Food Insecurity in the Rural South in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Food insecurity in rural communities in the Southern US continues to grow, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the characteristics of food-insecure individuals and families in this region is critical for developing creative strategies for eliminating this health disparity issue. A food insecurity survey was given to attendees at food-security events held in several counties in one Southern US state.

An Internship Approach to Strengthen the Pathway for Historically Underrepresented Groups in Health Sciences Research: The North Carolina Diversity and Inclusion Pathway Program.

Background: To increase engagement of historically underrepresented groups in health sciences research, we created the North Carolina Diversity and Inclusion Pathway Program (NC-DIPP). This year-long, paid internship provides undergraduate and graduate students from 2 historically Black colleges and universities an opportunity to gain real-world experience under the mentorship of expert faculty.

Methods: To evaluate the early experiences with the NC-DIPP program, we conducted semi-structured interviews with interns and program leaders.

Considering an affect regulation framework for examining the association between body dissatisfaction and positive body image in Black older adolescent females: does body mass index matter?

The present study provided an initial evaluation of an affect regulation model describing the association between body dissatisfaction and two contemporary measures of positive body image among 247 Black college-bound older adolescent females. We further tested whether possessing a higher body mass index (BMI) would strengthen these associations. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI.

Weight-gain misperceptions and the third-person effect in Black and White college-bound females: potential implications for healthy weight management.

Elements of social norm theory and communication theory on the third-person effect may prove useful in efforts to prevent excessive weight gain among emerging adults entering college. The present study explored the associations of race/ethnicity and BMI status with these socio-cognitive factors that may affect first-year weight regulation in a sample of Black (N = 247) and White (N = 94) college-bound females. Participants completed an online survey assessing first-year weight-gain perceived norms along with weight-change expectations and concerns.