.70]), 0.68±0.29 mg/L higher c-reactive protein during pregnancy (p = .021, 95% CI [0.10, 1.26]), 6.7±3.4% greater gestational weight gain retained (p = .049, 95% CI [0.03, 13.30]), and 1.09±0.36 kg greater postpartum weight retention (p = .003, 95% CI [0.38, 1.80]). No other significant associations emerged. CONCLUSIONS: Ultra-processed food intake during pregnancy may be a modifiable behavioral risk factor for adverse maternal weight outcomes and inflammation. Randomized controlled trials are needed to test whether targeting ultra-processed food intake during pregnancy may support optimal maternal health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov. Registration ID - NCT02217462. Date of registration - August 13, 2014

Developmental trajectory of appetitive traits and their bidirectional relations with body mass index from infancy to early childhood.

Appetitive traits, including food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, satiety responsiveness and slowness in eating, are associated with childhood body mass index. Change in appetitive traits from infancy to childhood and the direction of causality between appetitive traits and body mass index are unclear. The present study examined the developmental trajectory of appetitive traits and their bidirectional relations with body mass index, from infancy to early childhood. Mothers in the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study and follow-up (n = 162) reported child appetitive traits using the Baby and Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaires at ages 6 months and 3.5 years, respectively. Standardized body mass index (zBMI) was calculated from child anthropometrics. Cross-lagged panel models estimated bidirectional relations between appetitive traits and zBMI. Food responsiveness, satiety responsiveness and slowness in eating increased from infancy to early childhood. In cross-lagged panel models, lower infant satiety responsiveness (B ± SE = -0.45 ± 0.19, p = .02) predicted greater child zBMI. Infant zBMI did not predict child appetitive traits (p-values >.36). From infancy to early childhood, appetitive traits may amplify. Appetitive traits, particularly satiety responsiveness, appear to influence body mass index during this period, suggesting early intervention targeting these traits may reduce childhood obesity

Associations of Appetitive Traits and Parental Feeding Style with Diet Quality During Early Childhood.

BackgroundAppetitive traits and parent feeding styles are associated with body mass index in children, yet their associations with child diet quality are unclear.ObjectiveThe objective was to examine relations of appetitive traits and parental feeding style with diet quality in 3.5-year-old children.DesignThe study was a secondary, cross-sectional analysis of data from Sprouts, a follow-up study of the Pregnancy Eating Attributes Study (PEAS). Birthing parents completed the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire, and proxy 24-hour dietary recalls for their children from February 2019 to December 2020.Participants/settingParticipants were 162 birthing parents (early pregnancy BMI ≥18.5 kg/m2 and absence of pre-existing diabetes, any medical condition contraindicating study participation, self-reported eating disorder, and medications that could affect diet or weight) and their children living in North Carolina.Main outcome measuresHealthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) total scores were calculated.Statistical analyses performedPath modeling was conducted using PROC CALIS with full information maximum likelihood (FIML) to account for missing data (ResultsA 1-SD greater food fussiness was associated with a 2.4-point lower HEI-2015 total score [p = .02, 95% CI (-4.32, -0.48)] in children. When parental feeding style was authoritarian, a 1-SD greater food responsiveness was associated a 4.1-point higher HEI-2015 total score [p = .007, 95% CI (1.12, 7.01)] in children. When parental feeding style was authoritative, a 1-SD greater slowness in eating was associated with a 5.8-point lower HEI-2015 total score [p = .01, 95% CI (-10.26, -1.33)] in children.ConclusionsParental feeding style may modify the association of appetitive traits with diet quality in young children. Future research could determine whether matching parent feeding styles to child appetitive trait profiles improves child diet quality

Adolescent Bullying Involvement and Perceived Family, Peer and School Relations: Commonalities and Differences Across Race/Ethnicity

Although bullying is recognized as a serious problem in the U.S., little is known about racial/ethnic differences in bullying risk. This study examined associations between bullying and family, peer, and school relations for White, Black and Hispanic adolescents

Does inter-vertebral range of motion increase after spinal manipulation? A prospective cohort study.

Background: Spinal manipulation for nonspecific neck pain is thought to work in part by improving inter-vertebral range of motion (IV-RoM), but it is difficult to measure this or determine whether it is related to clinical outcomes. Objectives: This study undertook to determine whether cervical spine flexion and extension IV-RoM increases after a course of spinal manipulation, to explore relationships between any IV-RoM increases and clinical outcomes and to compare palpation with objective measurement in the detection of hypo-mobile segments. Method: Thirty patients with nonspecific neck pain and 30 healthy controls matched for age and gender received quantitative fluoroscopy (QF) screenings to measure flexion and extension IV-RoM (C1-C6) at baseline and 4-week follow-up between September 2012-13. Patients received up to 12 neck manipulations and completed NRS, NDI and Euroqol 5D-5L at baseline, plus PGIC and satisfaction questionnaires at follow-up. IV-RoM accuracy, repeatability and hypo-mobility cut-offs were determined. Minimal detectable changes (MDC) over 4 weeks were calculated from controls. Patients and control IV-RoMs were compared at baseline as well as changes in patients over 4 weeks. Correlations between outcomes and the number of manipulations received and the agreement (Kappa) between palpated and QF-detected of hypo-mobile segments were calculated. Results: QF had high accuracy (worst RMS error 0.5o) and repeatability (highest SEM 1.1o, lowest ICC 0.90) for IV-RoM measurement. Hypo-mobility cut offs ranged from 0.8o to 3.5o. No outcome was significantly correlated with increased IV-RoM above MDC and there was no significant difference between the number of hypo-mobile segments in patients and controls at baseline or significant increases in IV-RoMs in patients. However, there was a modest and significant correlation between the number of manipulations received and the number of levels and directions whose IV-RoM increased beyond MDC (Rho=0.39, p=0.043). There was also no agreement between palpation and QF in identifying hypo-mobile segments (Kappa 0.04-0.06). Conclusions: This study found no differences in cervical sagittal IV-RoM between patients with non-specific neck pain and matched controls. There was a modest dose-response relationship between the number of manipulations given and number of levels increasing IV-RoM - providing evidence that neck manipulation has a mechanical effect at segmental levels. However, patient-reported outcomes were not related to this

Dietary Behaviors Predict Glycemic Control in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE—To investigate the association between dietary adherence and glycemic control among youth with type 1 diabetes