Health
Low-income teenagers who have supportive role models and engage in adaptive strategies have lower levels of a marker for cardiovascular risk than low-income teens without such resources, according to a new study.
The study, by researchers at Northwestern University and the University of British Columbia, is published in the journal Child Development.
“Low socioeconomic status is one of the strongest determinants of chronic disease in developed countries,” notes Edith Chen, professor of psychology and faculty fellow at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University, who led the study. “This study suggests that teaching low-income youths strategies to reframe stressful events more positively and view the future optimistically, known as shift-and-persist strategies, and encouraging them to connect with supportive role models may help reduce the physiological burden of growing up in poor neighborhoods.”
The study looked at 163 healthy Canadian teens ages 13 to 16 from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.
Researchers asked the youths about their role models, had them complete questionnaires about their coping strategies and their thoughts about the future, and drew blood to assess inflammatory markers that predict cardiovascular risk.
Adolescents from low-income families who had supportive role models had lower levels of the inflammatory marker interleukin-6 than those who didn’t have such models in their lives.
Low-income teens who engaged in shift-and-persist coping strategies also showed lower levels of interleukin-6.
These patterns were not seen in youths from high-income families or in youths from low-income families who didn’t have these resources.
“This suggests that supportive role models promote shift-and-persist strategies and have physiological benefits specifically in low-income youth,” according to Chen.
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California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director Dr. Ron Chapman warned consumers Wednesday not to eat True Taste brand smoked fish products because they may have been improperly produced, making them susceptible to contamination with Clostridium botulinum.
Ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed jarred and canned foods may lead to serious illness and death. No illnesses have been linked to any of the affected products.
True Taste LLC of Kenosha, Wis., is voluntarily recalling all production dates beginning Jan. 1, 2012, of the following varieties of True Taste brand smoked fish: Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout, Hot Smoked Whitefish, Hot Smoked Herring, Hot Smoked Mackerel, Hot Smoked Salmon Steak, Cold Smoked Mackerel and Cold Smoked Whitefish.
The product labels contain a white sticker with two sets of numbers. The first number indicates the processing date; for example, “110512” (Photo of Product Labels and Date Coding).
CDPH is working with the manufacturer and distributors to identify the specific distribution of the recalled fish; however, CDPH has been able to confirm that some of the product was offered for sale through Southern California Albertson’s stores.
Consumers in possession of the recalled products should discard them in the trash.
Botulism toxin is odorless and colorless. Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
The initial symptoms frequently experienced are double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, and dry or sore throat.
Progressive descending paralysis, usually symmetrical, may follow. Additional symptoms may include slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, inability of the neck muscles to support the head; paralysis of the extremities and respiratory muscles may occur.
Infants with botulism appear lethargic, feed poorly, are constipated, have a weak cry, and poor muscle tone.
Consumers with any of these symptoms should contact their health care provider.
For more information, visit http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/Botulism.aspx .
Consumers who observe the product being offered for sale are encouraged to report their findings to the CDPH toll-free complaint line at 800-495-3232.
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