Behavioural interventions delivered through interactive social media for health behaviour change, health outcomes, and health equity in the adult population.

Background: Social networking platforms offer a wide reach for public health interventions allowing communication with broad audiences using tools that are generally free and straightforward to use and may be combined with other components, such as public health policies. We define interactive social media as activities, practices, or behaviours among communities of people who have gathered online to interactively share information, knowledge, and opinions.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of interactive social media interventions, in which adults are able to communicate directly with each other, on changing health behaviours, body functions, psychological health, well-being, and adverse effects.

Migration and diabetes in British Columbia and Quebec: prevalence and health service utilization.

Objectives: This study describes prevalence of diabetes among immigrants and health service utilization among diabetic immigrants in British Columbia (BC) and Quebec (QC).

Methods: Immigrants to BC and QC between 1985 and 1999 were identified. Using age-standardized rate ratios, they were compared with a matched comparison group with respect to their diabetes prevalence and, among those with diabetes, physician service utilization.

Leisure-time physical activity and marital status in relation to depression between men and women: A prospective study.

Background: Previous studies have identified the preventive effect of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on depression. Women and men have different emotional vulnerabilities. The impact of LTPA on depression varies by gender.

A meta-analysis of randomized control trials of home-based secondary prevention programs for coronary artery disease.

Background: A variety of different types of secondary prevention programs for coronary heart disease (CHD) exist. Home-based programs have become more common and may be more accessible or preferable to some patients. This review compared the benefits and costs of home-based programs with usual care and cardiac rehabilitation.

Cancer incidence among Canadian immigrants, 1980-1998: results from a national cohort study.

Canadian immigrants have lower overall cancer risk than the Canadian-born population. Less is known about risks for immigrant subgroups and site-specific cancers. Linked administrative data sets were used to compare cancer incidence between subgroups of immigrants to Canada and the general Canadian population.

Total fluid and specific beverage intake and risk of renal cell carcinoma in Canada.

Background: Intake of total fluids and specific beverages may be associated with the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) through a diluting effect of carcinogens. However, total fluid consumption and RCC risk has not received sufficient examination. In this study, we assessed the roles of total fluid intake and type of beverage intake in the risk of RCC.

Socioeconomic status and cardiovascular disease: risks and implications for care.

Socioeconomic status (SES) refers to an individual's social position relative to other members of a society. Low SES is associated with large increases in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in men and women. The inverse association between SES and CVD risk in high-income countries is the result of the high prevalence and compounding effects of multiple behavioral and psychosocial risk factors in people of low SES.

Migration to western industrialised countries and perinatal health: a systematic review.

Influxes of migrant women of childbearing age to receiving countries have made their perinatal health status a key priority for many governments. The international research collaboration Reproductive Outcomes And Migration (ROAM) reviewed published studies to assess whether migrants in western industrialised countries have consistently poorer perinatal health than receiving-country women. A systematic review of literature from Medline, Health Star, Embase and PsychInfo from 1995 to 2008 included studies of migrant women/infants related to pregnancy or birth.

A review of the cost of cardiovascular disease.

In Canada, 74,255 deaths (33% of all deaths) in 2003 were due to cardio-vascular disease (CVD). As one of the most costly diseases, CVD represents a major economic burden on health care systems. The purpose of the present study was to review the literature on the economic costs of CVD in Canada and other developed countries (United States, Europe and Australia) published from 1998 to 2006, with a focus on Canada.

Dietary vitamin C, E, and carotenoid intake and risk of renal cell carcinoma.

Object: The study examines the association between dietary intake of vitamin C, E, and carotenoids and the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods: Between 1994 and 1997 in 8 Canadian provinces, mailed questionnaires were completed by 1,138 incident, histologically confirmed cases of RCC and 5,039 population controls, including information on socio-economic status, lifestyle habits and diet. A 69-item food frequency questionnaire provided data on eating habits 2 years before data collection.

Individual, social, environmental, and physical environmental correlates with physical activity among Canadians: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The identification of various individual, social and physical environmental factors affecting physical activity (PA) behavior in Canada can help in the development of more tailored intervention strategies for promoting higher PA levels in Canada. This study examined the influences of various individual, social and physical environmental factors on PA participation by gender, age and socioeconomic status, using data from the 2002 nationwide survey of the Physical Activity Monitor.

Methods: In 2002, 5,167 Canadians aged 15-79 years, selected by random-digit dialling from household-based telephone exchanges, completed a telephone survey.

Energy intake, physical activity, energy balance, and cancer: epidemiologic evidence.

Energy intake, physical activity, and obesity are modifiable lifestyle factors. This chapter reviews and summarizes the epidemiologic evidence on the relation of energy intake, physical activity, and obesity to cancer. High energy intake may increase the risk of cancers of colon-rectum, prostate (especially advanced prostate cancer), and breast.

Nutrient and fiber intake and risk of renal cell carcinoma.

This study examines the association between nutrient and fiber intake and the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Between 1994 and 1997 in 8 Canadian provinces, mailed questionnaires were completed by 1,138 incident, histologically confirmed cases of RCC and 5,039 population controls. Measurement included information on socioeconomic status, lifestyle habits, and diet.

Immunization coverage among young children of urban immigrant mothers: findings from a universal health care system.

Objective: To investigate access to effective primary health care services in children of new immigrants to Canada by assessing immunization coverage at age 2.

Methods: We used multiple linked administrative data sets to analyze primary health service use and immunizations of children born between July 1, 1997, and June 30, 1998, in Ontario, Canada. These children were linked via their mothers' records to a federal Landed Immigrant Database.

Meat and fish consumption and cancer in Canada.

In this study, we examined the association between meat and fish intake and the risk of various cancers. Mailed questionnaires were completed by 19,732 incident, histologically confirmed cases of cancer of the stomach, colon, rectum, pancreas, lung, breast, ovary, prostate, testis, kidney, bladder, brain, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), and leukemia and 5,039 population controls between 1994 and 1997 in 8 Canadian provinces. Measurement included information on socioeconomic status, lifestyle habits, and diet.

Alcohol drinking and renal cell carcinoma in Canadian men and women.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have reported that moderate alcohol consumption is inversely associated with the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but sex-specific results are inconsistent. The present study examines the association between alcohol intake and the risk of RCC among men and women.

Methods: Mailed questionnaires were completed by 1138 newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed RCC cases and 5039 population controls between 1994 and 1997 in eight Canadian provinces.

The burden of adult obesity in Canada.

Obesity is a major public health problem associated with a wide range of health problems. This study estimates the prevalence of obesity, calculates the proportion (or population-attributable fraction [PAF]) of major chronic diseases which is attributable to obesity, estimates the deaths attributable to it and projects its future prevalence trends. In Canada, the overall age-standardized prevalence proportion of obesity has increased from 10 percent in 1970 to 23% in 2004 (8 percent to 23 percent in men and 13 percent to 22 percent in women).