Medicare Agent News: Research Roundup - DNPAO Publication List

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DNPAO Publication List - First Quarter 2021

Increased BMI Worsens COVID-19 Outcomes

A report published in March supports previous findings that increased body mass index (BMI) worsens severe outcomes from COVID-19. The recent analysis included more than 148,000 adults with a COVID-19 diagnosis during emergency department or inpatient hospital visits from March–December 2020. The risk of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death were higher with increasing BMI.

Obesity is a complex metabolic disease with many contributing factors. Healthy eating and active living; neighborhood design; access to nutritious, affordable foods and beverages; and access to safe and convenient places for physical activity can all impact weight and health. The racial and ethnic disparities in obesity underscore the need to address social determinants of health such as poverty, education, and housing to remove barriers to health.

Body Mass Index and risk for COVID-19–related hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death — United States, March–December 2020

Kompaniyets L, Goodman AB, Belay B, Freedman DS, Sucosky MS, Lange SJ, Gundlapalli AV, Boehmer TK, Blanck HM. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:355–361.

Also see:

Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 incidence by age, sex, and period among persons aged <25 years — 16 US jurisdictions, January 1–December 31, 2020

Van Dyke ME, Mendoza MCB, Li W, Parker EM, Belay B, Davis EM, Quint JJ, Penman-Aguilar A, Clarke KEN. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:382–388.

Obesity

States Increase Obesity Prevention Standards in ECE Settings

An assessment of trends in early care and education (ECE) regulations revealed consistent increases in the percentage of included obesity prevention standards nationally. From 2010 to 2018, infant feeding and nutrition standards were most often included, while physical activity and limited screen time were least supported. See state scorecards.

Millions of infants and children are cared for in ECE programs, making it an important setting for building healthy habits and obesity prevention.

A healthy start: National trends in child care regulations and uptake of obesity prevention standards (2010-2018)

Warnock AL, Dooyema C, Blanck HM, Lee SH, Hall K, Geary N, Galuska DA. Child Obes. 2021; 17(3):176-184.

Also see:

A longitudinal comparison of alternatives to CDC BMI Z-scores for children with very high BMIs

Freedman DS, Goodwin Davies AJ, Kompaniyets L, Lange SJ, Goodman AB, Tam Phan TL, Cole FS, Dempsey A, Pajor N, Eneli I, Christakis DA, Forrest CB. J Pediatr. 2021;S0022-3476(21)00211-0.

Physical Activity

Seven Community Strategies to Increase Physical Activity

A recent commentary describes seven proven strategies to increase physical activity. The commentary includes factors to consider when selecting strategies to match community needs.

Active People, Healthy Nation^SM is an initiative to improve the health of 27 million Americans by increasing their level of physical activity. One goal is for communities, government and nongovernmental organizations, and institutions to use proven strategies to increase physical activity.

Delivering physical activity strategies that work: Active People, Healthy Nation^SM

Schmid TL, Fulton JE, McMahon JM, Devlin HM, Rose KM, Petersen R. J Phys Act Health. 2021; 18(4), 352-356.

Also see:

Wearable activity monitor use is associated with the aerobic physical activity guidelines and walking among older adults

Zytnick D, Kumar GS, Folta SC, Reid KF, Tybor D, Chomitz VR. Am J Health Promot. 2021;890117120985834.

Leisure time physical activity throughout adulthood is associated with lower Medicare costs: evidence from the linked NIH-AARP diet and health study cohort

Coughlan D, Saint-Maurice PF, Carlson SA, Fulton J, Matthews CE. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021;7(1):e001038.

Occupational physical activity and cardiovascular disease in the United States

Quinn TD, Yorio PL, Smith PM, Seo Y, Whitfield GP, Barone Gibbs B. Occup Environ Med. 2021;oemed-2020-106948.

Nutrition

Most high school students eat too few fruits, vegetables

The proportion of US high school students meeting federal intake recommendations for fruits and vegetables remained low in 2017. This analysis showed 7% of US high school students consumed enough fruits and 2% consumed enough vegetables to meet recommendations. Consumption across all demographic groups was insufficient to meet dietary recommendations.

Reasons for insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables by adolescents are complex. Adolescents might face barriers to consumption, including high availability of inexpensive, unhealthy food options, lack of taste preference for fruits and vegetables, and lack of home availability.

Percentage of adolescents meeting federal fruit and vegetable intake recommendations - Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, United States, 2017

Lange SJ, Moore LV, Harris DM, Merlo CL, Lee SH, Demissie Z, Galuska DA. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021 Jan 22;70(3):69-74.

Also see:

Associations between food policy councils and policies that support healthy food access: A national survey of community policy supports

Lange SJ, Calancie L, Onufrak SJ, Reddy KT, Palmer A, Warnock AL.Nutrients. 2021;13(2):683.

Retinol-binding protein, retinol, and modified-relative-dose response in Ugandan children aged 12-23 months and their non-pregnant caregivers

Whitehead RD Jr, Ford ND, Mapango C, Ruth LJ, Zhang M, Schleicher RL, Ngalombi S, Halati S, Ahimbisibwe M, Lubowa A, Sheftel J, Tanumihardjo SA, Jefferds ME. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2021; 246(8):906-915.

Relation between timing of high-dose vitamin A supplementation and modified-relative-dose-response values in children 12-23 months in Uganda

Pickens CM, Flores-Ayala R, Ford ND, Whitehead RD, Tanumihardjo SA, Ngalombi S, Halati S, Mapango C. Sheftel J, Jefferd, ME. J Nutr. 2021; 151(4):1025-1028.

An integrated enhanced infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and micronutrient powder intervention improved select IYCF practices among caregivers of children aged 12-23 months in Eastern Uganda

Ford ND, Ruth LJ, Ngalombi S, Lubowa A, Halati S, Ahimbisibwe M, Whitehead RD Jr, Mapango C, Jefferds ME. Curr Dev Nutr. 2021;5(2):nzab003.

A school-based weekly iron and folic acid supplementation program effectively reduces anemia in a prospective cohort of Ghanaian adolescent girls

Gosdin L, Sharma AJ, Tripp K, Amoaful EF, Mahama AB, Selenje L, Jefferds ME, Martorell R, Ramakrishnan U, Addo OY. J Nutr. 2021;nxab024.

Vitamin A deficiency has declined in Malawi, but with evidence of elevated vitamin A in children

Williams AM, Tanumihardjo SA, Rhodes EC, Mapango C, Kazembe B, Phiri F, Kang'ombe DD, Sheftel J, Orchardson V, Tripp K, Suchdev PS. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;113(4):854–64.

Associations between zinc and hemoglobin concentrations in preschool children and women of reproductive age: An analysis of representative survey data from the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project

Greffeuille V, Fortin S, Gibson R, Rohner F, Williams A, Young MF, Houghton L, Ou J, Dijkhuizen MA, Wirth JP, Lander RL, McDonald CM, Suchdev PS, Berger J. Wieringa FT. J Nutr. 2021:nxaa444.

Please Note: DNPAO author names are in bold. The findings and conclusions in these reports are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Access to articles is dependent on journal subscription status. Dates reflect when publications first became available.

Also see a bibliography of publications with DNPAO authors.

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