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2005 Progress Report: Growing Up Healthy in East Harlem (Community-Based Participatory Research)

EPA Grant Number: R831711C001
Subproject: this is subproject number 001 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R831711
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Mount Sinai Center for Children’s Health and the Environment
Center Director: Wolff, Mary S.
Title: Growing Up Healthy in East Harlem (Community-Based Participatory Research)
Investigators: Brenner, Barbara
Institution: Mount Sinai School of Medicine
EPA Project Officer: Fields, Nigel
Project Period: November 1, 2003 through October 31, 2008
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2005
RFA: Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research (2003)
Research Category: Health Effects , Children's Health

Description:

Objective:

This community-based participatory research (CBPR) project is studying childhood obesity in relation to structural features and endocrine disruptor (ED) exposures in the urban built environment of East Harlem. The specific objective of this project is to assess accessibility to physical activity resources and to healthy foods.

Progress Summary:

The first step was to develop maps that locate every play-space, open area, and food source in East Harlem to use as measures of the built-environment in our community. These maps will be the basis of a geographic information system (GIS) to assess obesity and physical activity among children in our studies. Quantitative physical activity is being assessed using a newly developed protocol that records daily pedometer readings and activity diaries. The protocol was evaluated in week-long diaries among 30 children in Project 1. Children’s usage patterns of EDs are being determined through a “product-use” questionnaire (developed in our CBPR). We have completed a 6-month study to evaluate biomarker protocols in 34 6- to 8-year-old children of phthalates, phenols, and phytoestrogens and the sources of those chemicals. Reported product usage is being compared with children’s body burdens of new-age EDs as determined in urine. Early results show maximum levels greater than 3000 mg/L of at least one analyte and median levels greater than100 mg/L for most of the phthalate, phytoestrogen, and phenol families of EDs. Findings will guide sample collection and analysis for this project and project R831711C002, as well as lead to an improved product-use questionnaire. A 3-year longitudinal study has begun in 150 6- to 8-year-old children to evaluate risk for obesity in relation to built environment factors and ED exposures.

Future Activities:

In preparation for Year 3, we will review and modify the main questionnaire for the first year follow-up visit. We plan to conduct follow-up dietary recalls on one-half of our sample in Year 3 and the other one-half in Year 4. We will continue to examine temporal variability and reliability of the EDs to determine optimal urine sampling strategies; examine ED exposure levels and their relationship to diet, physical activity level, and weight; and compare availability, proximity, and density of resources (GIS data) with individual level factors (neighborhood questionnaire) such as access, knowledge, utilization, dietary quality, and physical activity level.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 153 publications for this subproject

Supplemental Keywords:

lipase, paraoxonase, fast food, obesity, endocrine disruptors, neurodevelopment, , POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Scientific Discipline, Health, RFA, Endocrine Disruptors - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Risk Assessment, Health Risk Assessment, endocrine disruptors, Chemicals, Children's Health, Biochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Endocrine Disruptors - Human Health, neurodevelopmental toxicity, endocrine disrupting chemicals, dietary factors, children's environmental health, childhood obesity, childhood development, community-based intervention, exposure pathways, environmental health, phtalates, children's vulnerablity, exposure studies
Relevant Websites:

http://www.mssm.edu/cpm/dept_research.shtml exit EPA
http://www.childenvironment.org exit EPA

Progress and Final Reports:
2004 Progress Report
Original Abstract
2006 Progress Report
2007 Progress Report


Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R831711    Mount Sinai Center for Children’s Health and the Environment

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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