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Vintage Russian Visions. Anindita Banerjee, editor. Russian Science Fiction Literature and Cinema: A Critical Reader. Brighton: Academic Studies Press, 2018. 380 pp. ISBN 978-1-61-811723-6. $39.99 pbk. Reviewed by John Pierce [...]

Excess weight and physical inactivity are modifiable risk factors for breast cancer. Behavioral intervention is particularly important among women with an elevated risk profile. This trial tested an intervention that trained women to use a self-monitoring website to increase activity and lose weight. Women with BMI [greater than or equal to]27.5 kg/m.sup.2 at elevated breast cancer risk were randomized to the intervention (N = 71) or usual care (N = 34). The intervention group received telephone-based coaching and used web-based self-monitoring tools. At 6 months, significant weight loss was observed in the intervention group (4.7 % loss from starting weight; SD = 4.7 %) relative to usual care (0.4 % gain; SD = 3.0 %) (p < 0.0001). By 12 months, the intervention group had lost 3.7 % of weight (SD = 5.4 %), compared to 1.3 % (SD = 4.2) for usual care (p = 0.003). At 12 months, accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity increased by 12 min/day (SD = 24) compared to no change in usual care (p = 0.04. In summary, this web- and phone-based approach produced modest but significant improvements in weight and physical activity for women at elevated breast cancer risk., Author(s): Lisa Cadmus-Bertram[sup.1] , Sandahl H. Nelson[sup.2] , Sheri Hartman[sup.2] , Ruth E. Patterson[sup.2] , Barbara A. Parker[sup.3] , John P. Pierce[sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Kinesiology, University of [...]

Picturing Science Fiction. Mike Ashley. Out of This World: Science Fiction But Not As You Know It. London, UK: The British Library, 2011. 144 pp. ISBN 9780712358354. $29.95 pbk. As [...]

Objectives. We aimed to investigate population-level changes in smoking initiation during California's Tobacco Control (CTC) Program from 1990 to 2005, a period during which tobacco industry marketing practices also changed. Methods. We used a discrete time survival analysis of data from the California Tobacco Survey to model changes in age of first smoking experimentation across birth cohorts. Results. Smoking initiation patterns were stable across cohorts aged 9 years or older at the start of the CTC program. For children entering preadolescence since 1990, initiation declined with each more recent cohort. By 2005, the observed decline in experimentation was 80% for male participants and 92% for female participants at age 12 to 14 years; by age 15 to 17 years, 10% of Californian adolescents had experimented in 2005 compared with 45% in preprogram cohorts. However, rates of new experimentation after age 17 years did not change, except for a recent increase in late experimentation (after age 20 years) among young adult men. Conclusion. Our models suggest that the CTC program greatly reduced adolescent smoking initiation among younger adolescents. Late experimentation may have recently increased among young adult men in California, coincident with an increase in tobacco industry marketing aimed at young adults. (Am J Public Health. 2010;100:1298-1306. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.160416)

My Aunt Edith was a delightful woman who--much to our delight--doted on her nephews. Even as a teenager, I enjoyed seeing her arrive at our house in her fire-engine red [...]

G.E. Bentley Jr. William Blake in the Desolate Market. Kingston and Montreal: McGill-Queen's up, 2014. 244 pp. $49.95. William Blake in the Desolate Market is an important supplement to essential [...]

Byline: Gordon A. Saxe, MD, PhD (Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, Moores UCSD Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention and Control, University of California [...]

Telephone counseling is increasingly reported to be an effective behavior change strategy, but more studies in broader populations are needed. This uncontrolled pilot trial investigated whether a 3-month/eight-call telephone counseling intervention could promote dietary changes associated with reduced chronic disease risk in adults consuming <5.0 servings of vegetables and fruits daily. Between 2002 and 2004, 97 adults (mean age 46 years; range 21 to 84 years) completed the intervention and a follow-up assessment at 6 months. Approximately half were of nonwhite ethnicity (53%). The majority were women (95%) and had never had cancer (89%). The intervention promoted daily intakes of three to five vegetable servings, two to four fruit servings, and three whole-grain and/or beans/legumes servings. Average total daily intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans/legumes, fiber, and fat were assessed at baseline and at 6 months, each by a set of three 24-hour recalls. Plasma carotenoids were measured on a subsample (n=41) as an objective biomarker of vegetable and fruit intake. Change in mean self-reported dietary intake (ie, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans/legumes, fiber, and fat) and plasma carotenoids were compared by paired t tests. The intervention was associated with a significant (P<0.001) increase in vegetable servings per day (baseline 2.1 servings per day, 6 months 3.5 servings per day; 67% increase), fruit servings per day (baseline 1.4 servings per day, 6 months 2.4 servings per day; 71% increase), and whole-grain and/or bean servings per day (baseline 1.0 serving per day, 6 months 1.4 servings per day; 40% increase). These changes were corroborated by a significant (P<0.001) increase in total plasma carotenoids. This 3-month/eight-call telephone counseling intervention was associated with dietary change in healthy adults consuming fewer than five servings per day of vegetables and fruit at study entry.

Objective To assess the reported baseline dietary intake of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living study, a randomized plant-based dietary intervention clinical trial. Design Dietary data from 4 days repeated 24-hour recalls within 3 weeks included daily total intake of energy, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, total fat, monounsaturated fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, fruit/vegetable servings, carotenoids, alcohol, caffeine, and percentage of energy from protein, carbohydrates, alcohol, and fats. Subjects One hundred sixty-five Hispanic breast cancer survivors age-matched to 165 non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors diagnosed with Stage I, II, or IIIA primary operable breast cancer. Statistical analyses Two-sample t tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests to compare dietary intake, and logistic and ordinal logistic regression analyses to examine the association between ethnicity, alcohol, and lycopene consumption, while controlling for place of birth, education, body mass index, and time since diagnosis. Results Hispanics were more likely to be foreign-born (P<0.001), less educated (P<0.0001) and to consume higher amounts of lycopene (P-0.029), while non-Hispanic whites were more likely to consume alcohol (P=0.001). However, no differences were observed in the average amounts of alcohol consumed or total percents of energy from alcohol. Both groups consumed more than five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Being Hispanic remained a significant predictor of lower alcohol use (P= 0.004) and higher lycopene consumption (P=0.005) after controlling for place of birth, education, body mass index, and time since diagnosis. Conclusions There are more similarities than differences in the dietary intake of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living study. Further analysis is needed to determine if higher lycopene consumption shown among the Hispanic participants will translate to greater protection against breast cancer recurrence or increased survival.

Objectives. We compared smoking quit rates by age in a nationally representative sample to determine differences in cessation rates among younger and older adults. Methods. We used data on recent dependent smokers aged 18 to 64 years from the 2003 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (n=31 625). Results. Young adults (aged 18-24 years) were more likely than were older adults (aged 35-64 years) to report having seriously tried to quit (84% vs 66%, P Conclusions. Young adults were more likely than were older adults to quit smoking successfully. This could be explained partly by young adults, more widespread interest in quitting, higher prevalence of smoke-free homes, and lower levels of dependence. High cessation rates among young adults may also reflect changing social norms. (Am J Public Health. 2008;98:317-322. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.112060)

Achieving long-term adherence to a dietary pattern is a challenge in many studies investigating the relationship between diet and disease. The Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study was a multi-institutional randomized trial in 3088 women at risk for breast cancer recurrence. At baseline, the average participant followed a healthy dietary pattern of 7 vegetable and fruit servings, 21 g/d of fiber, and 28.7% energy from fat, although fat intake increased over the enrollment period. Using primarily telephone counseling, the intervention group was encouraged to substantially increase intakes of vegetables, fruits, and fiber while decreasing fat intake. Sets of 24-h dietary recalls were completed on 90% of eligible participants at 1 y and 86% at 4 y. Using a conservative imputation analysis, at 1 y, the intervention group consumed 38% more vegetable servings (100% when including juice) than the comparison group, 20% more fruit, 38% more fiber, 50% more legumes, and 30% more whole grain foods, with a 20% lower intake of energy from fat. At 4 y, the between-group differences were 65% for vegetables (including juice), 25% fruit, 30% fiber, 40% legumes, 30% whole grain foods, and 13% lower intake of energy from fat. The intervention effect on fat intake was similar for early vs. late enrollees. Plasma carotenoid concentrations on a random 28% sample validated self-reported vegetable and fruit intake, with a between-group difference of 66% at 1 y and over 40% at 4 y. This large change will allow testing of hypotheses on the role of dietary change in preventing additional breast cancer events.

The authors analyzed the minimum data set quality indicators data aggregated nationally from 134 Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home care units with more than 15 000 long-stay residents (>90 [...]

Objectives. We investigated whether receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotions during young adolescence predicts young adult smoking 6 years later. Methods. Two Iongittudinal cohorts of adolescents drawn from the 1993 and 1996 versions of the California Tobacco Surveys were followed 3 and 6 years later. At baseline, adolescents were aged 12 to 15 years and were not established smokers. The outcome measure was established smoking at final follow-up. Re ceptivity to cigarette advertising and promotions was included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis along with demographic and other variables. Results. The rate of established smoking at follow-up was significantly greater among members of the 1993 through 1999 cohort (21.07%) than among members of the 1995 through 2002 cohort (15.6%). However, in both cohorts, having a favorite cigarette advertisement and owning or being willing to use a tobacco promotional item showed nearly identical adjusted odds of future adult smoking (1.46 and 1.84, respectively). Conclusions. Despite the success of tobacco control efforts in reducing youth smoking, tobacco marketing remains a potent influence on whether young adotescents become established smokers in young adulthood (18-21 years of age). (Am J Public Health. 2007;97:1489-1495. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2005.070359)

A randomized trial is conducted to determine women's healthy eating and living (WHEL) among survivors of early stage breast cancer. Results reveal that adoption of a diet that was very high in vegetables, fruit, and fiber and low in fat did not reduce additional breast cancer events or mortality during a 7.3-year follow-up period.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2004.08.014 Byline: John P. Pierce, Janet M. Distefan, Robert M. Kaplan, Elizabeth A. Gilpin Abstract: Although advertising theories have long viewed curiosity as an intermediate goal to encouraging consumption of a product among previous nonusers, this variable is rarely discussed in psychological theories and its role in smoking uptake has not been addressed adequately. Author Affiliation: Cancer Prevention and Control, Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0645, United States

Objective To describe the intervention in a clinical trial examining the effect of a plant-based diet on breast cancer recurrence. To report baseline to 12-month dietary change and investigate whether cooking-class attendance influenced adherence to the study's dietary targets. Design A descriptive analysis of baseline and 12-month dietary intake data and other variables from a subcohort of participants in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study. Subjects/Setting Seven hundred thirty-nine women (primarily non-Hispanic white and well educated) who had been treated for early stage breast cancer. All were intervention group participants and had adhered to the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study counseling and dietary assessment protocols. Mean age at study entry was 54 years, and mean body mass index was 26.7. Intervention Telephone counseling, complemented by an orientation meeting, cooking classes, and newsletters. Main Outcome Measures The change in intake of vegetables, vegetable juice, fruit, fiber, and fat between baseline and 12 months is reported, and the association between cooking classes attended and overall dietary adherence is examined. Statistical Analyses Performed Mean intake for vegetables, vegetable juice, fruit, fiber, and fat were calculated. Percentage of women meeting select Healthy People 2010 objectives were tabulated. Results Total daily vegetable, vegetable juice, fruit, and fiber intake increased significantly (P<.01), while fat decreased significantly (P<.01). The percentage of women meeting the Healthy People 2010 fruit and vegetable objectives increased substantially. Overall dietary adherence was associated with increased cooking-class attendance (P for trend <.01). Conclusions A multimodal approach to dietary modification, based largely on individualized telephone counseling, can substantially change the overall dietary pattern of women previously treated for breast cancer. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:382-391.

Objectives. We sought to determine whether adolescents whose favorite movie stars smoke on-screen are at increased risk of tobacco use. Methods. During interviews, adolescent never smokers taking part in the California Tobacco Survey nominated their favorite stars. We reviewed popular films released during 1994 through 1996 to determine whether stars smoked on-screen in at least 2 films. Results. One third of never smokers nominated a star who smoked on-screen, which independently predicted later smoking risk (odds ratio [OR] 1.36;95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02, 1.82). The effect was strong among girls (OR=1.86; 95% CI= 1.26, 2.73). Among boys, there was no independent effect after control for receptivity to tobacco industry promotions. Conclusions. Public health efforts to reduce adolescent smoking must confront smoking in films as a tobacco marketing strategy. (Am J Public Health. 2004;94: 1239-1244)

Substantial variation exists in the importance of olfaction in influencing individuals' preferences, yet the sources of this variation remain elusive. The authors explored responsivity to 2 odorants as 1 potential source. Participants (N = 258) completed the Affective Impact of Odor Scale and were assessed for responsivity to the putative human pheromone androstenone and amyl acetate. Results showed a significant relationship between odorant responsivity and self-reports of the influence of odors. People able to smell androstenone more commonly reported odors as having a negative effect on interpersonal relationships than did people anosmic to androstenone, whereas responsivity to amyl acetate was associated with positive effects of odors on relationships. Responsivity to certain odorants may be an important factor affecting human social interactions.

Although a large body of evidence suggests that diet may play an important role in cancer prevention, randomized controlled trials reported to date have not achieved sufficient increases in protective micronutrients and phytochemicals to adequately test the hypothesis that diet can reduce cancer risk. The Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study, a randomized controlled trial of the role diet modification may play in future breast cancer events, introduced an innovative theory-based telephone counseling intervention to teach participants to consume a high fiber, low fat diet emphasizing vegetables and fruits rich in carotenoids and other potentially protective phytochemicals. This report examines the baseline to 12-mo changes in dietary intakes of 2970 participants, assessed through 24-h recalls and validated with plasma carotenoid concentrations. At 12 mo, the intervention group reported a significantly increased daily vegetable intake (+vegetable juice) of 7.1 servings (+82%) and fruit intake of 3.9 servings (+ 18%). Fiber intake increased from 3.04 to 4.16 g/(MJ * d), whereas energy from fat decreased significantly from 28.6 to 23.7%. Plasma carotenoid concentrations increased significantly, i.e., e-carotene (+223%); [beta]-carotene (+87%); lutein (+29%); and lycopene (+17%). In the comparison group, dietary intake and plasma carotenoid concentrations were essentially identical to those of the intervention group at baseline and were unchanged at 12 mo. The WHEL Study showed that a telephone counseling intervention can achieve major increases in micronutrient- and phytochemical-rich vegetables, fruit and fiber intakes, enabling an investigation of the potential cancer preventive effects of these food components. KEY WORDS: * diet intervention * cancer prevention * breast cancer * telephone counseling

Diet intervention trials are currently testing whether reduced fat intake can reduce the risk and progression of breast cancer. Energy from dietary fat is generally replaced by energy from carbohydrate in these studies, and altering the proportion of energy from dietary carbohydrate and fat has been shown to affect plasma lipid concentrations in controlled feeding studies. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of increased carbohydrate and reduced fat intakes on plasma lipids in a randomized, controlled trial that is testing the effect of diet modification on risk for recurrence and survival in women previously treated for breast cancer. Plasma concentrations of lipids and related factors were measured at enrollment and 1-y follow-up in 393 women enrolled in the trial. Dietary goals for the intervention group focused on an increase in vegetable, fruit and fiber intakes, and reduced fat intake. Women assigned to the intervention group significantly reduced fat intake (from 28.1 to 21.0% of energy), and significantly increased intakes of carbohydrate (from 56.9 to 65.3% of energy) and fiber (from 21.0 to 29.6 g/d) (P < 0.05). Body weight did not change significantly in either study group. A small but significant increase in fasting plasma triacylglycerol concentration, and decreases in HDL cholesterol and apoprotein-A1 concentrations, were observed in the intervention group (P < 0.05) but not in the comparison group. Changes in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apoprotein-B, lipoprotein (a), and insulin concentrations, and in the LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio, were not observed in either group. The lipid responses that were observed in this study provide biological evidence that validates the self-reported change in dietary intakes of fat and carbohydrate in response to the intervention efforts. The degree of change in these lipid concentrations was small and does not suggest increased cardiovascular disease risk. KEY WORDS: * carbohydrate * dietary fat * triacylglycerol * diet intervention * cancer

Nicotine replacement therapy does not appear to be effective over the long-term for helping people to quit smoking, especially if they are light smokers. This was the conclusion of researchers who analyzed the California Tobacco Surveys of 1992, 1996, and 1999. Most smoking cessation aids are sold over-the-counter and are widely promoted by the pharmaceutical industry.

Environmental justice is the principle that environmental costs and amenities ought to be equitably distributed within society. Due to the ethical, political, and public-health implications, and because many choices confront those researching environmental justice, standardized measures are needed to inform public dialogue and policy. We develop and test seven indices on three Colorado cities to measure the relationship between the distribution of environmental hazards and minority and poverty-stricken populations, and recommend the Comparative Environmental Risk Index as a preliminary, standardized measure for comparing urban areas. This index is particularly relevant to disadvantaged communities, regional planning organizations, environmental-justice networks and scholars, and state and federal agencies. Key Words: Colorado, environmental justice, GIS.

This article examines the proposition that in American cities higher levels of social capital lead to higher quality governmental performance, even when controlling for the cities' political culture, demographic variables, and quality of life. Two indicators of social capital are employed: level of diffuse social and political trust and level of involvement in local fraternal organizations. The quality of a city's governmental performance is indicated by data published by the Government Performance Project completed by Governing: The Magazine of States and Localities and the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. The quality of performance is measured in five domains (financial management, human resource management, information technology management, capital management, and managing for results). Political culture is assessed using the Elazar distinctions among Moralistic, Traditionalistic, and Individualistic culture types. Demographic composition is assessed through aggregate census statistics on poverty, educational attainment, and non-White populations. Quality of life indicators are derived from Places Rated Almanac. In the 20 cities available for this study, the results indicate that the level of social capital has a significant independent impact on the quality of urban governmental performance, even when controlling for political culture, demographic variables, and overall quality of life. Implications are drawn for efforts at building social capital as a means to enhance democratic governance and improve government performance.

Objective To describe the dietary intake patterns of women before and after breast cancer diagnosis. Subjects and setting 3,084 women (age range 27 to 70 years) who had been treated for early-stage breast cancer, who were free of recurrent disease, and who were willing to complete study questionnaires. Design A descriptive analysis of baseline demographic and lifestyle questionnaire data, including reported dietary intake data from women who have had breast cancer participating in a randomized, controlled dietary intervention trial. Outcomes include dietary intakes of high- and low-fat foods, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Statistical analysis performed Analyses included frequency of intake of selected food items, [chi square] analysis to determine associations between reported intakes and demographic and personal characteristics, and logistic regression to assess odds of making more healthful changes. Results Women who have had breast cancer reported higher fruit, vegetable, and fiber-rich food intakes (58%, 60%, 38% more, respectively) and lower intakes of high-fat foods, including fast foods, after diagnosis. Those older than age 60 years were more likely to report no change in intake, including red meat (41%), vegetables (51%), and whole grains (62%). Odds ratios (OR) for more healthful diet choices varied by age and time since diagnosis. The longer the time since diagnosis the more likely women selected low-fat (vs high-fat) foods (OR 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-2.09 for 3 to 4 years vs Applications Women who have had breast cancer report more healthful diet habits after diagnosis. Through nutrition education and counseling, dietetics professionals may be able to promote healthful and evidence-based eating habits among women previously treated for breast cancer., Approximately 205,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2002, making it the second leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among women [...]

Objectives. This study assessed progress in achieving clean indoor air in California. Methods. Data were from large, cross-sectional population-based surveys (1990-1999). Results. Indoor workers reporting smoke-free workplaces increased from 35.0% (95% confidence interval [Cl]=33.7, 36.3) in 1990 to 93.4% (95% Cl =92.6, 94.2) in 1999. Exposure of nonsmoking indoor workers to secondhand tobacco smoke decreased from 29.0% (95% Cl=27.2, 30.8) to 15.6% (95% Cl=14.1, 17.1). Adults with smoke-free homes increased from 37.6% (95% Cl=35.1, 40.1) in 1992 to 73.7% (95% Cl=73.2, 74.2) in 1999; nearly half of smokers in 1999 had smoke-free homes. In 1999, 82.2% (95% Cl =81.5, 82.9) of children and adolescents (0-17 years) had smoke-free homes, up from 38.0% (95% Cl=35.1, 40.9) in 1992. Conclusions. California's advances highlight an important opportunity for tobacco control.

Abstract The following paper examines the role of government policy in rural restructuring and community stability in Canada. Three objectives are pursued: 1) to provide a better integration of the [...]

Objective. This study investigates the proposition that residents of the cities of Canada and the United States differ in their political cultures. Methods. The analysis employs aggregated individual-level data on social trust, self-esteem, and liberalism provided to the authors after being aggregated at the city level and in subgroups of the population in each city (seven in Canada, forty-seven in the U.S.). Results. There are significant differences in the levels of social trust expressed by the citizens of the cities of the two countries, with Canadians expressing the greater trust, but no significant differences on self-esteem and liberalism. When clustering cities using all three values, five of the Canadian cities group in a single cluster shared with no U.S. cities. Generational effects emerge in the cross-national comparison of self-esteem and liberalism. Conclusions. On the basis of these city-level aggregated individual data, there remain significant differences between the cultures of Canada and th e United States. Moreover, little evidence suggests that the cultures of the two countries will become closer as the result of generational replacement., Introduction The persistence of differences in the Canadian and U.S. political cultures has been a subject of intense debate for quite some time. This paper presents the results of an [...]

This article examines the degree to which citizens of four Russian cities and four American cities differ in their claimed knowledge of technical terms used in policy discussions about the consequences of nuclear weapons production in the two countries. The four cities are the host city, the downwinder city, the neighboring indigenous/minority towns, and a control city. The analysis thus compares cross-national patterns and cross-context patterns within nation. Americans claim to be better informed than do their Russian counterparts. In the United States in particular, the host city respondents claim to be better informed than do the other sets of citizens. In the United States, the contextual variable of living in the host city has a large and significant impact on claimed knowledge levels even after affective, cognitive, and background variables. In Russia, living in the indigenous/minority city has a small and significant independent impact on knowledge levels. Context has a bigger impact on opinions in the American samples than in the Russian respondents.

We investigated predictors of change in plasma carotenoids from baseline to 3 y and examined plasma carotenoid concentrations at 1 and 3 y in response to a high vegetable diet. Participants were 56 women diagnosed with breast cancer and enrolled in a randomized feasibility study for a trial examining the effect of a diet high in vegetables and fruits on the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Independent t test analysis revealed that the intervention group had significantly higher vegetable and fruit servings and fiber at 12 mo and significantly higher vegetable servings at 36 mo compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Energy intake from fat was significantly lower in the intervention group at 12 and 36 mo. The intervention group had significantly higher consumption of (beta)-carotene, (alpha)-carotene, lutein and (beta)-cryptoxanthin at 12 mo (P < 0.05). (Beta)-Carotene, (alpha)-carotene and lutein intakes also were significantly higher at 36 mo (P < 0.05). At 36 mo, the intervention group had significantly higher plasma concentrations of (alpha)-carotene and (beta)-carotene compared with the control group. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that the intervention group had significantly increased (P < 0.05 with Bonferroni correction) plasma (beta)-carotene, (alpha)-carotene, lutein and lycopene concentrations at 12 and 36 mo compared with baseline. Baseline carotenoid concentrations were significantly inversely predictive (P < 0.05) of plasma carotenoid change. In addition, change in body mass index (BMI) and plasma cholesterol concentrations were predictive of plasma carotenoid change from baseline to 3 y. Results of this study demonstrate that change in plasma carotenoid concentrations is associated with change in BMI, change in plasma cholesterol and baseline carotenoid concentrations. Plasma carotenoid response can be an indicator of long-term high vegetable intake for women at risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Objective To identify the factors associated with weight gain after diagnosis of breast cancer in a heterogeneous population of women. Design Descriptive cross-sectional study. Subjects 1,116 patients who had been diagnosed with stage I, stage II, or stage IIIA primary, operable breast cancer within the previous 4 years. Patients were recruited during enrollment into a diet intervention trial to reduce risk for breast cancer recurrence. Analysis Demographic data, weight history, and physical activity information obtained by questionnaire and medical information obtained by chart review; dietary assessment based on four 24-hour dietary recalls collected by telephone. Associations between weight change after the diagnosis of breast cancer and prediction variables were examined using univariate and multiple linear regression analyses. Results Overall, 60% of the subjects reported weight gain, 26% reported weight loss, and 14% reported no change in weight after the diagnosis of breast cancer. The overall mean weight change was a gain of 2.7 kg (6 lb). Factors positively and independently associated with weight gain were time since diagnosis of breast cancer, adjuvant chemotherapy, African-American ethnicity, current energy intake, and postmenopausal status at time of study entry. Factors inversely and independently associated with weight gain were prediagnosis body mass index, age at diagnosis, education level, and exercise index score. Applications Higher energy intake and lower level of physical activity are independently associated with increased risk for weight gain after the diagnosis of breast cancer. Strategies to modify these behaviors are likely to influence the long-term pattern of weight change. JAm Diet Assoc. 1999;99:1212-1218, 1221., Contrary to a common assumption that all patients with cancer suffer weight loss and cachexia, weight gain often occurs in women after diagnosis of breast cancer (1,2). Although a relationship [...]

Objective To develop a method of collecting, organizing, and analyzing information on nutrient and nonnutrient dietary supplement use by women at risk for breast cancer recurrence as a component of nutrition assessment and monitoring, and to describe the characteristics associated with dietary supplement use in this population at enrollment in a clinical trial to prevent breast cancer recurrence. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study design. Subjects Women diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous 4 years (n = 435). Analysis Dietary supplements reported in four 24-hour dietary recalls were categorized according to primary nutrient and nonnutrient contents. Prevalence of dietary supplement use is described. Associations between supplement use and demographic and participant characteristics were examined using [Χ.sup.2] analysis and logistic regression. Results Dietary supplement use was reported by 80.9% of the women. Increased likelihood of supplement use was associated with demographic (eg, older age, higher level of education, white race vs other ethnic groups) and personal (eg, lower body mass index, moderate alcohol consumption) characteristics. Use of vitamin C and related compounds, other nutrients (eg, n-3 fatty acids, evening primrose oil), and herbal products was inversely associated with months since diagnosis; use of miscellaneous supplements (eg, shark cartilage) was directly associated with more advanced stage at diagnosis. Applications Monitoring dietary supplement use is an important aspect of nutrition assessment, especially in populations with chronic health conditions or medical diagnoses. Demographic and personal characteristics, time passed since diagnosis, and stage of cancer at diagnosis are predictive of dietary supplement use by women at risk for breast cancer recurrence. Associations in this population may be present in other groups that are the object of nutrition intervention efforts., Results from national surveys indicate that a substantial proportion of the general US population use dietary supplements: in 1992, 46% of respondents reported any use of vitamin or mineral supplements [...]

Teenage non-smokers who recognize tobacco advertisements and have some type of product promoting a certain brand are likely to experiment with smoking. Researchers asked 1,752 teenage non-smokers if they had seen tobacco ads and whether they had any promotional items such as T-shirts that advertised a specific brand of cigarettes. Those who had a favorite ad were twice as likely to begin smoking and those who used a promotional item were three times as likely to begin. Tobacco promotion thus accounts for one-third of new smokers in California, where the study was done., Context.--Whether tobacco advertising and promotion increases the likelihood that youths will begin smoking has important public policy implications. Objective.--To evaluate the association between receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotional activities and progress in the smoking uptake process, defined sequentially as never smokers who would not consider experimenting with smoking, never smokers who would consider experimenting, experimenters (smoked at least once but fewer than 100 cigarettes), or established smokers (smoked at least 100 cigarettes). Design.--Prospective cohort study with a 3-year follow-up through November 1996. Setting and Participants.--A total of 1752 adolescent never smokers who were not susceptible to smoking when first interviewed in 1993 in a population-based random-digit dial telephone survey in California were reinterviewed in 1996. Main Outcome Measure.--Becoming susceptible to smoking or experimenting by 1996. Results.--More than half the sample (n=979) named a favorite cigarette advertisement in 1993 and Joe Camel advertisements were the most popular. Less than 5% (n=92) at baseline possessed a promotional item but a further 10% (n= 172) were willing to use an item. While having a favorite advertisement in 1993 predicted which adolescents would progress by 1996 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-3.20), possession or willingness to use a promotional item was even more strongly associated with future progression (OR=2.89; 95% CI, 1.47-5.68). From these data, we estimate that 34% of all experimentation in California between 1993 and 1996 can be attributed to tobacco promotional activities. Nationally, this would be over 700 000 adolescents each year. Conclusion.--These findings provide the first longitudinal evidence to our knowledge that tobacco promotional activities are causally related to the onset of smoking. JAMA 1998;279:511-515

Kidd and Lee (1997) correctly critiqued Brechin and Kempton's (1994) paper on the association between the level of economic development in a country and its level of public environmental concern. Their assertion that economic development should be used as a surrogate for postmaterialism is commendable. Moreover, they rightfully acknowledged that country-level relationships should be assessed as a test for the influence of individual values on individual environmental concern. However, there is also a need to address country-specific cultural roots and their implications for the postmaterialist theory.

I. INTRODUCTION On March 31, 1995, more than sixty years after President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Haiti to participate in ceremonies marking the end of the United States' nineteen-year occupation, [...]

Telephone counseling for smoking cessation has been gaining popularity as studies have demonstrated its efficacy. What comprises a successful program, however, has not yet been detailed in the literature. In this article, an innovative telephone counseling intervention for smoking cessation is described, with attention to the clinical issues of client assessment, motivation, self-efficacy, planning, coping, relapse-sensitive call scheduling, and self-image. Counselor training and supervision issues, ethical and legal considerations regarding this form of service delivery, and suggestions for future direction also are outlined.