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Furman L, McAleer S, Brooks L, Ronis S. A Pilot Breastfeeding-Supportive Texting Program for African American and Black Mothers. Breastfeed Med 2024; 19:325-332. [PMID: 38469623 PMCID: PMC11238827 DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2023.0300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended through age 6 months, and 24.9% of all U.S. mothers, but only 19.8% of African American or Black (AA/B) mothers, achieved this goal (2020). Smartphone technology, specifically short message service (SMS or texting), may provide a strategy to reach and engage AA/B women who otherwise face barriers related to racism in accessing breastfeeding resources. Unfortunately, few mobile health applications are designed for AA/B women. Methods: We created a culturally sensitive breastfeeding promotion and support text message library that begins at 28 weeks prenatally and continues through 10 weeks postpartum. We tested feasibility and acceptability with a proof-of-concept (POC) trial that enrolled 20 AA/B women, and we tested content and perceived usefulness with a pilot study that enrolled 28 AA/B women. Results: In the POC trial, 95% of participants received all messages, demonstrating feasibility, and none requested fewer or to stop messages, demonstrating acceptability. In the pilot, >85% of participants responded positively regarding the number and helpfulness of the texts received, and whether the information was needed. Using a validated measure for online content for parents, >70% of POC and pilot study participants found that the information was very relevant or relevant, completely understandable, taught them something new, and "will help me improve the health or well-being of my child." Conclusion: A new breastfeeding-supportive text messaging program intended for AA/B mothers appears feasible, acceptable, informative, and relevant. This is the first breastfeeding text messaging application of which we are aware that is tailored for the AA/B population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Furman
- University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sarah McAleer
- University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Center for Child Health Policy, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Lasheena Brooks
- University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Center for Child Health Policy, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Yong GJM, Porsche CE, Sitarik AR, Fujimura KE, McCauley K, Nguyen DT, Levin AM, Woodcroft KJ, Ownby DR, Rundle AG, Johnson CC, Cassidy-Bushrow A, Lynch SV. Precocious infant fecal microbiome promotes enterocyte barrier dysfuction, altered neuroendocrine signaling and associates with increased childhood obesity risk. Gut Microbes 2024; 16:2290661. [PMID: 38117587 PMCID: PMC10761186 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2290661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life gut microbiome composition has been correlated with childhood obesity, though microbial functional contributions to disease origins remain unclear. Here, using an infant birth cohort (n = 349) we identify a distinct fecal microbiota composition in 1-month-old infants with the lowest rate of exclusive breastfeeding, that relates with higher relative risk for obesity and overweight phenotypes at two years. Higher-risk infant fecal microbiomes exhibited accelerated taxonomic and functional maturation and broad-ranging metabolic reprogramming, including reduced concentrations of neuro-endocrine signals. In vitro, exposure of enterocytes to fecal extracts from higher-risk infants led to upregulation of genes associated with obesity and with expansion of nutrient sensing enteroendocrine progenitor cells. Fecal extracts from higher-risk infants also promoted enterocyte barrier dysfunction. These data implicate dysregulation of infant microbiome functional development, and more specifically promotion of enteroendocrine signaling and epithelial barrier impairment in the early-life developmental origins of childhood obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germaine J. M. Yong
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Asian Microbiome Library Pte Ltd, Singapore and Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Cara E. Porsche
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alexandra R. Sitarik
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Kei E. Fujimura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Genetic Disease Laboratory, California Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn McCauley
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dat T. Nguyen
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Albert M. Levin
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Dennis R. Ownby
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Andrew G. Rundle
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christine C. Johnson
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Susan V. Lynch
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Fisher E, Wouk K, Patel P, Tang C, Zhang Q. Forming the Perception of WIC Infant Feeding Recommendations: A Qualitative Study. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15030527. [PMID: 36771234 PMCID: PMC9920282 DOI: 10.3390/nu15030527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Nearly half of newborns in the United States are enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Promoting breastfeeding is a programmatic priority, although formula vouchers are provided for those who do not exclusively breastfeed. Previous literature suggests that participant perception of WIC's breastfeeding recommendations is a significant factor predicting breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity outcomes. However, little is known about how participants' perceptions of WIC's breastfeeding recommendations are formed. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a qualitative pilot study in Nevada, interviewing 10 postpartum WIC mothers and 12 WIC staff who had interacted with participants regarding infant feeding. Results showed participants and staff reported various perceptions of what WIC recommends, the factors that contribute to these perceptions, and how these perceptions affect breastfeeding practices. Respondents also described that WIC has a negative legacy as the "free formula program," and that environmental factors, such as the recent formula recall, have had an impact on participants' infant feeding practices. More effective public campaigns and programmatic strategies are needed to target participants' prenatal self-efficacy and to communicate the availability of skilled lactation support in the early postpartum period to improve participants' perceptions of WIC's position on breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Fisher
- School of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
| | - Kathryn Wouk
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Priyanka Patel
- School of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
| | - Chuanyi Tang
- Department of Marketing, Strome College of Business, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-757-683-6890
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