Population-based mortality data suggests remediation is modestly effective in two Montana Superfund counties.

The health effects of living in proximity to Superfund sites with ongoing remediation were evaluated for residents of two contiguous Montana counties, Deer Lodge and Silver Bow. Deer Lodge and Silver Bow are home to the Anaconda Smelter and Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund sites, respectively. Established by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1983, both sites have had ongoing remediation for decades. Employing county level death certificate data obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER site, sex and age-adjusted standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for composite targeted causes of death were calculated using observed versus expected mortality for both counties, and compared to the expected mortality from the remaining Montana counties. Cancers, cerebro- and cardiovascular diseases (CCVD), and organ failure were elevated for the two counties during the study period, 2000-2016, with SMRs of 1.19 (95% CI 1.10, 1.29); 1.36 (95% CI 1.29, 1.43); and 1.24 (95% CI 1.10, 1.38), respectively. Neurological conditions were not elevated for the two counties (SMR = 1.01; 95% CI 0.89, 1.14). Time trend analyses performed using Cox regression models indicate that deaths from cancers (HR = 0.97; p = 0.0004), CCVDs (HR = 0.95; p ≤ 0.0001), and neurological conditions (HR = 0.97; p = 0.01) decreased over the study period. While the ecological approach applied limits the interpretation of our results, our study suggests that while mortality is elevated, it is also decreasing over time for these two Superfund sites.

Fitness adjusted racial disparities in central adiposity among women in the USA using quantile regression.

OBJECTIVE: This study comprehensively explores racial/ethnic disparities in waist circumference (WC) after adjusting for cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), among both adult and adolescent women, across WC percentiles. METHODS: Analysis was conducted using data from the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Female participants (n = 3,977) aged 12-49 years with complete data on CRF, height, weight and WC were included. Quantile regression models, stratified by age groups (12-15, 16-19 and 20-49 years), were used to assess the association between WC and race/ethnicity adjusting for CRF, height and age across WC percentiles (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th). RESULTS: For non-Hispanic (NH) Black, in both the 16-19 and 20-49 years age groups, estimated WC was significantly greater than for NH White across percentiles above the median with estimates ranging from 5.2 to 11.5 cm. For Mexican Americans, in all age groups, estimated WC tended to be significantly greater than for NH White particularly for middle percentiles (50th and 75th) with point estimates ranging from 1.9 to 8.4 cm. CONCLUSIONS: Significant disparities in WC between NH Black and Mexican women, as compared to NH White, remain even after adjustment for CRF. The magnitude of the disparities associated with race/ethnicity differs across WC percentiles and age groups.

Construct Validation of the Dietary Inflammatory Index among African Americans.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic inflammation is linked to many chronic conditions. One of the strongest modulators of chronic inflammation is diet. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) measures dietary inflammatory potential and has been validated previously, but not among African Americans (AAs). DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from the Healthy Eating and Active Living in the Spirit (HEALS) intervention study. SETTING: Baseline data collection occurred between 2009 and 2012 in or near Columbia, SC. PARTICIPANTS: African-American churchgoers. MEASUREMENTS: Baseline data collection included c-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 from blood draws, anthropometric measures, and numerous questionnaires. The questionnaires included a food frequency questionnaire which was used for DII calculation. The main analyses were performed using quantile regression. RESULTS: Subjects in the highest DII quartile (i.e., more pro-inflammatory) were younger, more likely to be married, and had less education and greater BMI. Individuals in DII quartile 4 had statistically significantly greater CRP at the 75th and 90th percentiles of CRP versus those in quartile 1 (i.e., more anti-inflammatory). CONCLUSION: Construct validation provides support for using the DII in research among AA populations. Future research should explore avenues to promote more anti-inflammatory diets, with use of the DII, among AA populations to reduce risk of chronic disease.