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Abstract: Objective: To examine the relationship between pedometer-measured step count data and the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in African American adults. Method: 379 African American adults (mean age 60.1 years; 60% female) enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study (Jackson, MS) from 2000 to 2004 provided sufficient pedometer data for inclusion in this analysis. MetS was classified according to the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention. Results: Using steps/day categorized as tertiles (<3717 (referent), 3717–6238, >6238), participants taking 3717–6238 (Odds Ratio (OR)(95% Confidence Interval (CI))=0.34 (0.19, 0.61)) and >6238steps/day (OR(95% CI)=0.43 (0.23, 0.78)) had lower odds of having MetS compared to participants in the lowest tertile. Using previously suggested steps/day cut-points (<2500 (referent), 2500–4999, 5000–7499, ?7500), the odds of having MetS were lower for participants taking 2500–4999 (OR(95% CI)=0.32 (0.14, 0.72)), 5000–7499 (OR(95% CI)=0.22 (0.09, 0.53)), and >7500 (OR(95% CI)=0.26 (0.11, 0.65)) steps/day compared to those taking <2500steps/day. Conclusion: Compared to lower levels, higher levels of steps/day are associated with a lower prevalence of MetS in this older African American population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Omega-3 (ω3) fatty acids are a family of polyunsaturated fats. Two of the ω3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, ω3, 20:5Δ5,8,11,14,17) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, ω3, 22:6Δ4,7,10,13,16,19) are sourced primarily from fish. Higher consumption, limited fishing quotas and other environmental factors (e.g., heavy metals) have warranted a need for alternative sources. Nuseed offers a genetically engineered canola (Brassica napus) event,1 DHA canola (OECD Unique Identifier NS-B5ØØ27-4), which has been modified to introduce a pathway for production of the ω3 LC-PUFAs DHA and EPA from oleic acid (OA) in the seed oil. To accomplish this, genes were sourced from marine microalgae and common yeast then incorporated into canola to produce DHA canola, one of the first land-based production systems for ω 3 PUFAs. Safety was evaluated in part by conducting a repeated dose 28-day toxicity study and a dietary 13-week toxicity study using CD® IGS [Crl:CD(SD)] rats. In the 28-day study, conventional and DHA canola oil were administered orally (via gavage); no treatment-related adverse effects were observed. The 13-week toxicity study was subsequently conducted where DHA canola oil and meal were administered by dietary admixture. No adverse effects were noted in clinical observations, clinical pathology, or histopathology. These studies support the food and feed safety of DHA canola oil and meal. • Marine microalgae and common yeast genes were incorporated into canola to produce docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) canola. • In a 28-day toxicity study, oral administration of conventional and DHA canola oil showed no adverse effects. • Administration of dietary canola oil and meal admixture to rats for 13-week toxicity study showed no adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recent changes in nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs assume that modification of the nutritional serving practices of school cafeterias will result in improved childhood nutrition in the school environment. The primary aim of this paper is to summarize the findings from two recent cluster randomized controlled trials (Wise Mind and LA Health) that tested the hypothesis that modification of school cafeteria environments, including changes in nutrition standards, would yield beneficial changes in childhood nutrition and healthy eating in the school lunch environment. A secondary aim was to investigate the association of participant characteristics and changes in nutrition and healthy eating. A third aim was to investigate the relationships between the food intake of children and: (1) foods selected by the children and (2) food that was uneaten during the lunch meal (plate waste). The studies used similar approaches for modifying the school cafeteria environment and both studies used the digital photography method to measure changes in food intake, food selection, and plate waste. Both studies reported significant improvements in childhood nutrition, and the LA Health study reported improved healthy eating, following introduction of the cafeteria modification program in comparison to baseline and/or control arms. These studies confirm the hypothesis that interventions that modify the school cafeteria environment can beneficially impact childhood nutrition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Physical activity (PA) guidelines are typically communicated in terms of duration, frequency and intensity, e.g., 30min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on at least 5days/week. Step counters can be used to collect objective PA expressed as steps/day, however the association between steps/day and recommended PA levels is unclear. Objective: We determined a direct steps/day translation of 30min/day accumulated MVPA, using concurrently detected ActiGraph accelerometer-defined step and activity count data collected as part of the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Method: We employed statistical models to analyze data from 3523 participants 20+years of age who wore the accelerometer for at least one valid day (i.e., at least 10/24h) over 7days. Results: 30min/day of MVPA translated to approximately 7900steps/day for males and 8300steps/day for females. In a subsample of participants (n=1197) with valid data on all 7days, we found 150min/week of MVPA translated to approximately 7000steps/day (or 49,000steps/week). Conclusion: Accumulating approximately 8000steps/day is a good proxy for 30min of daily MVPA, while accumulating 7000steps/day every day of the week is consistent with obtaining 150min of weekly MVPA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: Objective To assess the relationship between moderate intensity lifestyle activity (LA) and cardiometabolic health using accelerometer data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2006. Methods: One thousand three hundred and seventy-one adults (50% men; 71% non-Hispanic white) provided valid data to quantify time in LA [760–2019 counts per minute (CPM)] and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; ≥2020 CPM). Associations between LA [minutes per day (min/day); steps per day (steps/day)], and cardiometabolic risk factors [triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), blood pressure, glucose, waist circumference], metabolic syndrome, self-reported hypertension and diabetes were investigated using logistic regression. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and MVPA categories. Results: Greater time in LA (min/day), independent from MVPA, was associated with lower odds of elevated triglycerides (OR,95% CI per 30 LA minutes: 0.89,0.83–0.97), low HDL-C (0.87,0.83–0.92), elevated waist circumference (0.88,0.83–0.94), metabolic syndrome (0.87,0.80–0.96), and diabetes (0.67,0.55–0.82). The same cardiometabolic risk factors were also significantly associated with LA steps/day. No significant association was found between LA (min/day or steps/day) and glucose or blood pressure. Conclusion: Accumulation of time or steps in LA is independently related to lower odds for certain cardiometabolic risk factors. Research should consider the effects of increasing LA, which could influence future physical activity recommendations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Laboratory studies of adult walking behavior have consistently found that a cadence of 100 steps/min is a reasonable threshold for moderate intensity. The purpose of this study was to determine cadence patterns in free-living adults, and in particular, time spent at increasing cadence increments including 100 steps/min and beyond. Method: 3744 adults ≥20 years provided at least one valid day (minimally 10/24h of wear) of minute-by-minute accelerometer-determined step data during the 2005–2006 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Means for time spent (min/day) and steps/day were calculated for 8 cadence categories including zero and each incremental cadence band thereafter beginning with 1–19 through 100–119, and beyond to 120+steps/min. Results: U.S. adults accumulate ≅4.8h/day of zero cadence during wearing time, ≅8.7h between 1 and 59 steps/min, ≅16 min/day at cadences of 60–79 steps/min, ≅8 min at 80–99 steps/min, ≅5 min at 100–119 steps/min, and ≅2 min at 120+steps/min. Conclusion: Self-selected walking at 100+steps/min was a rare phenomenon in this large free-living sample of the U.S. population, but study participants did accumulate ≅30 min/day at cadences of 60+steps/min. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]