Overeating and binge eating among immigrants in the United States: new terrain for the healthy immigrant hypothesis

Meta-Analysis of Acculturation and Suicide-Related Outcomes: A Test of the Immigrant Paradox

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aimed to systematically test the relation between acculturation and suicide-related outcomes among immigrants, with attention to key methodological (i.e., measure of suicide-related outcome, measure of acculturation) and demographic (i.e., race, gender, age, geographic region, publication year) moderators.

METHOD

We conducted a meta-analysis of 72 independent samples from 50 studies (38 peer-reviewed articles, 12 dissertations) representing more than 1.4 million immigrants. Participants' age ranged from 11.20 to 74.70 years (M = 29.96, SD = 15.07). Random effects models were used for both main and moderation analyses.

RESULTS

We found significant positive associations between acculturation and suicidal ideation, but not suicide attempts and deaths. We also found a significant and positive effect of acculturation on suicide-related outcomes when acculturation was measured by psychological scales, but not by generation status, length of residence in the host country, and proficiency in the host country's language. More acculturated Latinx immigrants were at higher risk for suicide-related outcomes, whereas a reverse pattern was found among Asian immigrants. Meta-regressions revealed that the moderating effects of participants' age and publication year were also significant.

CONCLUSION

Our results show partial support for the immigrant paradox but suggest that the relation between acculturation and suicide-related outcomes is complex and multifaceted. We discuss the implications of our findings and recommendations for research and prevention.

El Sancocho, la Bandera y la Familia: La vida social de los alimentos y sus implicaciones para la salud y el bienestar de los inmigrantes dominicanos

Para comprender mejor los factores que influyen en la salud y el bienestar de los inmigrantes dominicanos, exploramos las formas en que la inmigración influye en las prácticas culturales, el comportamiento de salud y la salud. Los inmigrantes dominicanos (n = 42) participaron en cinco discusiones grupales reflexivas y no estructuradas y (n = 5) participaron en un grupo de fotovoz intergeneracional. La pérdida del contexto familiar y social en el que tradicionalmente se llevan a cabo las prácticas dietéticas dominicanas fue un tema destacado. Para los participantes, comer se convirtió en una actividad apresurada y superficial que involucraba a menos personas y menos socialización. Las prácticas dietéticas en la República Dominicana se establecen en el contexto de las normas familiares y los procesos sociales, que brindan apoyo, así como oportunidades para la socialización y la transmisión de prácticas culturales a través de las generaciones. En los Estados Unidos, las fuerzas sociopolíticas más amplias se enfocan en el individualismo y no apoyan el desarrollo o mantenimiento de patrones culturales para los dominicanos. Las políticas que promueven el equilibrio entre el trabajo y la vida personal pueden tener implicaciones importantes para las prácticas dietéticas en las nuevas comunidades de inmigrantes.

Association between time of residence and self-perception of distress, interpersonal relationships, and social role in Venezuelan immigrants in Lima, Peru 2018-19: mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

Immigrants arriving in a new country face changes that affect their social, employment, and migratory status. We carried out a mixed-methods study in the rapidly growing Venezuelan immigrant population in Lima, Peru. The objective was to determine whether there was an association between time in Peru and self-perception of symptom distress (SD), interpersonal relationships (IR), and social role (SR).

METHODS

The quantitative central component consisted of a cross-sectional study, surveying 152 participants using the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 (OQ-45.2). The qualitative component, based on phenomenology, explored experiences and challenges during the migration process. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in 16 informants.

RESULTS

An association that was observed was the increase in the risk of clinically significant SR score with additional years of age. All informants mentioned having witnessed or experienced xenophobia in Peru. Every informant stated that significant labor differences existed between the countries. The most reported somatic symptoms were symptoms of anxiety and alterations of sleep. Additionally, no informant expressed a desire to remain in Peru long term.

CONCLUSIONS

A minority of participants registered a clinically significant total score and in each of the three domains of SD, IR, and SR. No association between months in Lima and the self-perception of distress was found. However, this could be due to the short amount of time spent in Peru and any change in self-perception might only be perceived after years or decades spent in Peru. This study is one of the first to use mixed-methods to explore the mental health of the immigrant Venezuelan population.

A literature review of dopamine in binge eating

OBJECTIVE

Binge eating, a core diagnostic symptom in binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa, increases the risk of multiple physiological and psychiatric disorders. The neurotransmitter dopamine is involved in food craving, decision making, executive functioning, and impulsivity personality trait; all of which contribute to the development and maintenance of binge eating. The objective of this paper is to review the associations of dopamine levels/activities, dopamine regulator (e.g., dopamine transporter, degrading enzymes) levels/activities, and dopamine receptor availability/affinity with binge eating.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in PubMed and PsycINFO to obtain human and animal studies published since 2010.

RESULTS

A total of 31 studies (25 human, six animal) were included. Among the human studies, there were 12 case-control studies, eight randomized controlled trials, and five cross-sectional studies. Studies used neuroimaging (e.g., positron emission tomography), genetic, and pharmacological (e.g., dopamine transporter inhibitor) techniques to describe or compare dopamine levels/activities, dopamine transporter levels/activities, dopamine degrading enzyme (e.g., catechol-O-methyltransferase) levels/activities, and dopamine receptor (e.g., D1, D2) availability/affinity among participants with and without binge eating. Most human and animal studies supported an altered dopaminergic state in binge eating (26/31, 83.9%); however, results were divergent regarding whether the altered state was hyperdopaminergic (9/26, 34.6%) or hypodopaminergic (17/26, 65.4%). The mixed findings may be partially explained by the variability in sample characteristics, study design, diagnosis criteria, and neuroimaging/genetic/pharmacological techniques used. However, it is possible that instead of being mutually exclusive, the hyperdopaminergic and hypodopaminergic state may co-exist, but in different stages of binge eating or in different individual genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

For future studies to clarify the inconsistent findings, a homogenous sample that controls for confounders that may influence dopamine levels (e.g., psychiatric diseases) is preferable. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate whether the hyper- and hypo-dopaminergic states co-exist in different stages of binge eating or co-exist in individual phenotypes. Binge eating is characterized by eating a large amount of food in a short time and a feeling of difficulty to stop while eating. Binge eating is the defining symptom of binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa, both of which are associated with serious health consequences. Studies have identified several psychological risk factors of binge eating, including a strong desire for food, impaired cognitive skills, and distinct personality traits (e.g., quick action without careful thinking). However, the physiological markers of binge eating remain unclear. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is heavily involved in feeding behavior, human motivation, cognitive ability, and personality. Therefore, dopamine is believed to play a critical role in binge eating. This review synthesized study findings related to the levels and activities of dopamine, dopamine regulators, and dopamine receptors in the context of binge eating. The primary finding is that most studies that used neuroimaging, genetic, or drug techniques found an altered dopaminergic state related to binge eating. However, the literature is inconsistent concerning the direction of the alteration. Considering the mixed findings and the limitations in study design, future studies, especially those that include repeated measurements, are needed to clarify the role of dopamine in binge eating.

Undoing resilience: immigrant status and poor health following incarceration

BACKGROUND

In the United States, foreign-born persons often have better health outcomes than their native-born peers, despite exposure to adversity. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether this pattern extends to the consequences of life events, such as incarceration, that separate immigrants from their supportive networks and increase exposure to adversity. Accordingly, using four waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, hierarchical generalized linear models were used to examine within-individual changes in self-rated health following first incarceration (N = 31,202 person-waves).

RESULTS

The results showed that incarceration was associated with modest health declines that were similar in magnitude for immigrant and native-born persons. Supplemental analyses revealed that these effects did not vary by immigrant race or ethnicity, or by age at immigration. The only exception was for immigrants from low- and middle-income countries, who were marginally less likely to experience health declines following incarceration.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, incarceration appears to be similarly health damaging for immigrants and non-immigrants. These findings raise important questions about how incarceration is linked to health declines for foreign- and native-born populations and emphasize the importance of access to healthcare for individuals released from correctional facilities. More research is needed, however, to further examine the cumulative impacts of incarceration on immigrants' health across the life course, and to assess a broader spectrum of health outcomes.

Health Conditions and Dietary Intake Among Brazilian Immigrants in the United States of America

Immigration can improve economic status and access to education compared to the country of origin, but it challenges access to health and preventive care. Assess Brazilian immigrants' overall health conditions and dietary intake in New Jersey (US). This pilot study assessed health conditions and dietary intake. Brazilians immigrants were interviewed through their communities. Trained dietitians interviewed them using a questionnaire and three days of 24H recall. Dietary intake was analyzed using the Nutrition Data System for Research software. A sample of 118 individuals completed the protocol, majority female and overweight/obese, living in the US for 11.3 years with 21.1% declaring having Noncommunicable Diseases. The average number of daily meals was 2.20 ± 1.04. Energy intake does not correlate with time in the US. Obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension are the most prevalent Noncommunicable Diseases, demanding interventions that include managing saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium intake.

El Sancocho, la Bandera y la Familia: The Social Life of Food and its Implications for Dominican Immigrant Health and Well-Being

In order to better understand factors that influence the health and well-being of Dominican immigrants, we explored the ways in which immigration influences cultural practices, health behavior, and health. Dominican immigrants (n = 42) took part in five reflective and unstructured group discussions and (n = 5) participated in an intergenerational photovoice group. The loss of the familial and social context in which Dominican dietary practices traditionally take place was a salient theme. For participants, eating became a rushed, perfunctory activity involving fewer people and less socializing. Dietary practices in the Dominican Republic are set in the context of familial norms and social processes, which provide support as well as opportunities for socializing and the transmission of cultural practices across generations. In the United States, broader sociopolitical forces are guided by individualism and do not support the development or maintenance of these factors for Dominicans. Policies that promote work-life balance may have important implications for dietary practices in new immigrant communities.

State of the Art: the Not-So-Great Wall of America

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This paper aims to review the literature regarding the impact of Donald Trump's candidacy and presidency on the health of immigrants in America.

RECENT FINDINGS

The increase in detentions of alleged undocumented immigrants under the Trump presidency, especially his administration's attempts to detain children apart from their families, have placed thousands into conditions that can have long-lasting physical and mental health effects. Similarly, the Trump administration's efforts to increase deportations and restrict legal immigration has lead to immigrants' seeking fewer health-care resources for fear of jeopardizing their or their loved ones' chances of remaining in this country. The rhetoric used and policies pursued by Donald Trump have had a measurable adverse impact on the health of documented and undocumented immigrants in America.

Trends in cannabis use among immigrants in the United States, 2002-2017: Evidence from two national surveys

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Findings from recent studies suggest that, among the general population of adults, the prevalence of cannabis use has increased over the last decade in the United States (US). And yet, there is much we do not know regarding the trends in cannabis use among immigrants. We address this important shortcoming by examining data on immigrants vis-à-vis US-born individuals using two national surveys.

METHODS

We examine trend data from the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC, 2001-2013) and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health's Restricted Data Analysis System (NSDUH, 2002-2017). Main outcomes were past year cannabis use and cannabis use disorder with survey adjusted prevalence estimates generated for immigrants and US-born individuals.

RESULTS

In the NESARC, significant increases in the past year prevalence of cannabis use were observed both among US-born (2001-2002: 4.53%, 2012-2013: 10.74%) and immigrant participants (2001-2002: 1.67%, 2012-2013: 3.32%). We also found significant increases among immigrants arriving before age 12 and among immigrants from Latin America and Europe. In the NSDUH, we observed a significantly higher prevalence of cannabis use in 2016-2017 (6.3%) when compared to 2002-2003 (4.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings make clear that cannabis use among US-born individuals has consistently been higher than that of immigrants since the early 2000s. However, while rates of cannabis use have declined among US-born adolescents in recent years, the prevalence of cannabis use has remained stable among immigrant adolescents. At the same time, cannabis use increased two-fold among both US-born and immigrant adults.