Associations of steps per day and step intensity with the risk of cancer: Findings from the Women's Health Accelerometry Collaboration cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Accumulating more steps/day is associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality and composite cancer outcomes. However, less is known about the relationship of steps/day with the risk of multiple site-specific cancers. METHODS: This study included >22,000 women from the Women's Health Accelerometry Collaboration Cohort (2011-2022), comprised of women from the Women's Health Study and Women's Health Initiative Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Study. Steps/day and step intensity were collected with accelerometry. Incident cancer cases and deaths were adjudicated. Stratified Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the associations of steps/day and step intensity with incident breast, colon, endometrial, lung, and ovarian cancers, a composite of 13 physical activity-related cancers, total invasive cancer, and fatal cancer. RESULTS: On average, women were 73.4 years old, accumulated 4993 steps/day, and had 7.9 years of follow-up. There were small nonsignificant inverse associations with the risks of colon cancer (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.05), endometrial cancer (HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.01), and fatal cancer (HR = 0.95 95% CI: 0.90, 1.00) per 1000 steps/day. More minutes at ≥40 steps/min and a faster peak 10- and 30-min step cadence were associated with a lower risk of endometrial cancer, but findings were attenuated after adjustment for body mass index and steps/day. CONCLUSIONS: Among women 62-97 years, there were small nonsignificant inverse associations of colon, endometrial, and fatal cancer with more steps/day. Epidemiologic studies with longer follow-up and updated assessments are needed to further explore these associations.

Perception of harm is strongly associated with complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Perception of health risk can influence household rules, but little is known about how the perception of harm from cannabis secondhand smoke (cSHS) is related to having a complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking. We examined this association among a nationally representative sample of United States adults. METHODS: Respondents were 21,381 adults from the cross-sectional Marijuana Use and Environmental Survey recruited from December 2019-February 2020. Perceived harm of cSHS exposure (extremely harmful, somewhat harmful, mostly safe, or totally safe) and complete ban of cannabis smoking anywhere in the home (yes or no) were self-reported. Logistic regression for survey-weighted data estimated covariate-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between perceived harm of cSHS and complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking. Stratified subgroup analyses (by cannabis smoking status, cannabis use legalization in state of residence, and children under age 6 living in the home) were conducted to quantify effect measure modification of the association between perception of harm and complete ban. RESULTS: A complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking was reported by 71.8% of respondents. Eight percent reported cSHS as "totally safe"; 20.5% "mostly safe"; 38.3% "somewhat harmful"; and 33.0% "extremely harmful". Those who reported cSHS as "extremely harmful" had 6 times the odds of a complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking (OR = 6.0, 95%CI = 4.9-7.2) as those reporting smoking as "totally safe". The odds of a complete ban were higher among those reporting cSHS as "somewhat harmful" (OR = 2.6, 95%CI = 2.2-3.1) or "mostly safe" (OR = 1.4, 95%CI = 1.2-1.7) vs those reporting cSHS as "totally safe". In each subgroup of cannabis smoking status, state cannabis use legalization, and children under the age of 6 living in the home, perceived harm was associated with a complete ban on in-home cannabis smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates perceiving cSHS as harmful is strongly associated with having a complete in-home cannabis smoking ban. With almost a third of US adults perceiving cSHS as at least "mostly safe", there is strong need to educate the general population about potential risks associated with cSHS exposure to raise awareness and encourage adoption of household rules prohibiting indoor cannabis smoking.

Persistent organic pollutants and cognitive decline among middle-aged or older adults in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Persistent organic pollutants may negatively impact cognition; however, associations between persistent organic pollutants and changes in cognition among United States Hispanic/Latino adults have not been investigated. Herein, we examined the associations between 33 persistent organic pollutants and cognitive changes among 1837 Hispanic/Latino adults. At baseline (2008-2011; Visit 1), participants provided biospecimens in which we measured levels of 5 persistent pesticides or pesticide metabolites, 4 polybrominated diphenyl ethers and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl, and 24 polychlorinated biphenyls. At Visit 1 and again at Visit 2 (2015-2018), a battery of neurocognitive tests was administered which included the Brief-Spanish English Verbal Learning Test, Word Fluency Test, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test. To estimate the adjusted associations between changes in cognition and each POP, we used linear regression for survey data. Each doubling in plasma levels of polychlorinated biphenyls 146, 178, 194, 199/206, and 209 was associated with steeper declines in global cognition (ßs range:-0.053 to -0.061) with stronger associations for the Brief-Spanish English Verbal Learning Test. Persistent organic pollutants, in particular polychlorinated biphenyls, were associated with declines in cognition over 7 years and may be a concern for Hispanic/Latino adults.

Accelerometer-measured physical activity and postmenopausal breast cancer incidence in the Women's Health Accelerometry Collaboration.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined accelerometer-measured physical activity and incident breast cancer (BC). Thus, this study examined associations between accelerometer-measured vector magnitude counts per 15 seconds (VM/15s) and average daily minutes of light physical activity (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and total PA (TPA) and BC risk among women in the Women's Health Accelerometry Collaboration (WHAC). METHODS: The WHAC comprised 21,089 postmenopausal women (15,375 from the Women's Health Study [WHS]; 5714 from the Women's Health Initiative Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Study [OPACH]). Women wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ on the hip for ≥4 days and were followed for 7.4 average years to identify physician-adjudicated in situ (n = 94) or invasive (n = 546) BCs. Multivariable stratified Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for tertiles of physical activity measures in association with incident BC overall and by cohort. Effect measure modification was examined by age, race/ethnicity, and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: In covariate-adjusted models, the highest (vs. lowest) tertiles of VM/15s, TPA, LPA, and MVPA were associated with BC HRs of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.64-0.99), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.69-1.02), 0.89 (95% CI, 0.73-1.08), and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.64-1.01), respectively. Further adjustment for BMI or physical function attenuated these associations. Associations were more pronounced among OPACH than WHS women for VM/15s, MVPA, and TPA; younger than older women for MVPA; and women with BMI ≥30 than <30 kg/m2 for LPA. CONCLUSION: Greater levels of accelerometer-assessed PA were associated with lower BC risk. Associations varied by age and obesity and were not independent of BMI or physical function.

Characterizing longitudinal change in accelerometry-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and the Framingham Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity promotes health and is particularly important during middle and older age for decreasing morbidity and mortality. We assessed the correlates of changes over time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in Hispanic/Latino adults from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL: mean [SD] age 49.2 y [11.5]) and compared them to a cohort of primarily White adults from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS: mean [SD] 46.9 y [9.2]). METHODS: Between 2008 and 2019, we assessed accelerometry-based MVPA at two time points with an average follow-up of: 7.6 y, SD 1.3 for HCHS/SOL, and 7.8 y, SD 0.7 for FHS. We used multinomial logistic regression to relate socio-demographic and health behaviors with changes in compliance with 2018 US recommendations for MVPA from time 1 to time 2 (remained active or inactive; became active or inactive) across the two cohorts. RESULTS: In HCHS/SOL mean MVPA was 22.6 (SD, 23.8) minutes at time 1 and dropped to 16.7 (19.0) minutes at time 2. In FHS Mean MVPA was 21.7 min (SD, 17.7) at time 1 and dropped to 21.3 min (SD, 19.2) at time 2. Across both cohorts, odds of meeting MVPA guidelines over time were about 6% lower in individuals who had lower quality diets vs. higher, about half in older vs. younger adults, about three times lower in women vs. men, and 9% lower in individuals who had a higher vs. lower BMI at baseline. Cohorts differed in how age, gender, income, education, depressive symptoms, marital status and perception of general health and pain associated with changes in physical activity. High income older Hispanics/Latino adults were more likely to become inactive at the follow-up visit as were HCHS/SOL women who were retired and FHS participants who had lower levels of education and income. Higher depressive symptomology was associated with becoming active only in HCHS/SOL women. Being male and married was associated with becoming inactive in both cohorts. Higher perception of general health and lower perception of pain were associated with remaining active only in FHS adults. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight potentially high-risk groups for targeted MVPA intervention.

Pulse pressure trajectories predict brain microstructure in community-dwelling older adults: Associations with executive function and modification by APOE.

INTRODUCTION: Effects of chronic arterial stiffness on brain aging remain unclear. We, therefore, examined whether long-term trajectories of pulse pressure (PP) predicted brain microstructure, microstructure mediated PP-executive function associations, and APOE genotype modified PP-microstructure associations. METHODS: We examined associations of PP trajectories with brain microstructure measured using restriction spectrum imaging in 146 community-dwelling older adults, whether microstructure mediated PP trajectory-executive function associations, and whether PP-restriction spectrum imaging correlations were modified by APOE-ε4 status. RESULTS: Participants with trajectories of high PP had lower restricted isotropic diffusion (RI) compared to those with low PP trajectories and PP-executive function associations were mediated by subcortical and white matter RI. High PP more strongly correlated with lower RI and higher hindered diffusion among APOE-ε4 carriers than non-carriers. DISCUSSION: Prolonged elevated PP predicts microstructural abnormalities which may contribute to impaired executive function. APOE-ε4 carriers may be most vulnerable to the adverse effects of PP on brain microstructure.

Urinary parabens and breast cancer risk: Modification by LINE-1 and LUMA global DNA methylation, and associations with breast cancer defined by tumor promoter methylation status.

Parabens are a group of alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid added to consumer products to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and molds. Parabens are hypothesized to increase the risk of breast cancer (BC); however, no study has examined the interactions between parabens, global DNA methylation (DNAm), and BC risk. We examined the modifying effects of DNAm on the associations between parabens and BC, and whether parabens were associated with BC defined by tumor promoter methylation status. Participants included 708 cases and 598 controls from the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project. Methylparaben (MPB), propylparaben, and butylparaben levels were measured in spot urine samples. Global DNAm was measured by analysis of long interspersed elementes-1 (LINE-1) and the luminometric methylation assay (LUMA). The promoter methylation status of 13 genes was measured in tumor samples from 509 cases. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between parabens and BC stratified by LINE-1/LUMA, and between parabens and gene-specific promoter methylation-defined BC. Outcome heterogeneity was evaluated using ratios of ORs (RORs). We assessed the joint effects of the multiple parabens using quantile g-computation. The highest versus lowest tertile of MPB and a one-quantile increase in all parabens were associated with ORs of 1.46 (95% CI = 0.96-2.23) and 1.32 (95% CI = 1.02-1.71), respectively, among women with hypomethylated LINE-1. A one-ln unit increase in MPB was associated with a 25% increase in the odds of hypomethylated (vs. hypermethylated) CCND2 promoter-defined BC (ROR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.06-1.48), and a one-quantile increase in all parabens was associated with a 55% increase in the odds of hypomethylated (vs. hypermethylated) CCND2 promoter-defined BC (ROR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.04-2.32). Exposure to parabens may increase the risk of BC among women with hypomethylated global DNAm and may increase the risk of tumors with gene-specific hypomethylated promoter regions.

Predictors and Effects of Participation in Peer Support: A Prospective Structural Equation Modeling Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Peer support provides varied health benefits, but how it achieves these benefits is not well understood. PURPOSE: Examine a) predictors of participation in peer support interventions for diabetes management, and b) relationship between participation and glycemic control. METHODS: Seven peer support interventions funded through Peers for Progress provided pre/post data on 1,746 participants' glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c), contacts with peer supporters as an indicator of participation, health literacy, availability/satisfaction with support for diabetes management from family and clinical team, quality of life (EQ-Index), diabetes distress, depression (PHQ-8), BMI, gender, age, education, and years with diabetes. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling indicated a) lower levels of available support for diabetes management, higher depression scores, and older age predicted more contacts with peer supporters, and b) more contacts predicted lower levels of final HbA1c as did lower baseline levels of BMI and diabetes distress and fewer years living with diabetes. Parallel effects of contacts on HbA1c, although not statistically significant, were observed among those with baseline HbA1c values > 7.5% or > 9%. Additionally, no, low, moderate, and high contacts showed a significant linear, dose-response relationship with final HbA1c. Baseline and covariate-adjusted, final HbA1c was 8.18% versus 7.86% for those with no versus high contacts. CONCLUSIONS: Peer support reached/benefitted those at greater disadvantage. Less social support for dealing with diabetes and higher PHQ-8 scores predicted greater participation in peer support. Participation in turn predicted lower HbA1c across levels of baseline HbA1c, and in a dose-response relationship across levels of participation.

A Congener-specific and Mixture Analysis of Plasma Polychlorinated Biphenyl Levels and Incident Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a diverse class of chemicals, are hypothesized mammary carcinogens. We examined plasma levels of 17 PCBs as individual congeners and as a mixture in association with breast cancer using a novel approach based on quantile g-computation. METHODS: This study included 845 White and 562 Black women who participated in the population-based, case-control Carolina Breast Cancer Study Phase I. Cases (n = 748) were women with a first diagnosis of histologically confirmed, invasive breast cancer residing in 24 counties in central and eastern North Carolina; controls (n = 659) were women without breast cancer from the same counties. PCBs were measured in plasma samples obtained during the study interview. We estimated associations [covariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)] between individual PCB congeners and breast cancer using multivariable logistic regression. We assessed PCB mixtures using quantile g-computation and examined effect measure modification by race. RESULTS: Comparing highest and lowest tertiles of PCBs resulted in ORs of 1.3 (95% CI = 0.95, 1.8) for congener 74, 1.4 (95% CI = 1.0, 1.9) for 99, 1.3 (95% CI = 0.91, 1.8) for 194, and 1.2 (95% CI = 0.90, 1.7) for 201. Among all women, we estimated a joint effect of the PCB mixture with an OR of 1.3 (95% CI = 0.98, 1.6) per tertile change. In race-stratified analyses, associations for tertiles of PCB mixtures were stronger among Black women (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.0, 2.3) than among White women (OR = 1.1; 95% CI = 0.81, 1.6). CONCLUSION: Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that exposure to PCB mixtures increase the risk of breast cancer, but studies of populations with different exposure profiles are needed.

Dual impairments in visual and hearing acuity and age-related cognitive decline in older adults from the Rancho Bernardo Study of Healthy Aging.

BACKGROUND: We examined the associations between dual impairments in visual and hearing acuity and aging-related cognitive decline. METHODS: This was a longitudinal study of adults who had visual and hearing acuity and cognitive function assessed in 1992-1996 and were followed for up to 24 years (mean = 7.3 years), with up to five additional cognitive assessments. Visual impairment was defined as vision worse than 20/40, hearing impairment as pure-tone average thresholds >25 dB. Associations were tested using linear mixed-effects regressions. RESULTS: Of 1,383 participants, 293 had visual impairment, 990 had a hearing impairment and 251 had both deficits. In fully adjusted models, low visual acuity was associated with poorer Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; ß = -0.29) and Trail-Making Test Part B (Trails B; ß = 13.22) performance, and with faster declines in MMSE (ß = -0.12) and Trails B (ß = 1.84). The combination of low visual and low hearing acuity was associated with poorer MMSE (ß = -0.44) and Trails B (ß = 11.20) scores, and with faster declines in MMSE (ß = -0.19), Trails B (ß = 3.50), and Verbal Fluency Test (VFT; ß = -0.14) performance. Associations were similar in men and women. CONCLUSION: Impairments in both vision and hearing are associated with a more rapid decline in cognitive function with aging.

Menopausal hormone therapy use and long-term all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project.

Previous studies have observed a reduced mortality risk associated with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) use among breast cancer survivors. We sought to clarify whether such association could be explained by tumor heterogeneity, specific causes of death, confounding from comorbidities or health behaviors, and a comparison group of women without breast cancer. We interviewed 1508 women newly diagnosed with first primary breast cancer in 1996 to 1997 (~3 months after diagnosis), and 1556 age-matched women without breast cancer, about MHT use history. The National Death Index was used to ascertain vital status after a median of 17.6 years of follow-up (N = 597 deaths for breast cancer subjects). Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for all-cause mortality, and cause-specific HR (cHR) for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The Fine-Gray model was used to account for competing causes of death. Among women with breast cancer, ever vs never MHT use was inversely associated with all-cause (HR = 0.77, 95%CI = 0.62-0.95), breast cancer-specific (cHR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.48-0.98), and CVD-specific mortality (cHR = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.38-0.85). Difference of the association was observed in breast cancer-specific mortality according to hormone receptor status (negative tumors: cHR = 0.44, 95%CI = 0.19-1.01; positive tumors: cHR = 0.96, 95%CI = 0.60-1.53). Among the comparison group, we observed similar, but more modest inverse associations for all-cause and CVD-specific mortality. MHT use was inversely associated with mortality after breast cancer, even after accounting for competing causes of death and multiple confounders, and was evident among women without breast cancer. Potential heterogeneity by hormone receptor status requires more study.

Associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity and physical activity-related cancer incidence in older women: results from the WHI OPACH Study.

BACKGROUND: We examined the associations between accelerometry-measured physical activity (PA) and incidence of 13 cancers among a cohort of postmenopausal women. METHODS: In this prospective study, 6382 women wore ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers at the hip for up to 7 days during 2012-2013, and were followed over a median of 4.7 years for diagnosis of 13 invasive cancers. Calibrated intensity cut points were used to define minutes per day of total, light and moderate-to-vigorous PA. We used multivariable Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for tertiles, and one-standard deviation (SD) unit increments of PA exposures in relation to cancer incidence. We examined effect measure modification by age, race/ethnicity, body mass index and smoking history. RESULTS: The highest (vs. lowest) tertiles of total, light and moderate-to-vigorous PA were associated with covariate-adjusted HRs of 0.72 (95% CI = 0.53-0.97), 0.81 (95% CI = 0.60-1.09) and 0.66 (95% CI = 0.48-0.91), respectively. In age-stratified analyses, HRs for total PA were lower among women <80 years (HRper one-SD = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.63-0.90) than among women ≥80 years (HRper one-SD = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.82-1.18) (PInteraction = 0.03). Race/ethnicity, BMI and smoking did not strongly modify these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging in physical activity may play a beneficial role in the prevention of certain cancers in older women.

Sedentary time and peripheral artery disease: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

BACKGROUND: Experimental evidence suggests that sedentary time (ST) may contribute to cardiovascular disease by eliciting detrimental hemodynamic changes in the lower limbs. However, little is known about objectively measured ST and lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). METHODS: We included 7,609 Hispanic/Latinos (ages 45-74) from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. PAD was measured using the ankle brachial index (≤0.9). ST was measured using accelerometry. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess associations of quartiles of ST and PAD, and then used the same logistic models with restricted cubic splines to investigate continuous nonlinear associations of ST and PAD. Models were sequentially adjusted for traditional PAD risk factors, leg pain, and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). RESULTS: Median ST was 12.2 h/d, and 5.4% of individuals had PAD. In fully adjusted restricted cubic splines models accounting for traditional PAD risk factors, leg pain, and MVPA, ST had a significant overall (P = .048) and nonlinear (P = .024) association with PAD. A threshold effect was seen such that time spent above median ST was associated with higher odds of PAD. That is, compared to median ST, 1, 2, and 3 hours above median ST were associated with a PAD odds ratio of 1.16 (95% CI = 1.02-1.31), 1.44 (1.06-1.94), and 1.80 (1.11-2.90), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Among Hispanic/Latino adults, ST was associated with higher odds of PAD, independent of leg pain, MVPA, and traditional PAD risk factors. Notably, we observed a threshold effect such that these associations were only observed at the highest levels of ST.

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease mortality among a population-based cohort of women with and without breast cancer.

PURPOSE: We investigated whether the relationship between diabetes and all-cause and CVD-related mortality differed between women with and without breast cancer among a cohort drawn from the same source population. METHODS: We interviewed 1,363 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996-1997, and 1,358 age-matched women without breast cancer, to assess history of physician-diagnosed diabetes. All-cause (n = 631) and CVD-specific mortality (n = 234) was determined by the National Death Index through 2009. We estimated multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for the rates of all-cause and CVD-specific mortality and, to account for competing causes of death, and subdistribution HRs (sHRs) for risk of CVD-related death. RESULTS: Among women with and without breast cancer, respectively, diabetes was associated with: all-cause mortality [HR (95% CI) 1.52 (1.13, 2.05) and 2.17 (1.46, 3.22)]; CVD-specific deaths [1.74 (1.06, 2.84) and 2.06 (1.11, 3.84)]; and risk of CVD-related death [sHR 1.36 (0.81, 2.27) and 1.79 (0.94, 3.40)]. Differences in effect estimates between women with and without breast cancer did not reach statistical significance (p-interaction > 0.10). CONCLUSION: We found that the positive association between a history of physician-diagnosed diabetes and risk of all-cause and CVD-related mortality is of similar magnitude among a population-based cohort of women with or without breast cancer.

Genetic polymorphisms of diabetes-related genes, their interaction with diabetes status, and breast cancer incidence and mortality: The Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project.

To examine 143 diabetes risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), identified from genome-wide association studies, in association with breast cancer (BC) incidence and subsequent mortality. A population-based sample of Caucasian women with first primary invasive BC (n = 817) and controls (n = 1021) were interviewed to assess diabetes status. Using the National Death Index, women with BC were followed for >18 years during which 340 deaths occurred (139 BC deaths). Genotyping was done using DNA extracted from blood samples. We used unconditional logistic regression to estimate age-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for BC incidence, and Cox regression to estimate age-adjusted hazard ratios and CIs for all-cause and BC-specific mortality. Twelve SNPs were associated with BC risk in additive genotype models, at α = 0.05. The top three significant SNPs included SLC30A8-rs4876369 (P = 0.0034), HHEX-rs11187146 (P = 0.0086), and CDKN2A/CDKN2B-rs1333049 (P = 0.0094). Diabetes status modified the associations between rs4876369 and rs2241745 and BC incidence, on the multiplicative interaction scale. Six SNPs were associated with all-cause (CDKAL1-rs981042, P = 0.0032; HHEX-rs1111875, P = 0.0361; and INSR-rs919275, P = 0.0488) or BC-specific (CDKN2A/CDKN2B-rs3218020, P = 0.0225; CDKAL1-rs981042, P = 0.0246; and TCF2/HNF1B-rs3094508, P = 0.0344) mortality in additive genotype models, at α = 0.05. Genetic polymorphisms that increase the risk of developing diabetes may also increase the risk of developing and dying from BC.

Lifestyle Patterns and Survival Following Breast Cancer in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the impact of lifestyle patterns on survival following breast cancer. We aimed to identify distinct lifestyle patterns based on five behavior/dietary exposures among a population-based sample of women diagnosed with breast cancer and to examine their association with subsequent survival. METHODS: In the Carolina Breast Cancer Study Phases I/II, we interviewed 1,808 women 20-74 years of age following diagnosis of invasive breast cancer. We determined vital status using the National Death Index (717 deaths, 427 from breast cancer; median follow-up 13.56 years). We assessed lifestyle patterns using a latent class analysis based on five behavioral and dietary exposures: current versus never/former smokers; low versus high vegetable and fruit intake; high and low/moderate, versus no alcohol consumption; and no and low/moderate, versus high regular physical activity. We used Cox regression to estimate covariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause mortality, and cause-specific and subdistribution HRs for breast cancer-specific mortality within 5 years and 13 years postdiagnosis conditional on 5-year survival. RESULTS: We identified three distinct lifestyle patterns: healthy behavior and diet (n = 916); healthy behavior and unhealthy diet (n = 624); and unhealthy behavior and diet (n = 268). The unhealthy (vs. healthy) behavior and diet pattern was associated with a 13-year conditional all-cause mortality HR of 1.4 (95% CI = 1.1, 1.9) and with 13-year conditional breast cancer-specific and subdistribution HRs of 1.2 (95% CI = 0.79, 1.9) and 1.2 (95% CI = 0.77, 1.8), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral and dietary patterns can be used to identify lifestyle patterns that influence survival patterns following breast cancer diagnosis.

Understanding Why Pictorial Cigarette Pack Warnings Increase Quit Attempts.

BACKGROUND: Our randomized trial found that pictorial cigarette pack warnings elicited more quit attempts than text-only warnings. PURPOSE: In the current study, we sought to identify psychological mechanisms that explain why pictorial cigarette pack warnings change behavior. METHODS: In 2014 and 2015, we recruited 2,149 adult smokers in NC and CA, USA. We randomly assigned smokers to receive on their cigarette packs for 4 weeks either a text-only warning (one of the USA's current warnings on the side of cigarette packs) or a pictorial warning (one of the USA's proposed text warnings with pictures on the top half of the front and back of cigarette packs). RESULTS: Pictorial warnings increased attention to, reactions to, and social interactions about cigarette pack warnings (all p < .05). However, pictorial warnings changed almost no belief or attitude measures. Mediators of the impact of pictorial warnings included increased attention, negative affect, social interactions, thinking about the warning and harms of smoking, and intentions to quit (all p < .05). Analyses also found that pictorial warnings led to greater avoidance of the warnings, which was associated with more quit attempts (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Pictorial warnings increased quit attempts by eliciting aversive reactions and by keeping the message vividly in smokers' minds. Contrary to predictions from several theories of health behavior, the warnings exerted little of their influence through changes in beliefs and attitudes and none of their influence through changes in risk perception. We propose the Tobacco Warnings Model based on these findings. CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02247908; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02247908.

Cigarette pack messages about toxic chemicals: a randomised clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The USA can require tobacco companies to disclose information about harmful and potentially harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke, but the impact of these messages is uncertain. We sought to assess the effect of placing messages about toxic chemicals on smokers' cigarette packs. METHODS: Participants were 719 adult cigarette smokers from California, USA, recruited from September 2016 through March 2017. We randomly assigned smokers to receive either factual messages about chemicals in cigarette smoke and their health harms (intervention) or messages about not littering cigarette butts (control) on the side of their cigarette packs for 3 weeks. The primary trial outcome was intention to quit smoking. RESULTS: In intent-to-treat analyses, smokers whose packs had chemical messages did not have higher intentions to quit smoking at the end of the trial than those whose packs had control messages (P=0.56). Compared with control messages, chemical messages led to higher awareness of the chemicals (28% vs 15%, P<0.001) and health harms (60% vs 52%, P=0.02) featured in the messages. In addition, chemical messages led to greater negative affect, thinking about the chemicals in cigarettes and the harms of smoking, conversations about the messages and forgoing a cigarette (all P<0.05). DISCUSSION: Chemical messages on cigarette packs did not lead to higher intentions to quit among smokers in our trial. However, chemical messages informed smokers of chemicals in cigarettes and harms of smoking, which directly supports their implementation and would be critical to defending the messages against cigarette company legal challenges. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02785484.

Pre-diagnostic aspirin use and mortality after breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Whether aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammation drug (NSAID) use is associated with mortality following breast cancer remains unclear. Consideration of use patterns and interaction with obesity may help to clarify the inconsistent results. METHODS: Pre-diagnosis NSAID use, weight, and height were assessed ~ 3 months after diagnosis through in-person interviews with a population-based cohort of 1,442 women with first primary breast cancer. Vital status was determined through the national death index after ~ 18 years of follow-up (N = 237/597 breast cancer-specific/all-cause deaths). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Multiplicative interaction by body mass index (BMI) was evaluated using the likelihood ratio test. RESULTS: Ever aspirin use was inversely associated with breast cancer-specific mortality (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.59-1.29), but positively associated with all-cause mortality (HR 1.21, 95% CI 0.99-1.48); the CIs included the null values. The HRs, however, were more pronounced for the highest level of duration, frequency, regularity, and timing for all-cause, but not breast cancer-specific mortality. Interactions with BMI revealed no significant heterogeneity (pinteraction = 0.37 and pinteraction = 0.36, respectively). CONCLUSION: Pre-diagnosis aspirin use was not strongly associated with mortality following breast cancer. The all-cause mortality associations, however, were slightly stronger when we considered patterns of use.

Latina mothers as agents of change in children's eating habits: findings from the randomized controlled trial Entre Familia: Reflejos de Salud.

BACKGROUND: Few children consume sufficient servings of fruits and vegetables. Interventions aiming to improve children's dietary intake often target parent level factors, but limited research has examined the mediating role of parental factors on children's dietary intake. This study examined 10-month follow up data from the Entre Familia: Reflejos de Salud (Within the Family: Reflections of Health) trial to investigate (1) intervention effects on children's dietary intake, both sustained and new changes, and (2) whether changes in mothers' dietary intake, her parenting strategies, and behavioral strategies to promoting healthy eating in the home mediated changes in children's dietary intake. METHODS: Participants were 361 Mexican-origin families living in Imperial County, California. Families were randomly assigned to a 4-month dietary intervention or a delayed treatment control group. The intervention was delivered by promotoras (community health workers) via home visits and telephone calls. Assessments occurred at baseline, and 4- and 10-months post-baseline. RESULTS: At 10-months post-baseline, sustained intervention effects were observed on children's reported intake of varieties of vegetables, with differences getting larger over time. However, differential intervention effects on fast food were not sustained due to significant reductions in the control group compared with smaller changes in the intervention group. New intervention effects were observed on servings of sugar-sweetened beverages. However, the intervention continued to have no effect on children's reported fruit and vegetable servings, and varieties of fruits consumed. Mother-reported behavioral strategies to increase fiber and lower fat mediated the relationship between the intervention and children's intake of varieties of vegetables. Mothers' percent energy from fat and behavioral strategies to lower fat were mediators of children's daily servings of sugar-sweetened beverages. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that a promotora-led family based intervention can provide mothers with skills to promote modest changes in children's diet. Examining the parent related mechanisms of change will inform future interventions on important targets for improving children's diet. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ . NCT02441049 . Retrospectively registered 05.06.2015.