Restoring Balance: a physical activity intervention for Native American cancer survivors and their familial support persons.

Introduction/purpose: Exercise interventions among Native American cancer survivors are lacking, despite major cancer health disparities in survivorship. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of culturally tailored exercise on cancer risk biomarkers and quality of life among Native American cancer survivors and family members.

Methods: Participants were randomized to immediate start versus 6-week waitlist control at two rural and two urban sites.

Seasonal variability in body mass index change among children enrolled in the Pediatric Obesity Weight Evaluation Registry: A step in the right direction.

Background: Research has shown children disproportionately gain excess weight over the summer months (vs. school months), with stronger effects for children with obesity. However, the question has not been investigated among children receiving care in paediatric weight management (PWM) programs.

Formative Evaluation and Adaptation of a Navajo Cancer Survivor Physical Activity Intervention to Serve a Broader Native American Cancer Survivor Community.

Background: Although exercise has been shown to improve cancer survivorship in other communities, cancer exercise studies among Native American communities are rare. We sought to adapt a Navajo-tailored cancer exercise pilot program to serve a broader Native American cancer community.

Methods: Tribal experts representing 10 different Tribal Nations were engaged in small focus groups (n = 2-4) to assess program materials for cultural appropriateness and adaptation to expand tribal inclusiveness.

Practicing Tribal Sovereignty Through a Tribal Health Policy: Implementation of the Healthy Diné Nation Act on the Navajo Nation.

Introduction: The Navajo Nation is a large sovereign tribal nation. After several years of grassroots efforts and overcoming an initial presidential veto, the Navajo Nation passed the Healthy Diné Nation Act (HDNA) in 2014 to promote healthy behaviors in Navajo communities. This was the first such policy in the US and in any sovereign tribal nation worldwide.

Shopper Purchasing Trends at Small Stores on the Navajo Nation since the Passage of the Healthy Diné Nation Act Tax: A Multi-Year Cross-sectional Survey.

Background: In 2014, the Navajo Nation passed the Healthy Diné Nation Act (HDNA), which applies an additional 2% tax on unhealthy foods and beverages and a waiver of Navajo sales tax on healthy foods and beverages. However, the HDNA's impact on purchasing behavior has not been explored.

Objectives: We assessed beverage and produce purchasing trends among shoppers at small Navajo stores between 2017 and 2019, shopper characteristics associated with buying water, and whether HDNA awareness was associated with purchasing behaviors.

Changes in food pricing and availability on the Navajo Nation following a 2% tax on unhealthy foods: The Healthy Diné Nation Act of 2014.

Introduction: In 2014, the Navajo Nation Healthy Diné Nation Act (HDNA) was passed, combining a 2% tax on foods of 'minimal-to-no-nutritional value' and waiver of 5% sales tax on healthy foods, the first-ever such tax in the U.S. and globally among a sovereign tribal nation.

The Navajo Nation Healthy Diné Nation Act: A Description of Community Wellness Projects Funded by a 2% Tax on Minimal-to-No-Nutritious-Value Foods.

Context: To promote the health of the Navajo people, the Navajo Nation passed the Healthy Diné Nation Act (HDNA) in 2014. The HDNA included a 2% tax on "minimal-to-no-nutritional-value" foods and waived 5% sales tax on healthy foods, the first such policy in the United States and any sovereign Tribal nation. Uniquely aligned with Tribal government structures, revenue was directly allocated to 110 small local government entities (Chapters) for self-determined wellness projects.

Only 1 in 10 Patients Told to Lose Weight Seek Help From a Health Professional: A Nationally Representative Sample.

Purpose: Receiving weight loss advice from a health-care provider has been associated with more weight loss efforts and greater odds of achieving weight loss. However, whether patients seek help from their provider or other health professional with weight loss after receiving advice from them to lose weight is largely unknown.

Design: Cross-sectional data from the 2011 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Perceptions of Cancer Causes, Prevention, and Treatment Among Navajo Cancer Survivors.

Native Americans experience cancer-related health disparities. Yet, little is known about the current cancer experience in one of the largest Native American tribe, Navajo. A qualitative study of among Navajo cancer survivors, in which focus groups and individual interviews included questions related to perceptions of cancer causes, prevention, and treatment, allowed us to evaluate several aspects of the cancer experience from the Navajo perspective.

Physical Activity among Navajo Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

Physical activity (PA) may improve quality of life and survival among cancer survivors; however, little is known about Navajo cancer survivor PA. We evaluated Navajo cancer survivor PA habits, barriers, and preferences through focus groups and interviews (n = 32). Transcripts were coded in NVivo and major themes summarized by consensus.

Initiating Exercise Interventions to Promote Wellness in Cancer Patients and Survivors.

Exercise is associated with significant reductions in the recurrence and mortality rates of several common cancers. Cancer survivors who exercise can potentially benefit from reduced levels of fatigue, and improved quality of life, physical function, and body composition (ie, healthier ratios of lean body mass to fat mass). The amount of activity required to achieve protective effects is moderate (eg, walking 30 minutes per day at 2.

Let's Move Together.

Background: Due to shared health behaviors and disease risk, families may be more effective targets for health promotion. This study assessed whether providing family health history (FHH)-based risk information for heart disease and diabetes affected encouragement to engage in physical activity (PA) and healthy weight (HW) maintenance and co-engagement in physical activity among 320 Mexican-origin parents and their 1,081 children.

Method: At baseline and 10 months, parents indicated who they encouraged and who encouraged them to engage in PA/HW, and with whom they co-engaged in PA.

Improved Cardiovascular Risk among Hispanic Border Participants of the Mi Corazón Mi Comunidad Promotores De Salud Model: The HEART II Cohort Intervention Study 2009-2013.

Background: Community resources (parks, recreational facilities) provide opportunities for health promotion, but little is known about how to promote utilization of these resources and their impact on cardiovascular disease risk (CVD).

Methods: This cohort study evaluated the impact of an intervention called Mi Corazon Mi Comunidad (MiCMiC), which consisted of promoting use of community physical activity and nutrition resources by Promotoras de Salud/Community Health Workers. Participants were assessed at baseline and following the 4-month intervention.

Randomized trial of exercise and an online recovery tool to improve rehabilitation outcomes of cancer survivors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a cancer survivor exercise program and an online recovery awareness program (Restwise) on physical outcomes of aerobic capacity and muscle strength.

Design: Randomized controlled trial design.

Setting: Treasure Valley Family YMCA, Boise, ID.

Barriers to care and comorbidities along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Objective: While limited access to care is associated with adverse health conditions, little research has investigated the association between barriers to care and having multiple health conditions (comorbidities). We compared the financial, structural, and cognitive barriers to care between Mexican-American border residents with and without comorbidities.

Methods: We conducted a stratified, two-stage, randomized, cross-sectional health survey in 2009-2010 among 1,002 Mexican-American households.

Predictors of parent-child relationships that support physical activity in Mexican-American families.

Family-based physical activity (PA) interventions would benefit from research that identifies how to build support for PA among family members. This study examined the extent to which relationships of encouragement to do PA, and co-engagement in PA, exist among Mexican-American parents and children, and sought to identify individual, relational, and household factors associated with these dimensions of support. Participants were 224 Mexican-origin adults, with at least one child aged 5-20 years, participating in a larger study conducted between 2008 and 2010.

A path analysis of a randomized promotora de salud cardiovascular disease-prevention trial among at-risk Hispanic adults.

This study assessed effectiveness of an educational community intervention taught by promotoras de salud in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Hispanics using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Model development was guided by a social ecological framework proposing CVD risk reduction through improvement of protective health behaviors, health beliefs, contextual and social factors. Participants were 328 Hispanic adults with at least one CVD risk factor.