American journal of preventive medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Naming Matters: Prompting Smaller Portions in an Online RCT.
Large portions, which can lead people to eat more, are becoming increasingly common in U.S. restaurants. This study tested whether portion-size descriptions on menus and different pricing strategies influence the selection of smaller portion sizes. ⋯ Portion-size descriptions on restaurant menus, even with nonlinear pricing, are a low-cost strategy to promote the selection of lower-calorie, smaller portions without restricting choice.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Air Quality Index and Childhood Asthma: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Intervention.
To reduce air pollution exposure, the U.S. asthma guidelines recommend that children check the Air Quality Index before outdoor activity. Whether adding the Air Quality Index and recommendations to asthma action plans reduces exacerbations and improves control and quality of life in children with asthma is unknown. ⋯ Addition of the Air Quality Index to asthma action plans led to improved asthma control by Asthma Control Test scores but may decrease outdoor activity.
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The generalizability of study findings may be influenced by pre-enrollment trial procedures, including the use of behavioral run-in periods. The study goals were to determine whether behavioral run-in periods and other pre-enrollment processes affect outcomes in randomized trials of behavioral weight loss interventions that have contributed to clinical guidelines. ⋯ The use of more pre-enrollment processes is associated with greater weight loss in behavioral weight loss trials and may impact the generalizability of outcomes.
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Previous research has identified a link between sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment; however, no study has examined this relationship using a national United States sample. This study examines how multiple longitudinal measures of sleep disturbances (sleep-initiation insomnia, sleep-maintenance insomnia, sleep-medication usage) are associated with dementia risk. ⋯ These findings suggest that sleep-initiation insomnia and sleep-medication usage may elevate dementia risk. On the basis of the current evidence, sleep disturbances should be considered when assessing the risk profile for dementia. Future research is needed to examine other sleep disturbance measures and to explore the mechanisms for decreased dementia risk among older adults with sleep-maintenance insomnia.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed new product standards regarding the availability of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars in the U.S. However, it is unclear whether limiting characterizing flavors in cigarettes and cigars as proposed, or across all tobacco products, produces differential effects on the tobacco use behaviors of African American/Black individuals who use menthol cigarettes. This study assessed whether limiting characterizing flavors in combusted products only or across all tobacco products produces differential impacts on the tobacco use behaviors of African American/Black individuals who use menthol cigarettes. ⋯ African American/Black individuals who use menthol cigarettes appear more likely to quit smoking if characterizing flavors in combusted products (e.g., menthol cigarettes) are banned, regardless of if characterizing flavors are available in noncombusted alternative tobacco products.