Mental Health of Transgender Youth: The Role of Family, School, and Community in Promoting Resilience

This archival publication may not reflect current scientific knowledge or recommendations. Current information available from the University of Minnesota Extension: https://www.extension.umn.edu

Vitamin D for Healthy Bones

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Vitamin D for Healthy Bones

Vitamin D is a nutrient required for good bone health. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and keep normal calcium levels in the blood. Children and adults need vitamin D to keep their bones strong and healthy. When people do not get enough vitamin D, they can lose bone and become at risk for breaking bones. This condition is called osteoporosis. Two other conditions, different from osteoporosis, caused by a severe shortage of vitamin D in the body can make bones very soft. These conditions are called osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children. Some research shows that not getting enough vitamin D may be linked to illnesses such as some cancers, diabetes, and heart disease

Criterion Validity of a Short Food Frequency Questionnaire for Mexican American Adults

Background: The purpose of this study was to validate the School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) for Mexican American adults (SPAN MAA). Methods: A sample of 100 Mexican American adult participants was drawn from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (on the Texas–Mexico border). We used Spearman rank order correlation coefficients, kappa statistics, and percent agreement to compare the SPAN MAA questionnaire to a 24 h recall collected on the same day. Results: Of 100 participants, 93 were included in the analyses. One item showed substantial (>0.6), five items moderate (>0.4), five items fair (>0.2) and three items little to no agreement (<0.2). Items with low agreement were those reported in low frequencies by study participants. Conclusions: SPAN MAA FFQ had moderate to fair agreement between instruments across both sexes, making this brief questionnaire a useful tool to quickly assess the dietary intake patterns of Mexican American adults