In a sample of low-income families (N = 239), structural equation models assessed predictors of fathers' involvement with preschool-aged children in instrumental, behavioral, and emotional realms. Results suggest that parental conflict has a strong negative relation with father involvement. Fathers' human capital characteristics, healthy psychosocial functioning, and past stability in family relationships all predicted greater father involvement directly and/or indirectly through parental conflict. Numerous differences emerged in the predictive models between resident and nonresident fathers, although few differences were statistically significant. Results suggest that policy efforts aimed at enhancing fathers' responsible parenting should focus both on increasing fathers' human and social capital and on supporting positive family processes.

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Background: Examination of maternal experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) and depression as risk factors for food insecurity can provide a more nuanced understanding of the role that the family environment and women's health plays in the lives of families with young children that experience food insecurity. We investigated the longitudinal association between mothers' experiences of IPV and household food insecurity, and whether maternal depression mediated the relationship. Methods: IPV, depression, and food insecurity were assessed among 1,690 socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers of young children who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Longitudinal multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the association between IPV measured 3 years after the child's birth and increase in food insecurity from child's third to fifth birthday, as well as the mediating role of maternal depression, controlling for a number of maternal and household characteristics. Results: Mothers who reside in food insecure households and those who experience IPV share similar characteristics of socioeconomic disadvantage and a greater propensity for depression compared to their counterparts. Mothers' experiences of IPV predicted an increased risk of household food insecurity two years later, and the relationship was mediated by maternal depression. Conclusions: Food insecure mothers may benefit from widespread assistance. Targeting issues central to women's health must become a priority in combating food insecurity. Having IPV and mental health screenings coincide with food assistance applications may help identify women who would benefit from resources designed to increase physical safety, psychological well-being, and food security.

In this study, we examined characteristics associated with experiencing persistent and transitional adult food insecurity and how persistent and transitional adult food insecurity influences toddler cognitive and motor development, along with toddler's weight and health status. Using the first 2 waves of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, 4 mutually exclusive variables capturing persistent and transitional adult food insecurity were created to capture those adults that experience adult food insecurity in the following: both waves, in 1 wave (at 9 or 24 mo after birth), and never experience food insecurity. We used logistic regression models to estimate characteristics associated with the likelihood of experiencing persistent and transitional adult food insecurity. Ordinary least squares regression models were used to estimate how persistent and transitional adult food insecurity influences toddler development. Similar factors influenced one's likelihood of experiencing adult transitional and persistent food insecurity; individuals who experienced any food insecurity were more economically disadvantaged. Thus, outreach efforts do not need to vary by duration of food insecurity. Whereas negative effects of food insecurity on school-aged children are found in the literature, it appears toddlers are buffered from the effects of persistent adult food insecurity. Our findings suggest that toddlers residing with a temporarily food-insecure adult compared with a never food-insecure adult experienced immediate, but small, negative effects on their development. Hence, outreach and assistance may lessen immediate impacts of food insecurity on toddler development.

The Tanita BF-689 demonstrates excellent test-retest reliability, moderately strong absolute agreement with DEXA, and high specificity for overfat and obese classification. Compared to DEXA, the BF-689 is an accurate, portable, and efficient means of assessing %BF in elementary school children.

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Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide. No homogenous reference values have yet been established and no studies of values have been conducted in Spain involving a large number of participants. Objective: To study the population concentrations of vitamin D in a representative sample of the Spanish population. Subjects/Methods: The study involved two cohorts from Spain, the Asturias study and the Pizarra study, which are two prospective, population-based studies involving 2260 participants. In 1262 subjects (age: 20-83 years) we studied 25-hydroxyvitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), calcium, phosphorus and creatinine.

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