Outpatient weight management in African-Americans: the Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Program (HELP) study.

Background: Effective clinical weight management approaches are needed to reach African-Americans.

Methods: African-Americans recruited through outpatient practices for a culturally-adapted Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Program were offered 10 weekly weight loss classes (Phase 1) with the option of continuing for another 8-18 months (Phase 2) in a randomized comparison of further group counseling or staff-facilitated self-help vs. follow-up clinic visits only.

Obesity-related comorbidities in obese African Americans in an outpatient weight loss program.

Objective: To identify, among obese African-American enrollees in an outpatient weight loss program, differences between those with and without obesity-related comorbidities (ORCMs).

Research Methods And Procedures: Data were from 237 obese African Americans (BMI, 30 to 50 kg/m2; 90% women) who enrolled in a 10-week lifestyle weight loss program. Analyses compared subgroups defined by ORCM status (from medical history) on baseline characteristics, program attendance, and postprogram weight change.

Racial and ethnic disparities in cardiac catheterization for acute myocardial infarction in the United States, 1995--2001.

Objective: To examine recent trends in racial and ethnic disparities in cardiac catheterization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to determine whether disparities documented from the 1980s through mid-1990s persist, and evaluate whether patient and hospital characteristics are associated with any observed disparities

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of 585,710 white, 51,369 black and 31,923 Hispanic discharges from hospitals in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (which includes data on all discharges from 951 representative hospitals in 23 states) that had performed cardiac catheterization from 1995--2001 with a primary diagnosis of AMI. Adjusted procedure rates and prevalence ratios (PR) were computed to compare catheterization rates by race and ethnicity.

Measurements And Main Results: Catheterization rates were higher for whites than blacks for all years examined; rates among Hispanics increased during this period and approached the rate among whites.

Analysis of data with multiple sources of correlation in the framework of generalized estimating equations.

This paper is motivated by a study of physical activity participation habits in African American women with three potential sources of correlation among study outcomes, according to method of assessment, timing of measurement, and intensity of physical activity. To adjust for the multiple sources of correlation in this study, we implement an approach based on generalized estimating equations that models association via a patterned correlation matrix. We present a general algorithm that is relatively straightforward to program, an analysis of our physical activity study, and some asymptotic relative efficiency comparisons between correctly specifying the correlation structure vs ignoring two sources of correlation in the analysis of data from this study.

Walking patterns in a sample of African American, Native American, and Caucasian women: the cross-cultural activity participation study.

This analysis describes walking patterns among African American, Native American, and Caucasian women from South Carolina and New Mexico. Walking was assessed using pedometer and physical activity (PA) record data based on 4 consecutive days on either three (Study Phase 1) or two (Study Phase 2) occasions. Participants walked 5,429 +/- 2,959 steps per day and recorded 159 +/- 59 minutes per day of total walking in the PA record.

Ambulatory activity and simple cardiorespiratory parameters at rest and submaximal exercise.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between objectively determined ambulatory activity and simple cardiorespiratory parameters (heart rate and blood pressure at rest and during submaximal exercise) in individuals who were stratified for self-reported participation (yes/any vs. no/none) in vigorous physical activity (PA). Ninety-eight subjects (African Americans: 7 M, 16 F; Caucasians: 33 M, 42 F; mean age 46.

Evaluation of a two-part survey item to assess moderate physical activity: the Cross-Cultural Activity Participation Study.

Purpose: This study evaluated a two-part survey item that assessed adherence to the national moderate physical activity (MPA) recommendation (>/=30 min/day on >/=5 days/week).

Methods: Participants were African American (n = 137), Native American (n = 129), and Caucasian (n = 50) women >/= 40 years from South Carolina and New Mexico, who were participating in a study validating physical activity surveys. The survey item was compared with data obtained from MPA recorded in PA records (min/day), Caltrac accelerometers (Muscle Dynamics, Torrance, CA) (kcal/day), and pedometers (steps/day).

Tailoring counseling on physical activity and inactivity for African-American women.

Physician counseling is one potential avenue to decrease levels of inactivity among African-American (AA) women and, possibly, to decrease the prevalence of adverse health outcomes, which can be reduced through regular participation in physical activity. Physical inactivity has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, as well as risk for various health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. The problem of inactivity applies to all US adults, but national data consistently show that levels are highest among AA women.