Background: Diet quality has been implicated in the development of abdominal obesity. Yet, the molecular components involved in this relationship remain largely unknown. Aim: This pilot study examined whether syndecan-4 (SDC4) may serve as a molecular link between diet quality and abdominal obesity. Methods: Serum SDC4 levels were measured in 41 women (aged 21-45) who self-identified as African American or European American. Diet quality was assessed using the healthy eating index (HEI) score derived from a food frequency questionnaire, while android percent fat was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Regression and mediation analyses were performed to examine the data. Results: Significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations were observed between HEI scores and both body mass index (BMI) and android percent fat. SDC4 emerged as a significant predictor of HEI and mediated the negative associations of HEI with BMI and android percent fat, independent of race and age. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SDC4 may play a key mechanistic role in linking adherence to dietary recommendations with reductions in android adiposity.

Background/Objectives: Mitochondrial damage is implicated in metabolic dysfunction and may contribute to inflammation and insulin resistance, key features of type 2 diabetes. This study examined the relationship among inflammatory markers, mtDNA DAMPs, and insulin sensitivity/resistance, and evaluated their response to three dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes. Methods: Data was pooled from two clinical trials involving adults aged 35 to 75 with type 2 diabetes (n = 39). Participants followed one of three 12-week diet interventions aimed at enhancing glucose metabolism without causing weight loss. The sample was 74% female and 64% African American with a mean age of 55.6 ± 7.7 years, and 92.3% (n = 36) had overweight/obesity. Participants were assigned to either a carbohydrate-restricted, low-fat, or fruit-rich Mediterranean diet. Primary outcomes included insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index), mtDNA DAMPs (ND1, ND6), pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α), CRP, and cortisol. Associations among mtDNA DAMPs, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity/resistance were examined using regression analysis Results: The carbohydrate-restricted diet led to the greatest improvements in insulin sensitivity (72.7%) and reductions in HOMA-IR (41.3%) (p = 0.03). All diets increased mtDNA DAMPs, with most observed in the fruit-rich Mediterranean diet and low-fat diet groups and the smallest in the carbohydrate-restricted group. Total mtDNA DAMPs were associated with lower insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index: β = –0.77; SE = 0.31; p = 0.02), and ND6 mtDNA DAMP levels were associated with greater insulin resistance (HOMA-IR: β = 0.90; SE = 0.40; p = 0.03) and lower insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index: β = –0.86; SE = 0.33; p = 0.01), independent of BMI and race. Proinflammatory cytokines were associated with increased HOMA-IR (β = 0.45; p = 0.007) and reduced Matsuda index (β = –0.43; p = 0.009) and moderated effects of mtDNA DAMPs on insulin sensitivity/resistance. Conclusions: These findings highlight mtDNA DAMPs in metabolic dysfunction in the context of inflammation.

OBJECTIVE:This study compared the effects of a very low-energy diet (VLED), alone or combined with sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), on glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon concentrations, hormones likely to play a role in weight loss maintenance. METHODS:Participants with severe obesity underwent 10 weeks of VLED alone (n = 15) or combined with SG (n = 15) or RYGB (n = 14). Plasma concentrations of glucagon and GIP (fasting and the first 60 min of a meal), insulin sensitivity, respiratory quotient, and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured at pre- and post-intervention. Differences in hormone concentrations between groups at follow-up and associations between hormones and metabolic outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS:Fasting glucagon concentrations were higher, while postprandial GIP concentrations were lower, after RYGB compared to SG. An increase in postprandial glucagon was associated with a decrease in Matsuda index in the RYGB group and with an increase in REE in all groups. An increase in fasting GIP was correlated with an increase in HOMA-IR. CONCLUSIONS:RYGB was associated with lower postprandial GIP and greater glucagon concentrations compared with other groups. These hormonal changes are likely to impact REE, as well as insulin sensitivity, potentially modulating the likelihood of weight loss maintenance. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04051190.

Abstract Background The relationships between psychosocial stress and diet with gut microbiota composition and diversity deserve ongoing investigation. The primary aim of this study was to examine the associations of psychosocial stress measures and dietary variables with gut microbiota genera abundance and alpha diversity among young adult, black and white females. The secondary aim was to explore mediators of psychosocial stress and gut microbiota diversity and abundance. Methods Data on 60 females who self-identified as African American (AA; n = 29) or European American (EA; n = 31) aged 21–45 years were included. Cortisol was measured in hair and saliva, and 16S analysis of stool samples were conducted. Discrimination experiences (recent and lifetime), perceived stress, and depression were evaluated based on validated instruments. Spearman correlations were performed to evaluate the influence of psychosocial stressors, cortisol measures, and dietary variables on gut microbiota genus abundance and alpha diversity measured by amplicon sequence variant (ASV) count. Mediation analyses assessed the role of select dietary variables and cortisol measures on the associations between psychosocial stress, Alistipes and Blautia abundance, and ASV count. Results AA females were found to have significantly lower ASV count and Blautia abundance. Results for the spearman correlations assessing the influence of psychosocial stress and dietary variables on gut microbiota abundance and ASV count were varied. Finally, diet nor cortisol was found to partially or fully mediate the associations between subjective stress measures, ASV count, and Alistipes and Blautia abundance. Conclusion In this cross-sectional study, AA females had lower alpha diversity and Blautia abundance compared to EA females. Some psychosocial stressors and dietary variables were found to be correlated with ASV count and few gut microbiota genera. Larger scale studies are needed to explore the relationships among psychosocial stress, diet and the gut microbiome.

Objective: This study aimed to measure the potential relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, academic factors, body mass index (BMI), financial challenges, individual health behaviors, impact of COVID-19, and psychological well-being (PWB) among students. Participants: Undergraduate college students. Methods: Data from the National College Health Assessment III (American College Health Association [ACHA]) were used (n = 1,439). Differences in absolute values among PWB groups were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). To measure the influence of all factors combined on PWB, multiple regression analyses were performed. Results: Significant differences were observed in age, GPA, financial challenges, and individual health behaviors by PWB groups (p < .05). Being older, being female, having a higher GPA, being a full-time student, having a higher intake of vegetables, taking less time to fall asleep, and having lower stress levels were significantly positively associated with higher PWB scores (p < .05). Conclusions: Multiple considerations related to the academic environment and individual behaviors seem to influence PWB among college students.

Background Approximately 25% of college students reported a disability that can be any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person to do certain activities. This may have an additional impact on psychosocial factors and health-related behaviors. Objective Evaluate differences in loneliness, resiliency, and health-related behaviors in students with and without disabilities. Study Design, Settings, Participants Data analysis was conducted from the National College Health Assessment from one university in Fall 2022. 829 of the 4,500 randomly sampled students completed the survey. Disability status was assessed through self-report and categorized into 4 groups; 1) individuals with no disability, 2) individuals with a cognitive disability, 3) individuals with a physical disability, and 4) individuals that have both a cognitive and physical disability. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Variables include resilience from the Connor Davidson Scale, loneliness using the UCLA scale, food intake, physical activity (PA), sleep, disability, and demographic characteristics (age, race, sex). To evaluate differences among students in health-related behaviors and resiliency Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used. To measure the likelihood of dietary intake and physical activity being less healthful with loneliness Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) was used. Results Majority of the sample were female (67.52%), full-time (85.38%), and had a GPA of “A” (55.30%). Mean age was 23 years (23.1±7.4). Significant differences were seen in loneliness (p=0.019) and well-being (p=0.016) among student groups. No significant differences were found in PA, resiliency, and food intake among student groups. There was no significant difference of the odds of having lower fruit (OR=2.53, 95% CI [0.46,13.76]), vegetable(OR=1.21, 95% CI [0.44,3.33]), meat/poultry (OR=1.78, 95% CI [0.76,4.16]), higher SSB intake (OR=1.01, 95% CI [0.98,1.04]), lower PA (OR=1.00, 95% CI [1.00,1.00]) with feeling lonely in student groups. Conclusions Students with disabilities showed higher loneliness but showed no differences in health-related behaviors. This analysis has provided insight for future interventions that can target increasing resiliency, reducing loneliness, and increasing healthful behaviors among students. Funding NIH

BACKGROUND:Stress is associated with physiological and behavioral adaptations that increase the risk for obesity and related diseases in adults and children. Mechanisms linking stress to chronic disease are diverse and not fully elucidated, but research suggests stress may impact eating behaviors and increase food intake and thereby, risk for obesity. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that women's perceived stress and household disorder are associated with more uncontrolled and emotional eating among women, more food responsiveness and emotional overeating among their children, and greater adiposity in both women and their children. METHODS:Women (n = 86) completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Confusion, Hubbub and Order Scale, Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, and Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Total body fat (%) was measured via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Linear regression models evaluated associations of perceived stress and household disorder with eating behaviors and adiposity of women and their children (4-10 years old). RESULTS:In a sample of predominantly non-Hispanic Black women (84.9%, n = 73), more perceived stress and household disorder were associated with more uncontrolled and emotional eating (p < 0.05). Women's perceived stress was not associated with their children's eating behaviors; however, household disorder was positively associated with children's food responsiveness and emotional overeating (p < 0.05). Perceived stress and household disorder were not associated with adiposity of women or their children. CONCLUSIONS:These findings suggest household disorder may be a factor for home-based interventions to consider when addressing eating behaviors among families with children.

Abstract Background Socioecological factors are associated with key health behaviors that are critical for weight management, and major life events may disrupt engagement in these behaviors. However, the influence of socioecological factors on health behaviors in the midst of major life events is not clear and is difficult to study due to the random and sporadic nature of their occurrence. The COVID‐19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to study a major life event and its impacts on diet, physical activity, and body weight. Objective This cross‐sectional study aimed to investigate associations between socioecological factors (environmental, interpersonal, and individual) and self‐reported weight change during a major life event using data collected during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and whether the associations were mediated through self‐reported changes in eating and physical activity behaviors. Methods Participants self‐reported socioecological factors, weight change, and changes in eating behaviors (EB) and physical activity (PA) via online questionnaires between December 2020 and October 2021. Changes in EB and PA were measured using scales with higher scores reflecting more positive changes during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results Participants (n = 1283) were mostly female (84.9%) with age 52.1 ± 14.1 years (mean ± SD) and BMI of 32.9 ± 8.2 kg/m2. Stronger healthy eater and exercise identities (individual factors) were associated with higher EB scores (EBS) and PA scores (PAS), respectively (p's < 0.00001). Less discouragement for healthy eating by family/friends (interpersonal factor) was associated with higher EBS (p = 0.002). Higher EBS and PAS were associated with weight loss. The indirect effect of healthy eater identity (−0.72; 95% CI: −0.90, −0.55) and discouragement for diet (0.07; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.12) on weight change through EBS were significant, as was the indirect effect of exercise identity (−0.25; 95% CI: −0.35, −0.15) on weight change through PAS. Conclusions Stronger identities and less discouragement from family/friends may support health promoting behaviors and weight loss during a major life event, as well as identify additional behavioral targets for lifestyle interventions. Clinical Trial Registration IWCR was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04907396).

Aims Type 2 diabetes is a major public health problem for the global community. Having a family history of diabetes significantly increases risk for diabetes development and understanding how family history contributes to diabetes risk could lead to more effective prevention efforts for at-risk individuals. In a previous study, we showed family history of diabetes is a significant predictor of fasting insulin in healthy weight children. The present study aimed to use the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2017) to apply similar multiple regression models to a population of healthy weight adults to determine if family history is a significant predictor of fasting glucose and fasting insulin. Methods Fasting glucose (mg/dL) and fasting insulin (pmol/L) were used as dependent variables in each model, respectively, with family history of diabetes as the independent variable. Covariates for each model included age, gender, race/ethnicity, waist circumference, and macronutrient intake. Results The model significantly predicted the variance of fasting glucose [(F(11,364) = 34.80, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.2342] and fasting insulin [F(11,343) = 17.58, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.1162]. After adjusting for covariates, family history was a significant predicator of fasting glucose ( p = 0.0193) as well as age, gender, non-Hispanic black ethnicity, waist circumference, and fat intake. Significant predictors of fasting insulin included gender and waist circumference, but not family history ( p = 0.8264). In addition, fasting glucose was higher in individuals with a family history of diabetes ( p = 0.033). Conclusions These results add to the understanding of how family history influences the biomarkers that contribute to diabetes development. Knowledge of how family history of diabetes relates to fasting insulin and fasting glucose activity in healthy weight individuals can be used to design personalized screening and early prevention strategies.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate food insecurity on body mass index (BMI) and dietrelated behaviors among college students and whether psychological well-being (PWB) and stress levels mediate this relationship.Study design: This was a cross-sectional study. Methods: Data from 1439 students from the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment III (Fall 2020) were used. Food security status was evaluated by the USDA Six-Item Short Form. PWB was measured using the Diener Flourishing Scale. Diet-related behaviors included the average servings of fruits, vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages consumed per day. Stress was measured by self-reported levels. Regression model analysis evaluated the influence of food security status, PWB, and stress levels on BMI. PWB and stress were also tested as mediators in the relationship between food insecurity and BMI.Results: Among our sample of college students, 44.54% (n = 641) were food insecure, and 55.46% (n = 798) were food secure. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher food insecurity, older age, full-time enrollment status, and fifth-year student status were positively associated with a higher BMI score (P < 0.05). Results from mediation models revealed that PWB, but not stress, mediated the relationship between food security and BMI among Black/African American students. Regarding diet-related behaviors, high stress levels mediated the relationship between food insecurity and sugar-sweetened beverage intake among students.Conclusions: Food insecurity appears to influence BMI in college students. This relationship seems to be mediated by disrupted PWB and a higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages due to stress.(c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4. 0/).

High blood pressure (BP) is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although factors outside the home, such as crime and noise, have been associated with high BP in women and children, it is unknown if disorder within the home (household disorder) influences BP. We tested the hypothesis that women and children with more household disorder would have higher BP, independent of age, race, sodium intake, and body mass index (BMI). This study was a secondary analysis of data from mother-child dyads (n = 216). Mothers were 87% African American, 34 ± 5 years old, with BMI 33.59 ± 9.43 kg/m². Children were 7 ± 2 (range: 4-10) years of age with BMI z score 0.60 ± 2.07. Household disorder was measured by the Confusion Hubbub and Order Scale. Mother-child dyads were assessed for weight, height, BP (adults), BP percentile (children), energy intake, and sodium intake. The relationship between household disorder and BP was evaluated using Pearson's partial correlation coefficients. In fully adjusted models, household disorder was positively associated with systolic BP for mothers (r = 0.15, p < .05) and tended to be positively associated with diastolic BP (r = 0.11, p = .10). For the children, household disorder was not associated with systolic or diastolic BP percentile. This study's results suggest that household disorder is positively associated with higher BP in adult women, but not their children. Nevertheless, these data suggest that interventions to address household disorder could benefit maternal BP and potentially improve long-term CVD outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:One of the most pressing issues in the field of cardiometabolic disease is the growing co-occurrence of poor mental health. A whole foods-based, hypothesis-driven dietary inflammation score (DIS) was created to better understand the association between dietary patterns, inflammation, and physiological health. However, this diet quality scoring method has not been observed in young adults, nor has its association with mental health been observed. This study 1) examined differences in cardiometabolic health measures by dietary inflammation score (DIS) tertiles and 2) examined the association between DIS and psychosocial stress variables, perceived stress, and depression. METHODS:Psychosocial and food frequency questionnaires, demographics, anthropometrics, and clinical measures were collected from sixty-two metabolically healthy African American and European American females, ages 18-45, from 2014 to 2016 in Birmingham, AL. Analysis of Variance was used to observe differences in all cardiometabolic variables by DIS tertile. Linear regression was used to observe the relationship between independent, continuous variable DIS and dependent variables, depression, and perceived stress. RESULTS:There were significant differences between DIS tertiles for cardiometabolic and psychosocial stress measures. DIS was significantly positively associated with depression after controlling for body fat percentage (P = 0.003) and education, income, and race (P = 0.01). DIS was significantly associated with perceived stress after controlling for body fat percentage (P = 0.0004), and education, income, and race (P = 0.0005). CONCLUSION:This study is significant for its contribution in understanding how cardiometabolic health differs by DIS tertile, and how dietary inflammation scores are associated with depression and perceived stress among young adult women.

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is considered to have high accuracy in estimating fat mass; however, DXA is not always available. We hypothesized that the equations most commonly used for predicting body fat percentage (BF%) using skinfold thickness agree with direct measures of BF% obtained by DXA scan in African American (AA) and Caucasian American (CA) women. Data from 42 women from Alabama who were 21 to 45 years of age, who self-identify as AA (n = 20) or CA (n = 22) were included. BF% was estimated using DXA scan and through 6 different skinfold thickness equations. Agreement between DXA-BF% and BF% based on the skinfold thickness equations was assessed following the Bland-Altman method (bias and agreement limits). Agreement analysis showed in both AA and CA women that the BF%-Siri equation reflects better agreement and lower mean differences (bias) with BF%-DXA than the BF%-Brozek equation after applying 4 body density (BD) equations. Limits showed that BF%-Siri and BF%-Brozek predictive equations overestimate BF% compared with DXA-BF% in both AA and CA women. In AAs, equations that overestimated less were Wilmore and Behnke-Siri (by 1.81%) and Durnin and Womersley-Siri (by 2.5%) equations. Regarding CAs, equations that overestimated less were Durnin and Womersley-Siri (by 2.74%) and Wilmore and Behnke-Siri (by 3.11%) equations. The results of this study show that the BF%-Siri equation is a more accurate alternative than the BF%-Brozek equation for the calculation of BF%. In the calculation of BD, the Wilmore and Behnke equation in AA women and Durnin and Womersley in CA women were those that overestimated BF% to a lesser degree.

Context: Altered satiety hormones in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may contribute to obesity. Diets with a low glycemic load (GL) may influence appetite-regulating hormones including glucagon and ghrelin. Objective: To test the hypothesis that following a 4-week, eucaloric low vs high GL diet habituation, a low vs high GL meal will increase glucagon and decrease ghrelin to reflect greater satiety and improve self-reported fullness. Methods: Secondary analysis of a randomized crossover trial. Participants: Thirty women diagnosed with PCOS. Intervention: Participants were provided low (41:19:40% energy from carbohydrate:protein:fat) and high (55:18:27) GL diets for 8 weeks each. At each diet midpoint, a solid meal test was administered to examine postprandial ghrelin, glucagon, glucose, insulin, and self-reported appetite scores. Results: After 4 weeks, fasting glucagon was greater with the low vs high GL diet (P =.035), and higher fasting glucagon was associated with lesser feelings of hunger (P =.009). Significant diet effects indicate 4-hour glucagon was higher (P < .001) and ghrelin was lower (P =.009) after the low vs high GL meal. A trending time x diet interaction (P = .077) indicates feelings of fullness were greater in the early postprandial phase after the high GL meal, but no differences were observed the late postprandial phase. Conclusion: These findings suggest after low GL diet habituation, a low GL meal reduces ghrelin and increases glucagon in women with PCOS. Further research is needed to determine the influence of diet composition on ad libitum intake in women with PCOS.

Introduction The likelihood of a child participating in a clinical trial is mostly independent of the child's willingness to participate; children's lack of autonomy obliges parental involvement, which is concurrently conditional to parental understanding, trust and endorsement of the research study. Objectives To identify potential predictors for allowing children to participate in clinical studies and to evaluate if motivators that promote or prevent parental support of children to participate in clinical studies differed according to racial/ethnic categorization.

Factors underlying physiological reactions from perceived discrimination and its relation to adverse health outcomes are not completely understood. The main purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that experiences of discrimination (recent and lifetime) correlate with biomarkers of stress, oxidative stress, and obesity among adult females. Data on 62 females who self-identify as African American (AA; n = 31) or European American (EA; n = 31) aged 21–45 years were included. Discrimination experiences (recent and lifetime) were evaluated based on a validated instrument. Stress was assessed based on hair cortisol (HC) and salivary cortisol (SC), hsC-reactive protein (hsCRP), cardiovascular markers, and LDL-cholesterol oxidation. Obesity was measured based on BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percent. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of experiences of discrimination. Significant differences in experiences of discrimination were observed by race (p < 0.05) and were higher in AA females. Results for the multiple regression models assessing the contribution of discrimination indicate that hsCRP and pulse were significantly associated with recent experiences of discrimination, and SC, HC, hsCRP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and pulse were significantly associated with lifetime experiences of discrimination when adjusted for BMI and race (p < 0.05). Finally, oxidation of LDL-cholesterol was significantly associated with salivary cortisol (p = 0.0420) when adjusted by lifetime experiences of discrimination (p = 0.0366) but not for BMI (p = 0.6252). In this cross-sectional study, AA females experienced more discrimination compared to EA females. Levels of recent and lifetime experiences of discrimination were associated with some stress biomarkers. Salivary cortisol was associated with oxidation of LDL-cholesterol with shorter lag times and increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

The present study assessed how the adaptation to American culture by United States (U.S.)-born and foreign-born Hispanics living in the U.S. may influence stress-related physiological aspects that may impair health. Data on 8,360 Hispanics living in the U.S. categorized as U.S.-born (n = 3347) and foreign-born (n = 5013) from NHANES 1999-2010 (ages 18-85) were used. Stress-related physiological impact was measured by the allostatic load index (ALoad). Adaptation to American culture was evaluated through three acculturation-related measures. The average age was 39.39 years in a sample where 51% were males. ALoad was classified as no load (15.41%), low load (55.33%), and high load (29.24%). The U.S.-born Hispanics showed higher ALoad compared to foreign-born Hispanics (p < 0.001). Among foreign-born Hispanics, length of residence (LOR) and age of arrival in the U.S. (AOA) were associated with higher ALoad scores (p < 0.05), and in U.S.-born Hispanics, age and sex were positively associated and education was negatively associated with ALoad scores (p < 0.05). Adaptation to American culture in foreign-born Hispanics living in the U.S. appears to influence levels of ALoad in this population.

Evidence suggests that the association between dietary energy density (DED) and body composition in children is different than in adults. The purpose of this study was to measure if DED differed by race/ethnicity and if DED was associated with adiposity markers in children. Dietary intake and body composition were measured in a multi-ethnic sample of 307 children aged seven to 12 (39% European American, EA; 35% African American, AA; and 26% Hispanic American, HA). Dietary intake was measured by two 24-h recalls, and DED was calculated including and excluding energy-from beverages. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and other measurements included height, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI). Participants were evaluated by total sample and plausibility of reported energy intake. Analysis of variance, independence tests, and multiple regression models were performed. A total of 33.5% of the children in the sample had a BMI ≥ 85 percentile. Among plausible reporters, the mean DEDSF+EB (solid food + energy-containing beverages) was ~ 128 kcal/100 g and mean DEDSF (solid food only) was 211 kcal/100 g. Pairwise comparisons among children showed that the mean of DED was higher in AA children compared to EA and HA children (p < 0.005). Regression models showed significant association (p < 0.05) between adiposity markers and DEDSF in both the total and plausible samples. This study provides evidence of a significant difference of DED by race/ethnicity. Increased DED showed being a significant risk factor for adiposity among children. The associations were stronger when only plausible reporters were considered.

ObjectiveThis study investigated if levels of allostatic load (ALoad) differed according to race/ethnicity in children and if ALoad was associated with obesity-related measures. MethodsA multiethnic sample of 307 children aged seven to 12 was evaluated, composed of 39% European American (EA), 35% African American (AA), and 26% Hispanic American (HA) youth. Anthropometric measurements were evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and other measurements included body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Allostatic load scores were estimated based on two different calculations, including seven and eight biomarkers (ALoad1 and ALoad2), respectively. Analyses of variance, independence tests, and multiple regression models were performed. ResultsFrom the total sample, 22.80% (n=70) of children were characterized as no load, 46.58% (n=143) low load, and 30.62% (n=94) high load. Hispanic American children showed the highest ALoad scores (2.071.54; 95% CI, 1.73-2.41) compared with AA children (1.71 +/- 1.43; 95% CI, 1.43-1.99) and EA children (1.56 +/- 1.34; 95% CI, 1.32-1.80) (P<0.05). Higher scores of ALoad (using both ALoad1 and ALoad2 calculations) were associated with higher BMI, total body fat mass, body percent fat, and WC (P<0.05). ConclusionSignificant differences in ALoad were observed in children according to race/ethnicity. Increased exposure to stressors captured by ALoad may result in increased risk for excessive adiposity and potential health risk in children. Further, ALoad may serve as a preventive marker for conditions known to continue throughout adulthood.