Associations of built environment and proximity of food outlets with weight status: Analysis from 14 cities in 10 countries.

The study aimed to examine associations of neighborhood built environments and proximity of food outlets (BE measures) with body weight status using pooled data from an international study (IPEN Adult). Objective BE measures were calculated using geographic information systems for 10,008 participants (4463 male, 45%) aged 16-66 years in 14 cities. Participants self-reported proximity to three types of food outlets.

A comparison of the healthiness of packaged foods and beverages from 12 countries using the Health Star Rating nutrient profiling system, 2013-2018.

We compared the healthiness of packaged foods and beverages between selected countries using the Health Star Rating (HSR) nutrient profiling system. Packaged food and beverage data collected 2013-2018 were obtained for Australia, Canada, Chile, China, India, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, South Africa, the UK, and USA. Each product was assigned to a food or beverage category and mean HSR was calculated overall by category and by country.

Survival After Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke: A 4-Year Follow-Up at a Mexican Hospital.

Background: Overall, 75.2% of deaths from stroke occur in low- and middle-income countries. Mexico is a middle-income country with little information about the prognosis of early and late postischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Foot-based audit of streets adjacent to new light rail stations in Houston, Texas: measurement of health-related characteristics of the built environment for physical activity research.

Background: Active travel to and from a transit station may provide significant amounts of physical activity and improve health. The ease with which people can traverse the distance to the transit station may impede or support active travel. Therefore, transit stations that have features that are supportive of utilitarian physical activity would be desirable.

Genetic-Epigenetic Interactions in Asthma Revealed by a Genome-Wide Gene-Centric Search.

Objectives: There is evidence to suggest that asthma pathogenesis is affected by both genetic and epigenetic variation independently, and there is some evidence to suggest that genetic-epigenetic interactions affect risk of asthma. However, little research has been done to identify such interactions on a genome-wide scale. The aim of this studies was to identify genes with genetic-epigenetic interactions associated with asthma.

Perceived Social and Built Environment Correlates of Transportation and Recreation-Only Bicycling Among Adults.

Introduction: Research on perceptions of environmental factors in relation to transportation and recreation bicycling is limited in the United States. We explored the association between perceived social and built environment factors with total, transportation, and recreation bicycling in a sample of adult bicyclists in Austin, Texas, and Birmingham, Alabama. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived social and built environment factors and domain-specific bicycling in a sample of adult bicyclists.

Scaling Up Breastfeeding Programs in Mexico: Lessons Learned from the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly Initiative.

Background: Given the magnitude of the health and economic burden of inadequate breastfeeding practices in Mexico, there is an urgency to improve breastfeeding practices to increase the health and well-being of children and mothers. The Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) Toolbox was recently developed to guide countries in assessing their readiness to and progress with scale-up of breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support and to develop policy recommendations to high-level decision makers.

Objective: The aim of this study was to document the BBF process in Mexico, which led to evidence-based recommendations for policymakers to improve breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support in the country.

Access to parks and physical activity: an eight country comparison.

Several systematic reviews have reported mixed associations between access to parks and physical activity, and suggest that this is due to inconsistencies in the study methods or differences across countries. An international study using consistent methods is needed to investigate the association between access to parks and physical activity. The International Physical Activity and Environment Network (IPEN) Adult Study is a multi-country cross-sectional study using a common design and consistent methods.

Construction and pilot test of a set of indicators to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the who safe childbirth checklist.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the "Safe Childbirth Checklist (SCC) Collaboration" in 2012. The SCC is designed to contribute to quality care by providing reminders of evidence-based practices for the prevention and management of the leading causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, indicators to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the SCC have not been defined.

Worldwide use of the first set of physical activity Country Cards: The Global Observatory for Physical Activity - GoPA!

Background: The work of The Global Observatory for Physical Activity-GoPA! is the first global effort to compile standardized country-level surveillance, policy and research data for physical activity in order to better understand how countries and regions address promoting physical activity. GoPA! developed standardized country-specific physical activity profiles ("Country Cards") to summarize country-level data through 2013. The aim of this study was to assess use of the Country Cards, identify the factors associated with their use, and develop recommendations for supporting country-level physical activity promotion.

Occupational predictors of urinary dialkyl phosphate concentrations in Mexican flower growers.

Background Flower growers have high potential for exposures to pesticides. Occupational factors, such as tasks performed, the production method (organic or conventional), the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and workplace characteristics influence the intensity of pesticide exposure. Objective To evaluate occupational characteristics affecting urinary concentration of dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites of organophosphate pesticides among a group of Mexican floricultural workers.

Intrapersonal and Environmental Correlates of Bicycling in U.S. Adults.

Introduction: Bicycling is a health-promoting physical activity, but little is known about the factors that influence this behavior in the U.S. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to identify multilevel ecologic correlates of bicycling behaviors in a nationally representative sample of U.

Physical activity and calorie intake mediate the relationship from depression to body fat mass among female Mexican health workers.

Background: Depression is a foremost cause of morbidity throughout the world and the prevalence of depression in women is about twice as high as men. Additionally, overweight and obesity are major global health concerns. We explored the relationship between depression and body fat, and the role of physical activity and diet as mediators of this relationship in a sample of 456 adult female Mexican health workers.

Impacts of a Temporary Urban Pop-Up Park on Physical Activity and Other Individual- and Community-Level Outcomes.

Physical inactivity is a known risk factor for obesity and a number of chronic diseases. Modifying the physical features of neighborhoods to provide residents with equitable and convenient access to spaces for physical activity (PA) is a promising strategy for promoting PA. Public urban recreation spaces (e.

Glycemic index, glycemic load, and metabolic syndrome in Mexican adolescents: a cross-sectional study from the NHNS-2012.

Background: The role of dietary glycemic index (GI) and dietary glycemic load (GL) on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in youth populations remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association among dietary GI, dietary GL, and MetS and its components in Mexican adolescents.

Methods: This study was conducted within the framework of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012, a cross-sectional, probabilistic, population-based survey with a multistage stratified cluster sampling design.

Do associations between objectively-assessed physical activity and neighbourhood environment attributes vary by time of the day and day of the week? IPEN adult study.

Background: To more accurately quantify the potential impact of the neighbourhood environment on adults' physical activity (PA), it is important to compare environment-PA associations between periods of the day or week when adults are more versus less likely to be in their neighbourhood and utilise its PA resources. We examined whether, among adults from 10 countries, associations between objectively-assessed neighbourhood environment attributes and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) varied by time of the day and day of the week. The secondary aim was to examine whether such associations varied by employment status, gender and city.

Temporal Trends in Mortality from Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke in Mexico, 1980-2012.

Background: Over the past decades, the decline in mortality from stroke has been more pronounced in high-income countries than in low- and middle-income countries. We evaluated changes in temporal stroke mortality trends in Mexico according to sex and type of stroke.

Methods: We assessed stroke mortality from Mexico's National Health Information System for the period from 1980 to 2012.

Geographic information system for improving maternal and newborn health: recommendations for policy and programs.

This correspondence argues and offers recommendations for how Geographic Information System (GIS) applied to maternal and newborn health data could potentially be used as part of the broader efforts for ending preventable maternal and newborn mortality. These recommendations were generated from a technical consultation on reporting and mapping maternal deaths that was held in Washington, DC from January 12 to 13, 2015 and hosted by the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) global Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP). Approximately 72 participants from over 25 global health organizations, government agencies, donors, universities, and other groups participated in the meeting.

Correlates of Helmet Use Among Recreation and Transportation Bicyclists.

Introduction: Helmet use prevents injury and mortality if a bicyclist is in a collision while riding. This cross-sectional study sought to identify domain-specific (recreation versus transportation) correlates of helmet use among U.S.

Quality agencies at the global level: characteristics and functions-a narrative review.

Purpose: To provide a comparative description of the structure, function and activities of quality agencies around the world and describe the published evidence of their impact on the health system.

Data Sources: A narrative review was conducted using the information found on websites, articles, books and gray literature in English and Spanish.

Study Selection: The search process included three complementary approaches: (i) websites of agencies, ministries of health and quality-related official institutions; (ii) evaluations, reports, audits or documents regarding quality agencies; and (iii) scientific articles and gray literature found (key word: quality agency) using Ebsco databases.

Respiratory viruses and influenza-like illness: Epidemiology and outcomes in children aged 6 months to 10 years in a multi-country population sample.

Background: Better population data on respiratory viruses in children in tropical and southern hemisphere countries is needed.

Methods: The epidemiology of respiratory viruses among healthy children (6 months to <10 years) with influenza-like illness (ILI) was determined in a population sample derived from an influenza vaccine trial (NCT01051661) in 17 centers in eight countries (Australia, South East Asia and Latin America). Active surveillance for ILI was conducted for approximately 1 year (between February 2010 and August 2011), with PCR analysis of nasal and throat swabs.

The effects of fat loss after bariatric surgery on inflammation, serum hepcidin, and iron absorption: a prospective 6-mo iron stable isotope study.

Background: Iron deficiency is common in obese subjects. This may be due to an increase in serum hepcidin and a decrease in iron absorption from adiposity-related inflammation.

Objective: We evaluated whether weight and fat loss in obese subjects would decrease inflammation and serum hepcidin and thereby improve iron absorption.

Scaling up physical activity interventions worldwide: stepping up to larger and smarter approaches to get people moving.

The global pandemic of physical inactivity requires a multisectoral, multidisciplinary public-health response. Scaling up interventions that are capable of increasing levels of physical activity in populations across the varying cultural, geographic, social, and economic contexts worldwide is challenging, but feasible. In this paper, we review the factors that could help to achieve this.