An Overview of Body Size Preference, Perception and Dissatisfaction in Sub-Saharan Africans Living in the United States.

Purpose: Body image affects health practices. With acculturation superimposed on globalization, 21st century body size preferences of African immigrants, one of the fasting growing populations in the United States, are unknown. Therefore, in African immigrants living in America we assessed: 1) body size preference; and 2) body size dissatisfaction.

Social support and ideal cardiovascular health in urban Jamaica: A cross-sectional study.

Recent studies have suggested that high levels of social support can encourage better health behaviours and result in improved cardiovascular health. In this study we evaluated the association between social support and ideal cardiovascular health among urban Jamaicans. We conducted a cross-sectional study among urban residents in Jamaica's south-east health region.

The Jamaica Salt Consumption Study Protocol: Sodium Intake; Sodium Content in Restaurant Foods; Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices; Spot Urine Sodium Validation.

Background: Excess dietary salt consumption is a major contributor to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Public education programs on the dangers of high salt intake, and population level interventions to reduce the salt content in foods are possible strategies to address this problem. In Jamaica, there are limited data on the levels of salt consumption and the population's knowledge and practices with regards to salt consumption.

Sodium and potassium consumption in Jamaica: National estimates and associated factors from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2016-2017.

This study aimed to estimate dietary sodium and potassium consumption among Jamaicans and evaluate associations with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2016-2017. Participants were noninstitutionalized Jamaicans aged ≥15 years.

Community stressors (violence, victimization, and neighborhood disorder) with cardiometabolic outcomes in urban Jamaica.

Background: Despite limited data on neighborhood factors and health risk in Caribbean populations, previous analyses from Jamaica have shown that neighborhood and home disorder were associated with lower physical activity and higher cumulative biological risk among women, while poorer neighborhood infrastructure was associated with higher overweight/obesity among men.

Design: Cross-sectional survey design.

Objectives: In this study, we explored whether community stressors, as measured by community violence, victimization and neighborhood disorder scores, were associated with cardiometabolic outcomes (obesity, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol) in urban Jamaican communities.

Gender Differences in Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Substance Use in 50- to 65-Year-Old Jamaicans.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender-specific differences in prevalence and risk factors for alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among 50- to 65-year-old Jamaicans. We performed secondary analysis of the 2016 Jamaica National Drug Use Prevalence Survey. The dependent variables were self-reported use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana in the 30 days before the survey.

Associations of neighborhood physical and crime environments with obesity-related outcomes in Jamaica.

Objective: To examine whether proximity and density of public open spaces, public parks, street connectivity, and serious and violent crimes were associated with Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) within and across levels of urbanicity, sex and socioeconomic status (SES) in Jamaica, a small island developing state (SIDS).

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using data from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2008 (JHLS II). All respondents were geocoded to area of residence in Enumeration Districts (EDs).

Neighbourhood socioeconomic characteristics and blood pressure among Jamaican youth: a pooled analysis of data from observational studies.

Introduction: Neighbourhood characteristics are associated with several diseases, but few studies have investigated the association between neighbourhood and health in Jamaica. We evaluated the relationship between neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES) and blood pressure (BP) among youth, 15-24 years old, in Jamaica.

Methods: A pooled analysis was conducted using data from three studies (two national surveys and a birth cohort), conducted between 2005-2008, with individual level BP, anthropometric and demographic data, and household SES.

Disordered eating behaviours and attitudes among adolescents in a middle-income country.

Purpose: Adolescent-disordered eating behaviours and attitudes (DEBA) are noted to be increasing in prevalence internationally. The aim of this study was to explore the DEBAs among Jamaican adolescents and identify those adolescents most at risk.

Methods: 521 high school participants (females, n = 292), ages 11-19 years, completed measures assessing socio-demographic factors, self-esteem, symptoms of anxiety and depression, behavioural factors, and anthropometry.

Factors associated with elevated blood pressure or hypertension in Afro-Caribbean youth: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Although several studies have identified risk factors for high blood pressure (BP), data from Afro-Caribbean populations are limited. Additionally, less is known about how putative risk factors operate in young adults and how social factors influence the risk of high BP. In this study, we estimated the relative risk for elevated BP or hypertension (EBP/HTN), defined as BP ≥ 120/80 mmHg, among young adults with putative cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in Jamaica and evaluated whether relative risks differed by sex.

Educational Health Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: Findings from Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2007-2008.

Objectives: Socioeconomic disparities in health have emerged as an important area in public health, but studies from Afro-Caribbean populations are uncommon. In this study, we report on educational health disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity), among Jamaican adults.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2007-2008.

Socioeconomic factors associated with severe acute malnutrition in Jamaica.

Objectives: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is an important risk factor for illness and death globally, contributing to more than half of deaths in children worldwide. We hypothesized that SAM is positively correlated to poverty, low educational attainment, major crime and higher mean soil concentrations of lead, cadmium and arsenic.

Methods: We reviewed admission records of infants admitted with a diagnosis of SAM over 14 years (2000-2013) in Jamaica.

Educational health disparities in hypertension and diabetes mellitus among African descent populations in the Caribbean and the USA: a comparative analysis from the Spanish town cohort (Jamaica) and the Jackson heart study (USA).

Background: Studies have suggested that social inequalities in chronic disease outcomes differ between industrialized and developing countries, but few have directly compared these effects. We explored inequalities in hypertension and diabetes prevalence between African-descent populations with different levels of educational attainment in Jamaica and in the United States of America (USA), comparing disparities within each location, and between countries.

Methods: We analyzed baseline data from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) in the USA and Spanish Town Cohort (STC) in Jamaica.

WHO/ISH total risk approach for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease shows greater decrease in costs for women but not the elderly in Jamaica.

Objectives: To investigate cost savings from and implications of replacing the single risk with a total cardiovascular risk approach in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Study Design And Setting: A cost analysis using data from the 2007-08 Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey of 1,432 persons aged 40 years and older with 10-year risk estimated from region-specific World Health Organization/International Society for Hypertension (WHO/ISH) CVD risk charts. The WHO/ISH and local treatment guidelines were used to cost lifestyle changes, medications, and provider visits.

Birth weight and maternal socioeconomic circumstances were inversely related to systolic blood pressure among Afro-Caribbean young adults.

Objectives: In this study, we examined the effects of birth weight (BWT) and early life socioeconomic circumstances (SEC) on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among Jamaican young adults.

Study Design And Setting: Longitudinal study of 364 men and 430 women from the Jamaica 1986 Birth Cohort Study. Information on BWT and maternal SEC at child's birth was linked to information collected at 18-20 years old.

A comparative study of the effect of some nutritional medicinal plants effect on lead accumulation in the liver following different modes of administration.

Context And Objectives: Lead (Pb) toxicity leads to cell damage in many organs of the body. Using different treatment interventions and modes of administration we comparatively examined the protective ability of some medicinal plants on liver Pb accumulation.

Materials And Methods: Rats were fed on either 7% w/w Zingiber officinale, 7% w/w Allium sativum, 10% w/w Lycopersicon esculentum, 5%, w/w Garcinia kola (all in rat chow), while Pb (100 ppm) was given in drinking water.

Investigation of effects of time of measurement and modes of administration on cadmium accumulation in rat liver under some medicinal plants food supplemented diet.

Context And Objectives: Cadmium (Cd) toxicity leads to cell and organ damage, we comparatively examined the protection ability of different medicinal plants on Cd liver accumulation following different treatment interventions and modes of administration.

Materials And Methods: Rats were fed either 7% w/w Zingiber officinale, 7% w/w Allium Sativum, 10% w/w Lycopersicon esculentum, 5%, w/w Garcinia kola (all in rat chow), while Cd (200 ppm) was given in drinking water. Additives were administered together with (mode 1), a week after (mode 2) or a week before metal exposure (mode 3) for a period of six weeks.

High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein is Related to Central Obesity and the Number of Metabolic Syndrome Components in Jamaican Young Adults.

Background: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) has been shown to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) endpoints and is associated with CVD risk factors and the metabolic syndrome. This study evaluated the association between hsCRP and CVD risk factors among Afro-Caribbean young adults in Jamaica.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Jamaica 1986 Birth Cohort Study.

ApoC-III and visceral adipose tissue contribute to paradoxically normal triglyceride levels in insulin-resistant African-American women.

Background: African-Americans are more insulin-resistant than whites but have lower triglyceride (TG) concentrations. The metabolic basis for this is unknown. Our goal was to determine in a cross-sectional study the effect of insulin resistance, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and the apolipoproteins, B, C-III and E, on race differences in TG content of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL).

Diabetes mellitus in Jamaica: sex differences in burden, risk factors, awareness, treatment and control in a developing country.

Objective: The objective of this study was to provide valid estimates of the burden of and risk factors for diabetes mellitus by sex in Jamaica, a predominantly Black, middle-income and developing country.

Methods: The Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2008 examined a nationally representative sample of 2848 Jamaicans aged 15-74. Parameter estimates and 95% confidence intervals [CI] were weighted for non-response as well as age and sex of the source population.

The effect of sildenafil on the elasticity of erythrocytes in homozygous sickle cell disease.

Purpose: One of the features of homozygous sickle cell disease (HbSS) is the impaired elasticity of the erythrocyte membrane that could impede microcirculatory blood flow and cause hypoxia and tissue damage. We investigated the effect of sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor that inhibits the breakdown of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) resulting in vasodilatation, on the elasticity of HbSS erythrocyte.

Materials And Methods: Blood samples from ten HbSS patients in steady state was exposed to different doses (5, 10, 20, and 40 μg/mL) of sildenafil and the elasticity of the erythrocytes measured at native hematocrit with the BioProfiler.