Struggling with the basics: food and housing insecurity among college students across twenty-two colleges and universities.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the number and type of students failing to secure basic needs. PARTICIPANTS: Students attending 22 postsecondary schools in the United States in Fall 2019. METHODS: The Adult Food Security Module and part of the #RealCollege Survey were used to measure food and housing insecurity, respectively. Logistic and linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between selected factors and basic needs insecurities. RESULTS: Participants (n = 22,153) were classified as 44.1% and 52.3% food insecure and housing insecure, respectively. Homeless students or those who experienced childhood food insecurity were at the greatest odds of college food insecurity. Year in school was the largest contributor to being housing insecure, with PhD or EdD students being 1,157% more likely to experience housing insecurity compared to freshmen. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of basic needs insecurities remain. Current campus initiatives may be insufficient, calling for a more holistic approach at the campus, state, and national levels.

Enhancing Patient-Provider Breastfeeding Conversations: Breastfeeding Intention and Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy among a Sample of Pregnant Women.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify which sociodemographic factors may be associated with breastfeeding intention and breastfeeding self-efficacy among pregnant women. METHODS: Pregnant women at a medical center in Alabama completed a cross-sectional survey. The Prenatal Rating of Efficacy in Preparation to Breastfeed Scale (PREP to BF) was used to assess prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy. A valid 3-item breastfeeding intention scale and the Fetal Health Locus of Control Scale also were used. Nonparametric tests were used to assess differences in breastfeeding intention, locus of control subscales, and PREP to BF scores by history with breastfeeding, planned mode of delivery, and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: The participants in the final analysis (N = 124) had a mean prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy score of 299.5 (±92.33), with a range of 0 to 390. Significantly lower scores related to intention and PREP to BF were found among Black women (P ≤ 0.05), those with a high school education or less (P ≤ 0.019), single women (P ≤ 0.028), and those who had no breastfeeding experience (P ≤ 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Identifying pregnant women with low breastfeeding self-efficacy and intention and recognizing the effects of social and cultural influences on breastfeeding are vital. Healthcare providers can engage in meaningful dialog to address ways to increase social support, communication, goal-setting skills, and overcoming mental and emotional barriers.

Visceral adiposity index and its association with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet scores among older adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2011-2014.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The visceral adiposity index (VAI) has been shown to be a reliable estimate of visceral adiposity, but little is known about its association with specific dietary patterns such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, particularly in older adults. Many studies have shown the DASH diet to be beneficial for cardiometabolic health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between DASH diet scores and the VAI in older adults using a nationally representative dataset. METHODS: Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2011 to 2014, data from 508 community-dwelling older adults were examined, and dietary intake was evaluated using the Dixon's DASH diet index. Using multiple linear regression analysis, the relationship between VAI and DASH diet score was assessed while controlling for demographic variables. RESULTS: Participants' average DASH diet score was 2.41 (SE = 0.07), and the average VAI was 1.55 (SE = 0.08). The results suggest a significant inverse relationship between the DASH diet and VAI (ß = -0.19, t = -2.73, p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study suggest that protective properties of the DASH diet pattern may be due in part to its inverse relationship with visceral adiposity. This information supports practitioners' use of the VAI with older adults in addition to providing nutrition counseling with the DASH diet to reduce patients' cardiometabolic risk.

Determinants of food label use differ by sex.

Although the Nutrition Facts label has been a requirement on food packages for more than 20 years, few studies have conducted comprehensive assessments of food label use. The purpose of this study was to assess the demographic and psychosocial correlates of food label use using a comprehensive approach. A sample of 1,382 males and females (n=573 and n=809, respectively) aged 19 to 70 years was drawn from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The food label Check and Use subscales are the sums of multiple questions on frequency of checking and using each separate component on a Nutrition Facts label. Multiple linear regression was used to assess differences in predictors of Check and Use. Determinants of food label use differed by sex. Women check and use food label components more often and thoroughly than men. Older adults and adults with good diet-quality perception were significant predictors of food label use for both men and women. Race was a significant predictor for men only. Mexican-American and other Hispanic groups check (P=0.03) and use (P=0.01) the food label more frequently than non-Hispanic white men. Men who do not receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits also check (P<0.01) and use (P=0.01) food labels more frequently than those who receive assistance. The findings of this study could be used to improve nutrition education efforts. It may be beneficial to target men and women separately, as food label use determinants are different.

Dietary patterns of young, low-income US children.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify dietary patterns of young, low-income US children, describe differences in diet quality between identified patterns, and make targeted food recommendations to improve diet quality. DESIGN: Dietary patterns were assessed using dietary variables from the Pyramid Servings Database within the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1994-1996, 1998. Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores were used to validate identified dietary patterns. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Two subsamples of low-income children, aged 2 to 3 years (n = 1,242) and 4 to 8 years (n = 1,506), were selected from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals data. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Cluster analysis was performed to determine unique dietary patterns within the two subsamples. Linear regression analyses were used to compare energy intake, discretionary fat, added sugars, and HEI scores across cluster groups. Descriptive statistics were computed for each cluster. RESULTS: Cluster analysis identified six and seven distinct dietary patterns for the younger and older children, respectively. Four patterns were similar for both age groups. For the 2- to 3-year-old children, energy intake, overall HEI scores, and nine of the 10 HEI component scores differed among the four most prevalent dietary patterns. Among the older children, energy intake and six of the HEI component scores differed between the four most prevalent clusters but not overall HEI. CONCLUSIONS: Neither age group had a cluster of children who followed a balanced/moderate diet pattern consistent with Food Guide Pyramid recommendations. Children consuming almost every pattern identified could benefit by reducing added sugars and discretionary fat and increasing low-fat, low-sugar options from the vegetables, fruits, meat, and milk groups.