Center for Research/Nutrition & Health among the Elderly

（修订摘要）描述：居住在美国大陆的波多黎各老年人已被确定为一组高风险的过度慢性疾病，特别是糖尿病，抑郁症和身体损伤。对这一迅速增长和普遍低收入的族裔群体进行的研究很少。为了减少健康差距，有必要了解联合收割机的因素，结合到不良的健康结果的进展。该中心的总体目标是进行一系列相互关联的研究，涉及一组波多黎各裔老年人，以评估影响波多黎各社区的特定压力源，并确定这些压力源对非稳态负荷的影响，进而对疾病的具体结果。该中心将包括四个研究项目。项目1是一项为期2年的前瞻性队列研究，将调查心理社会压力源和非稳态负荷之间的基线和2年前瞻性关联;以及非稳态负荷和功能下降，特别是抑郁症，认知下降和身体残疾;沿着支持的作用，以及维生素摄入和状态在改变这些关联中的作用。项目2是一个社会学调查的心理社会压力和他们的测量使用定性和定量的方法，以获得上下文的理解，在这个人群中的压力来源，涉及到非稳态负荷，并适应其测量仪器。项目3由干预研究组成。使用基线研究的子集，研究人员将调查三种不同的2年干预措施在减少非稳态负荷指标方面的有效性。每一个都被设计成可行的，如果有效的话，可以由社区机构扩大。这些措施包括：（1）补充维生素;（2）食品券和营养教育;（3）社会支持和参与。项目4将研究非稳态负荷的遗传贡献。研究人员将探索选定的基因变异与基线时的非稳态负荷之间的关系以及随时间的变化，并将研究基因变异与对不同营养和社会干预的反应之间的相互作用。三个核心将与所有项目合作，包括行政、统计和实验室核心。在第二年至第四年期间的试点赠款计划将鼓励与中心主题相关的其他调查。

(Revised Abstract) DESCRIPTION: Puerto Rican older adults living in the U.S. mainland have been identified as a group highly at risk of excess chronic conditions, particularly diabetes, depression, and physical impairment. Few studies have been conducted on this rapidly growing and generally low-income ethnic group. To reduce health disparities, it is necessary to understand the factors that combine to progress to poor health outcomes. The overall aim of this Center is to perform a series of inter-related studies involving a cohort of older adults of Puerto Rican origin to evaluate specific stressors affecting the Puerto Rican community, and to determine the effect of these stressors on allostatic load and, in turn, on disease-specific outcomes. The Center will include four research projects. Project 1 is a prospective 2-year cohort study that will investigate both baseline and 2-year prospective associations between psychosocial stressors and allostatic load; and in turn, allostatic load and functional decline, specifically depression, cognitive decline and physical disability; along with the role of support, and vitamin intake and status in modifying these associations. Project 2 is a sociological investigation of psychosocial stressors and their measurement using both qualitative and quantitative methodology to gain contextual understanding of the sources of stress in this population that relate to allostatic load, and adapt instruments for its measurement. Project 3 consists of intervention studies. Using subsets of the baseline study, researchers will investigate the effectiveness of three different 2-year interventions in reducing indicators of allostatic load. Each is designed to be feasible for expansion by community agencies if effective. These include: 1) vitamin supplementation; 2) food coupons and nutrition education; and 3) social support and participation. Project 4 will investigate genetic contributions of allostatic load. Investigators will explore the relationship between selected gene variants and allostatic load at baseline and with change over time, and will investigate the interaction between gene variants and responses to the differing nutrition and social interventions. Three cores will work with all projects, including administrative, statistical, and laboratory cores. A pilot grants program during years 2 through 4 will encourage additional investigations relevant to the Center theme.