At risk or not: Comparing normative and criterion-referenced Body Mass Index standards among Mexican American children / A riesgo o no: comparando índices de masa corporal normativos e índices basados en criterios en niños méxico-americanos

Most childhood obesity research has classified participants by normative standards for Body Mass Index (BMI) through population percentiles or values corresponding to overweight adults (World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF)). In 2006, criterion-referenced standards (FitnessGram®) were developed (revised in 2010) which directly associate BMI values with adverse health outcomes. This study assessed agreement between normative and criterion-referenced standards. Participants included 653 Mexican American 3rd to 5th graders living in the U.S.-Mexico border area who participated in a health promotion project. At baseline, agreement was compared between normative and criterion-referenced classifications. At follow-up, agreement between classifications on changes (e.g. from overweight to healthy weight) was assessed. According to FitnessGram® standards, 53.0% of participants were overweight or obese at baseline. Compared to FitnessGram®, the IOTF and CDC standards classified 15% fewer participants as obese/high risk. The WHO standards were closely related to FitnessGram® (kappa=.925) and showed significantly greater agreement with FitnessGram® than the CDC (kappa=.925 versus 0.722, p<.001) and IOTF standards (kappa=.925 versus .682, p<.001). Compared to the FitnessGram® (8.9%), the WHO and CDC (8.6%) were similar, but IOTF standards lower (6.5%) in how many children improved following the health program. Despite acceptable agreement between the different indices, several normative classifications may underestimate the proportion of children who are at risk for BMI-related adverse health consequences.

Muchos de los estudios sobre la obesidad infantil clasifican a los participantes por índices normativas para el índice de masa corporal (IMC) usando valores de percentil de población o valores correspondientes a adultos con sobrepeso (Organización Mundial de la Salud (WHO), Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) y la Comisión International Sobre la Obesidad (OITF)). En 2006, índices con referencias a criterios (Fitness-Gram®) fueron creados asociando valores de IMC directamente a valores de impacto de salud adversos. Este estudio determino las equivalencias de los índices normativos y los con referencias a criterios. Los participantes incluyeron estudiantes (N=653), niveles 3°-5, viviendo en la frontera EEUU-México. Al inicio, se comparó la equivalencia entre el IMC basado en las clasificaciones normativas y los con referencias a criterios. La equivalencia entre las clasificaciones de los cambios fue evaluada. Según las normas Fitness-Gram®, 53.0% tenían sobrepeso o eran obesos aunque las normas OITF y CDC indicaron menos de 15% fueron clasificados con obesidad/alto riesgo. Las normas WHO fueron más cercanamente relacionadas con las de FitnessGram® (kappa=.925) y mostraron significativamente mayor equivalencia con las de FitnessGram® que a las del CDC (kappa= .925 V .722, p<.001) e IOTF (kappa=.925 V .669, p<.001). Los índices FitnessGram® (8.9%), WHO y CDC (8.6%) fueron similares en cuanto el número de niños que mejoraron siguiendo el programa, pero el índice IOTF fue menor (6.3%). Aunque había un acuerdo aceptable entre los índices diferentes, varios pueden subestimar la proporción a riesgo y las consecuencias adversas relacionadas al IMC.

At risk or not: comparing normative and criterion-referenced body mass index standards among Mexican American children.

Most childhood obesity research has classified participants by normative standards for Body Mass Index (BMI) through population percentiles or values corresponding to overweight adults (World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF)). In 2006, criterion-referenced standards (FitnessGram) were developed (revised in 2010) which directly associate BMI values with adverse health outcomes. This study assessed agreement between normative and criterion-referenced standards. Participants included 653 Mexican American 3rd to 5th graders living in the U.S.-Mexico border area who participated in a health promotion project. At baseline, agreement was compared between normative and criterion-referenced classifications. At follow-up, agreement between classifications on changes (e.g., from overweight to healthy weight) was assessed. According to FitnessGram standards, 53.0% of participants were overweight or obese at baseline. Compared to FitnessGram, the IOTF and CDC standards classified 15% fewer participants as obese/high risk. The WHO standards were closely related to FitnessGram (kappa=.925) and showed significantly greater agreement with FitnessGram than the CDC (kappa=.925 versus 0.722, p < .001) and IOTF standards (kappa=.925 versus .682, p < .001). Compared to the FitnessGram (8.9%), the WHO and CDC (8.6%) were similar, but IOTF standards lower (6.5%) in how many children improved following the health program. Despite acceptable agreement between the different indices, several normative classifications may underestimate the proportion of children who are at risk for BMI-related adverse health consequences.

A profile of US-Mexico border mobility among a stratified random sample of Hispanics living in the El Paso-Juarez area.

Examination of border-specific characteristics such as trans-border mobility and transborder health service illuminates the heterogeneity of border Hispanics and may provide greater insight toward understanding differential health behaviors and status among these populations. In this study, we create a descriptive profile of the concept of trans-border mobility by exploring the relationship between mobility status and a series of demographic, economic and socio-cultural characteristics among mobile and non-mobile Hispanics living in the El Paso-Juarez border region. Using a two-stage stratified random sampling design, bilingual interviewers collected survey data from border residents (n = 1,002). Findings show that significant economic, cultural, and behavioral differences exist between mobile and non-mobile respondents. While non-mobile respondents were found to have higher social economic status than their mobile counterparts, mobility across the border was found to offer less acculturated and poorer Hispanics access to alternative sources of health care and other services.

Examining the effectiveness of a community-based self-help program to increase women's readiness for smoking cessation.

This study investigated the effectiveness of two components of a smoking cessation intervention: a reading manual and a series of televised programs. Female smokers in the Chicago metropolitan area with a high school education or less were interviewed at 4 different times: baseline, immediate postintervention, and 6 and 12 months. We examined the effects of several baseline measures (race, age, number of cigarettes smoked, and stage of readiness to change) and exposure to the intervention components on subsequent stage of change. Race, baseline smoking rate, baseline stage, and exposure to both intervention components had direct effects on stage at immediate postintervention, with both intervention components increasing readiness to quit. Furthermore, exposure to the manual interacted with baseline stage, such that the manual benefited women at earlier stages more than women at later stages. Effects of both components were sustained at 6 months, and the effects of the manual were sustained at 12 months.

Changes in self-efficacy and readiness for smoking cessation among women with high school or less education.

The most common theory of smoking cessation postulates that readiness to quit begins with changes in attitudes that move the smoker toward behavioral change and eventual cessation. However, trends in smoking indicate that many who currently smoke are not ready to quit. Hence, strategies that both enhance readiness and focus on quitting are likely to be most effective. We hypothesize that an intervention addressed to motivating behavior change will enhance readiness to change, which will in turn increase the smokers self-efficacy regarding further change. A smoking cessation intervention that combined a self-help booklet and televised segments was developed to address these issues in a population of women smokers with high school or less education. Readiness to quit was measured prior to the intervention, immediately following the intervention, and again at six and 12 months after intervention. The results indicate that the intervention had its effects on readiness to quit, which in turn affected self-efficacy, which further enhanced readiness to quit. These findings indicate that interventions aimed at this group of smokers may need to provide achievable objectives that focus on preparing the smoker to quit as well as promote cessation.

Antiviral and antiluteolytic activity of recombinant bovine IFN-omega1 obtained from Pichia pastoris.

The gene coding for bovine interferon-omega1 (BoIFN-omega1) was recently cloned and expressed at high levels in the yeast Pichia pastoris. The recombinant BoIFN-omega1 protein shows antiviral activity in different cell lines and has an antiluteolytic effect in cyclic ewes. In this article, we describe a method for purification of BoIFN-omega1 expressed in the methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris and characterization of its activity in vivo. The recombinant protein secreted to the culture medium had low activity because of self-aggregation. BoIFN-omega1 was solubilized using urea and desalting and finally purified by ion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose Fast Flow. The yield of purified product was approximately 300 mg/L of fermentation culture, with a specific antiviral activity of 10(8) IU/mg. Its purity was at least 80%. The biologic characterization of purified BoIFN-omega1 was determined by induction of an antiviral state on ewes challenged with 100 lethal doses (LD) of Aujeszky virus and by the extension of the corpus luteum life span and interestrous interval in cyclic cows. Ewes treated with 2 x 106 IU/kg BoIFN-omega1 were protected from Aujeszky virus infection. In cows receiving an intrauterine infusion of 1 mg BoIFN-omega1, equally distributed between the two uterine horns, twice daily from day 14 to day 22 of the experimental estrous cycle, the lifespan of the corpus luteum (25 vs. 19 days) and the interestrous intervals (26 vs. 21 days) were extended when compared with a control group (p < 0.05). We show that recombinant BoIFN-omega1 purified from P. pastoris has high antiviral activity and is an effective antiluteolytic agent in cattle.

Characteristics associated with exposure to and participation in a televised smoking cessation intervention program for women with high school or less education.

OBJECTIVES: This paper estimates the prevalence of exposure to and participation in a televised smoking cessation intervention targeting women with high school or less education and describes characteristics related to exposure and participation. METHODS: A random sample of the population of female smokers with high school or less education in the Chicago metropolitan area was used to estimate the prevalence of exposure to a targeted smoking cessation intervention with television and booklet components (n = 722). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine characteristics related to exposure to each component and participation, defined as simultaneous use of both components, in a sample of population and registrants combined (n = 1,727). RESULTS: About one of every four women in the target population either saw the television series or called for the booklet (24.5%); 17.5% saw the television series, 9.4% called for the booklet, and 2.4% both saw the television series and called for the booklet. Independent predictors of booklet exposure were black, older age, annual income $40,000 or less, heavier smoking, and higher stage of readiness to quit. Adjusting for booklet exposure, independent predictors of television exposure were older age and nonblack. Independent predictors of participation were black, older age, and higher stage of readiness to quit. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention reached a substantial portion of low-educated female smokers. Women who were older, black, or at higher stages of readiness to quit were most likely to be exposed and to participate. Heavier smokers or lower income women were most likely to be exposed but not necessarily to participate.