Despite the burgeoning U.S. Latino population and their increased risk of chronic disease, little emphasis had been placed on developing culturally sensitive lifestyle interventions in this area. This article examines older Latinas' sociocultural context relative to health with the goal of developing a culturally sensitive health behavior intervention. Photo-elicitation indicated two emerging themes that influenced lifestyle choices: family caregiving and religion. Researchers partnered with a faith-based organization to develop and implement a 6-month lifestyle intervention for Latinas ages 50 and older: Abuelas en Acción (AEA). At completion, interviews were conducted to understand women's experiences and the influence AEA had on their lifestyles and health. Findings suggest that religious content empowered and deeply affected women; however, the intergenerational content presented significant challenges for instruction, retention, and implementation. We discuss findings in relation to the health intervention literature and provide suggestions for future interventions drawing on religion, family, and health behavior change.

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The prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) among adults in the United States is low, and decreases with age. Our objective was to identify specific age windows when the loss of CVH accelerates, to ascertain preventive opportunities for intervention. This study pools data from five longitudinal cohorts (Project Heartbeat!, Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, The Bogalusa Heart Study, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA), Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP)) from the United States and Finland from 1973 to 2012. Individuals with clinical CVH factors (body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose) measured between ages 8 to 55 were included. These factors were categorized and summed into a clinical CVH score ranging from 0 (worst) to 8 (best). Adjusted segmented linear mixed models were used to estimate the change in CVH over time. Among the 18,343 participants, 9461(52%) were female and 12,346(67%) White. The baseline mean (SD) clinical CVH score was 6.9(1.2) at an average age of 17.6(8.1). Two inflection points were estimated, at 16.9 years (95% CI: 16.4, 17.4) and at 37.2 years (95% CI: 32.4, 41.9). Late adolescence and early middle age appear to be influential periods at which the loss of CVH accelerates.

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ACEs and inflammatory profiles (i.e., pro- and anti-) in early childhood and to examine whether patterns differ for racial/ethnic subgroups. Study design Using longitudinal data from the Multidimensional Assessment of Preschoolers Study (MAPS) (N = 122), we examined the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) beginning at birth, C -reactive protein (CRP), and both pro-inflammatory (i.e., IL-1 β, IL-6, TNF, and CRP) and anti-inflammatory (i.e. IL-4 and IL-10) biomarkers during early school age (ages 6–8 years). Results No children in the sample were reported to have experienced 0 ACES, 7% had 1 ACE, 51% had 2-3 ACEs, and 42% had 4 or more ACEs accumulated by the early school-age wave (ESA). There were no significant associations between cumulative ACEs and inflammatory markers. However, parental substance abuse, a specific ACE, was positively correlated with a pro-inflammatory profile at early school age (r = 0.18, p<.05). Specifically, substance abuse as an ACE was associated with higher levels of pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-1 β and IL-6. Additionally, Hispanics with ACEs had higher levels of CRP than Black and white individuals. Conclusions Children with histories of ACEs, especially those with parental substance abuse, may have higher levels of inflammation. Better understanding the role of inflammation in the development of chronic diseases for individuals with ACEs may allow earlier identification and prevention of disease during childhood for those at the highest risk.