Correlates of Reported Use and Perceived Helpfulness of Calorie Information in Restaurants Among U.S. Adults.

PURPOSE: This study reports correlates in reported use and helpfulness of calorie information, when available, in restaurants on a national scale in the United States for demographic behavioral and health-related conditions. DESIGN: This study is a secondary data analysis of the 2013 National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey data. SETTING: United States. SUBJECTS: Adults (n = 3407). MEASURES: Menu labeling use and helpfulness; behavior change attempts; reported fruit, vegetable, and soda consumption; weight status; and chronic health conditions. ANALYSIS: Trends were identified in weighted logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: U.S. adults who intended to lose weight (odds ratio [OR] = 5.01 [95% confidence interval 2.96, 8.46]), increase fruit (OR = 1.10 [.66, 1.84]) or vegetable consumption (OR = 2.25 [1.32, 3.83]), or reduce soda consumption (OR = 1.67 [1.11, 2.51]) were more likely to report using menu-labeling information when available. More women reported calorie information was helpful when ordering (p < .05). Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status disparities were identified in use (non-Hispanic [NH] blacks vs. NH whites OR = .43 [.25, .74]) and helpfulness (NH blacks vs. NH whites ß = -.06 [-.44, .32]). CONCLUSION: Findings highlight potential subgroups to target for communication and education efforts regarding use of calorie information in restaurants. Following publication of final rules for federal menu-labeling legislation and implementation, further surveillance of public response to this information may inform message framing and educational interventions to promote use of calorie information on menu boards.

Distant but relative: Similarities and differences in gender role beliefs among African American and Vietnamese American women.

OBJECTIVES: Research attempting to identify similarities or disentangle differences in ethnic minority gender role beliefs has been largely absent in the literature, and a gap remains for qualitative examinations of such phenomena. The purpose of this study is to fill this gap in the literature by providing a qualitative examination of the differences and similarities of gender role beliefs among African American and Vietnamese American women. METHODS: Thematic analyses were conducted with data gathered from 8 focus groups with 44 African American women (mean age = 44 years) and 4 focus Groups 47 Vietnamese American women (mean age = 42 years). Women were diverse in generational, religious, and educational backgrounds. RESULTS: Two similar primary themes emerged: (a) women's roles as chief caretakers and (b) women's responsibility to fulfill multiple roles. There were also similar experiences of a need to convey strength and be self-sacrificial. Two distinct differences that emerged from the focus groups were beliefs about interpersonal interactions and perceptions of societal expectations. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the conceptualization of gender role beliefs, although at times similar, diverges among culturally different groups. To account for these and other culturally nuanced differences, measures of gender role beliefs should be culturally tailored and culturally specific. However, researchers have largely excluded ethnic minority women in the development of the most widely used measures of gender role beliefs in the U.S. The inclusion of diverse women in research will help prevent pitfalls of conflating and ignoring intragroup differences among different groups of marginalized women.

Disaggregated data and beyond: future queries in cancer control research.

The goal of health equity requires the collection and reporting of disaggregated data in underrepresented populations such as Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) communities. A recent Department of Health and Human Services report outlines the necessity for disaggregated data, which would offer communities, providers, and planners better tools to address health problems. In a recent collaboration, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and several registries published a series of articles tracking cancer incidence data on AA and NHOPI communities using data from the NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. The findings indicate a need for concentrated focus and planning for the next stages of cancer prevention and control for AA and NHOPI subpopulations. In this article, we provide (i) the context for the perpetuation of the model minority myth as well as historical and sociocultural factors that have shaped health and disease for AA and NHOPI subgroups; (ii) potential strategies for research and public health policy for AA and NHOPI groups using subpopulation-based approaches while addressing challenges and limitations; and (iii) a portfolio analysis of currently funded projects within the NCI/DCCPS to identify gaps and areas of potential research.

The biracial Asian population in California: an examination of health profiles and chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVES: To examine health outcomes and chronic conditions for the biracial Asian population in California. We hypothesized that the biracial population will display intermediate (or an average of) outcomes in comparison to their monoracial counterparts. DESIGN: The study was cross-sectional. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, multivariable regression models predicted health outcomes (ie, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, disability status, BMI, and general health) and compared health outcomes among various (mono- and bi-) racial and ethnic groups. PARTICIPANTS: Data were collected from 238,897 adult (aged ≥ 18 years) respondents after merging iterations of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) administered in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009. RESULTS: Multivariate results revealed that Whites reported better health overall than biracial Asians and other monoracial groups. Biracial Asians displayed BMI ranges that were intermediate between their monoracial constituents. CONCLUSIONS: BMI is a more proximal health outcome and is more sensitive to lifestyles and behaviors. As a result, BMI may be a better indicator than chronic diseases in showing that biracial Asians have adopted health behaviors and practices that fall between their mono-racial counterparts. Future epidemiological research should examine the prevalence of more proximal health outcomes among biracial Asians and assess how it differs by developmental age.

Stress Among African American Emerging Adults: The Role of Family and Cultural Factors.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of family and cultural variables on stress among African American emerging adults. Data from this study was collected as part of a larger study that examined cultural, family, and contextual factors and smoking among African American youth in 5th, 8th, and 12th grades. Data were collected from high school seniors at the end of their 12th grade year and 6 months post high school. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine whether racial identity, family cohesion, and parental monitoring influence students' perceived frequency of stress. Higher levels of racial identity were associated with more perceived stress. There were no significant main effects for either parental monitoring or family cohesion on stress. There were significant interactions between racial identity and parental monitoring and between parental monitoring and family cohesion. Study implications are discussed regarding the importance of stress reduction programs for African American emerging adults and for parents of these adults.