American journal of preventive medicine
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Excessive alcohol use exacerbates morbidity and mortality among hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected people. The purpose of this study was to describe self-reported patterns of alcohol use and examine the association with HCV infection and other sociodemographic and health-related factors. ⋯ Chronic HCV infection is associated with both former and excessive current drinking. Public health HCV strategies should implement interventions with emphasis on alcohol abuse, which negatively impacts disease progression for HCV-infected individuals.
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Most smokers who try to quit do not use an evidence-based treatment (EBT), and in 2001, Hispanic/Latino quit-attempters were about half as likely as non-Hispanic white (NHW) quit-attempters to use one. This study analyzed the patterns of EBT use in Colorado across a recent decade, 2001-2012. ⋯ EBT use for smoking cessation has increased over the past decade, with more rapid increase among English-speaking Hispanics/Latinos compared with NHWs, but a large use gap remains. Healthcare and public health efforts are needed to clarify and overcome factors contributing to this ongoing disparity.
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Recent studies have shown that sitting time is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, independent of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Less is known about the population-attributable fraction for all-cause mortality associated with sitting time, and the gains in life expectancy related to the elimination of this risk factor. ⋯ Assuming that the effect of sitting time on all-cause mortality risk is independent of physical activity, reducing sitting time plays an important role in active lifestyle promotion, which is an important aspect of premature mortality prevention worldwide.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of Child Care Intervention on Physical Activity and Body Composition.
This study evaluated whether intervening with child care providers would increase physical activity (PA) and reduce adiposity in preschoolers. ⋯ Provider-led intervention in child care centers increased preschoolers' PA and reduced adiposity, therefore may represent a viable approach to promoting PA and related health benefits in preschool-aged children.
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Observational Study
Ethnic Disparities in Trends in High BMI Among California Adolescents, 2003-2012.
Because California is home to one in eight U.S. children and accounts for the highest Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program spending, childhood obesity trends in California have important implications for the entire nation. California's racial/ethnic diversity and large school-based data set provide a unique opportunity to examine trends by race/ethnicity, including understudied Asian and American Indian youth, which has not been possible using national data sets. This study examined racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence of high BMI from 2003 to 2012. ⋯ Based on California's statewide data, there is evidence that racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence of high BMI have widened over time. Minority youth have either decreased more slowly or increased in prevalence compared with non-Hispanic white youth. There continues to be an urgent need for policies and interventions that effectively reduce racial/ethnic obesity prevalence disparities.