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Introduction Understanding the reasons young adults use e-cigarettes (ie, vape)—and whether these motivations vary across groups—is essential for informing tobacco regulatory efforts. Aims and Methods An online panel of young adults who vape (n = 230; age = 18–30 years) completed a maximum difference discrete choice task for 15 reasons for vaping. Over 9 choice sets, participants were presented a subset of 5 reasons and selected the most and least important. Hierarchical bayesian analysis estimated the relative importance of each reason. Latent class analysis (LCA) identified groups with similarly ranked reasons for use. Multinomial regression evaluated the association between sample characteristics and class membership. Results Overall, relaxation had the highest probability of being the most important reason for use (14.8%), followed by harm reduction (13.2%), and flavors (10.3%). LCA identified five distinct classes, based on top reasons for use: 1. cessation (cigarette cessation [20.2%]; n = 80); 2. dependence (relaxation [20.5%] and unable to quit [19.2%]; n = 21); 3. relaxation (relaxation [20.6%]; n = 66); 4. socializing (socializing [22.2%]; n = 27); and 5. variable (boredom [10.5%] and acceptability [10.2%]; n = 36). Participants who were older, smoked cigarettes, or vaped more frequently were more likely to belong to the cessation class while those who were younger or more e-cigarette dependent were more likely to belong to the dependence class. Conclusions Perceived reasons why young adults vape are highly heterogeneous and dependent on the type of user. Tobacco regulatory efforts targeting distinct types of vapers are needed to minimize the adverse public health impact of vaping without compromising appeal for smoking cessation. Implications E-cigarette use remains high among young adults, with flavors, cost, and harm reduction (vs. combustible cigarettes) among the mostly commonly reported reasons for use. Yet, little is known about how relatively important these reasons are to the individual. Leveraging a maximum difference task, young adults’ reasons for use were evaluated on a common interval scale and groups sharing similar reasons identified. Smoking cessation, dependence, relaxation, socialization, and boredom were respectively the most important reasons for use among five classes of vapers. E-cigarette regulatory policies should consider the distinct reasons for use as to not compromise their appeal for smoking cessation.

Introduction This study examined trajectories of tobacco dependence (TD) in relation to changes in tobacco product use and explored the effects of product-specific adding, switching, or discontinued use on dependence over time. Aims and Methods Data were analyzed from the first three waves of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal study of adults and youth in the United States. Data included 9556 Wave 1 (2013/2014) adult current established tobacco users who completed all three interviews and had established use at ≥2 assessments. Groups included cigarettes-only users, e-cigarettes-only users, cigars-only users, hookah-only users, any smokeless-only users, cigarette + e-cigarette dual users, and multiple product users. A validated 16-item scale assessed TD across product users. Results Wave 1 e-cigarette-only users’ who maintained exclusive e-cigarette use increased levels of TD through Wave 3 as did those who added or switched to another product. Wave 1 multiple product users’ TD decreased across waves. TD for all other Wave 1 user groups remained about the same. For Wave 1 cigarette-only smokers, switching to another product or moving to a pattern of no established use was associated with lower levels of TD than smokers whose use stayed the same. Movement to no established use of any tobacco product was consistently associated with lower TD for all other product users. Conclusions Except for Wave 1 e-cigarette-only users, TD among US tobacco product users was stable over time, with daily users less likely to vary from baseline. Implications The level of TD among most US tobacco users was stable over the first three waves of the PATH Study and trends in levels of TD were predominantly unrelated to changes in patterns of continued product use. Stable levels of TD suggest a population at persistent risk of health impacts from tobacco. Wave 1 e-cigarette users, including those maintaining exclusive e-cigarette use, experienced increasing levels of TD over time, perhaps because of increases in quantity or frequency of their e-cigarette product use or increasing efficiency of nicotine delivery over time.

Food cue responsiveness (FCR), broadly defined as behavioral, cognitive, emotional and/or physiological responses to external appetitive cues outside of physiological need, contributes to overeating and obesity among youth and adults. A variety of measures purportedly assess this construct, ranging from youth- or parent-report surveys to objective eating tasks. However, little research has assessed their convergence. It is especially important to evaluate this in children with overweight/obesity (OW/OB), as reliable and valid assessments of FCR are essential to better understand the role of this critical mechanism in behavioral interventions. The present study examined the relationship between five measures of FCR in a sample of 111 children with OW/OB (mean age = 10.6, mean BMI percentile = 96.4; 70% female; 68% white; 23% Latinx). Assessments included: objectively measured eating in the absence of hunger (EAH), parasympathetic activity when exposed to food, parent reported food responsiveness subscale from the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ-FR), child self-reported Power of Food total score (C-PFS), and child self-reported Food Cravings Questionnaire total score (FCQ-T). Statistically significant spearman correlations were found between EAH and CEBQ-FR (ρ = 0.19, p < 0.05) and parasympathetic reactivity to food cues with both C-PFS (ρ = −0.32, p = 0.002) and FCQ-T (ρ = −0.34, p < 0.001). No other associations were statistically significant. These relationships remained significant in subsequent linear regression models controlling for child age and gender. The lack of concordance between measures assessing highly conceptually related constructs is of concern. Future studies should seek to elucidate a clear operationalization of FCR, examine the associations between FCR assessments in children and adolescents with a range of weight statuses, and evaluate how to best revise these measures to accurately reflect the latent construct being assessed.

BACKGROUND: Female adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors face higher infertility and pregnancy risks than peers with no cancer history. Preconception health behaviors such as physical activity (PA), tobacco smoking, and alcohol intake influence reproductive outcomes. In general populations, pregnancy intention is positively associated with healthy preconception behaviors, but it has not been studied among AYA survivors. The authors hypothesized that higher pregnancy intention would be associated with healthier behaviors, especially among AYA survivors with perceived infertility risk. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with data collected between 2013 and 2017 from 1071 female AYA survivors aged 18 to 39 years who had completed their primary cancer treatment and enrolled in an ovarian function study. Self-reported intention dimensions were measured as a pregnancy intention score (PIS) and trying now to become pregnant. Multivariable linear (PA), binary (smoking), and ordinal (alcohol use) logistic regressions were used to estimate associations between intentions and preconception behaviors, with adjustments made for demographic and cancer characteristics. Effect modification by perceived infertility risk was assessed. RESULTS: The mean PIS was 1.1 (SD, 0.77) on a 0 to 2 scale (2 = high intention), and 8.9% were attempting pregnancy now. A higher PIS was associated with increased PA (β, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.11-1.04), whereas ambivalence in pregnancy intention was associated with lower alcohol consumption (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.95). Pregnancy intentions were not associated with smoking. Perceived infertility risk strengthened the relationship between PIS and PA (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy intentions were associated with some healthier preconception behaviors in AYA survivors. Medical professionals caring for AYA survivors may consider pregnancy intention screening to guide conversations on preconception health.

Understanding eating behaviors that contribute to overweight and obesity (OW/OB) is an important public health objective. One eating behavior known to contribute to overeating is eating in the absence of hunger (EAH). The Eating in the Absence of Hunger Questionnaire for Children was developed to assess external events and internal experiences that lead children to overeat. Despite the measure's adaptation for use with adults (i.e., EAH-A), its psychometric properties within this population have not been explored. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the EAH-A in sample of 311 treatment-seeking adults with OW/OB (mean BMI = 34.5 [5.1]; mean age = 46.3 [12.1]; 81.7% female; 20.6% Latinx, 59.2% white). The EAH-A contains 14 items and assesses three domains: negative affect eating (EAH-NAE), external eating, and fatigue/boredom eating, through two parallel sets of items assessing initiating EAH and continuing EAH. Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed with promax rotation and maximum likelihood factor extraction. Results supported a unitary factor of EAH, with scale responses driven by EAH-NAE items. Results may be explained in part by scale structure and domain imbalance favoring EAH-NAE items, or the true internal structure of EAH may consist of a singular latent construct. Follow-up analyses indicated redundancy of the scale's parallel sections. If researchers are primarily interested in EAH-NAE, only the three "start eating" or "keep eating" items may be needed. This study highlights the importance of validating the psychometric properties of a measure within intended populations to ensure interpretations are valid.

ObjectivesTo estimate the effect of menthol use and transitions in use (switching to or from menthol) on short-term and long-term cessation from cigarette smoking and whether this differed across demographic groups (age, sex, race).MethodsWe compared the probability of 30+ day and 12-month abstinence from cigarette smoking by menthol use status using two cohorts of US adult cigarette smokers who attempted to quit smoking in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (wave 1 to wave 3 and wave 2 to wave 4; n=5759), inverse probability of treatment weighting and adjusted risk ratios (aRRs).ResultsUsing menthol (vs non-menthol) prior to a quit attempt decreased the probability of 30+ day abstinence by 28% (aRR=0.78; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.91) and the probability of 12-month abstinence by 53% (aRR=0.65; 95% CI 0.47 to 0.88). Additionally, switching from menthol (vs maintaining menthol use) increased the probability of 30+ day abstinence by 58% (aRR=1.58; 95% CI 1.00 to 2.50) and the probability of 12-month abstinence by 97% (aRR=1.86; 95% CI 0.92 to 3.74). Switching to menthol (vs maintaining non-menthol use) was associated with a lower probability of 30+ day (aRR=0.70; 95% CI 0.42 to 1.16) and 12-month abstinence (aRR=0.64; 95% CI 0.30 to 1.36), but these associations were imprecise. The effects of menthol use on impaired quitting were slightly larger for non-Hispanic Black smokers, but not different for other demographic groups.ConclusionThese results demonstrate that menthol impaired menthol smokers’ attempts to quit smoking but switching from menthol improved success. This suggests that removing menthol may improve menthol smokers’ success during quit attempts.

Food cues are ubiquitous in today's environment; however, there is heterogeneity as to the extent to which these cues impact eating behavior among individuals. This study examines the validity and reliability of the Food Cue Responsivity Scale (FCRS) to assess responsivity to distinct types of food cues. Items gathered from existing measures were combined in the FCRS to reflect two subdomains, uncontrolled eating behavior and cognitive rumination. The criterion validity of the FCRS was established using a paradigm that assesses psychophysiological responsivity to a craved food among adults with overweight or obesity. Higher overall FCRS scores were associated with greater physiological responsivity to food exposures. These findings may help identify specific phenotypes of individuals with overweight or obesity with high responsivity to food cues, which could be used to understand overeating and response to weight-loss programs.

Several studies suggest poorer episodic memory among adults with overweight (OW) relative to those with healthy weight (HW); however, few have used food stimuli. To understand the salience of food-related items when assessing memory, we adapted an episodic memory task, by replacing some non-food words with snack foods. Participants were 96 weight-loss seeking adults with OW compared to 48 adults with HW from the community matched on age, gender, ethnicity, and education. Overall memory ability was similar, although a trend showed the adults with HW performed better than adults with OW on immediate recall (d = 0.32, p = 0.07). However, there were clear differences in the use of learning strategies. Adults with HW utilized sematic clustering more effectively than adults with OW during all test phases (ds = 0.44-0.62; ps ≤ 0.01). Adults with HW also utilized serial clustering more effectively (d = 0.51; p 0.01). Adults with HW showed better semantic clustering for both food and non-food words during immediate and short delay recall (ds = 0.42-0.78; ps ≤ 0.01) but semantic clustering was only better for the non-food category at long delay (d = 0.55; p 0.01). These results show that adults with OW utilized less efficient learning strategies throughout the task and food-related content may impact learning. Clinically, these findings may suggest that weight-loss treatments should consider incorporating the teaching of learning and memory strategies to help increase utilization of new skills.

The Translational Machine (TM) is a machine learning (ML)-based analytic pipeline that translates genotypic/variant call data into biologically contextualized features that richly characterize complex variant architectures and permit greater interpretability and biological replication. It also reduces potentially confounding effects of population substructure on outcome prediction. The TM consists of three main components. First, replicable but flexible feature engineering procedures translate genome-scale data into biologically informative features that appropriately contextualize simple variant calls/genotypes within biological and functional contexts. Second, model-free, nonparametric ML-based feature filtering procedures empirically reduce dimensionality and noise of both original genotype calls and engineered features. Third, a powerful ML algorithm for feature selection is used to differentiate risk variant contributions across variant frequency and functional prediction spectra. The TM simultaneously evaluates potential contributions of variants operative under polygenic and heterogeneous models of genetic architecture. Our TM enables integration of biological information (e.g., genomic annotations) within conceptual frameworks akin to geneset-/pathways-based and collapsing methods, but overcomes some of these methods' limitations. The full TM pipeline is executed in R. Our approach and initial findings from its application to a whole-exome schizophrenia case-control data set are presented. These TM procedures extend the findings of the primary investigation and yield novel results.

ImportanceMenthol may make cigarette smoke less aversive and could lead youth to smoke more frequently and become more dependent on nicotine.ObjectiveTo assess the association of menthol use with cigarette smoking frequency and nicotine dependence (ND) among youth cigarettes users.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study used a pooled sample of cohorts of US youth (aged 12-17 years at their baseline and follow-up interviews) in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (September 2013 to November 2019). Household interviews were conducted using audio computer-assisted self-interviews. US youth who were past-30-day cigarette smokers at any of wave 2 through wave 5, completed the preceding survey (eg, wave 2 past-30-day cigarette smokers completed wave 1), and indicated whether they used menthol cigarettes were eligible. The association of menthol use with smoking frequency and ND was estimated using inverse probability of treatment weighting adjusted mean differences (aMDs), adjusted risk ratios (aRRs), and corresponding 95% CIs. Data were analyzed from December 2021 to March 2022.ExposuresMenthol use and transitions in use (switching to or from menthol cigarettes).Main outcomes and measuresMain outcomes were the number of days smoked in the past 30 days, the risk of frequent smoking (smoking ≥20 days in the past 30 days), and symptoms of ND.ResultsThere were a total of 1492 observations among 1096 US youth cigarette smokers, of whom 49.4% were female, 67.2% were non-Hispanic White, and 28.7% were aged 12 to 14 years at their baseline survey (all percentages are weighted). Among those who switched from not smoking to smoking (61% of the sample), menthol use was associated with smoking on 3.1 additional days (aMD; 95% CI, 1.9 to 4.2 days), 59% higher risk of being a frequent smoker (aRR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.06), and 10% higher ND scores (aMD, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.17). Switching from smoking menthol to smoking nonmenthol (vs maintaining menthol use) was associated with smoking on 3.6 fewer days (aMD; 95% CI, -6.3 to -0.9 days) and 47% lower risk of being a frequent smoker (aRR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.92).Conclusions and relevanceThese findings suggest that the addition of menthol to cigarettes is associated with increased smoking frequency and ND among US youth.

ImportanceThe inclusion of graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packs is recommended for tobacco control but has not yet been implemented in the US. It is unknown whether and to what extent the inclusion of GWLs on cigarette packs affects smokers' willingness to display the packs in public.ObjectiveTo determine whether the inclusion of GWLs on cigarette packs affects pack-hiding behavior among smokers in social settings.Design, setting, and participantsThis community-based randomized clinical trial assessed smokers' real-world experience of using cigarettes repackaged to include GWLs (GWL packs) compared with standard US packs and blank packs over a 3-month intervention period with 12 months of follow-up between September 6, 2016, and December 3, 2019. The study included 357 participants aged 21 to 65 years from San Diego County, California, who smoked 5 or more cigarettes per day, were not actively planning to quit smoking, were not pregnant, and had no unstable medical conditions. Participants purchased and received cigarette packs through the study website.InterventionsDuring the 1-month run-in period, participants received their usual US cigarette packs. During the 3-month intervention period, participants were randomized to receive GWL packs (study-manufactured packs with 3 rotating images under license from the Commonwealth of Australia; GWL pack group), blank packs (study-manufactured packs devoid of industry marketing imagery; blank pack group), or standard US packs (US pack group).Main outcomes and measuresPack hiding was queried daily (with participants reporting behavior within the last 4 hours) and weekly via interactive text messages during the 1-month run-in and intervention periods. Self-reported smoking behavior was biochemically validated.ResultsAmong 357 enrolled participants, the mean (SD) age was 39.3 (11.8) years; 195 participants (54.6%) were female, 40 (11.2%) were Hispanic, 243 (68.1%) were non-Hispanic White, and 74 (20.7%) were of other non-Hispanic races (including American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, or multiracial). A total of 18 987 cigarette packs were purchased and delivered during the run-in and intervention periods. Daily querying showed that the inclusion of GWLs on cigarette packs increased the percentage of smokers who hid their packs at least some of the time from 41.3% (95% CI, 39.6%-43.0%) during the run-in period to 57.1% (95% CI, 55.9%-58.1%) by the end of the intervention period. In the postintervention period, returning to standard US packs reduced pack-hiding behavior to the levels observed during the run-in period. Pack hiding remained at run-in levels for both the blank pack group (35.2%; 95% CI, 33.6%-36.8%) and the US pack group (41.4%; 95% CI, 39.7%-43.1%]) throughout the study. Although even participants in the GWL group with the lowest prestudy tendency to conceal score (ie, 1) had a mean (SE) probability of pack hiding during the intervention of 0.84 (0.02), this group's probability of pack hiding decreased to a mean (SE) of 0.43 (0.03) after intervention. When social reactions to packs were queried at the end of the study, the modal response from participants in the GWL pack group was observers' aversive reactions to the packs, whereas the modal response from participants in the blank pack group was observers' positive interest in the study. Neither smoking prevalence nor consumption differed by group at any point in the study.Conclusions and relevanceIn this randomized clinical trial, receiving cigarettes in GWL packs vs blank packs increased pack-hiding behavior in social settings, which may be associated with aversive reactions from observers. However, 12-month smoking behavior did not change.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02676193.

OBJECTIVES:To identify how the 2017 rapid surge in sales of JUUL e-cigarettes affected usage among US youth and young adults.METHODS:Annual surveys in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study assess tobacco use by product and brand among the US population. We identified 2 cohorts aged 14 to 34 years, 1 with baseline survey in 2014 before the rapid surge of JUUL and the other in 2017 as the surge in JUUL sales was occurring. For 5 age groups, we compared 2-year incidence of first tobacco use and of new-onset daily tobacco use by product, and report levels of dependence.RESULTS:Sociodemographic variables and rates of experimentation with any tobacco product were similar between cohorts. Among baseline nondaily tobacco users, only those aged 14 to 17 years had an increase in the 2-year incidence of new daily tobacco use (2014 cohort = 4.8%, 95% confidence interval 4.3, 5.5 vs 2017 cohort = 6.3%, 95% confidence interval 5.8–7.0) to rates approaching those in the 1990s. In 2019, three-quarters of new daily tobacco users aged 14 to 17 vaped daily and had e-cigarette dependence scores similar to daily cigarette smokers and older adult e-cigarette vapers. We estimate that about 600 000 Americans aged CONCLUSIONS:The surge in US JUUL sales was associated with a sharp rise in daily e-cigarette vaping and daily tobacco use among US youth, not young adults.

Behavioral weight loss (BWL) programs result in weight loss for some, but most individuals regain the weight. The behavioral susceptibility theory proposes that genetically determined appetitive traits, such as food responsiveness (FR) and satiety responsiveness (SR), interact with the environment and lead to overeating and weight gain; the regulation of cues (ROC) intervention was developed specifically to target FR and SR.To evaluate the efficacy of ROC, ROC combined with BWL (ROC+), BWL, and an active comparator (AC) over 12 months of treatment and 12 months of follow-up.This randomized clinical trial was conducted from December 2015 to December 2019 in a university clinic. A total of 1488 volunteers from the community inquired about the study; 1217 were excluded or declined to participate. Eligibility criteria included body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 45, age 18 to 65 years, and lack of comorbidities or other exclusionary criteria that would interfere with participation. Data were analyzed from September 2021 to January 2022.ROC uniquely targeted FR and SR. BWL included energy restriction, increasing physical activity, and behavior therapy techniques. ROC+ combined ROC with BWL. AC included mindfulness, social support, and nutrition education.Change in body weight as measured by BMI.A total of 271 adults (mean [SD] age, 46.97 [11.80] years; 81.6% female [221 participants]; mean [SD] BMI, 34.59 [5.28]; 61.9% White [167 participants]) were assessed at baseline, midtreatment, posttreatment, and 6-month and 12-month follow-up. Sixty-six participants were randomized to AC, 69 to ROC, 67 to ROC+, and 69 to BWL. Results showed that ROC, ROC+, and BWL interventions resulted in significantly lower BMI at the end of treatment (BMI ROC, -1.18; 95% CI, -2.10 to -0.35; BMI ROC+, -1.56; 95% CI, -2.43 to -0.67; BMI BWL, -1.58; 95% CI, -2.45 to -0.71). Compared with BWL, BMI at the end of treatment was not significantly different from ROC or ROC+ (BMI ROC, 0.40; 95% CI, -0.55 to 1.36; BMI ROC+, 0.03; 95% CI, -0.88 to 0.93); however, the BMI of the AC group was substantially higher (BMI AC, 1.58; 95% CI, 0.72 to 2.45). BMI reductions at 24 months after randomization were similar for ROC, ROC+, and BWL. Importantly, FR was a moderator of treatment effects with more weight loss for participants who scored higher in FR in the ROC and ROC+ groups.These findings suggest that ROC and ROC+ provide alternative weight loss approaches for adults. These models could be particularly effective for individuals who struggle with FR and could be used as a precision approach for weight loss.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02516839.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are the preferred smoking-cessation aid in the United States; however, there is little evidence regarding long-term effectiveness among those who use them. We used the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study to compare long-term abstinence between matched US smokers who tried to quit with and without use of e-cigarettes as a cessation aid. We identified a nationally representative cohort of 2,535 adult US smokers in 2014–2015 (baseline assessment), who, in 2015–2016 (exposure assessment), reported a past-year attempt to quit and the cessation aids used, and reported smoking status in 2016–2017 (outcome assessment; self-reported ≥12 months continuous abstinence). We used propensity-score methods to match each e-cigarette user with similar nonusers. Among US smokers who used e-cigarettes to help quit, 12.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 9.1%, 16.7%) successfully attained long-term abstinence. However, there was no difference compared with matched non–e-cigarette users (cigarette abstinence difference: 2%; 95% CI: −3%, 7%). Furthermore, fewer e-cigarette users were abstinent from nicotine products in the long term (nicotine abstinence difference: −4%; 95% CI: −7%, −1%); approximately two-thirds of e-cigarette users who successfully quit smoking continued to use e-cigarettes. These results suggest e-cigarettes may not be an effective cessation aid for adult smokers and, instead, may contribute to continuing nicotine dependence.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a brief telephone-delivered Motivational Interviewing (MI)-based intervention to facilitate engagement in evidence-based cessation treatment for Veterans with mental illness referred to smoking cessation treatment. Methods 86 military Veteran smokers with mental illness were recruited from a tobacco cessation consult clinic and randomized to receive either a MI-based treatment engagement intervention (TE; n = 48) or a non-MI assessment and information control (CON; n = 38) condition. Intervention was delivered during a single brief telephone contact. Primary engagement outcomes were 1) attending a treatment session within 30 days and 2) combination treatment (attending session plus using pharmacotherapy). Cessation outcomes included self-reported 24 h cessation attempts and 7 day point abstinence at 3 months post-intervention. Outcomes were assessed at 1 and 3 months post intervention. Results Outcome analyses included 85 participants (47 TE, 38 CON) using an intent-to-treat analytic approach. Participants were on average 49.5 (13.4) years old, 88% Male, 59% white, 18% African American and 14% Hispanic/Latino(a). Following intervention delivery TE and CON participants did not differ on likelihood of attending a treatment session during the subsequent 30 days (47% vs 45%, respectively). A significant difference was observed when classified as utilizing combination treatment, 40% of TE versus 18% of CON reported use of smoking cessation medication and behavioral counseling (p = 0.04). No statistical differences were observed for cessation outcomes, although more TE than CON participants reported 7 day point abstinence at 3 months post-intervention (30% vs 18%). Conclusions The present pilot study provides initial evidence for the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of a telephone delivered TE intervention for enhancing engagement in combinationevidence evidence-based treatment in a sample of Veteran smokers with mental illness referred to smoking cessation treatment. Smokers with mental illness typically have greater difficulty stopping smoking than those without mental illness. Increased engagement in combination treatment thus has the potential to increase quit rates and ultimately reduce the burden of tobacco use for this population.

IntroductionMinority children are disproportionately affected by obesity and little is known about how race/ethnicity impacts outcomes in pediatric weight-loss treatment. This study aimed to evaluate whether race/ethnicity affected weight-loss outcomes in a pediatric obesity intervention. Secondary aims included evaluating whether race/ethnicity was associated with energy intake, exercise, program adherence, acceptability, and attendance.MethodsOne hundred fifty parent/child dyads (age 8-12years, BMI% 85-99.9; 32% Hispanic, 24% Non-Hispanic, Non-White, 44% Non-Hispanic White) participated in a randomized control trial evaluating weight loss in family-based behavioral treatment with (FBT) or without child participation (i.e., Parent-Based Treatment, PBT). Assessments occurred at baseline, mid-treatment (month 3), post-treatment (month 6), and follow-up (months 12 and 24). Analyses included linear mixed effect models, linear models, and a negative binomial model.ResultsWeight loss in Hispanic, Non-Hispanic White, and Non-Hispanic, Non-White children was not significantly different by race/ethnicity at months 6, 12, and 24 (p = 0.259) and was similar across both treatments (FBT = - 0.16BMIz; PBT = - 0.21BMIz; p = 0.61). There were no differences in energy intake, physical activity, acceptability ratings, or adherence to treatment (as measured by a post-treatment survey) (p's > 0.123). However, Hispanic families attended fewer treatment visits than Non-Hispanic White families (p = 0.017).ConclusionOn average, children lost weight participating in our pediatric obesity treatment and there was no statistical difference in weight loss between groups. Future research evaluating whether culturally adapted treatments would be more effective for racial/ethnic minorities or whether the personalization inherent in family-based behavioral treatment may be sufficient is needed.

Background Transgender adolescents use vape products (eg, e-cigarettes) at higher rates than cisgender adolescents. Little is known about how these disparities differ from the intersectional perspective of both gender identity and race/ethnicity. Methods We examined disparities in past 30-day vaping frequency at the intersection of gender identity and race/ethnicity among adolescents participating in two pooled waves of the population-based California Healthy Kids Survey (N = 953 445; 2017–2019). Generalized linear mixed models included gender identity-by-race/ethnicity interactions and adjusted for potential confounders. Stratified models quantified relationships between gender identity and vaping within race/ethnicity strata and between race/ethnicity and vaping within gender identity strata. Results Transgender adolescents of color were more likely to report a higher frequency of vaping than cisgender white adolescents. In models stratified by race/ethnicity, transgender adolescents evidenced greater odds of more frequent vaping than cisgender adolescents of the same race/ethnicity; disparities were greatest between transgender and cisgender Black adolescents (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 6.05, 95% CI: 4.76–7.68) and smallest between transgender and cisgender white adolescents (AOR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.06–1.35). In models stratified by gender identity, disparities were greatest between transgender Black and transgender white adolescents (AOR: 2.85, 95% CI: 2.20–3.70) and smallest between transgender multiracial and transgender white adolescents (AOR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.05–1.58). Similar, though less consistent, patterns emerged for adolescents of color unsure of their gender identity relative to cisgender white adolescents. Conclusion Transgender adolescents of color may be especially vulnerable to vaping disparities. Future research should identify and intervene on causal mechanisms undergirding disparities. Implications Research finds that transgender adolescents use vape products at higher rates than their cisgender peers, however, little is known about how patterns of adolescent vaping may differ by both gender identity and race/ethnicity, information needed to inform culturally tailored prevention and control initiatives to decrease adolescent vaping disparities. Our analysis of data from a population-based adolescent health survey finds evidence of magnified disparities in vaping frequency among transgender adolescents of color.

Introduction This study examined the predictive relationships between biomarkers of nicotine exposure and 16-item self-reported level of tobacco dependence (TD) and subsequent tobacco use outcomes. Aims and Methods The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study surveyed adult current established tobacco users who provided urine biospecimens at Wave 1 (September 2013–December 2014) and completed the Wave 2 (October 2014–October 2015) interview (n = 6872). Mutually exclusive user groups at Wave 1 included: Cigarette Only, E-cigarette Only, Cigar Only, Hookah Only, Smokeless Tobacco Only, Cigarette Plus E-cigarette, multiple tobacco product users who smoked cigarettes, and multiple tobacco product users who did not smoke cigarettes. Total Nicotine Equivalents (TNE-2) and TD were measured at Wave 1. Approximate one-year outcomes included frequency/quantity used, quitting, and adding/switching to different tobacco products. Results For Cigarette Only smokers and multiple tobacco product users who smoked cigarettes, higher TD and TNE-2 were associated with: a tendency to smoke more, smoking more frequently over time, decreased likelihood of switching away from cigarettes, and decreased probability of quitting after one year. For other product user groups, Wave 1 TD and/or TNE-2 were less consistently related to changes in quantity and frequency of product use, or for adding or switching products, but higher TNE-2 was more consistently predictive of decreased probability of quitting. Conclusions Self-reported TD and nicotine exposure assess common and independent aspects of dependence in relation to tobacco use behaviors for cigarette smokers. For other product user groups, nicotine exposure is a more consistent predictor of quitting than self-reported TD. Implications This study suggests that smoking cigarettes leads to the most coherent pattern of associations consistent with a syndrome of TD. Because cigarettes continue to be prevalent and harmful, efforts to decrease their use may be accelerated via conventional means (eg, smoking cessation interventions and treatments), but also perhaps by decreasing their dependence potential. The implications for noncombustible tobacco products are less clear as the stability of tobacco use patterns that include products such as e-cigarettes continue to evolve. TD, nicotine exposure measures, and consumption could be used in studies that attempt to understand and predict product-specific tobacco use behavioral outcomes.

Highlights • Patients with the highest burden of disease and health disparities were least likely to be referred to smoking cessation services. • Older patients were more likely to be referred to cessation counseling within the health center instead of the quitline. • Engagement in smoking cessation services are lower in the low income population compared to the general population. • Having insurance coverage was associated with greater engagement in smoking cessation services., Tobacco use disproportionately affects low-income communities. Prevalence among patients in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) is higher (29.3%) than the general population (20%). Little is known about the rates of referrals to cessation services and cessation pharmacotherapy practices in FQHCs. This study will examine referral and prescribing patterns based on patient characteristics at a large FQHC in Southern California. We conducted a retrospective analysis of EHR data from 2019. Patients who were ≥ 18 years old and had “tobacco use” as an active problem were included in analyses. We characterized the proportion of 1) those who were referred to California Smokers’ Helpline (CSH), 2) referred to smoking cessation counseling (SCC) at the FQHC clinic, or 3) received pharmacotherapy. Associations of demographic characteristics and comorbidities with referral types and uptake of services were evaluated using mixed-effects multinomial and logistic regressions. Of the 20,119 tobacco users identified, 87% had some cessation intervention: 66% were advised to quit and given information to contact CSH, while 21% were referred to SCC. Patients were least likely to get referred to cessation services if they had more medical, psychiatric, or substance use comorbidities, were in the lowest income group, were uninsured or were Hispanic. Although EHR systems have enhanced the ease of screening, most patients do not receive more than brief advice to quit during a PCP visit. Most (70%) low-income smokers see their PCPs at least once a year, making FQHCs excellent settings to promote smoking cessation initiatives in low-income populations.

Key Points Question Is switching to e-cigarettes associated with prevention of relapse to cigarette smoking? Findings In this cohort study of a representative sample of US adults, 9.4% of respondents who smoked cigarettes became recent former smokers 1 year later. Switching to any tobacco product including e-cigarettes was associated with an 8.5% increase in relapse to smoking over the next year; this increase in relapse was similar to that seen in individuals who switched to other tobacco products. Meaning Switching to e-cigarettes is not associated with relapse prevention for cigarette smoking in US adults., This cohort study examines the relapse rates for adults who switched from smoking cigarettes to e-cigarettes or other tobacco products vs those who remained tobacco free., Importance Although e-cigarettes are not approved as a cessation device, many who smoke believe that e-cigarettes will help them quit cigarette smoking successfully. Objective To assess whether people who recently quit smoking and who had switched to e-cigarettes or another tobacco product were less likely to relapse to cigarette smoking compared with those who remained tobacco free. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study analyzed a nationally representative sample of US households that participated in 4 waves of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (conducted 2013 through 2017), combining 2 independent cohorts each with 3 annual surveys. Eligible participants were individuals who smoked at baseline, had recently quit at the first follow-up, and completed the second follow-up survey. Exposures Use of e-cigarettes or alternate tobacco products at follow-up 1 after recently quitting smoking. Main Outcomes and Measures Weighted percentage of participants with over 12 months abstinence by follow-up 2. Results Of a total of 13 604 participants who smoked cigarettes at baseline, 9.4% (95% CI, 8.7%-10.0%) recently had quit smoking (mean age, 41.9; 95% CI, 39.7-46.6 years; 641 [43.2%] women) Of these, 22.8% (95% CI, 19.7%-26.0%) had switched to e-cigarettes, with 17.6% (95% CI, 14.8%-20.5%) using them daily. A total of 37.1% (95% CI, 33.7%-40.4%) used a noncigarette tobacco product and 62.9% (95% CI, 59.6%-66.3%) were tobacco free. Rates of switching to e-cigarettes were highest for those who were in the top tertile of tobacco dependence (31.3%; 95% CI, 25.0%-37.7%), were non-Hispanic White (26.4%; 95% CI, 22.3%-30.4%), and had higher incomes (annual income ≥$35 000, 27.5%; 95% CI, 22.5%-32.4% vs

Background Obesity in youth is a significant public health concern, with eating behaviors being a major contributor. The Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) was developed to evaluate the appetitive characteristics of young children, across a myriad of eating domains. Despite the breadth of its use, the psychometric properties of the measure in children with overweight/obesity (OW/OB), particularly treatment seeking youth, remains largely unexplored. Methods The psychometric properties of the CEBQ were examined in a sample of school age children (8-12) with OW/OB. Parent-child dyads (N = 148) completed assessments prior to beginning a family weight management program. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed utilizing polychoric correlations, and emerging subscales were assessed to ensure that the range of response scores demonstrated adequate variability. Indices of the number of factors to be retained included acceleration factor (2), optimal coordinates (4), Velicer's MAP (5) and parallel analysis (11). These indices were used in combination with clinical utility to determine the final factor structure. Results A three-factor structure emerged. The first factor combined many food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, satiety responsiveness and slowness in eating items, with the latter two domains loading negatively. The second factor retained the food fussiness subscale, and the third factor included items from the emotional over- and under-eating subscales. Conclusions These results suggest that in children with OW/OB, eating behaviors may be optimally assessed using three domains: reward-based eating, emotional eating and picky eating. Future research should explore how this structure holds in non-treatment-seeking samples and across wider socio-demographic profiles.

Objective Patients with labor and sex trafficking experiences seek healthcare while and after being trafficked. Their trafficking experiences are often unrecognized by clinicians who lack a validated tool to systematically screen for trafficking. We aimed to derive and validate a brief, comprehensive trafficking screening tool for use in healthcare settings. Methods Patients were randomly selected to participate in this prospective study based on time of arrival. Data collectors administered 5 dichotomous index questions and a reference standard trafficking assessment tool that requires 30 to 60 minutes to administer. Data collection was from June 2016 to January 2021. Data from patients in 5 New York City (NYC) emergency departments (EDs) were used for tool psychometric derivation, and data from patients in a Fort Worth ED were used for external validation. Clinically stable ED adults (aged ≥18 years) were eligible to participate. Candidate questions were selected from the Trafficking Victim Identification Tool (TVIT). The study outcome measurement was a determination of a participant having a lifetime experience of labor and/or sex trafficking based on the interpretation of the reference standard interview, the TVIT. Results Overall, 4127 ED patients were enrolled. In the derivation group, the reference standard identified 36 (1.1%) as positive for a labor and/or sex trafficking experience. In the validation group, 12 (1.4%) were positive by the reference standard. Rapid Appraisal for Trafficking (RAFT) is a new 4‐item trafficking screening tool: in the derivation group, RAFT was 89% sensitive (95% confidence interval [CI], 79%–99%) and 74% specific (95% CI, 73%–76%) and in the external validation group, RAFT was 100% sensitive (95% CI, 100%–100%) and 61% specific (95% CI, 56%–65%). Conclusions The rapid, 4‐item RAFT screening tool demonstrated good sensitivity compared with the existing, resource‐intensive reference standard tool. RAFT may enhance the detection of human trafficking in EDs. Additional multicenter studies and research on RAFT's implementation are needed.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to conduct exploratory analysis to determine if executive functions and food responsiveness/satiety responsiveness (appetitive behaviors that describe one’s tendency to eat in the presence of food or food cues) interact to influence weight status among preschool children participating in a trial promoting self-regulation around energy-dense foods. METHODS: At baseline, parents completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function–Preschool and the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Children completed anthropometric measurements at the preschool. Spearman’s correlation, linear regression, and tests of interaction were conducted. The relationship between weight status and executive functions among those who were high vs. low in food responsiveness and satiety responsiveness was examined. RESULTS: Children (n=92) had a mean age of 5.1 years and BMI percentile of 57.6; half (54%) were male. There were significant correlations between food responsiveness and several executive functions (emotional control, inhibitory control, working memory, and plan/organize). In the stratified analysis, children with high food responsiveness or low satiety responsiveness had higher BMI percentiles as emotional control skills worsened. BMI percentiles were not elevated among children with low food responsiveness and poor emotional control. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that executive functions may be more relevant to weight status if preschool children had high levels of food responsiveness or low levels of satiety responsiveness (i.e., increased tendency to be influenced by environmental food cues). This analysis should be replicated with direct measures of executive function and appetitive behaviors in larger samples of young children to examine longitudinal impact on weight status.

Key Points Question Can graphic warning labels on cigarette packs affect cognitions and smoking behavior among US daily smokers who are not ready to quit smoking? Findings This randomized clinical trial found that graphic warning labels decreased positive perceptions of cigarettes associated with branded cigarette packs but without clearly increasing health concerns. They also increased quitting cognitions but did not affect either cigarette cessation or consumption levels. Meaning Placing graphic warning labels on US cigarette packs did not have an effect on smoking behavior; however, these findings suggest that they may enhance other tobacco control strategies to reduce cigarette smoking., This randomized clinical trial examines whether graphic warning labels on cigarette packs can affect US smokers’ perceptions about their cigarettes or health consequences and changes in smoking behavior., Importance The US Food and Drug Administration’s implementation of graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packs is under challenge in US courts. Objective To determine whether GWLs can affect US smokers’ perceptions about their cigarettes or health consequences and changes in smoking behavior. Design, Setting, and Participants This study was a randomized clinical trial of the effect of a 3-month, real-world experience of cigarettes with GWL packaging. Community recruitment was done from September 2016 through December 2019 of daily smokers from San Diego, California, aged 21 to 65 years, who were not ready to quit. Participants were randomized to purchase and receive cigarettes in 1 of 3 pack designs: GWL, blank, or standard US pack. Data analysis was performed from July 2020 to February 2021. Interventions The study manufactured GWL cigarette packs (3 versions with Australian-licensed images) and packs devoid of marketing. For 3 months, participants purchased GWL, blank, or standard US pack cigarettes that were delivered to their home. Main Outcomes and Measures Smoking-related cognitions and behavior were queried by daily and weekly interactive text messages. Smoking behavior was self-reported before and after the intervention by 96% of randomized participants and was biochemically validated on a subsample. Results The study sample included 357 participants (195 women [54.6%]; mean [SD] age, 39.5 [11.9] years); 116 were randomized to the standard US pack group, 118 were randomized to the GWL pack group, and 125 were randomized to the blank pack group. Over the 3 months, participants who received the GWL packs had reduced positive perceptions of recent cigarettes smoked compared with participants who received the branded US pack (mean difference, −0.46 SD; 95% CI, −0.73 SD to −0.20 SD; P

Disinhibited eating behaviors (e.g., loss of control eating (LOC) and eating in the absence of hunger (EAH)) contribute to overeating and obesity. This study aimed to evaluate whether these traits are related in parent-child dyads and how the reporter of child eating behavior (parent or child) impacts this relationship. Two-hundred and ninety treatment-seeking children, ages 8-13, with overweight or obesity (BMI percentile for age and sex 85-99.9%) and their parents were included. LOC and EAH were assessed by child report for self, parent report for self, and parent report for child. Parent and child disinhibited eating behaviors were related only when parents reported on both their own and their child’s eating behaviors (p-values < 0.04). Child report of LOC and EAH for self was not associated with parent report of LOC and EAH for self (p-values > 0.05). There was a significant interaction between parent’s EAH and BMI as it related to parent report of child EAH (B = 0.02; SE = 0.005; p = 0.004) such that parents with lower BMI reported their own EAH to be lower than parents with higher BMI, but parent report of child EAH was similar regardless of the parent’s BMI. Disinhibited eating behaviors were related only when a single parent reported on both their own and their child’s behavior, suggesting a potential reporting bias. Given that the relation between parent and child disinhibited eating behaviors varies based on who is reporting the child’s behavior, it may be important to consider both parent and child report when designing research studies or in clinical settings while also recognizing potential reporting biases.

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation in the USA from 2017 to 2019, given the 2017 increase in high nicotine e-cigarette sales.MethodsIn 2017, the PATH Cohort Study included data on 3578 previous year smokers with a recent quit attempt and 1323 recent former smokers. Respondents reported e-cigarettes or other products used to quit cigarettes and many covariates associated with e-cigarette use. Study outcomes were 12+ months of cigarette abstinence and tobacco abstinence in 2019. We report weighted unadjusted estimates and use propensity score matched analyses with 1500 bootstrap samples to estimate adjusted risk differences (aRD).ResultsIn 2017, 12.6% (95% CI 11.3% to 13.9%) of recent quit attempters used e-cigarettes to help with their quit attempt, a decline from previous years. Cigarette abstinence for e-cigarette users (9.9%, 95% CI 6.6% to 13.2%) was lower than for no product use (18.6%, 95% CI 16.0% to 21.2%), and the aRD for e-cigarettes versus pharmaceutical aids was −7.3% (95% CI −14.4 to –0.4) and for e-cigarettes versus any other method was −7.7% (95% CI −12.2 to –3.2). Only 2.2% (95% CI 0.0% to 4.4%) of recent former smokers switched to a high nicotine e-cigarette. Subjects who switched to e-cigarettes appeared to have a higher relapse rate than those who did not switch to e-cigarettes or other tobacco, although the difference was not statistically significant.ConclusionsSales increases in high nicotine e-cigarettes in 2017 did not translate to more smokers using these e-cigarettes to quit smoking. On average, using e-cigarettes for cessation in 2017 did not improve successful quitting or prevent relapse.

Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that individual appetitive traits may usefully explain patterns of weight loss in behavioral weight loss treatments for children. The objective of this study was to identify trajectories of child appetitive traits and the impact on child weight changes over time. Methods: Secondary data analyses of a randomized noninferiority trial conducted between 2011–2015 evaluated children’s appetitive traits and weight loss. Children with overweight and obesity (mean age=10.4; mean BMIz=2.0; 67% girls; 32% Hispanic) and their parent (mean age=42.9; mean BMI=31.9; 87% women; 31% Hispanic) participated in weight loss programs and completed assessments at baseline, 3-,6-,12- and 24 months. Repeated assessments of child appetitive traits, including satiety responsiveness, food responsiveness and emotional eating were used to identify parsimonious grouping of change trajectories. Linear mixed-effects models were used to identify the impact of group trajectory on child BMIz change over time. Results: One hundred fifty children and their parent enrolled in the study. The 3-group trajectory model was the most parsimonious and included a high satiety responsive group (HighSR; 47.4%), a high food responsive group (HighFR; 34.6%), and a high emotional eating group (HighEE; 18.0%). Children in all trajectories lost weight at approximately the same rate during treatment, however, only the HighSR group maintained their weight loss during follow-ups while the HighFR and HighEE groups regained weight (adjusted p-value

Recent data regarding growth in concurrent use of nicotine and marijuana have raised concern that reductions in legal restrictions on marijuana use may increase risk for tobacco-related harms. Previous studies have shown cross-sectional links between use of both substances, but less is known about associations over time. The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that there is a bidirectional relationship between use of marijuana and use of tobacco products over time, such that increasing use of either substance would predict increasing use of the other. Participants (n = 391, 52% male) were 18–24 year-old Californians who were non-daily cigarette smokers at enrollment and had never been daily smokers. They reported nicotine/tobacco and marijuana use quarterly over 2 years. Longitudinal negative binomial and logistic regression models indicated that each additional timepoint at which participants reported recent marijuana use predicted 9–11% increases in tobacco quantity and frequency. Additionally, each additional timepoint at which cigarette or tobacco use was reported predicted 19–22% greater marijuana frequency. Data suggest that young adults who use marijuana more frequently are likely at risk for greater tobacco exposure, and vice versa. These findings suggest a need for preventive measures that focus on concurrent use of both substances rather than either individually.

PURPOSE: We provide a US national assessment of youth perceptions of the harm and addictiveness of six separate tobacco products, identifying a continuum of perceived harm associated with a range of products in relation to patterns of current use, former use, and susceptibility to use tobacco products. METHODS: We evaluated youth respondents (N = 13,651) ages 12–17 from Wave 1 (2013–2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Analyses (2015–2016) focused on refining measures of perceived harm for each product and delineating youth characteristics (demographic, tobacco use status) associated with beliefs about the harmfulness and addictiveness of tobacco products. RESULTS: Cigars, hookah and e-cigarettes were each perceived as having significantly lower harm (p's < 0.05) than smokeless products, with the lowest ratings of harmfulness and addictiveness observed for hookah and e-cigarettes (p's < 0.001). Incrementally lower levels of harm and addictiveness perceptions were observed among youth at increasing risk for tobacco use (p's < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among U.S. youth, lower perceptions of harm and addictiveness of tobacco products were associated with susceptibility to use tobacco and patterns of tobacco product use. Future longitudinal assessments from the PATH Study can provide key information on youth development of perceptions of harm and addictiveness and influences on patterns of tobacco use.

Background The acute effects of aerobic exercise on improved mood and anxiety reduction have been demonstrated across clinical and nonclinical populations. Limited work has evaluated the acute effects of aerobic exercise on negative affect, obsessions, and compulsions in patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Method Fifty-five patients (64% female) with treatment-resistant OCD were randomized to either 12 weeks of aerobic exercise (AE) or health education contact (HEC) control. Participants rated negative affect (i.e., mood and anxiety), obsessions and compulsions before and after each weekly AE or HEC session. Multilevel models were constructed to evaluate the effect of intervention condition, treatment week (time), and their interaction in terms of acute change in affect, obsession, and compulsions. Results Results reflected a main effect of condition, such that AE resulted in significantly larger increases in positive mood, and reductions in anxiety and compulsions, as compared to HEC. There was also a main effect of time in predicting acute anxiety reduction, such that linear reductions in anxiety over the course of treatment were observed. No significant effects were observed for acute changes in obsessions. Limitations The sample was small and was limited in demographic heterogeneity. Bouts of aerobic exercise were not standardized in terms of duration and mode, which could impact affective response to exercise, and acute affective OCD effects were exclusively self-reported. Discussion The current findings may help elucidate potential mechanisms of action of exercise on OCD outcomes. In addition, these results point toward the potential of designing exercise interventions that can teach patients to utilize individual bouts of physical activity, “in-the-moment” to improve mood and reduce anxiety and compulsions.

Children with lower inhibitory control have greater weight gain over time and consume more snack food. Our goal was to test whether a pilot program based on enhancing self-regulation in preschool children could decrease consumption of energy-dense foods. Ninety-two preschool children were randomized to the intervention or control group. The intervention was a three-week, play-based program that focused on enhancing executive function skills and decreasing consumption of energy dense snack foods. Controls met for a similar length of time, but focused on dental hygiene, good sleep habits/routines, and physical activity. Primary outcome included calories consumed during the post-intervention “Eating in the Absence of Hunger” paradigm, controlling for baseline calories consumed. Inhibitory control was assessed using the “Day/Night” and “Less is More” tasks. There were no differences in post-intervention calories consumed between groups (p = 0.42). However, post-hoc analysis revealed a significant interaction between group and weight status (p = 0.04). In the intervention group, overweight/obese and healthy weight children consumed a similar number of calories (118.0 kcals vs. 124.1 kcals respectively, p = 0.64). However, in the control group, overweight/obese children consumed more than normal weight children (155.9 kcals vs. 103.6 kcals respectively; p = 0.01). With regards to inhibitory control, post-hoc analysis revealed a significant interaction between group and age (p = 0.03), with younger children in the intervention group scoring higher than younger children in the control group (0.93 vs 0.78 respectively, p = 0.007). No differences were observed between groups among older children (0.93 vs 0.96, p = 0.42). These types of programs for preschool children may help to temper consumption of excess calories among overweight/obese children. Further development and investigation of pediatric programs that prevent consumption of excess calories are warranted. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02077387 .

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a leading cause of disability, affects ~1-2% of the population, and can be distressing and disabling. About 1/3 of individuals demonstrate poor responsiveness to conventional treatments. A small proportion of these individuals may be deep brain stimulation (DBS) candidates. Candidacy is assessed through a multidisciplinary process including assessment of illness severity, chronicity, and functional impact. Optimization failure, despite multiple treatments, is critical during screening. Few patients nationwide are eligible for OCD DBS and thus a multi-center approach was necessary to obtain adequate sample size. The study was conducted over a six-year period and was a NIH-funded, eight-center sham-controlled trial of DBS targeting the ventral capsule/ventral striatum (VC/VS) region. There were 269 individuals who initially contacted the sites, in order to achieve 27 participants enrolled. Study enrollment required extensive review for eligibility, which was overseen by an independent advisory board. Disabling OCD had to be persistent for ≥5 years despite exhaustive medication and behavioral treatment. The final cohort was derived from a detailed consent process that included consent monitoring. Mean illness duration was 27.2 years. OCD symptom subtypes and psychiatric comorbidities varied, but all had severe disability with impaired quality of life and functioning. Participants were randomized to receive sham or active DBS for three months. Following this period, all participants received active DBS. Treatment assignment was masked to participants and raters and assessments were blinded. The final sample was consistent in demographic characteristics and clinical features when compared to other contemporary published prospective studies of OCD DBS. We report the clinical trial design, methods, and general demographics of this OCD DBS sample.

IntroductionGraphic warning labels on cigarette packaging are mandated in 118 countries and are under consideration in the USA. We propose an appeal–aversion assessment tool to help regulators choose among graphic packaging options.MethodsAfter familiarisation with different cigarette packaging, adult daily smokers (n=338) from San Diego, California, USA completed a discrete choice appeal–aversion purchasing task and provided information on nicotine dependence and sociodemographics (2017–2019). The conjoint analysis estimated the importance and price utility for product attributes (ie, packaging, price, tobacco origin and quitline number). The price premiums that smokers would be willing to pay to avoid purchasing graphic packaging were calculated.ResultsAmong purchase determinants, the price was the most important attribute (65.5%), followed by packaging design (27.1%). Compared with blank packaging without marketing, branded industry packs had appeal valuations (US$0.54; 95% CI: US$0.44 to US$0.65), whereas graphic warning packs had aversion valuations that varied with the salience of the image (blindness=−US$2.53, 95% CI: −US$2.76 to −US$2.31; teeth damage=−US$2.90, 95% CI: −US$3.17 to −US$2.63; and gangrenous foot=−US$3.70, 95% CI: −US$4.01 to −US$3.39). The aversion was such that 46.2% of participants were willing to pay a 50+% premium over their current cigarette price to have their branded packs rather than a graphic pack. These appeal–aversion valuations were moderated by sex, income and nicotine dependence (pConclusionsSmokers indicated a willingness to pay substantial premiums to avoid purchasing graphic packaging. Results suggest that mandating graphic warnings on US cigarette packs would induce price aversion and may deter cigarette purchasing. Price valuations from this appeal–aversion tool could be useful for regulators to differentiate between graphic warning labels.

Currently one-third of children in the United States have overweight or obesity (OW/OB). The goal of Healthy People 2020 is to reduce the proportion of children with OW/OB and increase the proportion of primary care visits that include nutrition and weight-related counseling. Unfortunately, many health care providers find it difficult to offer effective weight-related counseling and treatment in the primary care setting. Therefore, new models of care are needed that allow a greater proportion of children with OW/OB and their parents to access care and receive quality weight management treatment. The current paper describes the GOT Doc study which is designed to test the effectiveness of a Guided Self-Help (GSH) model of obesity treatment that can be delivered in the primary care setting compared to a traditional Family-Based Behavioral weight loss treatment (FBT) delivered at an academic center. We will assess the impact of this program on attendance (access to care) and changes in child BMI percentile/z-score. We will also examine the impact of this treatment model on change in child lifestyle behaviors, parent support behaviors, and parent self-efficacy and empowerment to make behavior change. Finally, we will assess the cost-effectiveness of this model on changes in child BMI percentile/z-score. We believe the GSH intervention will be a cost-effective model of obesity management that can be implemented in community practices around the country, thereby increasing access to treatment for a broader proportion of our population and decreasing rates of childhood obesity., Highlights • Effective childhood obesity treatment is not widely available or easily accessible. • Guided Self-Help (GSH) model of treatment has been developed for pediatric obesity. • GSH is easier to implement and can be delivered in the primary care setting. • GSH can increase access to much needed treatment. • Evaluation of its effectiveness in the primary care setting is needed.

Author(s): Stone, Matthew; Strong, David; Dimofte, Claudiu; Brighton, Elizabeth; Oratowski, Jesica; Yang, Tingyi; Alkuzweny, Manar; Asslani, Atean; Velasco, Katherine; Skipworth, Michael; Crespo, Noe C; Hurst, Samantha; Leas, Eric C; Pulvers, Kim; Pierce, John P | Abstract: ObjectiveTo identify whether three types of cigarette pack designs, including three versions of graphic warning label (GWL) plain packs, one GWL absent and branding absent pack (blank) and the smoker's own GWL absent and branding present pack (US), elicit different valence, type and levels of affect.DesignUS daily smokers (n=324) were asked to handle each of the five pack types and 'think aloud' their reactions. To avoid a muted familiarity response, exposure to their own US pack followed exposure to at least one GWL plain pack. Reactions were scored on a reactivity scale (-3 to +3) and the text was coded for speech polarity (-1 to +1) and emotive word frequency.ResultsReactivity scores had excellent inter-rater reliability (agreement ≥86%; intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.89) and were correlated with speech polarity (r=0.21-0.37, pl0.001). When considering their US pack, approximately two-thirds of smokers had a low (31.5%) to medium (34.6%) positive response (reactivity=1.29; polarity=0.14) with expressed feelings of joy and trust. Blank packaging prompted a largely (65.4%) neutral response (reactivity=0.03; polarity=0.00). The gangrenous foot GWL provoked mostly medium (46.9%) to high (48.1%) negative responses (reactivity=-2.44; polarity=-0.20), followed by neonatal baby (reactivity=-1.85; polarity=-0.10) and throat cancer (reactivity=-1.76; polarity=-0.08) warnings. GWLs varied in their elicitation of disgust, anger, fear and sadness.ConclusionInitial reactions to GWL packs, a blank pack, and smokers' current US pack reflected negative, neutral, and positive affect, respectively. Different versions of the GWL pack elicited different levels and types of immediate negative affect.

Objective Models such as family-based treatment (FBT), delivered to both the parent and child, are considered the most efficacious intervention for children with obesity. However, recent research suggests that parent-based treatment (PBT; or parent-only treatment) is noninferior to FBT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative costs of the FBT and PBT models. Methods A total of 150 children with overweight and obesity and their parents were randomized to one of two 6-month treatment programs (FBT or PBT). Data was collected at baseline, during treatment, and following treatment, and and trial-based analyses of the costs were conducted from a health care sector perspective and a limited societal perspective. Results Results suggest that PBT, compared with FBT, had lower costs per parent-child dyad from the health care sector perspective (PBT = $2,886; FBT = $3,899) and from a limited societal perspective (PBT = $3,231; FBT = $4,279). Conclusions These findings suggest that a PBT intervention has lower costs and is noninferior to an FBT intervention for both child and parent weight loss.

BackgroundMulticomponent family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) program for pediatric obesity includes nutrition and physical activity education, as well as behavior therapy techniques. Studies suggest that parent weight loss is the best predictor of child weight loss in FBT. However, given the important role that parents play in the implementation of FBT for their child, isolating the effects of specific FBT treatment component requires consideration of parent influences over time.MethodsThe following treatment components were assessed: stimulus control (high/low-fat food items in home), nutrition knowledge, energy intake, physical activity, and parental monitoring, as well as weekly anthropometric measures. Adjusted models of interest using inverse probability weights were used to evaluate the effect of specific FBT components on time-varying child weight loss rate, adjusting for time-varying influence of parent weight loss.ResultsOne hundred thirty-seven parent-child dyads (CHILD: mean BMI = 26.4 (3.7) and BMIz = 2.0 (0.3); mean age = 10.4 (1.3); 64.1% female; ADULT: mean BMI = 31.9 (6.3); mean age = 42.9 (6.5); 30.1% Hispanic parents; 87.1% female) participated in an FBT program. In traditional model, adult BMI change (b = 0.08; p 0.1). In models that accounted for potential influences from parental weight loss and differential attendance during treatment period, lower availability of high-fat items (b = 1.10, p

The purpose of this study was to use item response theory to assess a brief measure of problematic smartphone use among high school students, using the 2017-18 California Student Tobacco Survey (CSTS) collected from 119,981 students who own a smartphone across 256 high schools in California. An exploratory factor analysis supported two factors that represented problematic smartphone use and concurrent behavioral issues, explaining 47% of the variance. Item response modeling demonstrated good item discrimination for problematic smartphone use (a > 1.15) and valuable test information for respondents within two standard deviations of the sample mean. Students who reported a score of 3 (somewhat agree) or 4 (agree) on each problematic smartphone use item accounted for 22% (n ​= ​25,997) of the student population who owned smartphones in our sample. Concurrent and criterion validity were found as problematic smartphone use significantly predicted smartphone use instead of sleep (b ​= ​0.35, 95% CI [0.34, 0.36], p ​

Background The US lags behind >120 countries in implementing graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packs. US courts prevented implementation of FDA's 2012 rule requiring GWLs citing the need for more evidence on effectiveness. After more research, in 2020, the FDA proposed a revised rule mandating GWLs. This trial will test how the introduction of GWLs influence cognitions and behavior in US smokers. Method To investigate the “real-world” impact of GWLs in US smokers, we are conducting a randomized trial involving a 3-month intervention and 8-month follow-up. The study recruited California smokers between September 2016 through December 2019 and randomly assigned them into 3 groups (1) Blank Pack devoid of any cigarette branding; (2) GWL Pack featuring 1 of 3 rotating images added to blank pack; or (3) their usual Standard US Pack. Throughout the 3-month intervention, participants purchased study-packaged cigarettes and reported daily cognitions and behavior through ecological momentary assessments. We will validate self-reported tobacco use with saliva cotinine concentrations following the 3-month intervention and 8-month follow-up. Results The trial enrolled 359 participants (average age 39 years; average cigarette consumption half a pack/day). The 3 study groups were balanced on age, gender, race-ethnicity, education and income (17% low income) as well as on smoking related variables. Conclusions This 3-month real-world randomized trial will test the effect of repackaging cigarettes from standard US packs to GWL plain packs on smokers' perceptions of the risks of smoking, their perception of the appeal of their cigarettes, and on their smoking behavior., Highlights • The efficacy of Graphic Warning Labels (GWLs) on Cigarette Packs has been disputed in US courts. • This trial randomly assigned US smokers to receive cigarettes in one of three study pack groups. • Study packs were:1-Blank Pack devoid of tobacco imagery; 2-GWL Pack; 3- Standard US pack. • We assessed smoking cognitions and behavior pre-randomization and during the intervention. • Smoking behavior is validated by saliva cotinine.

INTRODUCTION: Increasing marijuana use among young adults is a concern due to substantial acute and chronic health risks. More widespread use of marijuana may also lead to increased use of nicotine and tobacco products. California legalized commercial sales of marijuana for recreational use as of January 2018. To our knowledge no studies to date have examined subsequent changes in marijuana use. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that marijuana use frequency increased following legalization of recreational sales. We also hypothesized that increased marijuana frequency would predict greater frequency of nicotine/tobacco consumption. METHODS: The study was a secondary analysis of a longitudinal study of tobacco use among non-daily cigarette smokers. Participants were 563 young adults (aged 18–24) enrolled in 2015–16 and followed quarterly for 3 years. RESULTS: A piecewise multilevel regression model indicated that marijuana use frequency did not change over time, including following legalization. More frequent use was associated with younger age and identifying as white (ps

Introduction Cigarette advertising is a causal agent of smoking uptake among young people. Although prior research links ad receptivity to tobacco product interest and use, little is known regarding the specific advertising tactics associated with increased product appeal among young people. Methods A national sample of 13–20 year-olds (N = 3688, youth) and 21–24 year-olds (N = 1556, young adults) in the US participated in an online survey in 2017 (mean age 18.1 years). The majority (72.0%) of youth and nearly half (44.8%) of young adults were never smokers. Participants were shown a cigarette ad, randomly assigned from a pool of 50 advertisements, and reported how much they liked the ad, and were curious about and interested in using the advertised product. All 50 advertisements were content analyzed for a variety of features. Data from the survey and content analysis were merged and mixed effects analyses used to identify the features associated with increased liking, curiosity, and interest in using, referred to collectively as product appeal. Results Presence of a sweepstakes offer was associated with increased liking, curiosity and interest among youth and curiosity and interest among young adults. Outdoors settings, flora imagery, natural descriptors, and environmental themes were associated with increased appeal. Price reductions (eg, coupons) were associated with decreased appeal among youth. Conclusions This study identified several advertising tactics associated with increased appeal among youth and young adults. If additional research confirms these findings, the U.S. Food and Drug Association should consider restricting use of these tactics in tobacco advertising. Implications This study's findings provide insight into features of cigarette ads that appeal to youth and young adults. Overall, the presence of sweepstakes appealed to youth and young adults and outdoors and environmental themes were particularly appealing to young adults. Such tactics could serve to further brand engagement, improve brand image and lead to initiation or escalation of use. If confirmatory studies further demonstrate the effects of the tactics identified in this study on youth product appeal, U.S. Food and Drug Administration should consider using its authority to restrict the use of youth-appealing tactics.

Early weight loss (rapid response [RR]) is associated with better outcomes in adults. Less is known about RR in children enrolled in weight-loss treatment. The aim of the current study was to establish an RR weight-loss threshold following 4 weeks of pediatric obesity treatment and identify characteristics associated with achieving RR. One hundred thirty-seven children aged 8 to 12 with overweight/obesity and parents participated in 6 months of family-based or parent-based treatment. Receiver operating characteristic curves evaluated how weight loss at week 4 related to decreases of 5% at posttreatment and 10% at 6- and 18-month follow-ups of standardized body mass index (BMIz), percentage distance of a child's BMI from the median BMI for sex and age, and percentage above the 95th percentile. Weight loss of 2.4% to 3.4% at week 4 predicted 5% change at posttreatment (AUC's = .68-.75; P's ≤ .002) and 10% change at 6-month follow-up (AUC's = .63-.70; P's ≤ .02). No model was significant at 18-month follow-up. Amount of parent weight (lbs) change at week 4 was associated with child achieving RR. Males and Non-Hispanic Whites were more likely to achieve RR. This threshold could be used to mark early significant progress and guide clinical evaluations of treatment response to paediatric obesity treatment.

Objectives To examine: (1) How perceptions of harm for seven non-cigarette tobacco products predict subsequent use; (2) How change in use is associated with changes in perceptions of product harm; (3) Whether sociodemographic variables moderate the association between perceptions and use. Methods Data are from the adult sample (18+) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort survey conducted September 2013-December 2014 (Wave 1 (W1) n = 32,320) and October 2014-October 2015 (Wave 2 (W2) n = 28,362). Results Wave 1 users and non-users of e-cigarettes, filtered cigars, cigarillos, and pipes, who perceived these products as less harmful had greater odds of using the product at W2. For the other products, there was an interaction between W1 perceived harm and W1 use status in predicting W2 product use. At W2, a smaller percentage of U.S. adults rated e-cigarettes as less harmful than cigarettes compared to W1 (41.2% W1, 29.0% W2). Believing non-cigarette products to be less harmful than cigarettes was more strongly associated with subsequent product use in the oldest age group (55+ years) while weaker effects were observed in the youngest age group (18–24 years). This moderating effect of age was significant for e-cigarettes, hookah, traditional cigars, and cigarillos. Conclusions Strategies to prevent initiation and promote cessation of these products may benefit from understanding and addressing perceptions of these products.

We previously developed a distress tolerance (DT)-based treatment that showed promising results for smokers with a history of early lapse. In the current study, we conducted a randomized controlled trial of this DT treatment for a general population of smokers not limited to those with a history of early lapse. We randomized 116 participants (41% female) to DT or standard treatment (ST). Both treatments included 1 individual session during Week 1 followed by 7 group sessions during Weeks 2-9 (quit date at Session 4), two 20-min phone sessions, and 8 weeks of transdermal nicotine patch. Results indicated no significant differences between conditions in the primary outcome of biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence or in time to 1st lapse. Verified abstinence rates in DT were 38.7%, 38.7%, 46.77%, 40.32%, 20.9%, and 17.7% versus 40.7%, 37.0%, 53.7%, 44.4%, 33.3%, and 22.2% in ST at 1, 2, 4, 8, 13, and 26 weeks postquit, respectively. Additionally, we found no significant moderators of treatment efficacy and few differences in treatment process variables. These findings stand somewhat in contrast to those in our previous study and other recent studies of similar acceptance-based treatments. However, differences in methodology, inclusion of nicotine replacement therapy in both treatment conditions, and strict inclusion-exclusion criteria that excluded many smokers with affective vulnerabilities may underlie this discrepancy. Future research should evaluate the utility of DT and other acceptance-based treatments in populations with affective vulnerabilities who might specifically benefit from a DT-based approach. (PsycINFO Database Record