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Psychologists tackle childhood obesity by studying avid eating behaviour
• Psychologists at Aston University, Loughborough University, University College London and Kings College London to collaborate on childhood obesity study • £1-million project awarded by the Economic and Social Research Council • Three-year project to develop practical interventions to tackle obesity in early childhood A team of psychologists are to start work on a three-year project that will assist parents to address over-eating in pre-school children who have large appetites. The group, which specialises in childhood eating behaviour is led by Aston University, and includes researchers from Loughborough University, University College London and Kings College London. It is a result of a long-standing collaboration between the team members. The team have been awarded almost £1-million pounds, by the Economic and Social Research Council. The project aims to help support parents whose children are very focused on and motivated by food and the project will produce guidelines based on the findings that can be used to develop interventions. Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century and of major societal concern. It places children at high risk of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers in adulthood. According to the charity World Obesity, in just 40 years the number of school-age children and adolescents with obesity has risen more than 10-fold, from 11 million to 124 million (2016 estimates). Professor Jackie Blissett, Aston University and lead academic on the study said: “Childhood obesity usually begins in infancy and early childhood, with up to 90% of children who have obesity at 3 years continuing to have overweight or obesity in adolescence. Some children however, are more vulnerable to the development of obesity than others, due to their genetic susceptibility. “A better understanding of the factors which may help to prevent or reduce the risk of childhood obesity, and applying this understanding to develop effective interventions, is of key importance to solving this complex policy and practice challenge.” The team will use existing longitudinal data from the Gemini study to monitor trends in children’s eating and examine the development of the relationship between children’s appetite and parents’ feeding practices across early childhood. In the second phase of the project, which will be lab-based, the team at Aston University are set to recruit two members of research staff to support the study. In the lab, around 120 children will be observed whilst taking part in various food related tasks, to assess which feeding practices change their eating behaviour and help the researchers find the best way of regulating their food intake. The team intend to test the effectiveness of certain feeding practices and plan to recruit around 2000 new families who will take part in an online survey to assess children’s appetite traits. Professor Claire Farrow, Aston University, and collaborator on the study said: “At present, public health advice regarding children's eating and weight is generic, ineffective, and does not tackle variability in children's appetite avidity, which makes behaviour change even more challenging for parents who struggle to manage their child's eating behaviour.” “Using current theory to inform complex intervention development, our research will examine how parents interact with their pre-school children with avid appetites in the food context, evaluate how these interactions predict short and long-term effects on eating behaviour and develop recommendations for interventions in the future.”
UConn Expert on the "FDA's Big Gamble" with Controversial Alzheimer's Drug
The Food and Drug Administration's accelerated approval of the drug aducanumab for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is mired in controversy -- three scientists have resigned from the independent committee that advised the agency on the monthly infusion treatment priced at $56,000 per year. C. Michael White, distinguished professor and head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut, explains the situation surrounding the drug's approval this week in an essay published by The Conversation: Over 6 million Americans now have Alzheimer’s disease, and deaths from Alzheimer’s have risen over 145% over the past 20 years. Alzheimer’s disease not only robs individuals of their autonomy but also places a huge burden on family members and the U.S. economy: $355 billion is spent annually on caring for people with Alzheimer’s. Current FDA-approved treatments are only modestly effective at controlling disease symptoms, and none target a possible underlying cause. The accelerated approval pathway allows patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s to access aducanumab while a larger and more definitive clinical trial is conducted. Biogen says it hopes to have the clinical trial completed by 2030. If the study does not find reductions in the hard clinical endpoints, the drug will be withdrawn. If aducanumab is ultimately found to be effective, many patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s will reap the benefits in reductions in hospitalizations, doctor visits, nursing home costs and societal burden. If aducanumab is found to be ineffective, however, Medicare, insurers and patients will have spent tens of millions of dollars on a drug that not only did not work but also exposed patients to adverse events, including the risk of bleeding in the brain. June 10 - The Conversation Dr. C. Michael White is an expert in the areas of comparative effectiveness and preventing adverse events from drugs, devices, dietary supplements, and illicit substances. If you are a journalist looking to cover this topic, then let us help. Dr. White is available to speak with media -- click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
A new model of health care is coming to Wilmington’s Riverside neighborhood and the Kingswood Community Center. ChristianaCare Virtual Health is now available at The Coker Family Resource Center, inside Kingswood Community Center. It offers convenient, personalized, always-accessible care that makes it easier for people to connect with the care they need and stay well. “This is an entirely new model of health care powered by data and technology to make it easier for people to access care when they need it, and one that fosters strong relationships between patients and their care team,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of ChristianaCare. “In our commitment to make a positive impact on health for everyone in the communities we serve, we’re excited to bring this leading-edge model of care to our neighbors at Riverside. We’re grateful for the partnership of The WRK Group and Kingswood Community Center in this collaborative effort that will support the health and wellbeing of the people in this community.” At The Coker Family Resource Center, patients can connect to ChristianaCare Virtual Health for a virtual appointment with a primary care provider or a member of their care team and also receive access to medical services such as vaccines, blood pressure checks and in-person exams. But care doesn’t have to happen at Kingswood Community Center. Patients can have a virtual visit with their care team anytime and from anywhere they have access to the internet with a smartphone, tablet or laptop with a camera. “Throughout the pandemic, many people have learned the convenience of having a video visit with their doctor instead of coming in for an in-person appointment. At ChristianaCare, we’ve actually been developing this kind of care since the launch of our Virtual Primary Care practice for ChristianaCare caregivers in 2018, in addition to our CareVio data-powered care management platform,” said Sharon Anderson, RN, MS, FACHE, chief virtual health officer at ChristianaCare. “What we’re able to provide today is not just video visits, but an entirely new kind of care that’s always on—it enables patients to interact with their care team when they need support through video visits, secure text messages and other ways that provide care in ways that fit into each person’s lifestyle.” Sharon Anderson, RN, MS, FACHE, chief virtual health officer at ChristianaCare In addition to the on-site medical services provided at the Kingswood location, patients can also receive in-person help with the technology so that they can become comfortable with this new model of care, and ask questions or get help when they need it. Kingswood Community Center, a member of The WRK Group (The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, and Kingswood Community Center), has been a pillar of the Riverside community for 75 years and is located at 2300 Bowers St, Wilmington, DE 19802. In-person appointments are available every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 – 2:30 (times may vary). Information and appointments are available by calling 302-428-2400. Establishing easily accessible health care within the Riverside neighborhood marks a long-time goal of The WRK Group. “We are incredibly thankful for this partnership with ChristianaCare Virtual Health as they become the first primary care service provider that exists within Riverside,” said Logan S. Herring, Sr., CEO of The WRK Group. “ChristianaCare has created a nimble solution for our neighbors that includes valuable in-person services and care as well as virtual appointments. Creating this physical and virtual space is an achievement for our community and one in a series of initiatives The WRK Group plans to bring to the local area.” The WRK’s Group managing partner, REACH Riverside, is currently overseeing a $250M holistic revitalization project which includes building a new and improved community center, developing a mixed income housing community, and investing in physical capital to create a thriving and vibrant neighborhood. Introducing the Coker Family Resource Center The Coker Family Resource Center is a new addition to the Kingswood Community Center, made possible by the generous donation of the Coker family, a pillar in the Riverside and Wilmington community. From matriarch and civil rights leader Beatrice “Bebe” Coker and her activism efforts to daughters Dr. Joan Coker, Laurie Coker Reid, and Julie Coker's collective philanthropic and community work, the Coker family embodies the values of Kingswood Community Center and The WRK Group’s collective mission to empower the community to reach its full potential. “Thank you to the entire Coker family, who have dedicated themselves to bettering our community for decades, as well as for providing the needed funding to create the physical space that ChristianaCare Virtual Health inhabits,” Herring continued. “The Coker family has once again demonstrated the value of believing and investing in their community. As we look to the future and continue to dream big about the new Kingswood Community Center, I am excited by the prospect of what this space will evolve into and what additional services we can offer our community.” For more information about ChristianaCare Virtual Care at Kingswood Community Center, click here. About ChristianaCare Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, three hospitals (1,299 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute. ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work, rated by Forbes as the 5th best health system to work for in the United States and by IDG Computerworld as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work in IT. ChristianaCare is rated by HealthGrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and continually ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and other national quality ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care. About The WRK Group The WRK Group, which is comprised of three organizations and over 130 employees, shares a collective mission to empower the community to reach its full potential by eliminating the barriers of structural racism and revolutionizing teen engagement. REACH Riverside, overseeing a $250M holistic revitalization, also serves as the managing partner for Kingswood Community Center, a pillar of the Northeast Wilmington neighborhood for 75 years, and The Warehouse, an educational and recreational oasis for teens. The Warehouse: Developed "For Teens, By Teens" - Innovative, one-stop center serving ages 13 to 19 Teen-driven programming focused on recreation, education, arts, career, and health Collaborating with over 140 youth-serving organizations Three goals: safety, educational support, and workforce readiness REACH Riverside: Developed "With the Community, For the Community" Member of the national Purpose Built Communities Redevelopment: Up to 600 units of high quality, mixed-income housing Education: cradle-to-college and career readiness pipeline Community Health: health, wellness, safety services, and programming Kingswood Community Center Empowering the Community of Riverside and Northeast Wilmington since 1946 Early Learning Academy: high quality, evidence-based programming (ages one through five) School-age services (ages six through twelve): before, after-school, and summer programming Jimmy Jenkins Senior Center: activities to remain healthy and self-sufficient Kingswood Academy: alternative school, located at The Warehouse (seventh through twelfth grade) Preparing for the development of a new, state-of-the-art facility that will replace and enhance the current community center ####
The sand dunes of Tybee Island have taken a beating in recent hurricane seasons. Georgia Southern University biology graduate student Shannon Matzke is researching ways to combat the destruction of the dunes for her restoration project by collecting data on the effects of various planting techniques to see which technique best increases the longevity of the dunes. As a part of the project, Matzke collects monthly data on the growth and survival of plants, as well as on the sand accumulation associated with different planting densities and groups of species. She also spends time analyzing data, exploring new techniques and tools to use in the field, researching dunes and vegetation, and conducting outreach for the project. “Working on the beach has been such a fun experience,” Matzke said. “It has also been rewarding to learn new techniques and how to use new equipment to answer more questions about the success of the restoration project. Perhaps my favorite part though has been the outreach associated with my project. The overall dune construction and beach nourishment is so important to island locals, and I’ve enjoyed being able to explain how my work fits in with the larger project.” Of the plants surveyed, 95% survived the first growing season. On average, plants doubled in height and canopy cover when compared to their size when initially planted. Matzke is also collecting data in areas of the constructed dune that were left bare to compare against the vegetated sites. Unlike the vegetated dunes, bare sites are experiencing erosion, which further relates the importance of adding native vegetation to any new dune construction. Matzke said she was drawn to Georgia Southern and the biology department because of proximity to the coast. She also appreciated her advisor Lissa Leege, Ph.D., who has worked with native and endangered plant species. “I am so glad that I chose to earn my master’s at Georgia Southern because I have been able to make connections with researchers inside and outside of my department, as well as with industry and government professionals,” she said. “I have also enjoyed being able to work on Tybee and the convenience of having the Armstrong campus close to where I live in Savannah.” Matze, who will graduate in fall 2021, hopes to continue her work with native plant ecology. “After I graduate from Georgia Southern, I’d like to work for a state or local agency continuing in the natural resources management field,” Matzke said. “I am interested in continuing working on invasive species research, endangered plant conservation and habitat restoration using native species. My research at Georgia Southern is the perfect introductory experience to the type of work that I would like to continue doing.” If you're a journalist looking to learn more about this exciting research — simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu.
Augusta University experts looking for clues to predict future cyber attacks
The threat of cyber attacks is a reality for every industry. Cybersecurity is top of mind after recent highly skilled and calculated attacks targeting the Colonial Pipeline in May and shutting down the world’s largest meat supplier earlier this month. With America’s energy and food supply chains making vulnerable targets, everyone from executives, lawmakers, security officials and the media are looking for answers. Augusta University’s Dr. Craig Albert and Dr. Lance Hunter explore the questions surrounding cybersecurity in a recently published study in The Cyber Defense Review. This project examines the political, economic and military factors associated with cyber attacks in an effort to understand which countries or groups are most likely to attack. Here’s an abstract of their piece: Factors that Motivate State-Sponsored Cyberattacks The study of the factors involved in the initiation of violent interstate conflicts has been well documented within international relations. However, scholars have yet to analyze the factors associated with the initiation of international state-sponsored cyberattacks due to the lack of available data. This study is a first attempt to address this limitation. This project examines the political, economic, and military factors associated with the initiation of state-sponsored cyberattacks from 2005–2012, using a unique dataset that incorporates author-collected political, economic, and military data, along with cyber data on known state-sponsored cyberattacks extracted from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Cyber Operations Tracker Dataset. With this unique dataset, we seek to better understand those states most likely to cyberattack other states. The Cyber Defense Review, Spring 2021 The study was also referenced in Voice of America in a piece covering President Biden’s trip to the G-7 Summit in Britain. If you are a journalist looking to cover any aspect of cybersecurity and cyber attacks, Augusta University’s experts are world-renowned on the topic. Dr. Craig Albert is director of the Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies at Augusta University. He is a leading expert on war, terrorism and American politics, and he testified before U.S. Congress regarding the threat from Chechnya following the deadly Boston Marathon bombing. Dr. Lance Hunter is an assistant professor of political science with a background in international relations. His research focuses on how terrorist attacks influence politics in democratic countries and how political decisions within countries affect conflicts worldwide. Both experts are available to speak with media about cyber attacks. Simply click on either expert’s icon to arrange an interview today.
A leading London based architectural metalwork company, specialising in the design, fabrication and installation of bespoke metal products has entered into a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Aston University, with the aim of developing antimicrobial coatings as a way to reduce infection in high risk environments. The Aston University research team will work with John Desmond Limited to develop high end metallic products that can be used where there is a high risk of the spread of bacteria. The antimicrobial coating will be developed for use in communal areas on products such as handrails, balustrades, push plates, door handles and faceplates, – all of which are common in high traffic areas such as hospitals, doctors surgeries, dental practices, schools and transportation hubs. A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a three-way partnership between a business, an academic partner and a graduate, called a KTP Associate. The UK-wide programme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills. Aston University is the leading KTP provider within the Midlands. Microbiologists from Aston University’s College of Health and Life Sciences and materials scientists from its College of Engineering and Physical Science will establish the effectiveness of the antimicrobial coatings against a panel of bacteria under a range of conditions to further optimise the surface performance. The team will support John Desmond Ltd to establish an in-house microbiology laboratory to enable extensive testing of the developed coatings which will be carried out under lab conditions. Information from the lab tests will provide supporting evidence to prospective clients of the antimicrobial coating’s efficacy, expected lifespan and performance under varying conditions. Ian Desmond, owner of John Desmond Ltd, said: “We are very excited to be working with Aston University on this ground-breaking project to develop industrial coatings capable of reducing the spread of infection within public spaces. “We are confident that with the expert knowledge and experience that the Aston University team brings to this collaboration, we will succeed in formulating a potent cost-effective means to protect all of us from the threat of micro-organisms, and their impact on the environment in which we live and work.” The Aston University academic team consists of Dr Tony Worthington, associate professor in clinical microbiology and infectious disease; Professor Anthony Hilton, and executive dean of the College of Health and Life Sciences, and Dr Richard Martin from the Aston Institute of Materials Research in the College of Engineering and Physical Science. Professor Anthony Hilton said: “I’m delighted to be able to work on this exciting project with John Desmond Ltd, bringing together a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers from across Aston University to work with an industry partner. “Knowledge exchange between academia and industry is a core element of Aston University’s strategy and it is exciting to be part of a team developing a product which has the potential to have real impact in preventing and controlling infection.” Dr Richard Martin, Aston Institute of Materials Research, said: “Over the past year, we have all become aware of just how important it is to limit the spread of microorganisms. This project is an exciting opportunity to develop new antimicrobial coatings that will significantly reduce the transmission of microorganisms from touchpoint surfaces such as door handles and handrails." The research team have found that claims for the effectiveness of the anti-microbial properties of products already on the market are not always backed with scientifically rigorous evidence. As a result of this, these products have not been able to penetrate markets such as healthcare, where generic claims are not sufficient for buyers to change suppliers. This KTP will establish a body of testing and efficacy data which will support the application and use of antimicrobial coatings in a range of settings where control of bacteria on environmental surfaces is critical for infection prevention and control. You can visit our website for more information about The College of Health and Life Sciences and The College of Engineering and Physical Science at Aston University.
Experts available to comment on G7 summit discussions
A range of experts from the University of Bristol are available to comment on the upcoming G7 summit taking place in Cornwall, UK. Professor Simon Tormey, Professor of Politics and Dean of Social Sciences and Law at the University of Bristol can speak about what G7 means for UK, reboot of US-China relations, climate change, and taxes on large corporations. Simon can also do interviews in French. Dr David Matthews, Reader in Virology in the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bristol and a member of the 'G2P-UK' National Virology Consortium, can discuss vaccines and global health security. Dr Kate Hendry, Associate Professor of Geochemistry at the University of Bristol can discuss ocean action including net zero oceanographic capability. Dr Tommaso Jucker, Research Fellow at the University of Bristol’s Cabot Institute for the Environment, can cover: supporting the transition to a low carbon economy – the role of forest conservation and reforestation in mitigating climate change, and action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss – ecosystem restoration. Dr Kristen Reyher, Reader in Veterinary Epidemiology and Population Health at the University of Bristol, is able to discuss antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, antimicrobial use, and epidemiology. And Professor Awais Rashid, Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Bristol, is available for the following topics: Internet safety including protecting children and online fraud, darknet markets, privacy issues and data exploitation.
MEDIA RELEASE: CAA reminds motorists and cyclists to share the road ahead of the long weekend.
Ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend and the summer months, cycling is set to once again be a popular activity this year. As Ontarians start to prepare for the upcoming cycling season, CAA South Central Ontario (SCO) is reminding motorists and cyclists to prioritize safety when sharing the road. “After staying indoors all winter, we expect that more people will choose to get back on their bikes as the weather gets warmer,” says Michael Stewart, community relations specialist for CAA SCO. “With more cyclists re-emerging onto the roads, it is important to be vigilant and mindful of other road users.” All motorists and cyclists are also advised to follow public health guidelines, communicate their intentions with signals, be patient, regularly check blind spots and turn on their lights during dawn, dusk and dark hours when lighting is most limited. Another issue that CAA is reminding motorists to watch out for is dooring, which is described as when a cyclist is injured by the opening of a car door. CAA data shows that it continues to be a big safety concern for both cyclists and motorists alike. Last year the Toronto Police Service reported 77 dooring incidents. Recently the Minister of Transportation introduced the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act that proposes to update the collision reporting process. The proposed legislation would also change the definition of a reportable collision to include bicycles that collide with vehicle doors. A change that CAA supports. CAA is reminding all motorists of these important rules of the road: Pay attention. Avoid distractions like texting, adjusting your GPS or scrolling through your playlist. Yield to cyclists. Motorists should not be driving in a bike lane unless making a right turn. Watch for the approaching cyclists and never speed up and cut off a cyclist when making a right turn. Keep a safe distance. Drivers must keep at least a one-metre distance when passing a cyclist. If it is not possible, safely change lanes to pass. The penalty for not doing so is a $110 fine. Practice the Dutch Reach. Avoid “dooring” cyclists by doing the Dutch Reach. CAA launched a new Dutch Reach video for users to practice as more people are out on their bikes. Some cycling-specific safety tips: Ride with traffic. Riding against traffic flow is dangerous, illegal and a leading cause of car-bike collisions. Protect yourself. Cyclists, wear your helmets. Be visible. Use reflectors and lights in dark and overcast conditions. It’s the law. Be predictable. Obey traffic signs and be clear with your intentions with other drivers. Under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act (HTA), a bicycle is considered a vehicle, just like a car or truck and must follow the same rules of the road. Ride close to home. As cyclists start to use their bikes for the first time in a while, remember to stay close to home as you are starting out. “By following these best practices and navigating the road respectfully, we can all do our part in keeping our roads safe for everyone,” says Stewart. For more information on cycling safety, visit caasco.com/cycling.
First Commercial-Scale Wind Farm in the U.S. Would Generate Electricity to Power 400,000 Homes
The Vineyard Wind project, located off the coast of Massachusetts, is the first major offshore wind farm in the United States. It is part of a larger push to tackle climate change, with other offshore wind projects along the East Coast under federal review. The U.S. Department of the Interior has estimated that, by the end of the decade, 2,000 turbines could be along the coast, stretching from Massachusetts to North Carolina. "While the case for offshore wind power appears to be growing due to real concerns about global warming, there are still people who fight renewable energy projects based on speculation, misinformation, climate denial and 'not in my backyard' attitudes," says Karl F. Schmidt, a professor of practice in Villanova University's College of Engineering and director of the Resilient Innovation through Sustainable Engineering (RISE) Forum. "There is overwhelming scientific evidence that use of fossil fuels for power generation is driving unprecedented levels of CO2 into our atmosphere and oceans. This causes sea level rise, increasing ocean temperature and increasing ocean acidity, all which have numerous secondary environmental, economic and social impacts." Schmidt notes that what's often missing for large capital projects like the Vineyard Wind project is a life cycle assessment (LCA), which looks at environmental impacts throughout the entire life cycle of the project, i.e., from raw material extraction, manufacturing and construction through operation and maintenance and end of life. These impacts, in terms of tons/CO2 equivalent, can then be compared with the baseline—in this case, natural gas/coal power plants. "With this comprehensive look, I suspect the LCA for an offshore wind farm would be significantly less than a fossil fuel power plant," says Prof. Schmidt. Complementing the LCA should be a thorough, holistic view encompassing the pertinent social, technological, environmental, economic and political (STEEP) aspects of the project, notes Prof. Schmidt. "This would include all views of affected stakeholders, such as residents, fishermen, local officials and labor markets. Quantifying these interdependent aspects can lead to a more informed and balanced decision-making process based on facts and data." "At Villanova's Sustainable Engineering Department, we've successfully used both the LCA and STEEP processes... for many of our RISE Forum member companies' projects," notes Prof. Schmidt.
Local neighborhood conditions are important for children’s brain development
Growing up in a disadvantaged neighborhood is related to children’s brain structure and neurocognitive performance, according to a study published May 3, 2021 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. It is associated with the brain’s cortical structure and volume as well as how children pay attention, their executive function, reading, flexible thinking, and other tasks that support learning. These differences could potentially contribute to other inequities during adolescence as well as later in life for these children, though there is no evidence that such neighborhood-related differences are fixed or immutable. Children’s brains exhibit plasticity, meaning that they can change and grow in response to learning and experience. The study’s findings shine a spotlight on the larger population trend and do not serve as a predictor of any individual child’s outcome. “This points to the importance of investing in policies and programs that help improve local neighborhoods and to support and empower communities to promote children’s neurodevelopment and long-term health and well-being,” said Daniel A. Hackman, assistant professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and lead author of the study. Researchers from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the Keck School of Medicine of USC used data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, collected from October 2016 – 2018. The ABCD Study is the largest long-term study of brain development and child health ever conducted in the United States. “Disadvantaged neighborhoods may lack quality health services, access to nutritional foods, and well-maintained parks and rec facilities,” said Megan Herting, assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at USC and senior author of the study. “They may also expose residents to more pollutants or social stressors.” In addition to Hackman and Herting, study authors include Dora Cserbik, Jiu-Chiuan Chen, and Rob McConnell of the department of preventive medicine at Keck School of Medicine; Bita Minaravesh of the USC Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute; and Kiros Berhane of the Department of Biostatistics at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Neighborhood disadvantage and the brain The study participants were 8,598 nine- to eleven-year-old children in 21 sites from the ABCD Study, and includes youth from diverse backgrounds, family income levels and neighborhood environments. Using this ABCD data, the multidisciplinary team of researchers tested whether neighborhood disadvantage is associated with neurocognition and brain structure through the National Institute of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Neurocognition refers to specific cognitive functions related to particular neural systems, such as executive function, memory, problem-solving and perception. Executive function is the set of cognitive functions that allows people to select behaviors, make efforts to regulate or control their behavior or thinking in given situations, and to focus on goals despite distractions. Brain structure refers to global and regional measures of the brain’s cortex and subcortex, such as volume and surface area. The researchers found that neighborhood disadvantage was associated with worse neurocognitive performance on nearly all tasks and smaller cortical surface area, as well as cortical volumes and subcortical volumes, across the whole brain. The associations remain after adjusting for family socioeconomic status and largely remain after adjusting for perceptions of neighborhood safety. “Our findings aren't specific to the child's home life, as we accounted for socioeconomic factors at each child's home,” Herting said. “But the research suggests neighborhoods may have different levels of social and educational resources and opportunities that can impact a child's neurodevelopment.” Disadvantaged neighborhoods are those in which people generally have lower levels of income, employment and education. Growing up in these conditions can be stressful for children and adults. However, comparing disadvantaged neighborhoods across the country is challenging to social work researchers, who understand that when looking at national samples they may pick up regional differences for which they must account. Neighborhood similarities and differences The impressive scope and scale of the ABCD study made it possible for these researchers to delve into rich local data that enabled them to understand the similarities and differences of disadvantaged neighborhoods within the context of their cities. Hackman, whose research interests include understanding neighborhoods and the context that children and adolescents grow up in, wanted to be able to look at the research question from both the national perspective as well as the local perspective. “This is the first large, national study of neurodevelopment to determine that the role of neighborhood disadvantage is similar across all regions of the country, and we found that what mattered most were the local differences in neighborhood disadvantage within each city, rather than how cities differ from each other overall” Hackman said. “This highlights the broad relevance of neighborhood disadvantage, and the importance of unique local conditions. His interest was even more piqued when he saw a clear narrative emerge from the data. “The consistency of the data was so compelling,” Hackman said. Though disadvantaged neighborhoods may vary from city to city, the researchers found the associations were largely consistent across 21 metropolitan areas within the U.S. For policymakers, a takeaway is that neighborhoods were related to these important aspects of child development everywhere, and that though each city is different, the unique local conditions are important to address. In addition, the global relationship between neighborhood and overall brain structure and neurocognitive performance suggest that intervention approaches may be most successful if they are comprehensive and focused on improving children’s contexts, rather than narrowly targeted to the development of particular cognitive skills. “This research is important as it not only highlights that neighborhoods matter, but it also suggests that promoting neighborhood equity based on the unique local conditions within cities could be important for the short and longer-term health and overall development of children and adolescents,” Hackman said. According to the study, although the magnitudes of association between disadvantaged neighborhoods and neurocognition and brain structure are statistically small, they are potentially meaningful. One reason is because even small effects may have large consequences as they accumulate over time at a population level. Another reason is because these are comparable to, but smaller, than effect sizes for family socioeconomic status in these models. “There is also considerable evidence of resilience,” Hackman noted, as the authors caution that these associations are not predictive at the individual level. In particular, many youth from disadvantaged neighborhoods outperform their peers from more affluent neighborhoods, and also have larger cortical surface area and subcortical volume as well. In other words, living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is not deterministic and does not automatically predict any pattern of neurocognition and brain structure for any individual. Instead, the association uncovered by these researchers points to more reasons why improvements to neighborhoods can bring positive change. “Future research is needed to determine if our findings are, in fact, attributable to differences in community-based resources or differences in quality of schooling,” Herting said. “However, our findings do add to a growing literature suggesting the importance of neighborhoods and how they may contribute to place-based disparities in health and well-being in America.”
