Expanding active living after cancer to underserved cancer survivors and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) improves physical and psychological health in cancer survivors. This study evaluated Active Living After Cancer (ALAC), a community-based program to improve PA, physical function, and quality of life (QOL) in minority and medically underserved cancer survivors and their caregivers. METHODS: Participants completed 12 weekly ALAC sessions and assessments of PA, physical functioning, and QOL at baseline and follow-up (week 12). Paired samples t-tests were used to assess changes in outcomes over time. RESULTS: 540 cancer survivors (M age = 61.1 years, SD = 11.3) and 87 caregivers (M age = 62.3 years, SD = 13.1) were enrolled. Most were women (91.4%), Hispanic (61.1%) or non-Hispanic Black (19.3%), and medically underserved (86.4%). The percent of cancer survivors meeting PA recommendations increased from 28.9% to 60.2% (d = 0.75), and the number of sit-to-stand repetitions in a 30-second period increased from 12.3 to 14.3 (d = 0.39) from 0-12 weeks. Cancer survivors reported significant improvements in physical (T-score Δ = 1.7, d = 0.06) and mental (T-score Δ = 2.3, d = 0.31) health-related QOL. Caregivers also improved their PA, physical function, and QOL, and there were no statistically significant differences between breast and other cancer survivors and between cancer survivors and caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: The ALAC program demonstrated increased PA, physical function, and QOL in medically underserved cancer survivors and their caregivers. Furthermore, ALAC was successfully implemented by community partners and serves as a good model for reaching medically underserved cancer survivors and improving survivorship. Additional efforts are warranted to further extend reach, improve cancer survivorship, and reduce cancer health disparities among underserved cancer survivors.

Feasible diet and circadian interventions reduce in vivo progression of FLT3-ITD-positive acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an internal tandem duplication in the fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor 3 gene (FLT3-ITD) is associated with poor survival, and few studies have examined the impact of modifiable behaviors, such as nutrient quality and timing, in this subset of acute leukemia. METHODS: The influence of diet composition (low-sucrose and/or low-fat diets) and timing of diet were tested in tandem with anthracycline treatment in orthotopic xenograft mouse models. A pilot clinical study to test receptivity of pediatric leukemia patients to macronutrient matched foods was conducted. A role for the circadian protein, BMAL1 (brain and muscle ARNT-like 1), in effects of diet timing was studied by overexpression in FLT3-ITD-bearing AML cells. RESULTS: Reduced tumor burden in FLT3-ITD AML-bearing mice was observed with interventions utilizing low-sucrose and/or low-fat diets, or time-restricted feeding (TRF) compared to mice fed normal chow ad libitum. In a tasting study, macronutrient matched low-sucrose and low-fat meals were offered to pediatric acute leukemia patients who largely reported liking the meals. Expression of the circadian protein, BMAL1, was heightened with TRF and the low-sucrose diet. BMAL1 overexpression and treatment with a pharmacological inducer of BMAL1 was cytotoxic to FLT3-ITD AML cells. CONCLUSIONS: Mouse models for FLT3-ITD AML show that diet composition and timing slows progression of FLT3-ITD AML growth in vivo, potentially mediated by BMAL1. These interventions to enhance therapy efficacy show preliminary feasibility, as pediatric leukemia patients responded favorable to preparation of macronutrient matched meals.

Designing a Digital Culinary Education Intervention for Parents With Low Income.

OBJECTIVE: To examine cooking practices, online information-seeking habits, and intervention preferences among parents with low income to inform the development of a digital cooking intervention on the basis of the Healthy Cooking Index. METHODS: This formative research study included a brief survey followed by in-depth interviews (from February to April, 2021) with parents of a child aged 6-11 years with low income (n = 20; 100% female, 70% African American or Hispanic White). Interview transcripts were analyzed using a semistructured hybrid coding approach. RESULTS: Three main themes were identified to inform the development of the intervention: (1) current Healthy Cooking Index behaviors, (2) preferences for digital cooking intervention content, and (3) design and delivery preferences. A 7-step process was used to develop the intervention and integrate qualitative findings. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Online culinary programs targeting parents with low income may consider short, mobile-friendly video formats and focus on easy-to-prepare recipes adaptable to family preferences.

Enhancing the utilization of healthy living interventions among cancer survivors in historically underserved populations and communities.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and wellness programming preferences of cancer survivors from Acres Homes, a historically Black neighborhood in Houston, Texas, with areas of persistent poverty. The goal of this study was to identify opportunities to increase cancer survivor utilization of healthy eating and active living interventions aligned to cancer center community outreach and engagement efforts. METHODS: This multiple methods study included a retrospective review of electronic health record data (n = 413) and qualitative interviews with cancer survivors (n = 31) immediately preceding initiation of healthy eating, active living programming in Acres Homes. RESULTS: This study found Acres Homes survivors have high rates of co-occurrent cardiometabolic disease including obesity (45.0%), diabetes (30.8%), and other related risk factors as well as treatment-related symptoms. Four major concepts emerged from interviews: (1) Factors that influence survivors' ability to eat well and exercise, (2) Current usage of community resources, (3) Interest in relevant programming, and (4) Specific programming preferences. Opportunities for current and future health promotion programming for cancer survivors were explored. CONCLUSION: Strategically tailoring community resources for cancer survivors can provide a more robust network of support to promote healthy eating and active living in this population. This work informed community implementation of evidence-based health interventions in Acres Homes and may support future projects aiming to enhance community-led cancer prevention efforts in historically underserved communities.

The Bite of HOPE Small Food Business Development Program: a clinic-based culinary medicine program targeting local business owners.

Culinary medicine is a popular approach to health promotion, but most programs focus on patient or provider-facing education. While laudable, these efforts do not represent the full potential for culinary medicine to impact community health. We describe a novel approach to culinary medicine at a federally qualified health center (FQHC), the HOPE Clinic: Bite of HOPE Small Food Business Development (SFBD) program. Describe the design and implementation of the Bite of HOPE SFBD program and examine initial response to the program through interviews and focus groups with past participants. The SFBD program aims to create healthy food outlets by supporting local small businesses with education, resources, and mentorship support. Former participants in the SFBD program were invited to participate in focus groups and interviews exploring their experience and perceived program impact. Three focus groups (n = 10) and nine in-depth interviews were conducted. Most participants were Black or Hispanic and all operated their businesses in the community surrounding HOPE Clinic. Five themes emerged from the data including perceived program purpose, program discovery, motivating factors to participation, perceived program impact, and suggestions for improvement. Participants expressed high satisfaction with the program and positive changes in both business development and personal eating habits. There is an opportunity to leverage the culinary medicine model to support local small food business and improve community health. The Bite of HOPE SFBD program offers an example of how clinic-based resources can expand into the surrounding environment.

Culinary medicine is an increasingly popular way to teach individuals about healthy eating, but most programs offer classes only to patients or healthcare providers. This study explores a new type of culinary medicine program that focuses on improving community health by teaching small food business owners about healthy eating and sustainability. In this paper, we describe the small food business program and explore how business owners reacted to participating in the program. We discussed the small food business development (SFBD) program with 19 former participants through focus groups and interviews. Former participants expressed high satisfaction with the program and positive changes in both business development and personal eating habits. Program suggestions were focused on ways to increase access to the program information. The SFBD program described here offers an example of how culinary medicine can be used to enhance community nutrition and economic health by offering education and support to local food purveyors and professionals.

Participation in and Satisfaction with a Community-Based Physical Activity Program Among Hispanic Cancer Survivors.

The objective of this study was to explore the experience of Hispanic cancer survivors participating in Active Living After Cancer (ALAC), a community-based physical activity program. We analyzed participation and satisfaction data from 250 participants who completed the program from 2017 to 2020 (55% Hispanic, 28% Black, 14% non-Hispanic White). Using a hybrid coding approach, open-text survey comments responses from Hispanic participants (n = 138) were qualitatively analyzed and key themes developed to better contextualize the quantitative results. Quantitative analysis revealed that Hispanic participants attended an average of 9.44 out of 12 sessions. There were no differences in attendance by race/ethnicity; however, Hispanic participants reported significantly higher overall satisfaction ratings than non-Hispanic White participants (4.93 vs 4.65 on a 5-point scale). Open-ended comments indicated that Hispanic ALAC participants experience collective efficacy, self-efficacy, and self-regulation, through observational learning enabled by program facilitation. The ALAC program is highly acceptable and relevant to Hispanic cancer survivors and will inform the continued expansion of other community-based survivorship programs for Hispanic communities throughout Texas.

Patterns of home cooking practices among participants in a behavioral weight loss program: A latent class analysis.

Cooking education is a popular approach to health promotion; however, the relationship between specific cooking practices, diet and weight loss is not well understood. The goal of this study was to 1) evaluate the relationship between cooking practices, dietary behaviors, and weight loss after a weight loss intervention and 2) identify patterns of cooking practices and their implications on weight loss. Using a quasi-experimental, single-arm cohort study design, we analyzed data from 249 adults with overweight/obesity who were participating in a weight loss program. Participants self-reported demographics, height and weight, and diet and physical activity behaviors. The Health Cooking Questionnaire 2 (HCQ2) was used to collect information on cooking practices post intervention. The HCQ2 responses were used to generate Healthy Cooking Index (HCI) scores, a summative measure of cooking practices with the potential to influence health. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was utilized to define distinct patterns of cooking behaviors. Cooking patterns and HCI scores were examined relative to participant demographics, dietary behaviors, and weight loss. HCI scores post-intervention were positively associated with age, weight loss, and favorable dietary behaviors in this study. The LCA revealed three distinct patterns of cooking behavior (Red Meat Simple, Vegetarian Simple, Health & Taste Enhancing). The Red Meat Simple cooking pattern was associated with less weight loss compared to other patterns. The findings of this study set the foundation for more research on cooking education as a method for improving weight loss outcomes in the context of behavioral interventions.

Food Insecurity Among People With Cancer: Nutritional Needs as an Essential Component of Care.

A cancer diagnosis can upend work and family life, leading patients to reallocate resources away from essentials such as food. Estimates of the percentage of people navigating a cancer diagnosis and food insecurity range between 17% and 55% of the cancer patient population. The complexity of addressing food insecurity among those diagnosed with cancer during different phases of treatment is multifactorial and often requires an extensive network of support throughout each phase. This commentary explores the issue of food insecurity in the context of cancer care, explores current mitigation efforts, and offers a call to action to create a path for food insecurity mitigation in the context of cancer. Three programs that address food insecurity among those with cancer at various stages of care are highlighted, drawing attention to current impact and actionable recommendations to make programs like these scalable and sustainable. Recommendations are grounded in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine social care framework through 5 essential domain areas: awareness, adjustment, assistance, alignment, and advocacy. This commentary seeks to highlight opportunities for the optimization of cancer care and reframe food access as an essential part of treatment and long-term care plans.

Home Cooking Quality Assessment Tool Validation Using Community Science and Crowdsourcing Approaches.

OBJECTIVE: To refine a measure of home cooking quality (defined as the usage level of practices with the potential to influence the nutrient content of prepared foods) and conduct a construct validation of the revised tool, the Healthy Cooking Questionnaire 2 (HCQ2). DESIGN: Two validation approaches are described: (1) a community science approach used to refine and validate Healthy Cooking Questionnaire (HCQ) constructs, and (2) responses to the revised HCQ (HCQ2) in a sample of Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers to determine questionnaire comprehension. SETTING: The Community Scientist Program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center facilitated discussion groups to refine the HCQ questions and validate constructs. MTurk workers were subsequently recruited to complete the refined survey so that comprehension and associations with demographic variables could be explored. PARTICIPANTS: Ten community scientists participated in the refinement of the HCQ. The revised tool (HCQ2) was completed by 267 adult US-based MTurk workers. VARIABLES MEASURED: Demographics, HCQ concepts, HCQ2, Self-Reported Questionnaire Comprehension. ANALYSIS: Comprehension items were examined using descriptive statistics. Exploratory analysis the relationships between cooking quality and demographic characteristics, meal type, cooking frequency, as well as patterns of food preparation behavior was conducted on the MTurk sample RESULTS: The HCQ was refined through activities and consensus-building. MTurk responses to the HCQ2 indicated high comprehension and significant differences in cooking quality scores by demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study refined and validated a self-report measure of cooking quality. Cooking quality measures offer critical evaluation methods for culinary programs.

Cooking After Cancer: the Structure and Implementation of a Community-Based Cooking Program for Cancer Survivors.

Cancer survivors are a growing population that may particularly benefit from nutrition and lifestyle interventions. Community-based programs teaching healthy cooking skills are increasingly popular and offer an opportunity to support survivors within communities. The objective of this study is to describe the curriculum and implementation of a cooking class program designed for cancer survivors, housed within an established community-based organization. First, we evaluated the class curriculum for specific constructs. An evidence-based measure of healthy cooking constructs, the Healthy Cooking Index (HCI), was used to analyze included recipes and revealed both summative cooking quality scores and individual constructs underlying the overall curriculum. Second, a self-report questionnaire based on the HCI was conducted during the first and last class of the 6-week series. This allowed for a comparison between baseline cooking practices of participants and class curricula, as well as changes in reported practices after class participation. Using the HCI items and coding system, we found the curriculum focused on seven recurring constructs (measuring fat and oil, using citrus, herbs and spices, low-fat cooking methods, olive oil, and adding fruit and vegetables). Baseline reports demonstrated that many participants already practiced the main constructs driving the curriculum. As a potential result of this overlap, no changes in practices were found between the first and last session among class participants. Cooking classes for cancer survivors should be structured to not only reinforce positive existing behaviors but also to promote other healthy cooking practices and reduce less healthy behaviors such as using red meat and animal fats. The HCI can be used to understand the underlying constructs of existing cooking class curricula and current practices of survivor populations, allowing for a more tailored approach to practical nutrition education in this high-risk group.

Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Worksite-Weight-Loss Program for Cancer Prevention among School-District Employees with Overweight and Obesity.

The effects of Vibrant Lives, a 6-month worksite-weight-loss program, were examined in a cohort of school-district employees with overweight or obesity. The VL Basic (VLB) participants received materials and tailored text messages, the VL Plus (VLP) participants additionally received WIFI-enabled activity monitors and scales and participated in health challenges throughout the school year, and the VL Plus with Support (VLP + S) participants additionally received coaching support. The levels of program satisfaction and retention and changes in weight, physical activity (PA), and diet were compared across groups using Pearson chi-square tests, repeated-measure mixed models, and logistic regression. After the program, the VLB (n = 131), VLP (n = 87), and VLP + S (n = 88) groups had average weight losses of 2.5, 2.5, and 3.4 kg, respectively, and average increases in weekly PA of 40.4, 35.8, and 65.7 min, respectively. The VLP + S participants were more likely than the other participants to have clinically significant weight loss (≥3%; p = 0.026). Compared with the VLB participants, the VLP participants were less likely to meet the recommendations for consuming fast food (p = 0.022) and sugar-sweetened beverages (p = 0.010). The VLP and VLP + S participants reported higher program satisfaction than the VLB participants. The VL program facilitates weight loss among school-district employees with overweight and obesity by increasing their PA and healthy diet.

Changes in physical activity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with overweight and obesity: an interrupted time series analysis with historical controls.

The objective of this study was to investigate changes in physical activity patterns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with overweight and obesity who were participating in a school district worksite weight loss program. We conducted comparative design interrupted time series analyses on physical activity device (Fitbit) data from the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years (N = 211). We administered a questionnaire in 2020 to supplement device data. After the stay-at-home orders in 2020, participants tended to decrease their weekly step count (B = -1315.7, SE = 627.7, p = .045), decrease their weekly "Lightly active minutes" (B = -39.1, SE = 12.6, p = .007), and increase their weekly "Very active minutes" compared to their counterparts from the year before (B = 7.6, SE = 3.2, p = .020). Decreased motivation, gym closures, and safety concerns were cited as barriers to physical activity. Having more time and health consciousness were cited as facilitators of physical activity. The COVID-19 pandemic was related to changes in physical activity in both positive and negative ways, revealing opportunities to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in this population. More research is needed to determine optimal approaches to health promotion in the post-COVID-19 era.

Optimization of an mHealth lifestyle intervention for families with hereditary cancer syndromes: Study protocol for a multiphase optimization strategy feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Individuals at increased hereditary risk of cancer are an important target for health promotion and cancer prevention interventions. Health-4-Families uses the Multiphase Optimization STrategy (MOST) framework and is designed to pilot digital delivery strategies for a distance-based, 16-week intervention to promote weight management, healthy diet, and increased physical activity among individuals with BRCA1/BRCA2 or DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathogenic germline variants. This communication describes participant recruitment and the design of the Health-4-Families pilot study. METHODS: Health-4-Families is a full-factorial (16 condition) randomized pilot study of four lifestyle intervention components: social networking, telephone or email coaching, text messaging, and self-monitoring. The primary outcome was feasibility and satisfaction with these study components. Participants with pathogenic germline variants were identified via clinic surveillance lists and advocacy organizations and were invited to participate with family members. All participants had to report meeting at least one of the following criteria: (1) having a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, (2) consuming <5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, or (3) getting <150 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity per week. RESULTS: The majority of screened potential participants with pathogenic variants (83%) were eligible; 86% of those eligible provided informed consent and 79% (n = 104) completed baseline. A total of 206 family members were nominated by study participants and 49% (n = 102) completed baseline. DISCUSSION: Recruitment data suggest that individuals with pathogenic germline variants, who are at increased risk for hereditary cancers, are motivated to participate in digital lifestyle interventions. This recruitment success highlights the importance of identifying and prioritizing effective and efficient intervention components for hereditary cancer families. We intend to use the outcomes of our pilot study to inform a fully-powered factorial study for this community.

Impact of COVID-19 on a worksite weight loss program for employees with overweight and obesity.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to be negatively associated with physical activity engagement, adherence to healthy diet, and weight management among people with obesity. The current study examined COVID-19-related changes in weight, physical activity (PA), and diet among employees with obesity or overweight who participated in Vibrant Lives (VL), a worksite weight loss program. Methods: School district employees participated in the 6-month VL weight loss program and were categorized into non-COVID-era participants and COVID-era participants. Participants completed questionnaires about PA and dietary intake at baseline and follow-up. COVID-era participants reported the effects of pandemic on their behaviors. Changes in weight, PA, and diet were compared between groups using multilevel linear mixed models and logistic regression models. Results: A total of 266 participants (non-COVID, n=173; COVID, n=93) were included. Significant weight loss (non-COVID, -2.3 kg vs. COVID, -1.3 kg) and increases in moderate-to-vigorous PA minutes (non-COVID, 48.7 min vs. COVID, 61.5 min) were observed associated with the program, but no significant differences in changes between the groups were found. Compared to non-COVID participants, COVID participants decreased fast food consumption (P=.008) and increased sugar-sweetened beverage intake (P=.016). Higher frequency of snacking and overeating were reported as barriers to a healthy diet. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic was negatively associated with healthful dietary behaviors. The information obtained from participants regarding the reasons for their pandemic-related changes in diet may help identify strategies to encourage healthier behaviors and weight management among people who have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Unique Features of a Web-Based Nutrition Website for Childhood Cancer Populations: Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: Children with cancer experience a myriad of nutritional challenges that impact their nutrition status during treatment and into survivorship. Growing evidence suggests that weight at diagnosis impacts cancer outcomes, but provider guidance on nutrition and diet during treatment varies. Nutrition literacy and culinary resources may help mitigate some common nutritional problems; however, many patients may face barriers to accessing in-person classes. Along with dietitian-led clinical interventions, web-based resources such as the newly updated electronic cookbook (e-cookbook) created by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, @TheTable, may facilitate access to nutrition and culinary education during treatment and into survivorship. OBJECTIVE: We sought to define and describe the features and content of the @TheTable e-cookbook and compare it with analogous resources for a lay audience of patients with childhood cancer and childhood cancer survivors as well as their families. METHODS: We evaluated freely available web-based resources via a popular online search engine (ie, Google). These searches yielded three web-based resources analogous to @TheTable: the American Institute for Cancer Research's Healthy Recipes, The Children's Hospital of San Antonio's Culinary Health Education for Families Recipe for Life, and Ann Ogden Gaffney and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Cook for Your Life. These sites were analyzed for the following: number of recipes, search functionality, child or family focus, cancer focus, specific dietary guidance, videos or other media, and miscellaneous unique features. RESULTS: Cook for Your Life and Culinary Health Education for Families Recipe for Life were the most comparable to @TheTable with respect to cancer focus and family focus, respectively. Healthy Recipes is the least user-friendly, with few search options and no didactic videos. CONCLUSIONS: The @TheTable e-cookbook is unique in its offering of child- and family-focused content centered on the cancer and survivorship experience.

A systematic review of the use of dietary self-monitoring in behavioural weight loss interventions: delivery, intensity and effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE: To identify dietary self-monitoring implementation strategies in behavioural weight loss interventions. DESIGN: We conducted a systematic review of eight databases and examined fifty-nine weight loss intervention studies targeting adults with overweight/obesity that used dietary self-monitoring. SETTING: NA. PARTICIPANTS: NA. RESULTS: We identified self-monitoring implementation characteristics, effectiveness of interventions in supporting weight loss and examined weight loss outcomes among higher and lower intensity dietary self-monitoring protocols. Included studies utilised diverse self-monitoring formats (paper, website, mobile app, phone) and intensity levels (recording all intake or only certain aspects of diet). We found the majority of studies using high- and low-intensity self-monitoring strategies demonstrated statistically significant weight loss in intervention groups compared with control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, lower and higher intensity dietary self-monitoring may support weight loss, but variability in adherence measures and limited analysis of weight loss relative to self-monitoring usage limits our understanding of how these methods compare with each other.

Patterns of self-monitoring technology use and weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.

Mobile applications and paired devices allow individuals to self-monitor physical activity, dietary intake, and weight fluctuation concurrently. However, little is known regarding patterns of use of these self-monitoring technologies over time and their implications for weight loss. The objectives of this study were to identify distinct patterns of self-monitoring technology use and to investigate the associations between these patterns and weight change. We analyzed data from a 6-month weight loss intervention for school district employees with overweight or obesity (N = 225). We performed repeated measures latent profile analysis (RMLPA) to identify common patterns of self-monitoring technology use and used multiple linear regression to evaluate the relationship between self-monitoring technology use and weight change. RMLPA revealed four distinct profiles: minimal users (n = 65, 29% of sample), activity trackers (n = 124, 55%), dedicated all-around users (n = 25, 11%), and dedicated all-around users with exceptional food logging (n = 11, 5%). The dedicated all-around users with exceptional food logging lost the most weight (X2[1,225] = 5.27, p = .0217). Multiple linear regression revealed that, adjusting for covariates, only percentage of days of wireless weight scale use (B = -0.05, t(212) = -3.79, p < .001) was independently associated with weight loss. We identified distinct patterns in mHealth self-monitoring technology use for tracking weight loss behaviors. Self-monitoring of weight was most consistently linked to weight loss, while exceptional food logging characterized the group with the greatest weight loss. Weight loss interventions should promote self-monitoring of weight and consider encouraging food logging to individuals who have demonstrated consistent use of self-monitoring technologies.

Mobile applications and paired devices now enable users to track their physical activity levels, dietary intake, and weight fluctuations all in one user interface. We know that tracking each of these behaviors generally facilitates weight loss, but it is not clear how people with overweight or obesity may tend to use these multiple functions together when trying to lose weight. In a sample of 225 school district employees with overweight or obesity, we investigated whether there were common patterns in tracking these behaviors over time, and whether patterns were associated with weight loss. We identified groups reflecting four common patterns, which we termed the minimal users (n = 65, 29%), activity trackers (n = 124, 55%), dedicated all-around users (n = 25, 11%), and dedicated all-around users with exceptional food logging (n = 11, 5% of sample). The dedicated all-around users with exceptional food logging was the only group that reliably lost weight and was characterized by high tracking of activity, diet, and weight. Overall, regular use of the weight scale was most strongly associated with weight loss. It may be useful to broadly encourage self-monitoring of weight, and selectively encourage food logging to individuals amenable to this self-monitoring technology.

The Challenging Task of Measuring Home Cooking Behavior.

The link between home cooking and health is being actively explored in both observational and experimental studies. However, research on this topic is limited by the lack of cooking behavior metrics. Most existing assessment tools focus only on cooking frequency or one's ability to complete specific a priori food preparations. Cooking is a complex and multifaceted behavior that is influenced by culture, environment, and social norms. More flexible and adaptable measurement approaches are needed to elucidate the spectrum of cooking ability in the population and, in turn, develop meaningful recommendations and interventions.

The Healthy Cooking Index: Nutrition Optimizing Home Food Preparation Practices across Multiple Data Collection Methods.

BACKGROUND: Food preparation interventions are an increasingly popular target for hands-on nutrition education for adults, children, and families, but assessment tools are lacking. Objective data on home cooking practices, and how they are interpreted through different data collection methods, are needed. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to explore the utility of the Healthy Cooking Index in coding multiple types of home food preparation data and elucidating healthy cooking behavior patterns. DESIGN: Parent-child dyads were recruited between October 2017 and June 2018 in Houston and Austin, Texas for this observational study. Food preparation events were observed and video recorded. Participants also wore a body camera (eButton) and completed a questionnaire during the same event. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Parents with a school-aged child were recruited as dyads (n=40). Data collection procedures took place in participant homes during evening meal preparation events. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Food preparation data were collected from parents through direct observation during preparation as well as eButton and paper questionnaires completed immediately after the event. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: All data sets were analyzed using the Healthy Cooking Index coding system and compared for concordance. A paired sample t test was used to examine significant differences between the scores. Cronbach's α and principal components analysis were conducted on the observed Healthy Cooking Index items to examine patterns of cooking practices. RESULTS: Two main components of cooking practices emerged from the principal components analysis: one focused on meat products and another on health and taste enhancing practices. The eButton was more accurate in collecting Healthy Cooking Index practices than the self-report questionnaire. Significant differences were found between participant reported and observed summative Healthy Cooking Index scores (P<0.001), with no significant differences between scores computed from eButton images and observations (P=0.187). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to examine nutrition optimizing home cooking practices by observational, wearable camera and self-report data collection methods. By strengthening cooking behavior assessment tools, future research will be able to elucidate the transmission of cooking education through interventions and the relationships between cooking practices, disease prevention, and health.

Feasibility and efficacy of a weight gain prevention intervention for breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a randomized controlled pilot study.

PURPOSE: Weight gain is common among breast cancer patients and may contribute to poorer treatment outcomes. Most programs target breast cancer survivors after the completion of therapy and focus on weight reduction. This study examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an intervention designed to prevent primary weight gain among women receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. METHODS: Thirty-eight newly diagnosed stage II or III breast cancer patients were randomized to the BALANCE intervention or usual care within 3 weeks of starting neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The intervention used a size acceptance-based approach and encouraged home-based resistance and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise as well as a low energy-dense diet to prevent weight gain. Assessments were conducted at baseline, mid-chemotherapy (3 months), and post-chemotherapy (6 months). Intervention feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects on anthropometric, quality of life, and circulating biomarker measures were evaluated. RESULTS: Intervention participant retention (100%) and in-person session attendance (80%) were high during the intervention period, although attendance dropped to 43% for telephone-delivered sessions. The majority of participants reported being satisfied with the intervention during chemotherapy (88%). Participants in the intervention group had greater reductions in waist circumference (p = .03) and greater improvements in self-reported vitality scores (p = .03) than the control group at the end of chemotherapy. Significant effects on biomarkers were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: A size acceptance weight management program is feasible during neoadjuvant chemotherapy among breast cancer patients and may have beneficial effects on waist circumference and patient vitality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered as a clinical trial at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00533338).