Associations Between Cancer Risk Perceptions, Self-Efficacy, and Health Behaviors by BMI Category and Race and Ethnicity

BACKGROUND

Cancer risk perceptions and high health-related self-efficacy may impact health behaviors and reduce risk of developing obesity-related cancers. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there are differences in associations among cancer risk perceptions, health-related self-efficacy, and health behaviors between people with healthy weight (PwHW) and people with overweight or obesity (PwO/O), and whether these associations vary by race and ethnicity.

METHOD

Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 Cycles 2 and 3 were used. Data from 6944 adults were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression to assess associations among study variables.

RESULTS

PwO/O who believed there are too many cancer prevention recommendations had lower log odds of meeting guidelines for strength training (β - 0.28; CI - 0.53 to - 0.04; p < 0.05) compared to PwHW. PwO/O who believed that obesity influences cancer risk were associated with low sedentary behavior (β 0.29; CI 0.05-0.54; p < 0.05) compared to PwHW. NHB PwO/O who held fatalistic beliefs and reported high self-efficacy ordered less food (e.g., fewer food items, foods with less calories, or smaller food sizes) compared to NHB Pw/HW (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Health behavior differences in PwHW and PwO/O may be associated with differences in cancer risk beliefs and health-related self-efficacy. Findings support the need for further research considering BMI and race and ethnicity in obesity-related cancer prevention and control.

The ontogeny of drinking evoked by activation of brain angiotensin in the rat pup

Renin (1 ng) was injected into the 3rd ventricle of the brain of rat pups at various ages, and their ingestion was measured by weighing them either after 40 min of oral infusion of water or milk while they were away from their dam (off-dam), or after 40 min of suckling from their dams (on-dam). Beginning at 3-5 days of age, renin increased ingestion of milk and water off-dam. After 15 days of age, milk ingestion off-dam was no longer increased by renin, but intake of water continued to be evoked. In contrast, renin did not increase intake by suckling at any age. These findings reveal that the adult characteristics of the dipsogenic action of the renin-angiotensin system in the brain emerge at 15 days, at which age the increased intake becomes entirely specific for water. This finding confirms the precocity of the neural controls of drinking in the rat and shows that, like the controls of independent feeding, they are dissociated from those of suckling. It adds support to the idea that the neonatal mammalian brain contains separate neurological systems for suckling and for independent ingestion.