BackgroundAn emerging body of research suggests the trajectory of a family’s income affects children’s health and development more profoundly than the often-measured income at a single time point. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between changes in family income status, early-life risk factors, and body mass index (BMI) z-score trajectory from age 2 to 15 years.MethodsThis longitudinal study employed a birth cohort (n = 595) located in a rural region of New York State. Data were collected through an audit of medical records and mailed questionnaires. Family low-income and BMI z-score trajectories were identified using latent-class modeling techniques that group children based on similar trends across time. We examined five early-life risk factors in relation to income and BMI z-score trajectories: maternal overweight/obesity, maternal gestational weight gain, maternal smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding duration, and early-life weight gain trajectory. We used multinomial logistic regression models to estimate the odds of being in a BMI z-score trajectory group based on income trajectory and early-life risk factors.ResultsChildren who remain low-income throughout childhood were more likely to maintain overweight (AOR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.03, 5.42) and children who moved into low-income during childhood were more likely to be obese (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.12, 5.93) compared to children who were never low-income. Maternal overweight/obesity was significantly associated with a child become obese (AOR = 8.31, 95% CI = 3.80, 18.20), become overweight (AOR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.34, 4.22), and stay overweight (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.02, 3.14). Excessive gestational weight gain was associated with increased likelihood of a child becoming overweight trajectory (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.01, 4.00).ConclusionsOur findings further supports the growing evidence that there are several preventable early-life risk factors that could be targeted for intervention. This study provides new evidence that remaining in low-income and moving into low-income increases risk for adolescent overweight and obesity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Short breastfeeding duration may exacerbate accelerated early growth, which is linked to higher obesity risk in later life. This study tested the hypothesis that infants at higher risk for obesity were more likely to be members of a rising weight-for-length (WFL) z score trajectory if breastfed for shorter durations.

Objectives To examine the importance of maternal weight characteristics as predictors of overweight (BMI ≥85th percentile and <95th percentile) and obesity (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) in offspring at age 4 years. Methods Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were conducted on a sample of 321 mother/child pairs from an earlier observational cohort study on mothers’ postpartum weight retention. Results Maternal early pregnancy BMI and infant birth weight were each positively and significantly (p <0.05) associated with increased risk of obesity in offspring at age 4 years. A significant interaction was found between these two variables in predicting children’s risk of obesity. It was driven by the high proportion of obese children among obese women who had infants weighing < 3 kg at birth. Net gestational weight gain was not associated with obesity risk in children, but was positively associated with infant birth weight among normal weight and overweight women. Conclusions Reducing maternal BMI in the preconception period among overweight and obese women and preventing excessive weight gain in pregnancy for all women appear to be appropriate strategies to address the childhood obesity epidemic.

BackgroundBreast and cervical cancers have emerged as major global health challenges and disproportionately lead to excess morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) when compared to high-income countries. The objective of this paper was to highlight key findings, recommendations, and gaps in research and practice identified through a scoping study of recent reviews in breast and cervical cancer in LMICs.MethodsWe conducted a scoping study based on the six-stage framework of Arskey and O’Malley. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, and CINAHL with the following inclusion criteria: 1) published between 2005-February 2015, 2) focused on breast or cervical cancer 3) focused on LMIC, 4) review article, and 5) published in English.ResultsThrough our systematic search, 63 out of the 94 identified cervical cancer reviews met our selection criteria and 36 of the 54 in breast cancer. Cervical cancer reviews were more likely to focus upon prevention and screening, while breast cancer reviews were more likely to focus upon treatment and survivorship. Few of the breast cancer reviews referenced research and data from LMICs themselves; cervical cancer reviews were more likely to do so. Most reviews did not include elements of the PRISMA checklist.ConclusionOverall, a limited evidence base supports breast and cervical cancer control in LMICs. Further breast and cervical cancer prevention and control studies are necessary in LMICs.

BackgroundOnline interventions have emerged as a popular strategy to promote healthy behaviors. Currently, there is little agreement about how to capture online intervention engagement. It is also uncertain who engages with weight-related online interventions and how engagement differs by demographic and weight characteristics.ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to (1) characterize how pregnant women engaged with features of an online intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain, (2) identify demographic and weight status subgroups of women within the sample, and (3) examine differences in use of intervention features across the demographic and weight status subgroups.MethodsA sample of racially and socioeconomically diverse pregnant women from a northeastern US city was assigned to the intervention group in a randomized controlled trial to prevent excessive gestational weight gain (n=1014). The intervention website included these features: weight-gain tracker, health-related articles, blogs, physical activity and diet goal-setting tools, and local resources. Engagement variables were created to capture the amount, consistency, and patterns of feature use across pregnancy using latent class analysis. Demographic/weight status subgroups were also created using latent class analysis. Differences in engagement across the demographic/weight status subgroups were examined using chi-square analysis.ResultsSix engagement patterns emerged: “super-users” (13.02%, 132/1014), “medium-users” (14.00%, 142/1014), “consistent weight-tracker users” (14.99%, 152/1014); “almost consistent weight-tracker users” (21.99%, 223/1014), “inconsistent weight-tracker users” (15.98%, 162/1014), and “non-users” (20.02%, 203/1014). Four demographic/weight status subgroups emerged: three minority and one white. There were different engagement patterns by demographic/weight status subgroups. Super-users were more likely to be in the white subgroup, while non-users were more likely to be in the minority subgroups. However, around a third of women in minority subgroups were consistently or almost consistently engaging with the weight-tracker (black, young women, 32.2%, 67/208; black, heavier women, 37.9%, 50/132; Hispanic women, 27.4%, 32/117).ConclusionsWhile white and higher income women had higher engagement in general, depending on the measure, there was still considerable engagement by the minority and low-income women.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov: NCT01331564; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01331564 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6Rw4yKxI5).