American journal of preventive medicine
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The U. S. has been reported as the only country experiencing a decline in incidence rates of colorectal cancer (CRC), despite increasing prevalence of CRC major risk factors, including the Western dietary pattern and obesity. This paper presents a hypothesis that improved folate status in the U. ⋯ S. Although this type of analysis precludes a definitive conclusion, available evidence suggests that the increase in CRC incidence rates in the later 1990s is unlikely due to folic acid fortification and, assuming a time lag of a decade or longer to see a benefit on CRC, folate appears to be one of the most promising factors that could explain the downward trend of CRC incidence rates in the U. S.
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Infant mortality rates (IMRs) are disproportionally high in the U.S. South; however, the proximate contributors that could inform regional action remain unclear. ⋯ To reduce excess Southern infant mortality, comprehensive strategies addressing SUID and preterm birth prevention for both non-Hispanic black and white births are needed, with state-level findings used to tailor state-specific efforts.