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The Association of Acylcarnitines and Amino Acids With Age in Dutch and South-Asian Surinamese Living in Amsterdam.
Muilwijk, M, Vaz, FM, Celis-Morales, C, Peters, RJG, van Valkengoed, IGM
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2018;(10):3783-3791
Abstract
CONTEXT Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease occur more frequently and at a younger age in South-Asians than Europeans. This may be related to differences in regulation of the fatty acid metabolism during aging. We compared age-related acylcarnitine and amino acid concentrations in Dutch and South-Asian Surinamese study participants. METHODS We measured types of acylcarnitine and amino acid concentrations in plasma (by tandem mass spectrometry) in a random subsample of 350 Dutch and 350 South-Asian Surinamese origin participants of the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting study (Amsterdam, Netherlands). We derived principal components (PCs) from the metabolites. Linear regression was used to assess differences in PCs and individual metabolite concentrations, and their age trends between the groups by sex. We adjusted for body mass index and intake of fat and total energy. RESULTS Mean age was 44.8 (SD, 13.3) years. Amino acid concentrations were higher among South-Asian Surinamese women compared with Dutch women; acylcarnitine and amino acid levels were higher among South-Asian Surinamese men than Dutch men. Metabolite levels increased similarly with age in both ethnic groups. Results remained similar after adjustment. CONCLUSION Ethnic differences in metabolite concentrations suggest that fatty acid and amino acid metabolism are more dysregulated among South-Asian Surinamese compared with Dutch from a young age. During adulthood, metabolites increase similarly in both ethnic groups.
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Weight status, gender, and race/ethnicity: are there differences in meeting recommended health behavior guidelines for adolescents?
Minges, KE, Chao, A, Nam, S, Grey, M, Whittemore, R
The Journal of school nursing : the official publication of the National Association of School Nurses. 2015;(2):135-45
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Healthy behaviors including limited screen time (ST), high physical activity (PA), and adequate fruits and vegetables consumption (FV) are recommended for adolescents, but it is unclear how gender, race/ethnicity, and weight status relate to these public health guidelines in diverse urban adolescents. Participants (N = 384) were recruited from three public high schools in or near New Haven, Connecticut. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Most adolescents exceeded recommended levels of ST (70.5%) and did not meet guidelines for PA (87.2%) and FV (72.6%). Only 3.5% of the sample met all three guidelines. Boys were more likely to meet guidelines for PA (p < .01), while girls were engaged in less ST (p < .001). Black, non-Latinos were less likely to meet PA guidelines (p < .05). There were no significant differences in meeting ST, PA, or FV guidelines by weight status for the overall sample or when stratified by gender or race/ethnicity. We found alarmingly low levels of healthy behaviors in normal weight and overweight/obese adolescents.
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Food or medicine: ethnic variations in perceptions of advanced cancer patients and their caregivers regarding artificial hydration during the last weeks of life.
Torres-Vigil, I, Cohen, MZ, de la Rosa, A, Cárdenas-Turanzas, M, Burbach, BE, Tarleton, KW, Shen, WM, Bruera, E
BMJ supportive & palliative care. 2012;(3):276-9
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PURPOSE To identify whether advanced cancer patients receiving home hospice care and their primary caregivers view artificial hydration (AH) as food or medicine, and the demographic and clinical factors influencing these perceptions. METHODS Participants were enrolled in a randomised, double-blind controlled trial examining the efficacy of AH in cancer hospice patients. In-depth interviews at days 1 and 4 of study enrolment explored the meanings attributed to AH at the end of life. Responses to the question, 'Are these fluids more like food or more like medicine?' were categorised as 'food', 'medicine', 'both' or 'other'. χ(2) analyses were conducted with data from 122 interviews (54 patients and 68 caregivers) to identify differences between patients and caregivers, and by gender, age, ethnicity and caregiver relationship. Predictors of perceptions were identified using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Overall, 47 participants (38%) understood the fluids to be more like food, 41 (34%) as medicine, 17 (14%) as both, and 17 (14%) as 'other'. Ethnic minority participants (n=34, 66%) were significantly more likely than non-Hispanic European Americans (n=30, 42%) to view AH as food, or both as food and medicine (p=0.034). Ethnic differences persisted in the final regression model (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.3 to 5.7, p=0.010). No significant differences were detected between patients and caregivers, or across gender, age, caregivers' relationship to the patients, group assignment, disease severity or cancer type. CONCLUSIONS AH was perceived as food/nutrition by many cancer patients and caregivers in the study, particularly among ethnic minorities. This perception may lead to greater distress if fluids are discontinued or withheld. Asking patients/caregivers about their AH perceptions may enhance patient/provider communication and culturally appropriate end-of-life care.
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Predictors of computer use in community-dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults.
Werner, JM, Carlson, M, Jordan-Marsh, M, Clark, F
Human factors. 2011;(5):431-47
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OBJECTIVE In this study, we analyzed self-reported computer use, demographic variables, psychosocial variables, and health and well-being variables collected from 460 ethnically diverse, community-dwelling elders to investigate the relationship computer use has with demographics, well-being, and other key psychosocial variables in older adults. BACKGROUND Although younger elders with more education, those who employ active coping strategies, or those who are low in anxiety levels are thought to use computers at higher rates than do others, previous research has produced mixed or inconclusive results regarding ethnic, gender, and psychological factors or has concentrated on computer-specific psychological factors only (e.g., computer anxiety). Few such studies have employed large sample sizes or have focused on ethnically diverse populations of community-dwelling elders. METHOD With a large number of overlapping predictors, zero-order analysis alone is poorly equipped to identify variables that are independently associated with computer use. Accordingly, both zero-order and stepwise logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the correlates of two types of computer use: e-mail and general computer use. RESULTS Results indicate that younger age, greater level of education, non-Hispanic ethnicity, behaviorally active coping style, general physical health, and role-related emotional health each independently predicted computer usage. CONCLUSION Study findings highlight differences in computer usage, especially in regard to Hispanic ethnicity and specific health and well-being factors. APPLICATION Potential applications of this research include future intervention studies, individualized computer-based activity programming, or customizable software and user interface design for older adults responsive to a variety of personal characteristics and capabilities.