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Studies suggest that loneliness is associated with age. Among older adults, women and Black adults may be at greater risk than men and White adults, respectively. Social and physical contexts are also linked with loneliness. However, little is known about whether and how those of different genders and racial/ethnic groups may experience social and physical contexts differently in terms of their real-time loneliness, and the extent to which these differences may be explained by differential exposure or reactivity to such contexts. We examine (1) how momentary loneliness relates to (a) gender and race/ethnicity and (b) social and physical context; and the extent to which gender and racial/ethnic groups may be (2) differentially exposed to loneliness-related contexts and/or (3) differentially reacting to these contexts. Using multilevel regressions, we analyzed ecological momentary assessments from 342 community-dwelling U.S. older adults from the Chicago Health and Activity Space in Real Time study. In each of three waves of data collection, smartphone "pings" (five per day for 21 days; n = 12,744 EMAs) assessed loneliness, social context (e.g., alone, with a spouse/partner), and location/physical context (e.g., home, at work). Results revealed that men consistently reported greater loneliness intensity than women, including after adjusting for momentary physical and social context. In addition, those momentarily outside the home and/or not alone were less likely to feel lonely than their counterparts. However, the protective effect of being outside of the home (vs. home) was weaker among women and Black and Hispanic older adults, and the protective effect of being with one or more others (vs. alone) was weaker among women. Results are among the first to identify contextual effects on real-time loneliness in older adults and how these associations vary by gender and race/ethnicity. Knowledge regarding momentary variation in loneliness may inform future just-in-time adaptive loneliness interventions in older adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies show that older adults were lonelier during versus before the COVID-19 pandemic. This may be due in part to guidelines particularly recommending that older adults stay at home, given their elevated risk of COVID-19 complications. However, little is known about the extent to which this population experienced greater intensity in momentary loneliness during versus before the pandemic, and how this relates to their real-time contexts. Here, we build upon recent findings from the Chicago Health and Activity Space in Real-Time (CHART) study that revealed associations between momentary contexts and loneliness among older adults. We analyze ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) from both pre- and during COVID-19 among a subsample of CHART respondents (N = 110 older adults age 65–88 in 2020). Pre-pandemic data were collected across three waves from April 2018–October 2019, and pandemic data were collected across three additional waves from June–September 2020. Participants responded to smartphone "pings" (five per day for 7 days per wave; N = 5,506 and N = 7,824 before and during the pandemic, respectively) by reporting their momentary loneliness and context (e.g., home). Findings from multi-level regression models suggest that respondents were lonelier in mid-2020 than in years prior, as well as when at home and alone; they were also more likely to be at home during the pandemic. However, the loneliness-inducing effects of being at home (vs. outside the home) and alone (vs. with others) were weaker during versus before COVID-19. Results provide important nuance to broader trends in loneliness among older adults during the pandemic. Specifically, older adults may have adopted new technologies to support social connectedness. It is also possible that, during a time in which social and physical distancing characterized public health guidelines, these contexts grew less isolating as they became a shared experience, or that publicly shared spaces provided fewer opportunities for social engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We tested the effects of comfort eating on stress reactivity and recovery in women. • Stress outcomes did not differ comparing unhealthy versus healthy comfort eating. • Neither type of comfort food outperformed the no-food control condition. • Unhealthy comfort eating may not be beneficial for acute stress reduction in women. • Healthy comfort eating may be a viable replacement for unhealthy comfort eating. Many people eat unhealthy foods that are high in calories, fat, or sugar when feeling stressed, yet little is known about whether this unhealthy comfort eating actually comforts. Additionally, prior research has not tested whether healthy comfort eating of fruits and vegetables might also alleviate stress, or whether comfort eating during the stress anticipation phase versus immediately after a stressful event is more beneficial for stress relief. The present experiment tested whether unhealthy and healthy comfort eating reduce acute psychophysiological responses to a socially evaluative stressor. Participants (N = 150 healthy women) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test in the lab and were randomly assigned to one of five conditions according to a 2 (food type: unhealthy vs. healthy) x 2 (eating timing: during stress anticipation vs. after the stressor) + 1 (no food control) between-subjects design. Stress outcomes included mood, cognitive appraisals, rumination, salivary cortisol, heart rate variability, and pre-ejection period. Unhealthy and healthy comfort eating did not dampen reactivity or enhance recovery of psychophysiological stress compared to control, and no differences in reactivity or recovery were found by comfort food type. Findings suggest that by replacing unhealthy comfort foods with fruits and vegetables, women will not be sacrificing any stress-reducing benefits and can inherently improve the quality of their diet while avoiding potential drawbacks of unhealthy comfort eating (e.g., links with abdominal obesity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies show that older adults were lonelier during versus before the COVID-19 pandemic. This may be due in part to guidelines particularly recommending that older adults stay at home, given their elevated risk of COVID-19 complications. However, little is known about the extent to which this population experienced greater intensity in momentary loneliness during versus before the pandemic, and how this relates to their real-time contexts. Here, we build upon recent findings from the Chicago Health and Activity Space in Real-Time (CHART) study that revealed associations between momentary contexts and loneliness among older adults. We analyze ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) from both pre- and during COVID-19 among a subsample of CHART respondents (N = 110 older adults age 65–88 in 2020). Pre-pandemic data were collected across three waves from April 2018–October 2019, and pandemic data were collected across three additional waves from June–September 2020. Participants responded to smartphone "pings" (five per day for 7 days per wave; N = 5596 and N = 7826 before and during the pandemic, respectively) by reporting their momentary loneliness and context (e.g., home). Findings from multi-level regression models suggest that respondents were lonelier in mid-2020 than in years prior, as well as when at home and alone; they were also more likely to be at home during the pandemic. However, the loneliness-inducing effects of being at home (vs. outside the home) and alone (vs. with others) were weaker during versus before COVID-19. Results provide important nuance to broader trends in loneliness among older adults during the pandemic. Specifically, older adults may have adopted new technologies to support social connectedness. It is also possible that, during a time in which social and physical distancing characterized public health guidelines, these contexts grew less isolating as they became a shared experience, or that publicly shared spaces provided fewer opportunities for social engagement. • Ecological momentary assessments provide new insight into older adults' loneliness during the pandemic. • Older adults experienced greater intensity momentary loneliness during versus before the pandemic. • Protective effects of being outside the home and/or not alone were weaker during versus the before the pandemic. • Differential reactivity, more so than differential exposure, may explain during/before pandemic variation. • Informs real-time loneliness interventions for older adults during times of global health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies suggest that loneliness is associated with age. Among older adults, women and Black adults may be at greater risk than men and White adults, respectively. Social and physical contexts are also linked with loneliness. However, little is known about whether and how those of different genders and racial/ethnic groups may experience social and physical contexts differently in terms of their real-time loneliness, and the extent to which these differences may be explained by differential exposure or reactivity to contexts. Objective: We examine (1) how momentary loneliness relates to (a) gender and race/ethnicity and (b) social and physical context; and the extent to which gender and racial/ethnic groups may be (2) differentially exposed to loneliness-related contexts and/or (3) differentially reacting to these contexts. Using multilevel regressions, we analyzed ecological momentary assessments from 342 community-dwelling U.S. older adults from the Chicago Health and Activity Space in Real Time study. In each of three waves of data collection, smartphone "pings" (five per day for 21 days; n = 12,793 EMAs) assessed loneliness, social context (e.g., alone, with a spouse/partner), and location/physical context (e.g., home, at work). Men consistently reported greater loneliness intensity than women, including after adjusting for momentary physical and social context. Older adults momentarily outside the home and/or not alone were less likely to feel lonely than their counterparts. However, the protective effect of being outside of the home (vs. home) was weaker among women and Black and Hispanic older adults, and the protective effect of being with one or more others (vs. alone) was weaker among women. Results are among the first to identify contextual effects on real-time loneliness in older adults and how these associations vary by gender and race/ethnicity. Knowledge regarding momentary variation in loneliness may inform future just-in-time adaptive loneliness interventions in older adulthood. • Ecological momentary assessments provide new insight into older adults' loneliness. • Being momentarily outside the home and/or not alone buffer against loneliness. • Protective effects were weaker for Black and Hispanic and for female respondents. • Differential reactivity, rather than exposure, may explain between-group variation. • Informs just-in-time adaptive loneliness interventions in older adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally. Seven health factors are associated with ideal cardiovascular health: being a non-smoker; not overweight; physically active; having a healthy diet; and normal blood pressure; fasting plasma glucose and cholesterol. Whereas approximately half of U.S. youth have ideal levels in at least 5 of the 7 components of cardiovascular health, this proportion falls to 16% by adulthood. We will evaluate whether the NUYou cardiovascular mHealth intervention is more effective than an active comparator to promote cardiovascular health during the transition to young adulthood. 302 incoming freshmen at a midwest university will be cluster randomized by dormitory into one of two mHealth intervention groups: 1) Cardiovascular Health (CVH), addressing behaviors related to CVD risk; or 2) Whole Health (WH), addressing behaviors unrelated to CVD. Both groups will receive smartphone applications, co-designed with students to help them manage time, interact with other participants via social media, and report health behaviors weekly. The CVH group will also have self-monitoring features to track their risk behaviors. Cardiovascular health will be assessed at the beginning of freshman year and the end of freshman and sophomore years. Linear mixed models will be used to compare groups on a composite of the seven cardiovascular-related health factors. This is the first entirely technology-mediated multiple health behavior change intervention delivered to college students to promote cardiovascular health. Findings will inform the potential for primordial prevention in young adulthood. Trial Registration Number: clinicaltrials.gov # NCT02496728 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]