Background: Although point-of-purchase calorie labeling at restaurants has been proposed as a strategy for improving consumer food choices, a limited number of studies have evaluated this approach. Likewise, little research has been conducted to evaluate the influence of value size pricing on restaurant meal choices.

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OBJECTIVES We used validated sensitive and specific questions associated with clinically-confirmed diagnoses of unexplained vulvar pain (Vulvodynia) to compare the cumulative incidence of vulvar pain and prevalence of care seeking behavior in Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan area (BMA) and in Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP), Minnesota, between 2001–2005 using census-based data, and 2010–2012, using outpatient community-clinic data, respectively. STUDY DESIGN We received self-administered questionnaires from 5,440 women in BMA and 13,681 in MSP, 18–40 years of age, describing their history of vulvar burning or pain on contact that persisted >3 months that limited/prevented intercourse. RESULTS By age 40, 7–8% in BMA and MSP reported vulvar pain consistent with Vulvodynia. Women of Hispanic/Latina origin compared to Caucasians were 1.4 times more likely to develop vulvar pain symptoms (95%CI: 1.1–1.8). Many women in MSP (48%) and BMA (30%) never sought treatment, and >50% who sought care with known health care access received no diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Using identical screening methods, we report high prevalence of vulvar pain in two geographical regions, and that access to health care does not increase the likelihood of seeking care for chronic vulvar pain.

The primary objective was to develop and test the feasibility and acceptability of the Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) program, a pilot childhood obesity prevention intervention aimed at increasing the quality of foods in the home and at family meals. Forty‐four child/parent dyads participated in a randomized controlled trial (n = 22 in intervention and n = 22 in control conditions). The intervention program, held at neighborhood facilities, included five, 90‐min sessions consisting of interactive nutrition education, taste testing, cooking skill building, parent discussion groups, and hands‐on meal preparation. Children (8–10‐year olds) and parents (89% mothers) completed assessments at their home at baseline, postintervention, and 6‐month follow‐up, including psychosocial surveys, anthropometry, 24‐h dietary recalls, and home food availability and meal offering inventories. Feasibility/acceptability was assessed with participant surveys and process data. All families completed all three home‐based assessments. Most intervention families (86%) attended at least four of five sessions. Nearly all parents (95%) and 71% of children rated all sessions very positively. General linear models indicated that at postintervention, compared to control children, intervention children were significantly more likely to report greater food preparation skill development (P < 0.001). There were trends suggesting that intervention children had higher consumption of fruits and vegetables (P < 0.08), and higher intakes of key nutrients (all P values <0.05) than control children. Obesity changes did not differ by condition. Not all findings were sustained at 6‐month follow‐up. Obesity prevention programming with families in community settings is feasible and well accepted. Results demonstrate the potential of the HOME program.

Objective Our purpose in this study was to examine 2 treatments targeted at reducing eating in the absence of hunger in overweight and obese children. Method Thirty-six overweight and obese 8- to 12-year-old children (58% female; mean age = 10.3 years, SD = 1.3), with high scores on eating in the absence of hunger, and their parents were randomly assigned to an 8-week children's appetite awareness training or cue exposure treatment–food. Children completed an eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) paradigm, an Eating Disorder Examination interview for children, and three 24-hr dietary recalls, and their height and weight were measured. Parents completed the EAH Questionnaire and the Binge Eating Scale, and their height and weight were measured. Assessments were conducted at baseline, posttreatment, and 6 and 12 months posttreatment. Results Results showed that both treatments resulted in significant decreases in binge eating in children over time. Additionally, children in the food cue exposure treatment showed significant decreases in EAH posttreatment and 6 months posttreatment, but children in the appetite awareness training showed no change in EAH. Neither treatment produced significant effects on caloric intake in children or on any of the parent outcomes. Conclusions This study demonstrates that training in food cue responsitivity and appetite awareness has the potential to be efficacious for reducing EAH and binge eating in children. Because these data are preliminary, further treatment development and randomized controlled studies are needed.