Associations of free sugars from solid and liquid sources with cardiovascular disease: a retrospective cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends a 10% total energy (TE%) limit for free sugars (i.e., added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in fruit juice, honey, and syrups) based on evidence linking higher intakes with overweight and dental caries. Evidence for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is limited. Impacts may differ by sex, age group, and solid vs. liquid sources; liquids may stimulate more adverse CVD profiles (due to their rapid absorption in the body along along with triggering less satiety). We examined associations of consuming total free sugars ≥ 10 TE% with CVD within four sex and age-defined groups. Given roughly equal free sugar intakes from solid and liquid sources, we also evaluated source-specific associations of free sugars ≥ 5 TE% thresholds. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we estimated free sugars from 24-h dietary recall (Canadian Community Health Survey, 2004-2005) in relationship to nonfatal and fatal CVD (Discharge Abstract and Canadian Mortality Databases, 2004-2017; International Disease Classification-10 codes for ischemic heart disease and stroke) through multivariable Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for overweight/obesity, health behaviours, dietary factors, and food insecurity. We conducted analyses in separate models for men 55 to 75 years, women 55 to 75 years, men 35 to 55 years, and women 35 to 55 years. We dichotomized total free sugars at 10 TE% and source-specific free sugars at 5 TE%. RESULTS: Men 55 to 75 years of age had 34% higher CVD hazards with intakes of free sugars from solid sources ≥ 5 TE% vs. below (adjusted HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.05- 1.70). The other three age and sex-specific groups did not demonstrate conclusive associations with CVD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that from a CVD prevention standpoint in men 55 to 75 years of age, there may be benefits from consuming less than 5 TE% as free sugars from solid sources.

Increased urban greenness associated with improved mental health among middle-aged and older adults of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

OBJECTIVES: Some studies suggest that residential surrounding greenness is associated with improved mental health. Few of these studies have focussed on middle-aged and older adults, explored the modifying effects of social determinants of health, or accounted for the extent to which individuals interact with their neighbourhood environments. METHODS: We analysed cross-sectional data collected from 26,811 urban participants of the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging who were between 45 and 86 years of age. Participants provided details on socioeconomic characteristics, health behaviours, and their frequency of neighbourhood interactions. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a measure of greenness, was assigned to participants' residential addresses at a buffer distance of 500 m. Four self-reported measures of mental health were considered: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10; short scale), past diagnosis of clinical depression, perceptions of mental health, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Regression models were used to describe associations between greenness and these outcomes, and spline models were fit to characterize the exposure-response function between greenness and CES-D-10 scores. Stratified analyses evaluated whether associations varied by sociodemographic status. RESULTS: In adjusted models, we observed a 5% (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.90, 0.99) reduced odds of depressive symptoms in relation to an interquartile range increase of NDVI (0.06) within a 500 m buffer of the participant's residence. Similarly, we found an inverse association with a self-reported clinical diagnosis of depression (OR = 0.97; 95% CI = 0.92-1.01). Increases in surrounding greenness were associated with improved perceptions of mental health, and the SWLS. Our spline analyses found that beneficial effects between greenness and the CES-D-10 were strongest among those of lower income. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that residential greenness has mental health benefits, and that interventions to increase urban greenness can help reduce social inequalities in mental health.

Rethinking walkability and developing a conceptual definition of active living environments to guide research and practice.

BACKGROUND: Walkability is a popular term used to describe aspects of the built and social environment that have important population-level impacts on physical activity, energy balance, and health. Although the term is widely used by researchers, practitioners, and the general public, and multiple operational definitions and walkability measurement tools exist, there are is no agreed-upon conceptual definition of walkability. METHOD: To address this gap, researchers from Memorial University of Newfoundland hosted "The Future of Walkability Measures Workshop" in association with researchers from the Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) in November 2017. During the workshop, trainees, researchers, and practitioners worked together in small groups to iteratively develop and reach consensus about a conceptual definition and name for walkability. The objective of this paper was to discuss and propose a conceptual definition of walkability and related concepts. RESULTS: In discussions during the workshop, it became clear that the term walkability leads to a narrow conception of the environmental features associated with health as it inherently focuses on walking. As a result, we suggest that the term Active Living Environments, as has been previously proposed in the literature, are more appropriate. We define Active Living Environments (ALEs) as the emergent natural, built, and social properties of neighbourhoods that promote physical activity and health and allow for equitable access to health-enhancing resources. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that this broader conceptualization allows for a more comprehensive understanding of how built, natural, and social environments can contribute to improved health for all members of the population.

A pan-Canadian dataset of neighbourhood retail food environment measures using Statistics Canada's Business Register.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to create the Canadian Food Environment Dataset (Can-FED) and to demonstrate its validity. DATA AND METHODS: Food outlet data were extracted from Statistics Canada's Business Register (BR) in 2018. Retail food environment access measures (both absolute and relative measures) were calculated using network buffers around the centroid of 56,589 dissemination areas in Canada. A k-medians clustering approach was used to create categorical food environment variables that were easy to use and amenable to dissemination. Validity of the measures was assessed by comparing the food environment measures from Can-FED with measures created using Enhanced Points of Interest data by DMTI Spatial Inc. and data from a municipal health inspection list. Validity was also assessed by calculating the geographic variability in food environments across census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and assessing associations between CMA-level food environments and CMA-level health indicators. RESULTS: Two versions of Can-FED were created: a researcher file that must be accessed within a secure Statistics Canada environment and a general-use file available online. Agreement between Can-FED food environment measures and those derived from a proprietary dataset and a municipal health inspection list ranged from rs=0.28 for convenience store density and rs=0.53 for restaurant density. At the CMA level, there is wide geographic variation in the food environment with evidence of patterning by health indicators. INTERPRETATION: Can-FED is a valid and accessible dataset of pan-Canadian food environment measures that was created from the BR, a data source that has not been explored fully for health research.

Challenging the Constraints of Neoliberalism and Biomedicalism: Repositioning Social Work in Mental Health.

This article explores the impact of neoliberalism and biomedicalism on social work mental health care practice through presenting the results of a Canadian provincial study which illustrates the experiences of social work service users, providers, and supervisors. While Canada has a universal health care program, the intensification of the free-market approach is evident in the shifts from public sector support to growing rationalization and marked cutbacks to the provision of social welfare services. The specific impact of neoliberal economic restraint on social justice in mental health services has pressured practitioners to adopt medicalized, short-term strategies, under efficiency-based models. The participants in this study reported significant co-occurring concerns with the state of mental health service delivery, and results suggest social work is increasingly co-opted by the conservative individualizing, pathologizing, and contextualizing dominant biomedical framework in the provision of mental health social services and lack of professional practice autonomy.

Children's Perspectives on Food Allergy in Schools: A Qualitative Study.

Approximately 7% of children live with food allergy, a condition that requires dietary avoidance to prevent an allergic reaction. In this qualitative study, we aimed to understand food allergy-related experiences, beliefs and learning preferences among children with and without food allergies, to inform a school-based, food allergy education program. Data were analysed thematically. We virtually interviewed children in Kindergarten-Grade 8 in Manitoba, Canada, with (n = 7) and without (n = 9) parent-reported, physician-diagnosed food allergies. We identified three themes: Naive reliance on peers and school staff to assist with food allergy management; Limited food allergy knowledge; and, Recommended food allergy curricula: complementary perspective. Our findings will help inform the development of a school-based, food allergy education program, with a long-term goal of minimizing food allergy-related worries and optimizing safety for children with food allergy. Ongoing, school-based food allergy education is needed.

Associations of overweight and gestational diabetes mellitus with free sugars from solid and liquid sources: cross-sectional and nested case-control analyses.

BACKGROUND: Sugar-sweetened beverages have obesogenic and diabetogenic effects ascribed to free sugars. These include added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in juices. A meta-analysis indicates that some foods with added sugars are associated with lower type 2 diabetes rates. To expand the evidence relevant to free sugars from solid sources, we examined a young to middle-aged population with respect to overweight and gestational diabetes (GDM) outcomes. METHODS: We studied female participants (12-50 years old) from the 2004-2005 Canadian Community Health Survey 2.2 (CCHS) with data linked to the hospital Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) until 2017, providing 13 years of follow-up. We estimated free sugars by solid and liquid sources from 24-h dietary recalls as percent total energy intake (TE%), and computed body mass index (BMI). We applied ICD-10 diagnostic codes for deliveries and GDM to DAD. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate associations between free sugars with overweight at baseline (cross-sectional component) and, in those who delivered, with GDM during follow-up (nested case control component). We compared those with consumption above versus below various thresholds of intake for free sugars, considering solid and liquid sources separately (2.TE%, 5TE%, 10TE% and 15TE% thresholds). RESULTS: Among 6305 participants, 2505 (40%) were overweight, defined as BMI ≥ 85th percentile below 18 years and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 for adults. Free sugars from solid sources were associated with lower odds of overweight above versus below the 2.5TE% (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] 0.80, 95%CI 0.70-0.92), 5TE% (adjOR 0.89, 95%CI 0.79-0.99), and 10TE% (adjOR 0.86, 95%CI 0.75-0.97) thresholds. Free sugars from liquid sources were associated with greater odds of overweight across the 2.5TE% (adjOR 1.20, 95%CI 1.07-1.36), 10TE% (adjOR 1.17, 95%CI 1.02-1.34), and 15TE% (adjOR 1.43, 95%CI 1.23-1.67) thresholds. There were 113 cases of GDM among the 1842 women who delivered (6.1%). Free sugars from solid sources were associated with lower odds of GDM above versus below the 5TE% threshold (adjOR 0.56, 95%CI 0.36-0.85). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support limiting free sugars from liquid sources, given associations with overweight. We did not identify adverse associations of free sugars from solid sources across any of the thresholds examined.

Thermodynamic Evidence of Structural Transformations in CO2-Loaded Metal-Organic Framework Zn(MeIm)2 from Heat Capacity Measurements.

Metal-organic frameworks are a class of porous compounds with potential applications in molecular sieving, gas sequestration, and catalysis. One family of MOFs, zeolitic imidizolate frameworks (ZIFs), is of particular interest for carbon dioxide sequestration. We have previously reported the heat capacity of the sodalite topology of the zinc 2-methylimidazolate framework (ZIF-8), and in this Article we present the first low-temperature heat capacity measurements of ZIF-8 with various amounts of sorbed CO2. Molar heat capacities from 1.8 to 300 K are presented for samples containing up to 0.99 mol of CO2 per mol of ZIF-8. Samples with at least 0.56 mol of CO2 per mol of ZIF-8 display a large, broad anomaly from 70 to 220 K with a shoulder on the low-temperature side, suggesting sorption-induced structural transitions. We attribute the broad anomaly partially to a gate-opening transition, with the remainder resulting from CO2 rearrangement and/or lattice expansion. The measurements also reveal a subtle anomaly from 0 to 70 K in all samples that does not exist in the sorbate-free material, which likely reflects new vibrational modes resulting from sorbate/ZIF-8 interactions. These results provide the first thermodynamic evidence of structural transitions induced by CO2 sorption in the ZIF-8 framework.

The planning and reporting of mixed methods studies on the built environment and health.

Researchers examining the influence of the built environment on health are increasingly using mixed methods approaches. The use of more than one type of methodology to address a single research question is compelling in this field because researchers investigating the impact of the built environment on health have been faced with proposing solutions to a complex societal problem involving interacting systems and social uncertainties. Mixed methods studies can help researchers to gain a better understanding of the relationships that exist between humans and their environment by drawing on qualitative and quantitative methods. Mixed methods studies could also be instrumental for providing effective policy solutions. This is because they allow researchers to identify built environment determinants of health in a population of interest and to understand the social and cultural factors that might influence the uptake of an intervention by this population. The objective of this paper is to assist those conducting research on the built environment and health who may have little background in mixed methods. We provide an overview of mixed methods research designs and provide concrete techniques for the integration of diverse methods. We also discuss the recommendations for mixed methods research in the field of built environment - health research, drawing on specific examples from published studies. Reporting a research design and an integration strategy in mixed methods studies could help to strengthen our ability to gain new insights into the multidimensional nature of the relationship between the built environment and health.

Assessing the micro-scale environment using Google Street View: the Virtual Systematic Tool for Evaluating Pedestrian Streetscapes (Virtual-STEPS).

BACKGROUND: Altering micro-scale features of neighborhood walkability (e.g., benches, sidewalks, and cues of social disorganization or crime) could be a relatively cost-effective method of creating environments that are conducive to active living. Traditionally, measuring the micro-scale environment has required researchers to perform observational audits. Technological advances have led to the development of virtual audits as alternatives to observational field audits with the enviable properties of cost-efficiency from elimination of travel time and increased safety for auditors. This study examined the reliability of the Virtual Systematic Tool for Evaluating Pedestrian Streetscapes (Virtual-STEPS), a Google Street View-based auditing tool specifically designed to remotely assess micro-scale characteristics of the built environment. METHODS: We created Virtual-STEPS, a tool with 40 items categorized into 6 domains (pedestrian infrastructure, traffic calming and streets, building characteristics, bicycling infrastructure, transit, and aesthetics). Items were selected based on their past abilities to predict active living and on their feasibility for a virtual auditing tool. Two raters performed virtual and field audits of street segments in Montreal neighborhoods stratified by the Walkscore that was used to determine the 'walking-friendliness' of a neighborhood. The reliability between virtual and field audits (n = 40), as well as inter-rater reliability (n = 60) were assessed using percent agreement, Cohen's Kappa statistic, and the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient. RESULTS: Virtual audits and field audits (excluding travel time) took similar amounts of time to perform (9.8 versus 8.2 min). Percentage agreement between virtual and field audits, and for inter-rater agreement was 80% or more for the majority of items included in the Virtual-STEPS tool. There was high reliability between virtual and field audits with Kappa and ICC statistics indicating that 20 out of 40 (50.0%) items had almost perfect agreement and 13 (32.5%) items had substantial agreement. Inter-rater reliability was also high with 17 items (42.5%) with almost perfect agreement and 11 (27.5%) items with substantial agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual-STEPS is a reliable tool. Tools that measure the micro-scale environment are important because changing this environment could be a relatively cost-effective method of creating environments that are conducive to active living.

The heat penalty of walkable neighbourhoods.

"Walkability" or walking-friendliness is generally considered a favourable attribute of a neighbourhood that supports physical activity and improves health outcomes. Walkable neighbourhoods tend to have high-density infrastructure and relatively high amounts of concrete and pavement for sidewalks and streets, all of which can elevate local urban temperatures. The objective of this study was to assess whether there is a "heat penalty" associated with more walkable neighbourhoods in Montréal, Québec, Canada, using air temperature measurements taken in real time at street level during a heat event. The mean temperature of "Car-Dependent" neighbourhoods was 26.2 °C (95% CI 25.8, 26.6) whereas the mean temperature of "Walker's Paradise" neighbourhoods was 27.9 °C (95% CI 27.8, 28.1)-a difference of 1.7 °C (95% CI 1.3, 2.0). There was a strong association between higher walkability of Montréal neighbourhoods and elevated temperature (r = 0.61, p < 0.01); suggestive of a heat penalty for walkable neighbourhoods. Planning solutions that support increased walking-friendliness of neighbourhoods should consider simultaneous strategies to mitigate heat to reduce potential health consequences of the heat penalty.

A pan-Canadian measure of active living environments using open data.

BACKGROUND: Neighbourhood environments that support active living, such as walking or cycling for transportation, may decrease the burden of chronic conditions related to sedentary behaviour. Many measures exist to summarize features of communities that support active living, but few are pan-Canadian and none use open data sources that can be widely shared. This study reports the development and validation of a novel set of indicators of active living environments using open data that can be linked to national health surveys and can be used by local, regional or national governments for public health surveillance. DATA AND METHODS: A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to calculate a variety of measures of the connectivity, density and proximity to destinations for 56,589 dissemination areas (DAs) across Canada (2016 data). Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the association between each measure and the rates of walking to work and taking active transportation to work (a combination of walking, cycling and using public transportation) from census data. The active living environment measures selected for the final database were used to classify the DAs by the favourability of their active living environment into groups by k-medians clustering. RESULTS: All measures were correlated with walking-to-work and active-transportation-to-work rates at the DA level, whether they were derived using proprietary or open data sources. Coverage of open data was consistent across Canadian regions. Three measures were selected for the Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) dataset based on the correlation analysis, but also on the principles of suitability for a variety of community sizes and openly available data: (1) three-way intersection density of roads and footpaths derived from OpenStreetMap (OSM), (2) weighted dwelling density derived from Statistics Canada dwelling counts and (3) points of interest derived from OSM. A measure of access to public transportation was added for the subset of DAs in larger urban areas and was strongly related to active-transportation-to-work rates. Active-transportation-to-work rates were graded, in steps, by the five Can-ALE groups derived from the cluster analysis, although walking-to-work rates exceeded the national average only in the most favourable active living environments. DISCUSSION: Open data may be used to derive measures that characterize the active living environments of Canadian communities.

The association between walkable neighbourhoods and physical activity across the lifespan.

BACKGROUND: Walkability is positively associated with physical activity in adults. Walkability is more consistently associated with walking for transportation than recreational walking. The purpose of this study is to examine how the association between walkable neighbourhoods and physical activity varies by age and type of physical activity using a new Canadian walkability database. DATA AND METHODS: The 2016 Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) database was attached to two cross-sectional health surveys: the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS; 2009 to 2015) and the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS; 2015 to 2016). Physical activity was measured in the CHMS using the Actical accelerometer (n = 10,987; ages 3 to 79). Unorganized physical activity outside of school among children aged 3 to 11 was reported by parents in the CHMS (n = 4,030), and physical activity data by type (recreational, transportation-based, school-based, and household and occupational) was self-reported by respondents in the CCHS (n = 105,876; ages 12 and older). RESULTS: Walkability was positively associated with accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in youth (p < 0.05), younger adults (p < 0.0001) and older adults (p < 0.05), while walkability was negatively associated with light physical activity in youth (ages 12 to 17) and older adults (ages 60 to 79) (p < 0.05). Walkability was positively associated with self-reported transportation-based physical activity in youth (p < 0.001) and adults of all ages (p < 0.0001). Walkability was negatively associated with parent-reported unorganized physical activity of children aged 5 to 11, and children living in the most walkable neighbourhoods accumulated 10 minutes of physical activity less-on average-than those living in the least walkable neighbourhoods. DISCUSSION: The results of this study are consistent with previous studies indicating that walkability is more strongly associated with physical activity in adults than in children and that walkability is associated with transportation-based physical activity. Walkability is one of many built environment factors that may influence physical activity. More research is needed to identify and understand the built environment factors associated with physical activity in children and with recreational or leisure-time physical activity.

An examination of the associations between walkable neighbourhoods and obesity and self-rated health in Canadians.

BACKGROUND: Two-thirds of Canadian adults and one-third of Canadian children and youth are overweight or obese. There is increased interest in identifying features of the built environment-such as walkability-that facilitate lifestyle habits associated with reduced obesity and improved health. The purpose of this study is to examine how the associations between walkability and both obesity and self-rated health vary by age in Canadians using a new walkability dataset. DATA AND METHODS: The 2016 Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) database was attached to Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS; 2009 to 2015) data. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity (LPA) and step counts were measured in the CHMS using the Actical accelerometer (n = 10,852; ages 3 to 79). Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were measured in a mobile clinic. Self-rated general and mental health were assessed using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The percentage of adults aged 40 to 59 classified as overweight or obese was 28 percentage points lower in the most walkable Can-ALE category than in the least walkable category (49.1% vs. 77.5%, p < 0.0125). There was a significant downward linear trend in measured BMI and waist circumference across Can-ALE categories (from least to most walkable) for adults aged 18 to 59, but not for children and youth or older adults aged 60 to 79. MVPA was a significant mediating factor in the association between the Can-ALE index and BMI in adults aged 40 to 79 (and in the waist circumference of respondents aged 40 to 59). Young adults (aged 18 to 39) were more likely than older adults (aged 60 to 79) to report very good or excellent general health as walkability increased. DISCUSSION: Using a new and freely-available Canadian walkability index, this study observed a positive association between walkability and both measured obesity and self-rated general health in adults. Walkability is one of many built environment characteristics that should be considered when trying to understand the relative contribution of the built environment to a person's weight and overall health.

Steps, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and cardiometabolic profiles.

The relative benefits of meeting the current moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and active step count recommendations are unknown. Using robust linear regressions, we compared cardiometabolic marker differences (blood pressure, lipid levels, Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), hemoglobin A1C, C-reactive protein (CRP), and body mass index (BMI)) across MVPA (150min/week) and step (10,000 steps/day) thresholds and between step categories (low active: 5000 to 7499, somewhat active: 7500 to 9999, and active: ≥10,000 steps/day vs. inactive: <5000 steps/day) in approximately 6000 Canadian adults (41.5years, SD 14.9). Differences across MVPA and step thresholds were similar but additional benefits were observed for BMI and A1C for the MVPA target (i.e., above vs. below 150min/week MVPA: -1.02kg/m2 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] -1.25 to -0.80) and -0.04% (95% CI -0.06 to -0.02); above vs. below ≥10,000 steps/day: -0.40kg/m2 (95% CI -0.63 to -0.16) and 0.01% (95% CI -0.01 to 0.03)). In terms of steps categories, the greatest incremental improvement was achieved at the somewhat active threshold (e.g., somewhat active vs. inactive: -0.90kg/m2, 95% CI -1.28 to -0.53; low active vs. inactive: -0.36kg/m2, 95% CI -0.73 to 0.02). Additional benefits beyond the 10,000 step/day threshold were limited (e.g., -0.93kg/m2, 95% CI -1.30 to -0.57). Given that most benefits to markers of cardiometabolic health were at the ≥7500 step/day threshold and that there was some additional benefit across the 150min/week MVPA threshold compared to a 10,000 steps/day threshold, we suggest aiming for ≥7500 steps/day and then advancing to a 150min/MVPA goal.

Evaluating the Impact of Neighborhood Characteristics on Differences between Residential and Mobility-Based Exposures to Outdoor Air Pollution.

Epidemiological studies often assign outdoor air pollution concentrations to residential locations without accounting for mobility patterns. In this study, we examined how neighborhood characteristics may influence differences in exposure assessments between outdoor residential concentrations and mobility-based exposures. To do this, we linked residential location and mobility data to exposure surfaces for NO2, PM2.5, and ultrafine particles in Montreal, Canada for 5452 people in 2016. Mobility data were collected using the MTL Trajet smartphone application (mean: 16 days/subject). Generalized additive models were used to identify important neighborhood predictors of differences between residential and mobility-based exposures and included residential distances to highways, traffic counts within 500 m of the residence, neighborhood walkability, median income, and unemployment rate. Final models including these parameters provided unbiased estimates of differences between residential and mobility-based exposures with small root-mean-square error values in 10-fold cross validation samples. In general, our findings suggest that differences between residential and mobility-based exposures are not evenly distributed across cities and are greater for pollutants with higher spatial variability like NO2. It may be possible to use neighborhood characteristics to predict the magnitude and direction of this error to better understand its likely impact on risk estimates in epidemiological analyses.

Levels of 1-hydroxypyrene in urine of people living in an oil producing region of the Andean Amazon (Ecuador and Peru).

PURPOSE: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are contaminants with carcinogenic effects but little is known about their presence in environments surrounding oil drilling operations and spills or exposure levels in nearby communities. The objective of this study was to characterize PAH levels in people living near oil drilling operations in relation to fish consumption, occupation, source of water and other socio-demographic characteristics. METHODS: This pilot study examined PAH exposure by measuring 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) in urine samples using high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection from 75 women and men in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon living near oil drilling operations and who answered a questionnaire collecting socio-demographic, occupational and dietary information. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: The mean value of 1-OHP was 0.40 µmol/mol creatinine, 95% CI 0.32-0.46 µmol/mol creatinine. Women who used water from a surface source (for washing clothes or bathing) had almost twice the amount of 1-OHP in their urine (mean 1-OHP = 0.41 µmol/mol creatinine, 95% CI 0.28-0.54 µmol/mol creatinine, n = 23) as women who used water from either a well, a spring or rain (mean 1-OHP = 0.22 µmol/mol creatinine, 95% CI 0.11-0.34 µmol/mol creatinine, n = 6). Men who reported eating a bottom-dwelling species as their most commonly consumed fish (mean 1-OHP = 0.50 µmol/mol creatinine, 95% CI 0.36-0.64 µmol/mol creatinine, n = 31) had twice as much 1-OHP in their urine as men who reported a pelagic fish (mean 1-OHP = 0.25 µmol/mol creatinine, 95% CI 0.15-0.35 µmol/mol creatinine, n = 15), signaling either oral (fish consumption) or dermal (while standing in water fishing benthic species) exposure. CONCLUSIONS: More contact with surface water and benthic fish may result in higher levels of 1-OHP in human urine among the study population. Reducing the amount of oil and wastes entering the waterways in Andean Amazonia would be one way to reduce exposure.

Lexical neutrality in environmental health research: Reflections on the term walkability.

Neighbourhood environments have important implications for human health. In this piece, we reflect on the environments and health literature and argue that precise use of language is critical for acknowledging the complex and multifaceted influence that neighbourhood environments may have on physical activity and physical activity-related outcomes. Specifically, we argue that the term "neighbourhood walkability", commonly used in the neighbourhoods and health literature, constrains recognition of the breadth of influence that neighbourhood environments might have on a variety of physical activity behaviours. The term draws attention to a single type of physical activity and implies that a universal association exists when in fact the literature is quite mixed. To maintain neutrality in this area of research, we suggest that researchers adopt the term "neighbourhood physical activity environments" for collective measures of neighbourhood attributes that they wish to study in relation to physical activity behaviours or physical activity-related health outcomes.

Neighborhood Walkability and Body Mass Index Trajectories: Longitudinal Study of Canadians.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of neighborhood walkability on body mass index (BMI) trajectories of urban Canadians. METHODS: Data are from Canada's National Population Health Survey (n = 2935; biannual assessments 1994-2006). We measured walkability with the Walk Score. We modeled body mass index (BMI, defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters [kg/m(2)]) trajectories as a function of Walk Score and sociodemographic and behavioral covariates with growth curve models and fixed-effects regression models. RESULTS: In men, BMI increased annually by an average of 0.13 kg/m(2) (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.11, 0.14) over the 12 years of follow-up. Moving to a high-walkable neighborhood (2 or more Walk Score quartiles higher) decreased BMI trajectories for men by approximately 1 kg/m(2) (95% CI = -1.16, -0.17). Moving to a low-walkable neighborhood increased BMI for men by approximately 0.45 kg/m(2) (95% CI = 0.01, 0.89). There was no detectable influence of neighborhood walkability on body weight for women. CONCLUSIONS: Our study of a large sample of urban Canadians followed for 12 years confirms that neighborhood walkability influences BMI trajectories for men, and may be influential in curtailing male age-related weight gain.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasitaemia among indigenous Batwa and non-indigenous communities of Kanungu district, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: The indigenous Batwa of southwestern Uganda are among the most highly impoverished populations in Uganda, yet there is negligible research on the prevalence of malaria in this population. Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasitaemia prevalence was estimated in an indigenous Batwa and a non-indigenous neighbouring population, and an exploration of modifiable risk factors was carried out to identify potential entry points for intervention. Additionally, evidence of zooprophylaxis was assessed, hypothesizing that livestock ownership may play a role in malaria risk. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys of Batwa and non-Batwa communities were carried out in Kanungu District, Uganda in July 2013 and April 2014 based on a census of adult Batwa and a two-stage systematic random sample of adult non-Batwa in ten Local Councils where Batwa settlements are located. A community-based questionnaire and antigen rapid diagnostic test for P. falciparum were carried out in the cross-sectional health surveys. A multivariable logistic regression model was built to identify risk factors associated with positive malaria diagnostic test. A subset analysis of livestock owners tested for zooprophylaxis. RESULTS: Batwa experienced higher prevalence of malaria parasitaemia than non-Batwa (9.35 versus 4.45 %, respectively) with over twice the odds of infection (OR 2.21, 95 % CI 1.23-3.98). Extreme poverty (OR 1.96, 95 % CI 0.98-3.94) and having an iron sheet roof (OR 2.54, 95 % CI 0.96-6.72) increased the odds of infection in both Batwa and non-Batwa. Controlling for ethnicity, wealth, and bed net ownership, keeping animals inside the home at night decreased the odds of parasitaemia among livestock owners (OR 0.29, 95 % CI 0.09-0.94). CONCLUSION: A health disparity exists between indigenous Batwa and non-indigenous community members with Batwa having higher prevalence of malaria relative to non-Batwa. Poverty was associated with increased odds of malaria infection for both groups. Findings suggest that open eaves and gaps in housing materials associated with iron sheet roofing represent a modifiable risk factor for malaria, and may facilitate mosquito house entry; larger sample sizes will be required to confirm this finding. Evidence for possible zooprophylaxis was observed among livestock owners in this population for those who sheltered animals inside the home at night.