Sociodemographic inequities in food allergy: Insights on food allergy from birth cohorts.

A large and growing corpus of epidemiologic studies suggests that the population-level burden of pediatric FA is not equitably distributed across major sociodemographic groups, including race, ethnicity, household income, parental educational attainment, and sex. As is the case for more extensively studied allergic disease states such as asthma and atopic dermatitis epidemiologic data suggest that FA may be more prevalent among certain populations experiencing lower socioeconomic status (SES), particularly those with specific racial and ethnic minority backgrounds living in highly urbanized regions. Emerging data also indicate that these patients may also experience more severe FA-related physical health, psychosocial, and economic outcomes relating to chronic disease management.

Impact of consuming a Mediterranean-style diet during pregnancy on neurodevelopmental disabilities in offspring: results from the Boston Birth Cohort.

Background: While consuming a Mediterranean-style diet (MSD) among pregnant women is expected to affect offspring neurodevelopment, the current evidence is limited. This prospective birth cohort study aimed to explore the association of maternal MSD with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) in offspring, especially among children born to mothers with overweight or obesity (OWO) and/or diabetes mellitus (DM) since they have a higher risk for oxidative stress and immune/metabolic disturbances.

Methods: We analyzed data from a subgroup of mother-child dyads enrolled in the Boston Birth Cohort.

Racial and ethnic differences in physical activity among mothers of young children: 2011-2018 NHANES.

Background: American women tend to reduce physical activity (PA) during the transition to motherhood. Their main barrier to participation in PA is lack of time due to new/increased parenting and housework responsibilities. Because there are known racial/ethnic variations in time spent on housework among American women, their PA changes during the transition to motherhood might also differ by racial/ ethnic background.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Postpartum Lipidomic Signatures, and Subsequent Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Lipidome-Wide Association Study.

Objective: To identify a postpartum lipidomic signature associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and investigate the role of the identified lipids in the progression to type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Research Design And Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 1,409 women at 24-72 h after delivery of a singleton baby and followed them prospectively at the Boston Medical Center. The lipidome was profiled by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Impact of intrauterine exposure to maternal diabetes on preterm birth: fetal DNA methylation alteration is an important mediator.

Background: In utero exposure to diabetes has been shown to contribute to preterm birth, though the underlying biological mechanisms are yet to be fully elucidated. Fetal epigenetic variations established in utero may be a possible pathway. This study aimed to investigate whether in utero exposure to diabetes was associated with a change in newborn DNA methylation, and whether the identified CpG sites mediate the association between diabetes and preterm birth in a racially diverse birth cohort population.

Cord Blood Insulin Concentration and Hypertension Among Children and Adolescents Enrolled in a US Racially Diverse Birth Cohort.

Background: Although insulin resistance is closely related to hypertension, the debate continues as to whether insulin resistance is a cause or a consequence of hypertension. This study investigated the associations of cord blood insulin concentration with blood pressure (BP) and hypertension in childhood and adolescence.

Methods: This study included 951 children enrolled from 1998 to 2012 and followed from birth onwards at the Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.

Where in the world: Mapping medical student learning using the Social and Structural Determinants of Health Curriculum Assessment Tool (SSDH CAT).

Introduction: Addressing the Social and Structural Determinants of Health (SSDH) is a primary strategy for attaining health equity. Teaching and learning about SSDH has increased across medical schools throughout the world; however, the published literature describing these efforts continues to be limited and many unknowns persist including what should be taught and by whom, what teaching methods and settings should be used, and how medical learners should be assessed.

Materials And Methods: Based on published studies, input from experts in the field, and elements from the framework developed by the National Academy of Medicine, we created a universal Social and Structural Determinants of Health Curriculum Assessment Tool (SSDH CAT) to assist medical educators to assess existing SSDH curricular content, ascertain critical gaps, and categorize educational methods, delivery, and assessment techniques and tools that could help inform curricular enhancements to advance the goal of training a health care workforce focused on taking action to achieve health equity.

The epidemiology of multifood allergy in the United States: A population-based study.

Background: Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergies (FAs) are increasingly common among US children and adults. Not only can living with FA impose considerable physical health impacts, but it also imposes economic burden and can negatively affect quality of life. Limited data indicate that allergy to multiple foods (multi-FA) also may be common, but much remains unknown about its distribution and determinants.

Boston Birth Cohort profile: rationale and study design.

In1998, the Boston Birth Cohort (BBC) was initiated at Boston Medical Center (BMC) in response to persistently high rates of preterm birth (PTB, defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation) in the US population and the longstanding profound PTB disparity among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). The BBC encompasses two linked study protocols: The PTB Study serves as the baseline recruitment in the BBC. It aims to address fundamental questions about the causes and consequences of PTB.

Socioeconomic determinants of food allergy burden: A clinical introduction.

Objective: This review characterizes what is currently known about how prevalence, severity, distribution, and management of food allergy (FA) differ across socioeconomic strata and provides guidance for practicing clinicians about how to improve equity in research participation, health care delivery, and patient outcomes through a deeper understanding of the socioeconomic determinants of FA.

Data Sources: Epidemiologic and biomedical literature published before April 2022.

Results: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a complex concept that encompasses not only economic resources (eg, income, wealth) but also a person's social, economic, and political power and standing, each of which can affect health.

The Association Between Adolescent Active Commuting to School and Parent Walking Behavior: The FLASHE Study.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between adolescent active commuting to school (ACS; walking or biking to/from school) and parent walking activity.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: US nationwide online surveys.

Long-term effects of a community-based positive youth development program for Black youth: health, education, and financial well-being in adulthood.

Background: Childhood poverty is known to be associated with poor health. For youth living in extreme poverty, community-based programs focused on youth development are one strategy to improve health and well-being outcomes. However, very few evaluations of the long-term effectiveness of youth development programs have been conducted.

Interprofessional Education in Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLPs) to Address Social Determinants of Health.

Unlabelled: Medical-legal partnerships (MLP) address legal needs that contribute to health inequities. Health providers express discomfort accessing legal services and a desire for greater training, however best practices remain unclear.

Methods: We conducted a scoping literature review and interviews with key informants to identify essential components of MLP training and best practices in MLP training.

Community-engaged research to develop a Chicago violence research agenda and recommendations to support future community engagement.

Background: Chicago has a history of gun violence with some neighborhoods, particularly Black and Brown communities, being disproportionately affected and Black male youth experiencing an even more disparate impact. Too often, violence prevention research is developed and carried out with little or no input from the people living in the most affected communities. The objective of the Community-Academic Collaboration to Prevent Violence in Chicago (CACPVC) was to bring together individuals from impacted communities with academic researchers and other community stakeholders to discuss violence and co-create a research agenda that addresses topics of mutual concern, and recommendations for engaging stakeholders including community members and organizations and funders in violence and violence prevention research.

A Nonlinear Relation Between Maternal Red Blood Cell Manganese Concentrations and Child Blood Pressure at Age 6-12 y: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study.

Background: Although manganese (Mn) is an essential trace element and a common component of most multivitamins on the market, an adverse effect on blood pressure (BP) has been reported in adults. In addition, the longitudinal relation between prenatal Mn status and childhood BP is still unknown.

Objective: This study investigated the association between prenatal Mn concentrations and risk of elevated BP at ages 3-12 y.

Gaining a deeper understanding of social determinants of preterm birth by integrating multi-omics data.

In the US, high rates of preterm birth (PTB) and profound Black-White disparities in PTB have persisted for decades. This review focuses on the role of social determinants of health (SDH), with an emphasis on maternal stress, in PTB disparity and biological embedding. It covers: (1) PTB disparity in US Black women and possible contributors; (2) the role of SDH, highlighting maternal stress, in the persistent racial disparity of PTB; (3) epigenetics at the interface between genes and environment; (4) the role of the genome in modifying maternal stress-PTB associations; (5) recent advances in multi-omics studies of PTB; and (6) future perspectives on integrating multi-omics with SDH to elucidate the Black-White disparity in PTB.

In utero exposure to mercury and childhood overweight or obesity: counteracting effect of maternal folate status.

Background: Low-dose mercury (Hg) exposure has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity in adults, but it is unknown the metabolic consequence of in utero Hg exposure. This study aimed to investigate the association between in utero Hg exposure and child overweight or obesity (OWO) and to explore if adequate maternal folate can mitigate Hg toxicity.

Methods: This prospective study included 1442 mother-child pairs recruited at birth and followed up to age 15 years.

Expert Consensus on Inclusion of the Social Determinants of Health in Undergraduate Medical Education Curricula.

Purpose: Accreditation bodies have mandated teaching social determinants of health (SDH) to medical students, but there has been limited guidance for educators on what or how to teach, and how to evaluate students' competence. To fill this gap, this study aimed to develop an SDH curricular consensus guide for teaching SDH to medical students.

Method: In 2017, the authors used a modified Delphi technique to survey an expert panel of educators, researchers, students, and community advocates about knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) and logistics regarding SDH teaching and assessment.

Inter-generational link of obesity in term and preterm births: role of maternal plasma acylcarnitines.

Background/objectives: Acylcarnitines, intermediates of fatty acid oxidation, are known to be involved in obesity and insulin resistance. Since maternal prepregnancy overweight or obesity (OWO) is a recognized major risk factor for offspring OWO, we hypothesized that maternal plasma acylcarnitines may play a role in inter-generational OWO.

Subjects/methods: This study included 1402 mother-child pairs (1043 term, 359 preterm) recruited at birth from 1998-2013 and followed prospectively up to age 18 years at the Boston Medical Center.

Vitamin D Trajectories From Birth to Early Childhood and Elevated Systolic Blood Pressure During Childhood and Adolescence.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with hypertension in adults. It is unknown to what degree vitamin D status in early life can affect blood pressure (BP) a decade later. This study investigated the effect of vitamin D trajectory through early life on systolic BP (SBP) in childhood.