American journal of preventive medicine
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Given the increase in ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption, their potential health effects have aroused concern. Whether UPF consumption is associated with cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality is debatable. This study evaluates the association of UPF consumption with mortality. ⋯ Higher UPF consumption was associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality risk, with multiple metabolic pathways playing mediating roles.
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Understanding changes in cannabis use in the legalized nonmedical cannabis context is critical. Washington State, one the earliest states to implement legalization, presents a unique opportunity to examine how cannabis use and its consequences changed after the implementation of legalization for adults. With a focus on Washington State young adults, this study conducted in 2022-2023 examined changes in (1) cannabis use by sex and age, (2) preferred mode of use, and (3) cannabis use disorder symptoms. ⋯ During the 5-year period following the implementation of legalization, patterns of young adult cannabis use shifted, including particularly sharp increases among females and increases in cannabis use disorder symptoms. Future studies should investigate underlying causes for these important changes.
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Clinical cardiovascular health is a construct that includes 4 health factors-systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, and body mass index-which together provide an evidence-based, more holistic view of cardiovascular health risk in adults than each component separately. Currently, no pediatric version of this construct exists. This study sought to develop sex-specific charts of clinical cardiovascular health for age to describe current patterns of clinical cardiovascular health throughout childhood. ⋯ Clinical cardiovascular health charts based on pediatric data offer a standardized approach to express clinical cardiovascular health as an age- and sex-standardized percentile for clinicians to assess cardiovascular health in childhood to consider preventive approaches at early ages and proactively optimize lifetime trajectories of cardiovascular health.
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The University of California (UC) implemented the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) to address diabetes and obesity risk. This project examined the reach and effectiveness of this university-based DPP delivery approach. ⋯ UC DPP reached a diverse group and was effective for weight loss at 12-month follow-up. However, UC DPP invitation letters to raise prediabetes and DPP awareness were not associated with significant weight change in the absence of DPP enrollment. University-based approaches to DPP delivery are effective and may enhance reach of DPP among at-risk adults.
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Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases. Regular stair use can contribute to increasing physical activity in the population. This study aimed to investigate the association between flights of stairs used daily at home and all-cause mortality and cause-specific incidence and mortality. ⋯ Stair use was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and cause-specific incidence and mortality independent of confounding factors, including adiposity and multimorbidity.