Rationale and Design of the Groceries for Black Residents of Boston to Stop Hypertension Among Adults Without Treated Hypertension (GoFresh) Trial.

BACKGROUND: Poor diet quality significantly contributes to hypertension disparities affecting Black adults. While the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern lowers blood pressure (BP), access to DASH-patterned groceries is a major barrier for residents of urban food deserts. METHODS: The Groceries for Black Residents of Boston to Stop Hypertension among Adults without Treated Hypertension (GoFresh) study is one of five projects in the RESTORE Network, an AHA-funded initiative focused on hypertension prevention. GoFresh is testing whether online, dietitian-assisted, home-delivered, DASH-patterned groceries lowers BP among Black adults with elevated BP. This individual-level, parallel-arm trial will enroll up to 176 Black adults with SBP (systolic blood pressure) between 120 and <150 mm Hg residing in Boston-area communities with reduced grocery store access. Following randomization, half of the participants will be assigned to weekly sessions with a dietitian who will assist participants in ordering DASH-patterned groceries online for home delivery; the remainder will receive a $500 monthly stipend. Both interventions will last 3 months, followed by a 9-month maintenance phase. RESULTS: The primary outcome is the difference in SBP after 3 months. Secondary outcomes include a change in 24-hour ambulatory BP, body mass index, 24-hour urine sodium and potassium, hemoglobin A1C, lipids, fruit and vegetable intake, and saturated fat intake. Qualitative interviews with 45 participants 6 months after baseline assessments will determine barriers and facilitators to long-term maintenance of DASH-patterned grocery shopping. DISCUSSION: Findings from this study will inform ongoing work on scalable interventions to prevent hypertension among Black adults with implications for public and healthcare-based food supplementation programs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05121337. Registered on 16 November 2021, at ClinicalTrials.gov: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05121337.

Cross-species comparison of behavioral neurodevelopmental milestones in the common marmoset monkey and human child.

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is an increasingly popular non-human primate species for developing transgenic and genomic edited models of neurological disorders. These models present an opportunity to assess from birth the impact of genetic mutations and to identify candidate predictive biomarkers of early disease onset. In order to apply findings from marmosets to humans, a cross-species comparison of typical development is essential. Aiming to identify similarities, differences, and gaps in knowledge of neurodevelopment, we evaluated peer-reviewed literature focused on the first 6 months of life of marmosets and compared to humans. Five major developmental constructs, including reflexes and reactions, motor, feeding, self-help, and social, were compared. Numerous similarities were identified in the developmental sequences with differences often influenced by the purpose of the behavior, specifically for marmoset survival. The lack of detailed knowledge of marmoset development was exposed as related to the vast resources for humans.

The impact of cancer treatment on the diets and food preferences of patients receiving outpatient treatment.

Patients undergoing cancer treatment experience a multitude of symptoms that can influence their ability to complete treatment as well as their quality of life during and after treatment. This cross-sectional study sought to describe the dietary changes experienced by cancer patients and to identify associations between these changes and common treatment symptoms. A convenience sample of 1199 cancer patients aged 18 yr and older undergoing active treatment were recruited from 7 cancer centers to complete a self-administered paper-and-pencil survey. Descriptive analyses were conducted to estimate prevalence of dietary changes and chi-squared tests were used to examine associations between dietary changes and health outcomes. Approximately 40% of patients reported a decreased appetite since beginning treatment, and 67.2% of patients reported at least 1 chemosensory alteration. Increased taste sensitivities were more common than decreased taste sensitivities, with increased sensitivity to metallic being the most common taste sensitivity (18.6%). Patients also had increased sensitivities to certain smells including cleaning solutions (23.4%), perfume (22.4%), and food cooking (11.4%). Patients reported a wide range of food preferences and aversions. Patients who had less energy or lost weight since beginning treatment were more likely than others to report treatment-related dietary changes.

Attaining successful weight loss with an ideal macronutrient balance.

A dramatic increase in the number of people who are overweight or obese in this country presents a growing public health problem. Successful weight loss requires diet, physical activity, and behavior modification interventions. Weight loss diets with distinctively different macronutrient profiles have resulted in short-term weight loss. There is great interest in identifying the most effective strategies to achieve long-term weight loss. Individualizing weight loss interventions, including diet, will be important to facilitate significant weight loss on a population basis. Nurses and nurse practitioners can play an integral role in supporting their patient's weight loss efforts.