Showing papers by "Renee A. Desmond published in 2015"

A study of the relationship between food group recommendations and perceived stress: findings from black women in the Deep South.

Abstract: Black women in the Deep South experience excess morbidity/mortality from obesity-related diseases, which may be partially attributable to poor diet. One reason for poor dietary intake may be high stress, which has been associated with unhealthy diets in other groups. Limited data are available regarding dietary patterns of black women in the Deep South and to our knowledge no studies have been published exploring relationships between stress and dietary patterns among this group. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between stress and adherence to food group recommendations among black women in the Deep South. Participants ( ) provided demographic, anthropometric, stress (PSS-10), and dietary (NCI ASA-24 hour recall) data. Participants were obese (BMI = 36.5 kg/m2) and reported moderate stress (PSS-10 score = 16) and minimal adherence to Dietary Guidelines for Americans food group recommendations (1/3 did not meet recommendations for any food group). Participants reporting higher stress had higher BMIs than those reporting lower stress. There was no observed relationship between stress and dietary intake in this sample. Based on these study findings, which are limited by potential misreporting of dietary intake and limited variability in stress measure outcomes, there is insufficient evidence to support a relationship between stress and dietary intake.

Utilization of 2013 BRFSS Physical Activity Data for State Cancer Control Plan Objectives: Alabama Data.

Abstract: Maintaining healthy behaviors, including restricting tobacco use, maintaining a normal weight, having access to nutritious foods, and engaging in regular physical activity have been associated with a reduction in the incidence of chronic diseases and in an improvement in quality of life among older individuals. In regard to cancer control planning, primary prevention activities are focused on these objectives; however, by January 2014, the number of cancer survivors in the United States had grown to nearly 14.5 million children and adults. With 197,040 survivors in Alabama, there is a need to apply the principles of healthy lifestyles to cancer survivors.1 One review discussed the benefits associated with physical activity across the cancer continuum from primary prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation2; however, it is unclear what specific exercise prescriptions are optimal as targeted interventions along this continuum. The Healthy People 2020 guidelines state that the physical activity goal is to increase the proportion of adults who meet current federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic physical activity and for muscle-strengthening activity. Specifically, one objective is to increase the proportion of adults who engage in aerobic physical activity of at least moderate intensity for at least 150 minutes/week, 75 minutes/week of vigorous intensity, or an equivalent combination. A second objective is to increase the proportion of adults who perform muscle-strengthening activities that work all of the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms) on ≥2 days/week. Combining these two objectives is a measure of the proportion of adults who meet the objectives for aerobic physical activity and for muscle-strengthening activity, as outlined by the Department of Health and Human Services physical activity guidelines.3 The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has released guidelines that pertain to cancer survivorship and healthy lifestyles.4 The NCCN panel suggests that sedentary survivors engage initially in one to three light- to moderate-intensity activities per week such as walking or using a stationary bike and begin with one session of resistance training per week. The NCCN also recommends adherence to federal guidelines but acknowledges that most survivors do not meet these recommendations. As such, as a baseline for a cancer-control plan, it is important to describe the frequency, duration, intensity, and type of activities that individuals currently are engaged in and compare these metrics with the federal guidelines and recommendations from the NCCN. The goal of this report was to describe the physical activity profile of Alabama residents based on the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) survey data and describe integration of this profile into state cancer prevention and control objectives.