Engagement in Physical Activity Improves after Participation in Pasos Para Prevenir Cancer-An Obesity-Related Cancer Prevention Program in El Paso, Texas.

BACKGROUND: This present study experimentally evaluated the Pasos Para Prevenir Cancer (PPPC) program to determine whether participation was associated with improved physical activity engagement. Evidence suggests that obesity prevention programs improve physical activity (PA) engagement and lead to healthier weights, which substantially impacts cancer and cardiometabolic disease risk. There is a shortage of knowledge on the effectiveness of programs tailored to populations along the U.S.-Mexico border. METHODS: We collected demographic, nutrition, and physical activity data at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) for 209 participants. We analyzed the average metabolic equivalents (METS) per week for all physical activity levels and types and the achievement of the recommended METS per week to determine the demographic characteristics most associated with a change between baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS: Light activity was the most common activity at all three points, and it slightly increased at 6 months in work settings. Subjects conducted moderate physical activity primarily at home and work, and moderate physical activity increased more compared to vigorous physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention tailoring might improve PA engagement in Mexican Americans residing on the U.S.-Mexico border; however, larger studies that are more diverse are required.

Racial and gender effects on pure-tone thresholds and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in normal-hearing young adults.

This study examined racial and gender effects on behavioral thresholds and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in the same subjects. Pure-tone behavioral thresholds and DPOAEs were measured in 60 young normal-hearing adult subjects (20 Caucasian, 20 Asian, 20 African-American, with ten females and ten males in each group). Behavioral thresholds were measured from 1000 through 16,000 Hz using Békèsy tracking. A DPOAE frequency sweep was measured with primary stimulus levels of L(1)/L(2)=60/45 dB SPL, and an f(2)/f(1) of 1.2 at discrete f(2) frequencies between 2000 through 12,000 Hz for each subject. Significant racial and gender differences in behavioral thresholds were found at 14,000 and 16,000 Hz, with the African Americans and females having the best hearing sensitivity. Based on the current results, similar findings for DPOAE frequency sweeps can be expected amongst different racial groups given that no significant differences were identified between the groups. To further define the effects of race and gender on auditory measures, future studies should include larger numbers of subjects, measurement of body size and middle ear reflectance, and examine emission generators.