Background. Lack of adherence to dietary and physical activity guidelines has been linked to an increase in chronic diseases in the United States (US). The aim of this study was to assess the association of lifestyle behaviors with self-rated health (SRH). Methods. This cross-sectional study used self-reported data from Living for Health Program (N = 1,701) which was conducted from 2008 to 2012 in 190 health fair events in South Florida, US. Results. Significantly higher percent of females as compared to males were classified as obese (35.4% versus 27.0%), reported poor/fair SRH (23.4% versus 15.0%), and were less physically active (33.9% versus 25.4%). Adjusted logistic regression models indicated that both females and males were more likely to report poor/fair SRH if they consumed ≤2 servings of fruits and vegetables per day (OR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.30–3.54; OR = 2.86, 95% CI 1.12–7.35, resp.) and consumed mostly high fat foods (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.03–2.43; OR = 3.37, 95% CI 1.67–2.43, resp.). The association of SRH with less physical activity was only significant in females (OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.17–2.35). Conclusion. Gender differences in health behaviors should be considered in designing and monitoring lifestyle interventions to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

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Background: Diabetes and diabetes-related complications are major causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Depressive symptoms and perceived stress have been identified as possible risk factors for beta cell dysfunction and diabetes. The purpose of this study was to assess associations between depression symptoms and perceived stress with beta cell function between African and Haitian Americans with and without type 2 diabetes. Participants and Methods: Informed consent and data were available for 462 participants (231 African Americans and 231 Haitian Americans) for this cross-sectional study. A demographic questionnaire developed by the Primary Investigator was used to collect information regarding age, gender, smoking, and ethnicity. Diabetes status was determined by self-report and confirmed by fasting blood glucose. Anthropometrics (weight, and height and waist circumference) and vital signs (blood pressure) were taken. Blood samples were drawn after 8 – 10 hours over-night fasting to measure lipid panel, fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations. The homeostatic model assessment, version 2 (HOMA2) computer model was used to calculate beta cell function. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and stress levels were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results: Moderate to severe depressive symptoms were more likely for persons with diabetes (p = 0.030). There were no differences in perceived stress between ethnicity and diabetes status (p = 0.283). General linear models for participants with and without type 2 diabetes using beta cell function as the dependent variable showed no association with depressive symptoms and perceived stress; however, Haitian Americans had significantly lower beta cell function than African Americans both with and without diabetes and adjusting for age, gender, waist circumference and smoking. Further research is needed to compare these risk factors in other race/ethnic groups.

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency and type 2 diabetes are common among Hispanics and African Americans in the US. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of supplemental vitamin D intake (4000 IU/day or 6000 IU/day of vitamin D3 over a 6-month period) on blood lipids in a sample of African Americans and Hispanics with type 2 diabetes and vitamin D insufficiency. Materials and methods: Participants (n = 75) were recruited by community outreach. Participants in both groups were required to take either 4000 IU or 6000 IU of vitamin D (Cholecalciferol) per day given in the form of a pill in a single daily dose. Mixed model was used to compare treatment effects (4000 IU vs. 6000 IU) on the outcome variables. Bonferroni multiple comparison test was used to detect significant changes from baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Results: A significant decrease in total cholesterol (from 193.88 ± 41.03 to 180.48 ± 27.53 mg/dl, P = 0.040) and triglycerides (from 201.44 ± 91.35 to 172.92 ± 76.87 mg/dl, P = 0.037) was found for the 6000 IU group at 6 months. The significance was lost after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the positive effect of vitamin D supplementation on lipid profile may be mediated by other cofactors related to vitamin D metabolism among Hispanic and African American participants with type 2 diabetes.

Objectives Nutrition plays a critical role in systemic inflammation regulation and the risk of developing inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) is a non-invasive comprehensive literature-derived tool that evaluates the inflammatory potential of each individual's diet. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between DII and biomarker of inflammation (CRP), DNA/RNA oxidative stress (8OHdG), glycemic control [HbA1c, glycated albumin (GA) and insulin], and blood pressure (BP) among individuals with T2D and hypovitaminosis D. Methods Sixty-eight participants were recruited by community outreach. DII for each individual was calculated based on the values obtained from the Willett food frequency questionnaire. DII score was categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4) ranged from −5.214 (maximally anti-inflammatory) to +3.999 (maximally pro-inflammatory). CRP, 8OHdG, HbA1c and GA were measured by enzymatic assays. Linear regression analysis was performed to test for the linear trend between DII and CRP, 8-OHdG, HbA1c, GA, insulin, and BP. Results Mean age was 54.94 ± 7.93 with 60.3% of participants being female. Participants in the DII Q4 were less likely to be female and had higher 8OHdG, HbA1c and GA levels. A significant inverse association was observed between DII Q3-Q4 and insulin level (P = 0.006 and P = 0.030, respectively). After adjusting for covariates, the model remained significant for both Q3 and Q4 (P = 0.040 and P = 0.049, respectively). There was a significant association between systolic BP and DII in Q4 (P = 0.029). However, after adjusting the model for the covariates the model lost significance. There was no statistically significant relationship between the overall DII, CRP, 8OHdG, HbA1c and GA. Conclusions A pro-inflammatory diet may be associated with increased risk of hypo-insulinemia and incidence of higher systolic BP among individuals with T2D and vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency. To our knowledge, this was the first study assessing the relationship between DII, 8-OHdG, HbA1c, GA, insulin, and SBP among individuals with type 2 diabetes and hypovitaminosis D. The results of this study may serve as a basis for future nutrition interventions to improve health status of individuals with type 2 diabetes. Funding Sources Funding for this research was provided through an NIH/NIDDK sponsored grant.