Experiences of Parents Earning Low Wages in Raleigh, North Carolina: Compounding Effects of Caretaker Responsibility, Piecemeal Resources, and Lack of Economic Opportunities.

We conducted interviews with parents earning low wages to understand their experiences related to financial responsibilities and use of government and informal resources in Raleigh, North Carolina. Inadequate economic opportunities and assistance programs, and high costs of living, compounded into cycles of playing catch up on expenses. Assistance programs aimed at alleviating hardships related to poverty were described as piecemeal. We found that social and economic systems failed to support parents earning low wages. Our findings suggest that ordinances that assure a livable minimum wage paired with expansions of safety net programs could better meet the needs these parents.

Effects of Inclusion of Food Purchase Restrictions and Incentives in a Food Benefit Program on Diet Quality and Food Purchasing: Results From a Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: There is interest in reshaping the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to better support family nutrition. OBJECTIVE: The Grocery Assistance Program Study (GAPS) for Families evaluated the effects of prohibiting using program funds for the purchase of certain sugary foods on the nutritional quality of foods purchased and consumed by program participants. DESIGN: A randomized experimental trial was carried out with participants randomized to one of three food benefit conditions. Baseline and follow-up measures collected included interviewer-administered 24-hour dietary recalls, food purchase receipts, food security, height, and weight. PARTICIPANT/SETTING: Adult-child dyads in households eligible for SNAP but currently not enrolled were recruited from the Minneapolis/St Paul MN metropolitan area from May of 2018 through May of 2019. A total of 293 adult-child dyads received the intervention as allocated. Of these dyads, 233 adults completed follow-up measures and met criteria for inclusion in the analytic sample, resulting in an attrition rate of 20.5%. A total of 224 children completed follow-up measures and met criteria for inclusion in the analytic sample, resulting in an attrition rate of 23.5%. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 conditions: restriction (not allowed to buy sugar-sweetened beverages [SSB], sweet baked goods, or candy with program funds); restriction paired with incentive (30% incentive for fruits and vegetables [FV] purchased with funds); and control (funds provided with no restrictions or incentives). Funds were provided on a 4-week cycle for 20 weeks via a study-provided debit card. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 total score. Additional outcomes included selected HEI-2015 component scores; energy intake; food security; body weight; and purchasing of SSB, sweet baked goods, candies, fruits, and vegetables. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Linear regression analyses were conducted with change in the outcome regressed on treatment condition for the primary outcome analyses. RESULTS: No differences were observed between conditions in change in the nutrition and food security measures examined. Purchases of SSB and sweet baked goods and candies significantly differed by experimental condition. Purchase of restricted foods was lower at follow-up in the restriction and restriction paired with incentive conditions compared with the control condition. For example, spending on SSB at follow-up was significantly lower in the restriction ($2.66/week) and restriction paired with incentive ($2.06/week) conditions in comparison with control condition ($4.44/week) (P < 0.0003 and P < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to find evidence in support of prohibiting the purchase of sugary foods with food program funds as a strategy to improve program participant nutrition, even when paired with an FV incentive. Research carried out in the context of the SNAP program is needed for a more robust evidence base.

Early results of a natural experiment evaluating the effects of a local minimum wage policy on the diet-related health of low-wage workers, 2018-2020.

OBJECTIVE: The current study presents results of a midpoint analysis of an ongoing natural experiment evaluating the diet-related effects of the Minneapolis Minimum Wage Ordinance, which incrementally increases the minimum wage to $15/h. DESIGN: A difference-in-difference (DiD) analysis of measures collected among low-wage workers in two U.S. cities (one city with a wage increase policy and one comparison city). Measures included employment-related variables (hourly wage, hours worked and non-employment assessed by survey questions with wages verified by paystubs), BMI measured by study scales and stadiometers and diet-related mediators (food insecurity, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and daily servings of fruits and vegetables, whole-grain rich foods and foods high in added sugars measured by survey questions). SETTING: Minneapolis, Minnesota and Raleigh, North Carolina. PARTICIPANTS: A cohort of 580 low-wage workers (268 in Minneapolis and 312 in Raleigh) who completed three annual study visits between 2018 and 2020. RESULTS: In DiD models adjusted for time-varying and non-time-varying confounders, there were no statistically significant differences in variables of interest in Minneapolis compared with Raleigh. Trends across both cities were evident, showing a steady increase in hourly wage, stable BMI, an overall decrease in food insecurity and non-linear trends in employment, hours worked, SNAP participation and dietary outcomes. CONCLUSION: There was no evidence of a beneficial or adverse effect of the Minimum Wage Ordinance on health-related variables during a period of economic and social change. The COVID-19 pandemic and other contextual factors likely contributed to the observed trends in both cities.

Adapting a US dietary analysis software and nutrient database for use in Brazil.

In many countries, assessing food and nutrient intake for research and surveillance purposes is difficult due to the lack of comprehensive, country-specific food and nutrient databases and/or a dietary analysis software program. In this case study, we describe the approach used to adapt a United States (US) dietary analysis software and nutrient database (Nutrition Data System for Research [NDSR]) for use in analyzing 24-hour dietary recalls collected for the Brazil Kids Nutrition and Health Study (KNHS). A team of experts that included individuals knowledgeable about Brazil and US eating traditions was assembled to devise solutions for between-country differences in eating habits, food supply, food nomenclature, and language. Solutions devised relied on several key resources, including the Brazilian Food Composition Table (TBCA) and a list of 200 foods commonly consumed in Brazil. These solutions included creating data entry rules that specified how each reported food should be entered into NDSR, creation of User Recipes for foods lacking a close nutritionally matching food in the NDSR database, and adjustment for food fortification differences as part of the analysis of study data. This case study illustrates that NDSR can be adapted for use outside of the United States through a structured process.

A qualitative analysis of SNAP and minimum wage policies as experienced by workers with lower incomes.

Work-related policies, including minimum wage and food assistance work requirements, can affect food security for people with lower incomes. This study conducted 112 qualitative interviews to understand participant policy experiences in two contexts (Raleigh, North Carolina and Minneapolis, Minnesota). Participants experienced frequent, destabilizing changes to their United States Department of Agriculture Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which they identified as part of a broader safety net. Raleigh workers described an unsupportive policy environment; Minneapolis workers reaped few benefits from an ongoing wage increase. Many workers face complex financial tradeoffs; more sophisticated evaluations should consider broader policy contexts and long-range effects.

Nutrient Intakes among Brazilian Children Need Improvement and Show Differences by Region and Socioeconomic Level.

Brazil is the most populous country in South America. Using 24 h dietary data, we compared the nutrient intakes of 4-13-year-olds to reference values and tested for regional and socioeconomic (SES) differences. A considerable proportion reported intakes below the Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) for vitamins E (78.1%, 96.5%), D (100% for both), and calcium (80.5%, 97.7%) for 4-8 and 9-13-year-olds, respectively. Few exceeded Adequate Intakes (AI) for potassium or fiber. Older children reported greater inadequacies and, while there was regional variability, patterns of inadequacy and excess tended to be similar. For vitamin C, the percent of children below EAR in the Northeast and Southeast was lower than in the South. Most children, regardless of SES, had energy intakes within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDRs) for carbohydrates and protein. Over a quarter reported total energy from fat less than the AMDR, and inversely associated with SES (low 50.9%, moderate 26.0%, and high 15.0%), but also exceeding the percentage of energy recommendation for saturated fat, increasing with SES (low 18.1%, moderate 38.9%, and high 48.8%). The contrast observed between the diets of young Brazilians and recommendations underscores the need for individual and regional environmental interventions to promote healthier dietary patterns.

Perceptions of a food benefit programme that includes financial incentives for the purchase of fruits and vegetables and restrictions on the purchase of foods high in added sugar.

OBJECTIVE: To report perspectives of participants in a food benefit programme that includes foods high in added sugar (FAS) restrictions and FAS restrictions paired with fruits and vegetables (F/V) incentives. DESIGN: Randomised experimental trial in which participant perspectives were an exploratory study outcome. SETTING: Participants were randomised into one of three Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-like food benefit programme groups: (1) restriction: not allowed to buy FAS with benefits; (2) restriction paired with incentive: not allowed to buy FAS with benefits and 30 % financial incentive on eligible F/V purchased using benefits; or (3) control: same food purchasing rules as SNAP. Participants were asked questions to assess programme satisfaction. PARTICIPANTS: Adults in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN metropolitan area, eligible for but not currently participating in SNAP who completed baseline and follow-up study measures (n 254). RESULTS: Among remaining households in each group, most found the programme helpful in buying nutritious foods (88·2 %-95·7 %) and were satisfied with the programme (89·1 %-93·0 %). Sensitivity analysis results indicate that reported helpfulness and satisfaction with the programme may in some instances be lower among the restriction and the restrictions paired with incentive groups in comparison to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A food benefit programme that includes restriction on purchase of FAS or restriction paired with a financial incentive for F/V purchases may be acceptable to most SNAP-eligible households with children.

The impact of financial incentives and restrictions on cyclical food expenditures among low-income households receiving nutrition assistance: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States. Two proposed interventions to encourage healthier food expenditures among SNAP participants have generated significant debate: financial incentives for fruits and vegetables, and restrictions on foods high in added sugar. To date, however, no study has assessed the impact of these interventions on the benefit cycle, a pattern of rapid depletion of SNAP benefits that has been linked to worsening nutrition and health outcomes over the benefit month. METHODS: Low-income households not currently enrolled in SNAP (n = 249) received benefits every 4 weeks for 12 weeks on a study-specific benefit card. Households were randomized to one of four study arms: 1) incentive (30% incentive for fruits and vegetables purchased with study benefits), 2) restriction (not allowed to buy sugar-sweetened beverages, sweet baked goods, or candy using study benefits), 3) incentive plus restriction, or 4) control (no incentive or restriction). Weekly household food expenditures were evaluated using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, financial incentives increased fruit and vegetable purchases, but only in the first 2 weeks after benefit disbursement. Restrictions decreased expenditures on foods high in added sugar throughout the benefit month, but the magnitude of the impact decreased as the month progressed. Notably, restrictions mitigated cyclical expenditures. CONCLUSIONS: Policies to improve nutrition outcomes among SNAP participants should consider including targeted interventions in the second half of the month to address the benefit cycle and attendant nutrition outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT02643576 . Retrospectively registered December 22, 2014.

Development and Application of a Total Diet Quality Index for Toddlers.

For the first time, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include recommendations for infants and toddlers under 2 years old. We aimed to create a diet quality index based on a scoring system for ages 12 to 23.9 months, the Toddler Diet Quality Index (DQI), and evaluate its construct validity using 24 h dietary recall data collected from a national sample of children from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) 2016. The mean (standard error) Toddler DQI was 49 (0.6) out of 100 possible points, indicating room for improvement. Toddlers under-consumed seafood, greens and beans, and plant proteins and over-consumed refined grains and added sugars. Toddler DQI scores were higher among children who were ever breastfed, lived in households with higher incomes, and who were Hispanic. The Toddler DQI performed as expected and offers a measurement tool to assess the dietary quality of young children in accordance with federal nutrition guidelines. This is important for providing guidance that can be used to inform public health nutrition policies, programs, and practices to improve diets of young children.

Associations between shopper impulsivity and cyclical food purchasing: Results from a prospective trial of low-income households receiving monthly benefits.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are rapidly depleted after distribution. This phenomenon, known as the benefit cycle, is associated with poor nutrition and health outcomes. Proposed interventions targeting the benefit cycle often focus on impulsive decision-making. However, it remains unclear whether shopper impulsivity is associated with food purchasing behavior. Using data from a prospective trial, we evaluate whether shopper impulsivity is associated with food purchasing behavior before and after households receive nutrition assistance. In this study, 249 low-income households in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, metropolitan area received monthly benefits for three months. Overall impulsivity and impulsivity subtraits of the primary shopper was assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. Both total food expenditures and expenditures for two specific categories (fruits and vegetables, and foods high in added sugar) were evaluated. Generalized estimating equations were used to model household expenditures as a function of week since benefit distribution, impulsivity, and their interaction. Results showed that during the benefit period, food expenditures were cyclical and patterned by impulsivity. Shoppers with greater overall impulsivity spent $40.62 more in week 1 (p < 0.001). While more impulsive shoppers spent more on foods high in added sugar throughout the month (p < 0.05 for all weeks), no patterns were observed for fruits and vegetables. These findings suggest that greater impulsivity exacerbates cyclical food purchasing behavior. The impact of shopper impulsivity is especially notable for expenditures on foods high in added sugar. SNAP educational interventions to mitigate the benefit cycle may be strengthened by focusing on more impulsive shoppers and on strategies to reduce impulsive purchases of foods high in added sugar.

A Difference-in-Difference Study Evaluating the Effect of Minimum Wage Policy on Body Mass Index and Related Health Behaviors.

Minimum wage laws are a promising policy lever to promote health equity, but few rigorous evaluations have tested whether and how minimum wage policy affects health outcomes. This paper describes an ongoing difference-in-difference study evaluating the health effects of the 2017 Minneapolis Minimum Wage Ordinance, which incrementally increases the minimum wage to $15/hr. We present: (1) the conceptual model guiding the study including mediating mechanisms, (2) the study design, and (3) baseline findings from the study, and (4) the analytic plan for the remainder of the study. This prospective study follows a cohort of 974 low-wage workers over four years to compare outcomes among low-wage workers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and those in a comparison city (Raleigh, North Carolina). Measures include height/weight, employment paystubs, two weeks of food purchase receipts, and a survey capturing data on participant demographics, health behaviors, and household finances. Baseline findings offer a profile of individuals likely to be affected by minimum wage laws. While the study is ongoing, the movement to increase local and state minimum wage is currently high on the policy agenda; evidence is needed to determine what role, if any, such policies play in improving the health of those affected.

Reproducibility and Validity of a Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire in Men Assessed by Multiple Methods.

Among 626 participants of the Men's Lifestyle Validation Study (2011-2013), we evaluated the validity and reproducibility of a self-administered 152-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) using two 7-day dietary records (7DDRs), 4 Automated Self-Administered 24-hour dietary recalls (ASA24s), four 24-hour urine samples, 1 doubly labeled water measurement (repeated in 104 participants), and 2 fasting blood samples, collected over 15 months. Compared with 7DDRs, SFFQs underestimated energy intake, macronutrients, and sodium intake but overestimated some micronutrients. The mean of the Spearman correlation coefficients was 0.66 (range, 0.38-0.88) between 46 energy-adjusted nutrients estimated from 7DDRs and the final SFFQ, deattenuated for within-person variation in the 7DDRs. These deattenuated correlations were similar using ASA24s as the comparison. Relative to biomarkers, SFFQs underestimated energy, sodium, and protein intakes, as well as the sodium:potassium ratio. The energy-adjusted correlations between the final SFFQ and the biomarkers were slightly lower than the correlations between the SFFQ and 7DDRs. Using the method of triads to calculate validity coefficients, the median validity coefficient between SFFQ and true intake was 0.65 and 0.69 using 7DDRs and ASA24s, respectively, as the third method. These data indicate that this SFFQ provided reasonably valid estimates for a wide range of nutrients when evaluated by multiple comparison methods.

Trends in cyclical food expenditures among low-income households receiving monthly nutrition assistance: results from a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are rapidly depleted after distribution. This phenomenon, known as the benefit cycle, is associated with poor nutrition and health outcomes. However, to date, no study has evaluated trends in food expenditures before and after households receive benefits using prospective data, and whether these trends vary by household characteristics. DESIGN: Generalised estimating equations were used to model weekly household food expenditures during baseline (pre-benefit) and intervention months by vendor (restaurants and food retailers). Food retailer expenditures were further evaluated by food category (fruits and vegetables and foods high in added sugar). All expenditures were evaluated by household composition, demographics and economic means. SETTING: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: Low-income households (n 249) enrolled May 2013-August 2015. RESULTS: Weekly food retailer expenditures did not vary during baseline (pre-benefit), but demonstrated a cyclical pattern after households received benefits across all household characteristics and for both food categories, particularly for fruits and vegetables. Households with greater economic resources spent more throughout the month compared with those with fewer resources. Households with lower food security status experienced more severe fluctuations in spending compared with more food secure households. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclical food purchasing was observed broadly across different household characteristics and food categories, with notable differences by household economic means and food security status. Proposed SNAP policy changes designed to smooth food expenditures across the benefit month, such as increased frequency of benefit distribution, should include a focus on households with fewest resources.

Within- and Between-Household Variation in Food Expenditures Among Low-Income Households Using a Novel Simple Annotated Receipt Method.

Background: Household food purchasing behavior has gained interest as an intervention to improve nutrition and nutrition-associated outcomes. However, evaluating food expenditures is challenging in epidemiological studies. Assessment methods that are both valid and feasible for use among diverse, low-income populations are needed. We therefore developed a novel simple annotated receipt method to assess household food purchasing. First, we describe and evaluate the extent to which the method captures food purchasing information. We then evaluate within- and between-household variation in weekly food purchasing to determine sample sizes and the number of weeks of data needed to measure household food purchasing with adequate precision. Methods: Four weeks of food purchase receipt data were collected from 260 low-income households in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The proportion of receipt line items that could not be coded into one of 11 food categories (unidentified) was calculated, and a zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used to evaluate the association between unidentified receipt items and participant characteristics and store type. Within- and between-household coefficients of variation were calculated for total food expenditures and several food categories. Results: A low proportion of receipt line items (1.6%) could not be coded into a food category and the incidence of unidentified items did not appreciably vary by participant characteristics. Weekly expenditures on foods high in added sugar had higher within- and between-household coefficients of variation than weekly fruit and vegetable expenditures. To estimate mean weekly food expenditures within 20% of the group's usual ("true") expenditures, 72 households were required. Nine weeks of data were required to achieve an r = 0.90 between observed and usual weekly food expenditures. Conclusions: The simple annotated receipt method may be a feasible tool for use in assessing food expenditures of low-income, diverse populations. Within- and between-household coefficients of variation suggest that the number of weeks of data or group sizes required to precisely estimate usual household expenditures is higher for foods high in added sugar compared to fruits and vegetables.

Changes in association between school foods and child and adolescent dietary quality during implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

PURPOSE: The purposes of the study were to estimate the effect of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) implementation on dietary quality of all U.S. school-aged children and adolescents and examine whether those effects differed by the demographic group. METHODS: We used survey regression on 2007-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to estimate the proportion of energy intake from school foods and the association between school food intake and dietary quality, before and after HHFKA passage/implementation. To account for demographic changes in the U.S. population over time, inverse probability weighting was used. The product of the proportion of energy from school foods and the association between school food intake and dietary quality estimated the effect of HHFKA implementation on dietary quality. RESULTS: School food intake quantity remained stable during the study period. HHFKA implementation improved students' dietary quality by 4.3 Healthy Eating Index-2010 points (95% confidence interval: 2.5, 6.1) on days when school foods were eaten and by 1.3 Healthy Eating Index-2010 points (95% confidence interval: 0.73, 1.8) averaged over all days annually. CONCLUSIONS: HHFKA implementation improved the total dietary quality of U.S. school students. U.S. students would benefit from eating school meals in the post-HHFKA era, and HHFKA regulations should not be relaxed.

Store and neighborhood differences in retailer compliance with a local staple foods ordinance.

BACKGROUND: Policies to improve healthy food retail have been recognized as a potential means of reducing diet-related health disparities. The revised 2014 Minneapolis Staple Foods Ordinance instituted minimum stocking standards for healthy, staple foods. The objective of this study was to examine retailer compliance with the policy, and whether compliance varied by neighborhood and store characteristics. METHODS: In this natural experiment, audits were conducted annually pre- and post-ordinance (2014-2017) in 155 small/nontraditional stores in Minneapolis, MN and a comparison city (St. Paul, MN). Compliance measures for 10 product categories included: (1) met requirements for ≥8 categories; (2) 10-point scale (one point for each requirement met); and (3) carried any item in each category. Store characteristics included store size and ownership status. Neighborhood characteristics included census-tract socioeconomic status and low-income/low-access status. Analyses were conducted in 2018. RESULTS: All compliance measures increased in both Minneapolis and St. Paul from pre- to post-policy; Minneapolis increases were greater only for carrying any item in each category (p < 0.01). In Minneapolis, corporate (vs. independent) stores were generally more compliant. No differences were found by neighborhood characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Overall trends suggest broad movement among Minneapolis stores towards providing a minimum level of staple foods. Increases were greater in corporate stores. Trends do not suggest neighborhood-level disparities in compliance. STUDY REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02774330, retrospectively registered May 17, 2016.

Evaluation of the first U.S. staple foods ordinance: impact on nutritional quality of food store offerings, customer purchases and home food environments.

BACKGROUND: Many lower-income and racially diverse communities in the U.S. have limited access to healthy foods, with few supermarkets and many small convenience stores, which tend to stock limited quantities and varieties of healthy foods. To address food access, in 2015 the Minneapolis Staple Foods Ordinance became the first policy requiring food stores to stock minimum quantities and varieties of 10 categories of healthy foods/beverages, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other staples, through licensing. This study examined whether: (a) stores complied, (b) overall healthfulness of store environments improved, (c) healthy customer purchases increased, and (d) healthfulness of home food environments improved among frequent small store shoppers. METHODS: Data for this natural (or quasi) experiment were collected at four times: pre-policy (2014), implementation only (no enforcement, 2015), enforcement initiation (2016) and continued monitoring (2017). In-person store assessments were conducted to evaluate food availability, price, quality, marketing and placement in randomly sampled food retailers in Minneapolis (n = 84) and compared to those in a nearby control city, St. Paul, Minnesota (n = 71). Stores were excluded that were: supermarkets, authorized through WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), and specialty stores (e.g., spice shops). Customer intercept interviews were conducted with 3,039 customers exiting stores. Home visits, including administration of home food inventories, were conducted with a sub-sample of frequent shoppers (n = 88). RESULTS: Overall, findings indicated significant improvements in healthy food offerings by retailers over time in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, with no significant differences in change between the two cities. Compliance was low; in 2017 only 10% of Minneapolis retailers in the sample were fully compliant, and 51% of participating Minneapolis retailers met at least 8 of the 10 required standards. Few changes were observed in the healthfulness of customer purchases or the healthfulness of home food environments among frequent shoppers, and changes were not different between cities. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first evaluation a local staple foods ordinance in the U.S. and reflects the challenges and time required for implementing such policies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02774330 .

Self-Reported Measures of Discretionary Salt Use Accurately Estimated Sodium Intake Overall but not in Certain Subgroups of US Adults from 3 Geographic Regions in the Salt Sources Study.

BACKGROUND: Excess sodium intake can increase blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Accurate population sodium intake estimates are essential for monitoring progress toward reduction, but data are limited on the amount of sodium consumed from discretionary salt. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare measured sodium intake from salt added at the table with that estimated according to the Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020) methodology. METHODS: Data were analyzed from the 2014 Salt Sources Study, a cross-sectional convenience sample of 450 white, black, Asian, and Hispanic adults living in Alabama, Minnesota, and California. Sodium intake from foods and beverages was assessed for each participant through the use of 24-h dietary recalls. Estimated sodium intake from salt used at the table was assessed from self-reported frequency and estimated amounts from a previous study (HP 2020 methodology). Measured intake was assessed through the use of duplicate salt samples collected on recall days. RESULTS: Among all study participants, estimated and measured mean sodium intakes from salt added at the table were similar, with a nonsignificant difference of 8.9 mg/d (95% CI: -36.6, 54.4 mg/d). Among participants who were non-Hispanic Asian, Hispanic, had a bachelor's degree or higher education, lived in California or Minnesota, did not report hypertension, or had normal BMI, estimated mean sodium intake was 77-153 mg/d greater than measured intake (P < 0.05). The estimated mean sodium intake was 186-300 mg/d lower than measured intake among participants who were non-Hispanic black, had a high school degree or less, or reported hypertension (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The HP 2020 methodology for estimating sodium consumed from salt added at the table may be appropriate for the general US adult population; however, it underestimates intake in certain population subgroups, particularly non-Hispanic black, those with a high school degree or less, or those with self-reported hypertension. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02474693.

Association of Full Breastfeeding Duration with Postpartum Weight Retention in a Cohort of Predominantly Breastfeeding Women.

Full breastfeeding (FBF) is promoted as effective for losing pregnancy weight during the postpartum period. This study evaluated whether longer FBF is associated with lower maternal postpartum weight retention (PPWR) as compared to a shorter FBF duration. The MILK (Mothers and Infants Linked for Healthy Growth) study is an ongoing prospective cohort of 370 mother-infant dyads, all of whom fully breastfed their infants for at least 1 month. Breastfeeding status was subsequently self-reported by mothers at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Maternal PPWR was calculated as maternal weight measured at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum minus maternal prepregnancy weight. Using linear mixed effects models, by 6 months postpartum, adjusted means ± standard errors for weight retention among mothers who fully breastfed for 1-3 (3.40 ± 1.16 kg), 3-6 (1.41 ± 0.69 kg), and ≥6 months (0.97 ± 0.32 kg) were estimated. Compared to mothers who reported FBF for 1-3 months, those who reported FBF for 3-6 months and ≥6 months both had lower PPWR over the period from 1 to 6 months postpartum (p = 0.04 and p < 0.01, respectively). However, PPWR from 3 to 6 months was not significantly different among those who reported FBF for 3-6 versus ≥6 months (p > 0.05). Interventions to promote FBF past 3 months may increase the likelihood of postpartum return to prepregnancy weight.

Higher Maternal Diet Quality during Pregnancy and Lactation Is Associated with Lower Infant Weight-For-Length, Body Fat Percent, and Fat Mass in Early Postnatal Life.

Maternal pregnancy nutrition influences fetal growth. Evidence is limited, however, on the relationship of maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation on infant postnatal growth and adiposity. Our purpose was to examine associations between maternal diet quality during pregnancy and lactation with offspring growth and body composition from birth to six months. Maternal diet quality was serially assessed in pregnancy and at one and three months postpartum, using the Healthy Eating Index⁻2015 in a cohort of 354 fully breastfeeding mother⁻infant dyads. Infant length-for-age (LAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and weight-for-length (WLZ) Z-scores were assessed at birth, one, three, and six months. Infant body fat percent (BF%), fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured at six months using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Higher maternal diet quality from pregnancy through three months postpartum was associated with lower infant WLZ from birth to six months (p = 0.02) and BF% at six months (p ≤ 0.05). Higher maternal diet quality at one and three months postpartum was also associated with lower infant FM at six months (p < 0.01). In summary, maternal diet quality during pregnancy and lactation was inversely associated with infant relative weight and adiposity in early postnatal life. Additional research is needed to explore whether associations persist across the life course.