A web-based intervention is feasible for supporting weight loss and increased activity in rural women with arthritis.

Rural women have well documented health disparities, with higher prevalence of obesity and chronic conditions, including arthritis. Change in weight and actigraph-recorded data were examined in a subset of 63 of 82 women with physician-diagnosed arthritis who completed a 30-month web-based clinical trial. Repeated measures analyses showed women lost weight from baseline to six months, slowly regained at 18 and 30 months, ending with a lower weight than baseline F(1,62)=40.

Mobile health assisted self-monitoring is acceptable for supporting weight loss in rural men: a pragmatic randomized controlled feasibility trial.

Background: Addressing overweight and obesity among men at-risk for obesity-related diseases and disability in rural communities is a public health issue. Commercial smartphone applications (apps) that promote self-monitoring for weight loss are widely available. Evidence is lacking regarding what support is required to enhance user engagement with and effectiveness of those technologies.

Mobile technology intervention for weight loss in rural men: protocol for a pilot pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Men who are overweight or obese in the rural Midwestern USA are an unrepresented, at-risk group exhibiting rising rates of cardiovascular disease, poor access to preventive care and poor lifestyle behaviours that contribute to sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet. Self-monitoring of eating and activity has demonstrated efficacy for weight loss. Use of mobile technologies for self-monitoring eating and activity may address rural men's access disparities to preventive health resources and support weight loss.

Behavior-Specific Cognitions Moderate Rural Women's Responsiveness to Web-Based Interventions for Weight Loss.

Objective: To examine whether baseline behavior-specific cognitions moderated the effects of 2 Web-based interventions with enhanced features on weight loss success in rural women.

Design: Secondary analysis of behavior-specific cognition data from a community-based, randomized controlled trial, as potential moderators of weight loss over 30 months.

Participants: Women, overweight or obese, from rural communities, aged 40-69 years (n = 200).

Weight loss is associated with improved quality of life among rural women completers of a web-based lifestyle intervention.

Introduction: The evidence for whether weight loss following longer-term lifestyle interventions results in improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is inconclusive. This study examines whether women who lose weight after completing an 18-month web-based lifestyle modification intervention would report a corresponding improvement in HRQoL as measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 29-item profile (PROMIS-29 v1.0).

User Engagement Associated with Web-Intervention Features to Attain Clinically Meaningful Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance in Rural Women.

Objective: Purely web-based weight loss and weight-loss maintenance interventions show promise to influence behavior change. Yet, little is known about user engagement with features of web-based interventions that predict clinically meaningful weight loss (≥5% bodyweight loss). This study examines level of website feature engagement with the likelihood of attaining ≥5% bodyweight loss after 6 and 18 months participation in a web-based intervention, among rural women at high risk of obesity-related diseases and disability.

Health and appearance reasons for weight loss as predictors of long-term weight change.

This study investigated whether women's initial reasons (health, appearance to others, or appearance to self) for wanting to lose weight influenced their weight change over a 30-month web-based intervention. Multilevel modeling with 1416 observations revealed that only appearance in relation to one's self was a significant (negative) predictor. Women highly motivated to lose weight to improve their appearance in relation to themselves gained weight at 30 months, whereas those not motivated for this reason achieved clinically significant weight loss.

Physical Function and Health-Related Quality of Life in Overweight and Obese Rural Women Who Meet Physical Activity Recommendations.

Associations of physical function and health-related quality of life in 297 rural women, ages 40-69 years (body mass index of 28-45 kg/m) who met activity criterion were examined using cross-sectional baseline data from the Women Weigh-in for Wellness trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01307644). Assessments included demographics, 400-m walk, timed chair stands, and health-related quality of life using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29).

Web-Based Interventions Alone or Supplemented with Peer-Led Support or Professional Email Counseling for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance in Women from Rural Communities: Results of a Clinical Trial.

. This trial compared the effectiveness of a web-based only (WO) intervention with web-based supplemented by peer-led discussion (WD) or professional email counseling (WE) across 3 phases to achieve weight loss and weight maintenance in women from underserved rural communities. .

Acceptability of mHealth Technology for Self-Monitoring Eating and Activity among Rural Men.

Objective: To examine rural men's use and perceptions of mobile and wireless devices to self-monitor eating and physical activity (mHealth).

Design And Sample: Men in this 3-week pilot study used FitBit One to log daily food intake and monitor activity. A companion application (app) allowed activity monitoring of fellow participants.

Environmental implications of the use of sulfidic back-bay sediments for dune reconstruction - Lessons learned post Hurricane Sandy.

Some barrier-island dunes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy's storm surges in October 2012 have been reconstructed using sediments dredged from back bays. These sand-, clay-, and iron sulfide-rich sediments were used to make berm-like cores for the reconstructed dunes, which were then covered by beach sand. In November 2013, we sampled and analyzed partially weathered materials collected from the cores of reconstructed dunes.

Do Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors Differ By Rural Classification in Women Who Enroll in a Weight Loss Intervention?

Purpose: If clinicians and researchers are aware of specific cardiovascular risks associated with women's rural status, whether it be large or small/isolated rural areas, it may help in developing more relevant rural resources. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there were differences in modifiable cardiovascular risk factors of overweight and obese rural women living in large or small/isolated rural areas.

Sample: This secondary analysis examined baseline cross-sectional data from the "Web-based Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Intervention for Older Rural Women" clinical trial.

Dietary mineral intakes of rural midlife to older adult women with prehypertension in Midwestern United States.

Objectives: Midlife to older rural women with prehypertension are at increased risk for hypertension and its impact on cardiovascular health with advancing age. Because modification of dietary factors could help alleviate risk, the objective of this study was to explore calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium intakes of midlife to older rural women, with identification of their top food sources.

Design: Survey of baseline dietary intake data of women and comparison to standard recommendations.

Effectiveness of tailored lifestyle interventions, using web-based and print-mail, for reducing blood pressure among rural women with prehypertension: main results of the Wellness for Women: DASHing towards Health clinical trial.

Background: Lifestyle modification is recommended for management of prehypertension, yet finding effective interventions to reach rural women is a public health challenge. This community-based clinical trial compared the effectiveness of standard advice to two multi-component theory-based tailored interventions, using web-based or print-mailed delivery, in reducing blood pressure among rural women, ages 40-69, with prehypertension.

Methods: 289 women with prehypertension enrolled in the Wellness for Women: DASHing towards Health trial, a 12-month intervention with 12-month follow-up.

Obesity and Physical Function in Rural Women who enroll in a Lifestyle Modification Intervention for Reducing Blood Pressure.

Purpose: Rural women have high prevalence of obesity and prehypertension. Obesity, if associated with poor physical function, may have implications for applying activity guidelines for women volunteering for lifestyle modification. This study examined associations of body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat with measures of 1-mile walk time, post-walk perceived exertion, and 10-repetition chair stands in rural women ages 40-69.

Associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness with metabolic syndrome in rural women with prehypertension.

Background: This study investigated the associations of fitness and fatness with metabolic syndrome in rural women, part of a recognized US health disparities group.

Methods: Fitness, percentage body fat, BMI, and metabolic syndrome criteria were assessed at baseline in 289 rural women with prehypertension, ages 40-69, enrolled in a healthy eating and activity community-based clinical trial for reducing blood pressure.

Results: Ninety (31%) women had metabolic syndrome, of which 70% were obese by BMI (≥30 kg/m²), 100% by percentage body fat (≥30%), and 100% by revised BMI standards (≥25 kg/m²) cited in current literature.

The influence of cognitive-perceptual variables on patterns of change over time in rural midlife and older women's healthy eating.

Although studies demonstrate that dietary interventions for healthy adults can result in beneficial dietary changes, few studies examine when and how people change in response to these interventions, particularly in rural populations. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of change over time in healthy eating behaviors in midlife and older women in response to a one-year health-promoting intervention, and to examine what predictors (perceived benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and family support for healthy eating) influence the changes during the intervention and follow-up. Data for this secondary analysis were from the Wellness for Women community-based trial.

Simultaneous speciation of arsenic, selenium, and chromium: species stability, sample preservation, and analysis of ash and soil leachates.

An analytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography separation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection previously developed for the determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) has been adapted to allow the determination of As(III), As(V), Se(IV), Se(VI), Cr(III), and Cr(VI) under the same chromatographic conditions. Using this method, all six inorganic species can be determined in less than 3 min. A dynamic reaction cell (DRC)-ICP-MS system was used to detect the species eluted from the chromatographic column in order to reduce interferences.

Web-based interventions for weight loss and weight maintenance among rural midlife and older women: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Weight loss is challenging and maintenance of weight loss is problematic among midlife and older rural women. Finding effective interventions using innovative delivery methods that can reach underserved and vulnerable populations of overweight and obese rural women is a public health challenge.

Methods/design: This Women Weigh-In for Wellness (The WWW study) randomized-controlled trial is designed to compare the effectiveness of theory-based behavior-change interventions using (1) website only, (2) website with peer-led support, or (3) website with professional email-counseling to facilitate initial weight loss (baseline to 6 months), guided continuing weight loss and maintenance (7-18 months) and self-directed weight maintenance (19-30 months) among rural women ages 45-69 with a BMI of 28-45.

Blood pressure, fitness, and lipid profiles of rural women in the wellness for women project.

Purpose: This study examined whether rural women, who had a high prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension upon enrollment in a wellness program, would also have a high prevalence of other cardiovascular disease risk factors such as low fitness and/or dyslipidemia.

Methods: Data were analyzed from 225 rural women, ages 50-69, enrolled in a healthy eating and activity clinical trial. Cardiovascular health histories, fitness measures, blood pressure, and fasting blood serum samples were collected following standardized protocols at rural research offices.

Maintenance of activity and eating change after a clinical trial of tailored newsletters with older rural women.

Background: In the Wellness for Women Project, a randomized-by-site 1-year controlled clinical trial, the efficacy of generic newsletters and newsletters tailored on Health Promotion Model behavior-specific cognitions, eating behavior, and activity behavior were compared among 225 women aged 50 to 69 years.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the maintenance of change in healthy eating and physical activity over the 12 months following the tailored versus generic mailed newsletter intervention.

Methods: Outcomes at 18 and 24 months included behavioral markers and biomarkers of physical activity and eating.

Clinical trial of tailored activity and eating newsletters with older rural women.

Background: Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity increase rural midlife and older women's risk of chronic diseases and premature death, and they are behind urban residents in meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare a tailored intervention based on the Health Promotion Model with a generic intervention to increase physical activity and healthy eating among rural women.

Methods: In a randomized-by-site, community-based, controlled, clinical trial, Wellness for Women, 225 women aged 50 to 69 years were recruited in two similar rural areas.

Exposure of insects and insectivorous birds to metals and other elements from abandoned mine tailings in three Summit County drainages, Colorado.

Concentrations of 31 metals, metalloids, and other elements were measured in insects and insectivorous bird tissues from three drainages with different geochemistry and mining histories in Summit Co., Colorado, in 2003, 2004, and 2005. In insect samples, all 25 elements that were analyzed in all years increased in both Snake and Deer Creeks in the mining impacted areas compared to areas above and below the mining impacted areas.

Feasibility of Internet-delivered weight loss interventions among rural women ages 50-69.

Purpose: The increased availability and use of the Internet by midlife and older women who seek health information may provide an innovative method for delivering weight loss interventions. This preliminary study examined the feasibility and efficacy of web-based interventions for promoting weight loss among rural overweight and obese women ages 50-69 (M = 55.5 +/- 4.