Background The cellulose acetate filter is a plastic attachment on nearly all commercial cigarettes sold worldwide. It is the main component of discarded cigarette butts, and the most prevalent waste item collected during urban and beach cleanups. This waste leaches toxic chemicals, including nicotine, metals and tobacco-specific nitrosamines and contributes to environmental microplastic pollution. There is growing international interest in reducing plastic waste from single-use, non-essential products such as cellulose acetate cigarette filters. Public health and environmental advocates recommend a ban on the sale of filtered cigarettes to reduce environmental pollution caused by discarded cigarette butts and to discourage cigarette smoking.Research question What potential health and behavioural implications might arise among people who smoke if filtered cigarettes are removed from the market.Methods We conducted a cross-over, randomised clinical trial of 29 people who smoke to evaluate changes in biomarkers for nicotine and tobacco-specific nitrosamine exposure when switching between filtered and unfiltered cigarette smoking.Results Although unfiltered smoking showed a higher trend in the geometric means of 4-[(methylnitrosamino])-1-[3-pyridyl]-1-butanol (NNAL) compared with filtered cigarettes, regression models for urinary cotinine and NNAL showed no significant differences when switching between filtered and unfiltered cigarettes.Conclusion This proof-of-principle study suggests there is no increased risk to people who smoke when switching to unfiltered cigarette smoking. Although larger studies might provide more evidence regarding unfiltered cigarette smoking, banning the sale of filtered cigarettes may be an important policy intervention to both reduce hazardous tobacco waste and discourage smoking.

BACKGROUND:Although many studies have highlighted better pregnancy and birth outcomes among foreign-born Latinas than among U.S.-born people, few have assessed heterogeneity in outcomes disaggregated by region of origin. We examined adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes among birthing people born in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) compared to people born in the U.S. METHODS:We used a retrospective cohort from the Study of Outcomes in Mothers and Infants compiled from California births (2007-2020). We examined descriptive statistics, unadjusted, and adjusted odds ratios for the association between LAC nativity and region of origin (versus U.S.-born) and preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and small for gestational age. We also assessed the potential mediating roles of education, health insurance, and prenatal care. RESULTS:The sample included 5,917,974 infants, with 3,555,173 born to U.S.-born birthing people, and 1,385,679 born LAC-born birthing people, with the vast majority being from Mexico (82%) and Central America (14%). The odds of each outcome among those from LAC regions were lower relative to U.S.-born individuals, with the following exceptions. The adjusted odds of gestational diabetes was higher among those born in Mexico (13.3% vs. 8.0%, AOR: 1.6, 95% Cl: 1.6-1.6) and Central America (11.1% vs. 8.0%, AOR: 1.3, 95% Cl: 1.3-1.3) compared to those born in the U.S. The adjusted odds of preterm birth was higher for those born in the Caribbean (8.5% vs. 7.2%, AOR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0-1.2) and Central America (8.0% vs. 7.2%, AOR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1-1.1) compared to the U.S. Similarly, the adjusted odds of small for gestational age were higher for those born in the Caribbean (10.5% vs. 9.2%, AOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.2-1.3) and Central America (10.4% vs. 9.2%, AOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.2-1.2). Education and health insurance were identified as mediators of the associations. CONCLUSION:There is significant heterogeneity in adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes among those born in LAC by region of origin, specifically among people from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. These findings highlight the importance of assessing disaggregated data to address the distinct pregnancy and birthing needs of diverse foreign-born birthing people.

The liver plays an important role in normal metabolism and physiological functions such as acid-base balance; however, limited epidemiologic studies have investigated how the liver contributes toward acid-base balance using non-invasive biomarkers. We determined associations between serum biomarkers related to acid-base balance and renal function with liver CYP1A2 activity. We used data from 1381 participants of the 2009–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with measurements of serum phosphorus, serum bicarbonate, caffeine intake, caffeine metabolites, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Liver CYP1A2 activity was estimated using urine caffeine metabolite indices, which were calculated as the ratio of one of the urine caffeine metabolites (i.e., paraxanthine and 1-methyluric acid) to caffeine intake. We analyzed associations in the whole data set and in different strata of hepatic steatosis index (HSI) based on different cut-points. We found that serum bicarbonate was positively associated with CYP1A2 activity in the whole data set when comparing persons with bicarbonate at Q4 to Q1 (β = 0.18, p = 0.10 for paraxanthine; β = 0.20, p = 0.02 for 1-methyluric acid). Furthermore, serum phosphorus was positively associated with CYP1A2 activity only in the stratum of 30 ≤ HSI < 36. Lastly, low eGFR was significantly associated with lower CYP1A2 activity measured with paraxanthine in the whole dataset and in all the strata with HSI < 42; when comparing eGFR < 60 to eGFR > 90, β estimates ranged from −0.41 to −1.38, p-values ranged from 0.0018 to 0.004. We observed an opposite trend in the highest stratum (HSI ≥ 42). Non-invasive measurements of serum bicarbonate, serum phosphorus, and eGFR have dynamic associations with CYP1A2 activity. These associations depend on the extent of liver damage and the caffeine metabolite used to assess CYP1A2 activity.

Cervical and other vaccine-preventable HPV-associated cancers disproportionately impact Hispanic/Latinos in the USA. HPV vaccine uptake may be impacted by community agreement with common HPV vaccine misperceptions. It is unknown whether Hispanics/Latinos have a greater agreement with these misperceptions relative to non-Hispanic whites. HPV vaccine misperceptions were assessed through a 12-item Likert scale included in a population health assessment mailed to households in the southwest United States. Linear regression models assessed the association between identifying as Hispanic/Latino and summed misperception score. Among the 407 individuals in the analytic sample, 111 (27.3

Living alone, particularly for individuals with poor physical health, can increase the likelihood of mortality. This study aimed to explore the individual and joint associations of living alone and physical health with overall mortality among breast cancer survivors in the Women’s Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL). We collected baseline, 12-month and 48-month data among 2869 women enrolled in the WHEL cohort. Living alone was assessed as a binary variable (Yes, No), while scores of physical health were measured using the RAND Short Form–36 survey (SF-36), which include four domains (physical function, role limitation, bodily pain, and general health perceptions) and an overall summary score of physical health. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate associations. No significant association between living alone and mortality was observed. However, several physical health measures showed significant associations with mortality (p-values < 0.05). For physical function, the multivariable model showed a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.1 (95% CI = 1.02–4.23). Furthermore, the study examined the joint impact of living alone and physical health measures on overall mortality. Among women with better physical function, those living alone had a 3.6-fold higher risk of death (95% CI = 1.01–12.89) compared to those not living alone. Similar trends were observed for pain. However, regarding role limitation, the pattern differed. Breast cancer survivors living alone with worse role limitations had the highest mortality compared to those not living alone but with better role limitations (HR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.11–5.95). Similar trends were observed for general health perceptions. Our findings highlight that living alone amplifies the risk of mortality among breast cancer survivors within specific health groups.

Background The evidence linking sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake and mor-tality risk is conflicting, and associations between various SSB subtypes and mortality remain unclear. Objective To examine the association between baseline SSB intake, subtypes of SSB intake, and mortality risk in women. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants/setting Participants of the California Teachers Study (n = 100,314; me-dian age = 53 years) free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes at baseline (1995-1996) were followed from 1995 to 2015. Baseline SSB intake was defined as caloric soft drinks (regular soft drinks, not diet soda), sweetened bottled waters or teas, and fruit drinks; and was derived from a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Main outcome measure Mortality was ascertained via annual linkage with state-and nationwide mortality records and the National Death Index over 20 years. Statistical analysis Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to generate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for assessing associations between SSB intake and mortality. Rare/never consumers were the comparator group. Results There were a total of 14,143 deaths over 20 years (30.5% from cardiovascular disease; 29.2% from cancer). In women who consumed > 7 servings/week of SSBs at baseline (4% of participants), the multivariable-adjusted HRs were not significant for all-cause, cardiovascular disease-specific, or cancer-specific mortality. Consuming > 7 servings/week of baseline caloric soft drink was associated with a higher risk of all-cause (HR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.46; P for trend = 0.02) and cancer-specific (HR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.63; P for trend = 0.08) mortality. In secondary analyses, consuming > 1.5 c/day of baseline SSBs was associated with all-cause mortality (HR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.24; P for trend = 0.01). Conclusions Although the baseline frequency of total SSB intake was not significantly associated with mortality, consuming > 7 servings/week of caloric soft drinks was associated with higher risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality. Findings support public health efforts to reduce caloric soft drink consumption. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022;122(2):320-333.

Breast cancer survivors often have a reduced digestive capacity to digest whole grains due to cancer treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the independent and joint associations of whole grain and refined grain consumption with total mortality among breast cancer survivors. We studied a cohort of 3081 female breast cancer survivors who provided demographic, dietary, and lifestyle data at baseline, year 1 and year 4. Mortality was assessed via semi-annual telephone interviews and confirmed by the National Death Index (NDI) and death certificates. We assessed the associations of whole grain and refined grain with incident of mortalities using Cox proportional hazards models. Increased whole grain consumption was marginally associated with an increased risk of total mortality (p = 0.07) but was not significantly associated with breast cancer-specific mortality (p = 0.55). An increased intake of refined grains was associated with an increased risk of both total (HR = 1.74; 95% CI,1.17 to 2.59) and breast cancer-specific mortality (HR = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.26). Furthermore, we examined the joint associations of whole grain and refined grain with total mortality. Among those with a high consumption of refined grain, those with high consumption of whole grain had a higher risk of total mortality (HR = 1.52, 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.14) than those with a low consumption of whole grain. Increased consumption of whole grains may exacerbate the adverse associations of refined grain with mortality among breast cancer survivors. Our findings indicate the need to revisit current dietary guidelines for breast cancer survivors regarding whole grain intake.

The purpose of this study was to examine the independent and joint associations of acid-producing diets and depressive symptoms with physical health among breast cancer survivors. We studied a cohort of 2944 early stage breast cancer survivors who provided dietary, physical health, demographic, and lifestyle information at baseline, year 1, and year 4. We assessed the intakes of acid-producing diets via two commonly used dietary acid load scores: potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP). Physical health was measured using the Rand 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), consisting of physical functioning, role limitation due to physical function, bodily pain, general health, and overall physical health subscales. Increased dietary acid load and depression were each independently and significantly associated with reduced physical health subscales and overall physical health. Further, dietary acid load and depression were jointly associated with worse physical health. For instance, depressed women with dietary acid load higher than median reported 2.75 times the risk (odds ratio = 2.75; 95% confidence interval: 2.18–3.47) of reduced physical function and 3.10 times the risk of poor physical health (odds ratio = 3.10; 95% confidence interval: 2.53–3.80) compared to non-depressed women with dietary acid load lower than median. Our results highlight the need of controlling acid-producing diets and the access of mental care for breast cancer survivors.

Background Sugar‐sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has been associated with cardiometabolic risk. However, the association between total and type of SSB intake and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) end points such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization is limited. Methods and Results We examined the prospective association of baseline SSB consumption with incident CVD in 106 178 women free from CVD and diabetes mellitus in the CTS (California Teachers Study), a cohort of female teachers and administrators, followed since 1995. SSBs were defined as caloric soft drinks, sweetened bottled waters or teas, and fruit drinks, and derived from a self‐administered food frequency questionnaire. CVD end points were based on annual linkage with statewide inpatient hospitalization records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between SSB consumption and incident CVD. A total of 8848 CVD incident cases were documented over 20 years of follow‐up. After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed higher hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.06–1.34), revascularization (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04–1.54]), and stroke (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.04–1.41) in women who consumed ≥1 serving per day of SSBs compared with rare/never consumers. We also observed a higher risk of CVD in women who consumed ≥1 serving per day of fruit drinks (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.00–2.01 [P trend=0.021]) and caloric soft drinks (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05–1.44 [P trend=0.0002]), compared with rare/never consumers. Conclusions Consuming ≥1 serving per day of SSB was associated with CVD, revascularization, and stroke. SSB intake might be a modifiable dietary target to reduce risk of CVD among women.

Background The association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk remains unclear and published data are limited. Methods The analytic cohort included 99,798 women, free of cancer at baseline, from the California Teachers Study, a longitudinal cohort comprised of 133,477 female teachers and administrators who were active or recently retired members of the California State Teachers Retirement System in 1995. SSB consumption constituted caloric soft drinks, sweetened bottled waters and teas, and fruit drinks, derived from a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Consumption was divided into four categories: Rare or never, >rare/never to <1 serving/week, ≥1 serving/week to <1 serving/day, and ≥1 serving/day. CRC endpoints were based on annual linkage with California Cancer Registry, defined as first diagnosis of CRC, and classified following the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program coding system. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to generate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for assessing the association between SSB consumption and incident CRC. Results A total of 1,318 incident CRC cases were identified over 20 years of follow-up (54.5% proximal colon and 45.5% distal colorectum). Compared with rare/never consumers, the multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) were 1.14 (0.86, 1.53) for total CRC; 1.11 (0.73, 1.68) for proximal colon; and 1.22 (0.80, 1.86) for distal colorectum cancers among women consuming ≥ 1 serving/day of SSBs. Conclusion SSBs were not significantly associated with CRC risk. The biological effects of high SSB consumption make it important to continue to evaluate whether SSBs are associated with CRC. Additionally, future studies should further assess SSBs in large, racial/ethnically diverse cohorts of males and females, and, if feasible, address changes in SSB consumption over time.

Despite the spectrum of available resources, homelessness is a persistent societal and public health challenge throughout the United States and in San Diego County. Beginning in January 2014, San Diego began the integration of a Coordinated Entry System into its homeless system-of-care. This historical prospective study examined the predictors of establishing eligibility for permanent housing resources among 15,042 single homeless adults enrolled in the Coordinated Entry System Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess the relationship between client vulnerability as measured by the triage tool VI-SPDAT and establishing client eligibility for permanent housing. Overall, being of moderate or high vulnerability was associated with establishing eligibility for a permanent housing resource. Veterans established eligibility faster and more frequently than others, regardless of their vulnerability score. However, the demand for services far outweighed the ability of the system to respond to those with moderate to high vulnerability. More housing navigators and fewer client "hand-offs" between housing professionals are recommended to increase the efficiency of the process. Additional research examining the second and third steps is also needed to more fully understand the factors that promote permanent housing solutions for those seeking services.

Metabolic acidosis can lead to inflammation, tissue damage, and cancer metastasis. Dietary acid load contributes to metabolic acidosis if endogenous acid-base balance is not properly regulated. Breast cancer survivors have reduced capacities to adjust their acid-base balance; yet, the associations between dietary acid load and inflammation and hyperglycemia have not been examined among them. We analyzed data collected from 3042 breast cancer survivors enrolled in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study who had provided detailed dietary intakes and measurements of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Using a cross-sectional design, we found positive associations between dietary acid load and plasma CRP and HbA1c. In the multivariable-adjusted models, compared to women with the lowest quartile, the intakes of dietary acid load among women with the highest quartile showed 30-33% increases of CRP and 6-9% increases of HbA1c. Our study is the first to demonstrate positive associations between dietary acid load and CRP and HbA1c in breast cancer survivors. Our study identifies a novel dietary factor that may lead to inflammation and hyperglycemia, both of which are strong risk factors for breast cancer recurrence and comorbidities.

This study investigates how perceived unfair treatment, towards self and observed towards others due to ethnicity, is associated with periodontitis among diverse Hispanic/Latino adults, accounting for sociodemographic, health behavior, and acculturation factors. Baseline (2008–2011) dental and survey data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a multicenter epidemiologic study, were analyzed (N = 12,750). Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios and confidence limits were estimated. Half (49%) reported never being treated unfairly, while 41% reported they were sometimes, and 10% reported it often/always. One third (32%) never saw others treated unfairly, while 42% reported it sometimes, and 26% reported it often/always. In the final fully adjusted model, the prevalence of periodontitis was higher among adults who were as follows: non-Dominican, older, male, had a past year dental visit, current and former smokers, and among those who observed unfair treatment towards others. Lower prevalence was associated with higher income, higher educational attainment, less than full-time employment, reporting experiencing unfair treatment, higher acculturation scores, and having health insurance. Perceived unfair treatment towards self was negatively associated with periodontitis prevalence, while observed unfair treatment towards others was positively associated with the outcome among diverse Hispanics/Latinos. The associations between unfair treatment and periodontitis warrant further exploration.

BACKGROUND:Periodontal disease has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). No known studies evaluate the relationship between periodontal disease status and biomarkers of CVD risk in the American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) population despite their disproportionately high rates of poor oral health and cardiovascular disease-related outcomes. This study compared levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) across increasing severity of periodontal disease status among younger adults between the ages of 21 and 43 years.METHODS:Plasma levels of IL-6 and CRP were measured in adult participants (ages 21 to 43 years) as part of a study of periodontal disease and CVD risk among an AI/AN population in southern California (n = 59). Periodontal evaluations were performed and disease status was classified into three categories based on highest probing depth (none/mild: < 3 mm; moderate: 4 to 5 mm; severe: ≥6 mm). Participants with known systemic disease or active infection were excluded.RESULTS:Severe periodontitis was significantly associated with increased levels of IL-6 compared with those with none or mild periodontitis before controlling for other variables (P = 0.02), but lacked significance after controlling for sex, BMI, smoking status, and high-density lipoprotein (P = 0.09). Moderate periodontal disease was positively associated with IL-6 levels after controlling for potential confounders (P = 0.01). Periodontal status was not associated with CRP, before or after adjusting for covariates.CONCLUSIONS:In this otherwise healthy AI/AN adult sample, moderate periodontal disease compared with none or mild periodontal disease was associated with increased levels of IL-6. High levels of CRP found in this population warrant further research.

AbstractObjectiveThe Farmers’ Market Fresh Fund Incentive Program is a policy, systems and environmental intervention to improve access to fresh produce for participants on governmental assistance in the USA. The current study examined factors associated with ongoing participation in this matched monetary incentive programme.DesignRelationship of baseline factors with number of Fresh Fund visits was assessed using Poisson regression. Mixed-effects modelling was used to explore changes in consumption of fruits and vegetables and diet quality.SettingSan Diego, California.SubjectsRecipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) who attended participating farmers’ markets from 2010 to 2012 (n 7298).ResultsAmong those with participation for ≤6 months, factors associated with increased visits included reporting more daily servings of fruits and vegetables (F&V) at baseline, being Vietnamese or Asian/Pacific Islander, and eligibility because of SNAP/CalFresh or SSI (v. WIC). Among those who came for 6–12 months, being Asian/Pacific Islander, eligibility because of SNAP/CalFresh and enrolling in the autumn, winter or spring were associated with a greater number of Fresh Fund visits. Among those who came for >12 months, being male and eligibility because of SSI were associated with a greater number of visits. Overall, the odds of increasing number of servings of F&V consumed increased by 2 % per month, and the odds of improved perception of diet quality increased by 10 % per month.ConclusionsSustaining and increasing Fresh Fund-type programme operations should be a top priority for future policy decisions concerning farmers’ market use in low-income neighbourhoods.

Background: Research on the reproductive health of U.S. servicewomen deployed in support of the recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan is sparse. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether military experiences, including combat deployment, deployment length, and life stressors during the recent conflicts, were associated with increased odds for miscarriage or impaired fecundity among U.S. servicewomen.Methods: We used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large longitudinal military study that began in 2001 and includes military personnel from all service branches, including active duty and Reserve/ National Guard personnel. Participants for this study included women aged 18 to 45 years who had completed two questionnaires (2004-2006 and 2007-2008). Separate multivariable logistic regression models were performed to estimate the odds of reporting miscarriage and impaired fecundity by military experiences that adjusted for covariates. Subanalyses were conducted using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes found in the Military Health System Data Repository for both outcomes among servicewomen on active duty.Results: Overall, 31% and 11% of military servicewomen reported miscarriage and impaired fecundity, respectively, during the approximate 3-year follow-up period. After adjusting for demographic, behavioral, and military characteristics, deployment experiences and life stressors were not associated with miscarriage or perceived impaired fecundity. Subanalyses using medical record data confirmed these results.Conclusions: Overall, these results suggest that military deployments do not increase risk for miscarriage and impaired fecundity among U.S. servicewomen. However, because the point estimates for many of the exposures were elevated, more research is needed to better understand the potential risks associated with environmental exposures and specific types of combat exposures. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Jacobs Institute of Women's Health.

Undocumented immigration often presents with multiple stressors and contextual challenges, which may diminish mental health. This study is the first to provide population-based estimates for the prevalence of traumatic events and its association to clinically significant psychological distress among undocumented Mexican immigrants in the United States. This cross-sectional study used respondent-driven sampling to obtain and analyze data from clinical interviews with 248 undocumented Mexican immigrants residing in high-risk neighborhoods near the California-Mexico border. Overall, 82.7% of participants reported a history of traumatic events, with 47.0% of these meeting the criteria for clinically significant psychological distress. After controlling for relevant covariates, having experienced material deprivation, odds ratio (OR) = 2.26, 95% CI [1.18, 4.31], p = .013, and bodily injury, OR = 2.96, 95% CI [1.50, 5.83], p = .002, and not having a history of deportation, OR = 0.36, 95% CI [0.17, 0.79], p = .011, were associated with clinically significant psychological distress. These results support the need to revisit health and immigration policies and to devise solutions grounded in empirical evidence aimed at preventing the negative effects of trauma and psychological distress in this population.

This study examines the demographic representativeness of the County of San Diego Body Mass Index (BMI) Surveillance System to determine if the BMI estimates being obtained from this convenience sample of individuals who visited their healthcare provider for outpatient services can be generalized to the general population of San Diego. Height and weight were transmitted from electronic health records systems to the San Diego Immunization Registry (SDIR). Age, gender, and race/ethnicity of this sample are compared to general population estimates by sub-regional area (SRA) (n = 41) to account for regional demographic differences. A < 10% difference (calculated as the ratio of the differences between the frequencies of a sub-group in this sample and general population estimates obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau) was used to determine representativeness. In 2011, the sample consisted of 352,924 residents aged 2-100 years. The younger age groups (2–11, 12–17 years) and the oldest age group (≥65 years) were representative in 90, 75, and 85% of SRAs, respectively. Furthermore, at least one of the five racial/ethnic groups was represented in 71% of SRAs. This BMI Surveillance System was found to demographically represent some SRAs well, suggesting that this registry-based surveillance system may be useful in estimating and monitoring neighborhood-level BMI data.

Rationale: Accurate reference values for spirometry are important because the results are used for diagnosing common chronic lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, estimating physiologic impairment, and predicting all-cause mortality. Reference equations have been established for Mexican Americans but not for others with Hispanic/Latino backgrounds. Objectives: To develop spirometry reference equations for adult Hispanic/Latino background groups in the United States. Methods: The HCHS/SOL (Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos) recruited a population-based probability sample of 16,415 Hispanics/Latinos aged 18-74 years living in the Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego. Participants self-identified as being of Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, or Central or South American background. Spirometry was performed using standardized methods with central quality control monitoring. Spirometric measures from a subset of 6,425 never-smoking participants without respiratory symptoms or disease were modeled as a function of sex, age, height, and Hispanic/Latino background to produce background-specific reference equations for the predicted value and lower limit of normal. Measurements and Main Results: Dominican and Puerto Rican Americans had substantially lower predicted and lower limit of normal values for FVCand FEV1 than those in other Hispanic/Latino background groups and also than Mexican American values from NHANES III (Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). Conclusions: For patients of Dominican and Puerto Rican background who present with pulmonary symptoms in clinical practice, use of background-specific spirometry reference equations may provide more appropriate predicted and lower limit of normal values, enabling more accurate diagnoses of abnormality and physiologic impairment.