Web-Based Tool Designed to Encourage Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Use in Urban College Students: Usability Testing Study.

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity continues to be a risk for college students in the United States. It is associated with numerous problems, such as chronic health conditions, increased stress and anxiety, and a lower grade point average. After COVID-19, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were extended to college-aged students; however, there were some barriers to participation, which persisted such as lack of perceived food insecurity risk, lack of knowledge regarding the SNAP application process, the complexity of determining eligibility, and stigma associated with needing social assistance. A technology-enhanced tool was developed to address these barriers to SNAP enrollment and encourage at-risk college students to apply for SNAP. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the usability and acceptability of a web-based SNAP screening tool designed for college-aged students. METHODS: College students aged 18-25 years were recruited to participate in 2 rounds of usability testing during fall 2022. Participants tested the prototype of a web-based SNAP screener tool using a standardized think-aloud method. The usability and acceptability of the tool were assessed using a semistructured interview and a 10-item validated System Usability Scale questionnaire. Audio recordings and field notes were systematically reviewed by extracting and sorting feedback as positive or negative comments. System Usability Scale questionnaire data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and sign test. RESULTS: A total of 12 students (mean age 21.8, SD 2.8 years; n=6, 50% undergraduate; n=11, 92% female; n=7, 58% Hispanic or Black or African American; n=9, 78% low or very low food security) participated in both rounds of user testing. Round 1 testing highlighted overall positive experiences with the tool, with most participants (10/12) stating that the website fulfills its primary objective as a support tool to encourage college students to apply for SNAP. However, issues related to user interface design, navigation, and wording of some questions in the screening tool were noted. Key changes after round 1 reflected these concerns, including improved design of response buttons and tool logo and improved clarity of screening questions. The overall system usability showed slight, but not statistically significant, improvement between round 1 and round 2 (91.25 vs 92.50; P=.10, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Overall usability findings suggest that this web-based tool was highly usable and acceptable to urban college students and could be an effective and appealing approach as a support tool to introduce college students to the SNAP application process. The findings from this study will inform further development of the tool, which could eventually be disseminated publicly among various college campuses.

Food Purchasing Behavior of Predominantly Minority Families in an Urban Supermarket Voucher Pilot Program.

The objective of this exploratory community-based trial was to examine the usage and behavior of underserved urban residents participating in a 2-month food voucher program. $70 supermarket vouchers were provided each month for 2 months to participants enrolled in selected child daycare centers in East Harlem, New York, and receipts were collected to examine purchases. Participants were from low-income households with at least 1 child 5 years and younger (n = 113). Participants spent the most on meat, fish, poultry, and eggs (29.7%); fruits and vegetables (15.9%); and cereal and bakery products (15.1%). Fruit and vegetable purchases and dairy purchases were higher in foreign-born participants than in US-born participants. Furthermore, future models should consider the potential benefit of unrestricted vouchers in supporting differences in dietary needs and preferences.

Effective Recruitment Strategies Utilized to Examine Dietary Practices of Blacks in New York City in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Black Americans have long been considered a hard-to-reach population for research studies, whether quantitative surveys or for clinical research. Studies have explored multiple rationales for why Blacks are hard to reach, and the explanations have included historical mistrust, the need to assess the benefits from participating in research, and the expense of spending time participating in research, among others. What has not been explored is the continuous merging of all individuals who identify as Black, particularly when exploring reasonings for a lower interest in participating in research. This paper addresses this issue by investigating the participation rate of individuals identifying as Black in New York City in a study exploring dietary practices as a predictor of colorectal cancer screening behavior. Participants were asked to self-report screening behavior, intent to screen, and dietary and other lifestyle practices. In this analysis, we discuss the unique experience encountered in recruiting Black American participants to participate in this study, particularly amid a worldwide pandemic of COVID-19. METHODS: The methodology for this study included a systematic review of the literature, a two-part recruitment process, and data analysis. The first part of the recruitment process involved registering individuals who were interested in participating in the study and consented to be contacted and reminded to come to the location where they were recruited on a scheduled date to complete the actual survey. With this part of the recruitment process, we engaged with n = 488 Black men and women between November 2019 and February 2020. The second part of the recruitment process utilized availability sampling outside of NYC subway stations and other high traffic areas as well as large community events. We engaged with n = 319 individuals. Total engagement with n = 807 individuals yielded a sample size for the survey of 504 completed surveys. RESULTS: Of the total engaged (n = 807), 14% declined to participate due to a lack of time, 11% chose not to participate in the study because the incentive was not enough to compensate for their time 0.02% declined due to not trusting institutions conducting research, and 0.03% did not feel comfortable understanding the questions due to a language barrier. We had a sample size of (n = 504) of the total 807 individuals engaged. CONCLUSIONS: Recruiting Black Americans into our colorectal cancer study did not prove to be challenging with the two-tiered model of recruitment that involved consistent engagement and having the primary researcher lead this recruitment process. Extracting within race differences is critical in demystifying the conclusion of numerous studies that African Americans specifically are hesitant to participate due to historical mistrust related to tragedies such as the Tuskegee Experiment and numerous other occurrences of African Americans being treated as guinea pigs for the advancement of research. This data contributes knowledge to this field regarding understanding recruitment challenges in the Black population, but further work needs to be conducted. Mistrust in this study primarily came from the individuals engaged in Caribbean neighborhoods, where many expressed more comfort with home remedies and bush doctors when asked about colorectal cancer screening and declined to participate. Innovative communication, qualitative research, and recruitment strategies tailored to the Caribbean population are needed in future studies to address this recruitment challenge that we experienced.

Testing the Feasibility and Potential Impact of a Mindfulness-Based Pilot Program in Urban School Youth.

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) could be effective in engaging children and reducing childhood obesity risk. The purpose of this study was to test feasibility, fidelity, and potential impact of a pilot MBI in urban school youth. A two-group quasi-experimental study was conducted in a Harlem, New York school. Participants comprised 51 students (ages 9-12, 54% female, 85% African American/Black). The experimental (E) group (n = 26) participated in a nine-session pilot MBI. Sessions were 90 min and offered weekly as part of afterschool programming. Children only attending during the school day comprised the control (C) group (n = 25). Process evaluation (e.g., fidelity, reach) was performed. Interviews with the E group were conducted to determine program acceptability. Mindful eating and resilience measures were collected at baseline and post-intervention. Intervention feasibility was high as the retention rate was 100% and fidelity was good as nine out of ten sessions were implemented. Relative to baseline, significant improvements were observed in the C group compared to the E group in the resilience composite score (p = 0.01) and its confidence domain (p = 0.01). A MBI may provide a unique opportunity to engage youth. However, further research is warranted to determine if a MBI could promote health in urban, school-age children.

Intergenerational differences in dietary acculturation among Ghanaian immigrants living in New York City: a qualitative study.

Dietary acculturation may explain the increasing risk of diet-related diseases among African immigrants in the United States (US). We interviewed twenty-five Ghanaian immigrants (Youth n 13, Age (Mean ± sd) 20 y ± 5⋅4, Parents (n 6) and Grandparents (n 6) age 58⋅7 ± 9⋅7) living in New York City (NYC) to (a) understand how cultural practices and the acculturation experience influence dietary patterns of Ghanaian immigrants and (b) identify intergenerational differences in dietary acculturation among Ghanaian youth, parents and grandparents. Dietary acculturation began in Ghana, continued in NYC and was perceived as a positive process. At the interpersonal level, parents encouraged youth to embrace school lunch and foods outside the home. In contrast, parents preferred home-cooked Ghanaian meals, yet busy schedules limited time for cooking and shared meals. At the community level, greater purchasing power in NYC led to increased calories, and youth welcomed individual choice as schools and fast food exposed them to new foods. Global forces facilitated nutrition transition in Ghana as fast and packaged foods became omnipresent in urban settings. Adults sought to maintain cultural foodways while facilitating dietary acculturation for youth. Both traditional and global diets evolved as youth and adults adopted new food and healthy social norms in the US.

Key recruitment and retention strategies for a pilot web-based intervention to decrease obesity risk among minority youth.

BACKGROUND: Interactive Nutrition Comics for Urban Minority Youth (Intervention INC) is an innovative, web-based interactive comic tool for dietary self-management, which aims to decrease obesity risk among urban minority preadolescents. The feasibility and acceptability of Intervention INC was assessed by implementing a two-group randomized pilot study. To date, intervention studies have typically faced various barriers in recruiting and retaining study participants. The purpose of this paper is to describe recruitment and retention activities from this study and in particular, discuss challenges faced, strategies implemented, and lessons learned. METHODS: Black/AA and Latino children (ages 9-12 years) and their parent/guardian were recruited from East Harlem/Harlem, New York. Recruitment strategies included flyering in the community, having a convenient study location, providing participation incentives, and partnering with community/school-based organizations. Potential participants were screened for eligibility; enrollees completed online surveys and interviews at baseline (T1), intervention midpoint (T2), intervention end (T3), and 3-months post-intervention (T4). Retention strategies included flexible scheduling, reminder calls/texts, incremental compensation, and consistent study staff. RESULTS: Eighty-nine enrolled dyads completed a T1 visit (August to November 2017) and were randomized to the experimental (E, n = 45) or comparison (C, n = 44) group. Enrolled dyads learned about the study through community events (39%), community flyering (34%), friend/referral (15%), or a community clinic partner (12%). T1 child demographics were mean age = 10.4 ± 1.0 years, 61% female, 62% Black and 42% Latino, and 51% overweight/obese; parent demographics were mean age = 30.8 ± 8.9 years, 94% female, and 55% Black and 45% Latino. Survey completion rates by dyad were high throughout the study: T2, 87%; T3, 89%; and T4, 84%. Average data collection per session was 65 min. Parents at T4 (n = 76) felt they received enough study information (97%) and that their questions were answered properly (80%). Eighty-one percent of children at T4 (n = 75) were very satisfied/extremely satisfied with how study staff communicated and interacted with them. CONCLUSION: Effective recruitment strategies consisted of community events and flyering, while a variety of retention strategies were also used to successfully engage urban Black/AA and Latino families in this study. Though our findings are limited to only Latino and Black families in low-income neighborhoods, we have identified successful strategies for this specific high-risk population and potentially similar others. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03165474, registered 15 May 2017.

"It's Sort Of, Like, in My Family's Blood": Exploring Latino Pre-adolescent Children and Their Parents' Perceived Cultural Influences on Food Practices.

This study examined the perceived connections between culture and food practices among Latino pre-adolescents (n = 17) and their parents (n = 15) through semi-structured interviews. Results show that pre-adolescents have formed perceptions concerning the association between their eating behaviors and cultural background that coincide with their parent's notions. Participants associated culture to both healthy and unhealthy food practices. Latin American food environments were described as healthier than in the US. The interviews revealed conflict between traditional foods preferences and perceptions of health, underscoring the need for better approaches to help Latino families navigate US food environments, while also preserving healthful traditional food practices.

Black Immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean Have Similar Rates of Diabetes but Africans Are Less Obese: the New York City Community Health Survey 2009-2013.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine (a) whether the prevalence and odds of either obesity or diabetes differed in foreign-born black Africans and Caribbeans living in New York City (NYC) and (b) whether time in the United States (US) affected odds of either outcome. METHODS: Data were obtained from NYC Community Health Survey 2009-13 for 380 African-born blacks and 2689 Caribbean-born blacks. Weighted logistic regression estimated odds of obesity and diabetes, adjusting for age, sex, education, income, marital status, children < 18, BMI (diabetes models only), and time in the US. RESULTS: Obesity prevalence in Africans (60.2%, male; age, 46.0 ± 13.5 years, (mean ± SD); BMI, 27.3 ± 5.6 kg/m2) was 16.7 and 30.2% in Caribbeans (39.3%, male; age, 49.7 ± 14.7 years; BMI, 28.0 ± 5.8 kg/m2). Prevalence of diabetes was 10.5% in Africans and 14.7% in Caribbeans. Africans had lower adjusted odds of obesity (aOR = 0.60 (95% CI, 0.40-0.90); P = 0.015), but there was no difference in diabetes odds between groups. Obesity odds were higher in African (aOR = 2.35 (95% CI, 1.16-4.78); P = 0.018) and Caribbean women (aOR = 2.20 (95% CI, 1.63-2.98); P < 0.001) than their male counterparts. Odds of diabetes did not differ between sexes in either group. Time in the US did not affect odds of either obesity or diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Africans living in NYC are less obese than Caribbeans, but odds of diabetes do not differ. Time in the US does not affect odds of either obesity or diabetes. Hence, BMI and diabetes risk profiles in blacks differ by region of origin and combining foreign-born blacks into one group masks important differences.

Foreign-Born Blacks Experience Lower Odds of Obesity but Higher Odds of Diabetes than US-Born Blacks in New York City.

Research is limited on the health of foreign-born Blacks (FBBs), who are often grouped with African Americans. This study compared obesity and diabetes odds in FBBs and US-born Blacks (USBBs) in NYC. Analyzing the 2009-2013 NYC Community Health Survey (3701 FBBs and 6297 USBBs), weighted multivariate logistic regression examined odds of obesity and diabetes, adjusting for age, gender, education, income, marital status, children < 18, BMI (for diabetes only) and duration of residence. FBBs had lower odds of obesity [OR  0.62 (95% CI 0.54, 0.72)] and greater odds of diabetes [OR 1.24 (95% CI 1.01, 1.52)] compared to USBBs. FBBs had 1.4 times the odds of diabetes at overweight status, compared to USBBs [OR  1.40 (95% CI 1.01, 1.95)]. Living in the US ≥ 10 years was not associated with odds of obesity and diabetes. Future research should seek to uncover unique risk profiles of sub-ethnic groups in the African diaspora.

From the Lunch Table, to the Family Table: A Grounded Theory Approach to Understanding Urban Adolescents' Experiences of Food Culture Mismatch between School and Home Environments.

Based on a participatory action research project in New York City from 2012 to 2014, our study compares the experience of black and Latino adolescents between their school and home food environments. Following a photovoice approach, adolescents participated in a "food justice" curriculum, photographed foodscapes, and conducted photo-elicited interviews. Using a grounded theory approach, we found that adolescents had mismatched experiences between school and home food environments under two conditions: sensory-emotional and sociopolitical. Mismatch suggested psychological and behavioral consequences, including skipping or wasting school lunch entrées and consuming energy-dense, nutrient-poor snack foods. We named this middle-range substantive theory food culture mismatch.

Testing a Web-Based Interactive Comic Tool to Decrease Obesity Risk Among Minority Preadolescents: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Control Trial.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a public health crisis, particularly in low-income, minority populations in the United States. Innovative and technology-enhanced interventions may be an engaging approach to reach at-risk youth and their parents to improve dietary behaviors and feeding practices. However, such tools are limited, especially ones that are theory-based; co-developed with user-centered approaches; tailored to low-income, minority preadolescents; and include parent-focused content. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study include assessing the feasibility and acceptability and exploring the potential impact of the Intervention INC (Interactive Nutrition Comics for urban, minority preadolescents) Web-based tool, which is focused on decreasing childhood obesity risk in black/African American and Latino children aged 9 to 12 years. METHODS: Intervention INC is underpinned by the narrative transportation theory, social cognitive theory, and health belief model, and it was co-developed by children and parents from the intended population. The child component consists of a 6-chapter interactive nutrition comic optimized for use on tablet devices, a goal-setting and self-assessment feature, and weekly text/email messages and reminders. The parental component consists of 6 Web-based newsletters, access to the child comic, and weekly text/email messages and reminders. The tool was evaluated using a pilot, single-blind, 2-group randomized controlled study design. Child-parent dyads were randomized to either the experimental or comparison group and assigned to a targeted behavior (increase fruit/vegetable or water intake) based on initial screening questions. Data were collected at 4 time points: baseline (T1), intervention midpoint (T2), intervention endpoint (T3), and 3 months postintervention (T4). Primary measures comprise usage, usability, and feasibility of the Web-based tool. Secondary measures comprise dietary knowledge, preferences, and intake and anthropometric measures (for child) and feeding practices and home food environment (for parent). RESULTS: Study enrollment was completed in November 2017. A total of 89 child-parent dyads were randomized to either the experimental (n=44) or comparison (n=45) group. Data analysis is currently being conducted. CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to implement and assess an innovative approach to deliver health messages and resources to at-risk minority preadolescents and their parents. If found to be acceptable, engaging, feasible, and a potential approach to improve dietary behaviors, a full-fledged randomized controlled trial will be conducted to assess its efficacy and potential impact. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03165474; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03165474 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73122IjgP). INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/10682.

A Web-Based Interactive Tool to Reduce Childhood Obesity Risk in Urban Minority Youth: Usability Testing Study.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a serious public health issue among minority youth in the United States. Technology-enhanced approaches can be effective for promoting healthy behavior change. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the usability of prototypes of a Web-based interactive tool promoting healthy dietary behaviors to reduce childhood obesity risk in urban minority youth. The Web-based tool comprised a manga-style comic with interactive features (eg, sound effects, clickable pop-ups), tailored messaging, and goal setting, and was optimized for use on tablet devices. METHODS: Latino and black/African American children ages 9 to 13 years were recruited to participate in two rounds of usability testing. A modified think-aloud method was utilized. Self-reported surveys and field notes were collected. Audio recordings and field notes from usability testing sessions were systematically reviewed by extracting and coding user feedback as either positive comments or usability or negative issues. The quantitative data from self-reported questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Twelve children (four female; eight black/African American) with a mean age of 10.92 (SD 1.16) years participated. Testing highlighted overall positive experiences with the Web-based interactive tool, especially related to storyline, sound effects, and color schemes. Specific usability issues were classified into six themes: appearance, content, special effects, storyline, terminology, and navigation. Changes to the Web-based tool after round 1 included adding a navigation guide, making clickable icons more visible, improving graphic designs, and fixing programming errors. In round 2 of testing (after modifications to the Web-based tool were incorporated), many of the usability issues that were identified in round 1 did not emerge. CONCLUSIONS: Results of testing will inform further development and finalization of the tool, which will be tested using a two-group pilot randomized study, with the goal of reducing childhood obesity risk in minority, low-income youth.

Feasibility and Reliability of the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) for Measuring Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in Children Visiting an Interactive Children's Museum Exhibition.

PURPOSE: To test the feasibility and reliability of a direct observation method for measuring moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children visiting an interactive children's museum exhibition. DESIGN: Direct observation was used to assess MVPA in children visiting an interactive children's museum exhibition on 2 weekend days in winter 2013. SETTING: The Children's Museum of Manhattan's EatSleepPlay™: Building Health Every Day exhibition. PARTICIPANTS: Children (group level) visiting the museum exhibition. MEASURES: System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY). ANALYSES: Interobserver reliability was analyzed for MVPA and activity type. Two-group analyses were conducted using a series of Wilcoxon rank sum tests. RESULTS: A total of 545 children were observed over 288 observations. No significant differences were found between observers for MVPA ( r = .91, P = .6804) or activity type (κ = .90, P = .6334). Children participated in MVPA during 35.2% of all observations. No significant differences were found for participation in MVPA between boys (37.6%) and girls (32.8%, P = .1589). CONCLUSION: The SOPLAY may be a useful tool for measuring MVPA in interactive children's museum exhibitions. Research with multiple museum settings and diverse groups of children over longer periods of time is warranted to further establish the feasibility and reliability of the SOPLAY for measuring MVPA in this novel setting.

Voices Through Cameras.

Engaging and empowering youth to promote health could be important in promoting sustainable positive behaviors. Photovoice is a community-based participatory research tool giving priority populations opportunities for active community engagement and advocacy through photography. Our project objective was to better understand youth perceptions related to food justice within their own community and identify solutions to promote positive change, using photovoice. Twelve minority youth from a low-income New York City neighborhood participated. Six photovoice sessions were conducted within a 24-week after-school food justice program, which included three photo assignments aimed at answering, "What influences me to eat healthy and unhealthy in my community and home environment?" Photos guided interviews and discussions. Inductive and deductive processes were used to identify codes; similar codes were grouped into themes. Five major themes emerged from the data: (1) attitudes toward food industry and food safety, (2) environmental influences of food choices, (3) social influences of food choices, (4) diet impact on health and well-being, and (5) solutions to improve the food environment. Participants shared their photos with community members at a celebration/photo exhibit. Photovoice could be a useful tool for youth to reflect on their food environment and engage in promoting positive change within their community.

Fight for Your Right to Fruit: Psychosocial Outcomes of a Manga Comic Promoting Fruit Consumption in Middle-School Youth.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to a manga comic (Japanese comic art) with messages promoting fruit consumption influenced psychosocial variables associated with increased fruit intake in middle-school youth. A three-group, randomized, single-session study was conducted in two public middle schools in central North Carolina. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (a) comic (manga comic promoting fruit consumption, (b) newsletter (newsletter about fruit), or (c) attention-control (newsletter about ancient Greece). Participants included N = 263 youth, with a mean age of 13.18 years (SD = 1.12). Outcome expectations, self-efficacy, and knowledge related to fruit intake were measured at baseline and immediately after reading. Secondary outcomes included transportation (degree to which participants are immersed in their media) and enjoyment, measured at posttest. Data were analyzed using regression analyses. Comic group participants tended to have greater change in outcome expectations related to fruit intake compared to the attention-control group and greater transportation and enjoyment than the newsletter and attention-control groups. Study results are promising and suggest that manga comics may be a useful format to promote positive health beliefs in youth.

'Picture me healthy': a pilot study using photovoice to explore health perceptions among migrant youth in Beijing, China.

Globalization has resulted in an influx of migrant families from rural provinces into the urban areas of China. Although the migrant population may live in the same cities as urban residents, they experience different lives because of restricted access to job opportunities, social services, and schools for children. Limited research exists with Chinese rural-to-urban migrant youth, particularly using community-based approaches. This study explored migrant youths' perceptions of their nutrition, physical activity, and health environment, using the community-based participatory research method of photovoice. Twelve migrant youth (6 boys and 6 girls) in Beijing, China, participated in two photovoice assignments focused on personal safety, nutrition, and physical activity. The photographs taken by the youth guided group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Inductive and deductive processes were used to identify codes (ideas emerging from text); similar codes were grouped into themes. Pedestrian safety was the most common personal safety concern. Another safety issue was the excess garbage in the community. Garbage was also a barrier to nutrition and physical activity as it was a food sanitation concern and limited the physical environments where children could play. Schools and community recreation centers were perceived as facilitators of physical activity. However, community centers were also a barrier as a limited number of them caused overcrowding, resulting in safety concerns. Photovoice enables youth to express their health perceptions. Our data provide interesting preliminary insight into the lives of Chinese migrant youth, which could help inform the development of interventions and advocate for positive environmental changes for this marginalized population.

Manga comic influences snack selection in Black and Hispanic New York City youth.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a single exposure to a Manga comic (Japanese comic art) with multiple messages promoting fruit intake influenced snack selection in minority urban youth. METHODS: Fifty-seven youth (mean age 10.8 y; 54% female; 74% black/African American) attending after-school programs in Brooklyn, NY participated in a pilot study in which they were randomly assigned to receive the comic or a non-health-related newsletter. After reading their media, participants were offered a snack and could choose from among healthy/unhealthy options. Secondary outcomes included knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations related to fruit intake and media transportation. Data were analyzed using regression and paired t test. RESULTS: Comic group participants were significantly more likely to choose a healthy snack, compared to the Attention-control group (odds ratio = 3.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.1-12.1, P = .04). The Comic group reported increases in self-efficacy (P = .04) and greater transportation (immersion into media) (P = .006). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest Manga comics may be a useful format to promote healthy snack selection in urban minority youth.

The Association between Marital Transitions, Body Mass Index, and Weight: A Review of the Literature.

Objective. To examine the association between different marital transitions and changes in body mass index (BMI) and body weight. Methods. A systematic literature search was conducted for peer-reviewed articles published between January 1990 and December 2011. Longitudinal studies were included if they compared dependent variables, such as BMI or weight, before and after a change in marital status. Results. Twenty articles were included: 4 articles described only transitions into marriage and/or cohabitation, 2 articles described only transitions out of marriage and/or cohabitation, and 14 articles described both. Overall, transitions into marriage were associated with weight gain, whereas transitions out of marriage were associated with weight loss. No major differences were observed between genders or across specific marital transition states. Conclusions. Additional research is warranted to better understand this phenomenon and the impact of marital transitions on obesity and obesity-related behaviors. This paper highlights potential opportunities to incorporate programs, practices, and policies that aim to promote and support healthy weights and lifestyles upon entering or leaving a marriage or cohabiting relationship.

Intervening to Reduce Sedentary Behaviors and Childhood Obesity among School-Age Youth: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials.

Objective. To assess the effectiveness of interventions that focus on reducing sedentary behavior (SB) among school-age youth and to identify elements associated with interventions' potential for translation into practice settings. Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using 4 databases for peer-reviewed studies published between 1980 and April 2011. Randomized trials, which lasted at least 12 weeks, aimed at decreasing SB among children aged 6 to 19 years were identified. Results. Twelve studies were included; 3 focused only on SB, 1 focused on physical activity (PA), 6 were combined SB and PA interventions, and 2 studies targeted SB, PA, and diet. The majority of the studies were conducted in a school setting, while others were conducted in such settings as clinics, community centers, and libraries. Conclusions. Overall, interventions that focused on decreasing SB were associated with reduction in time spent on SB and/or improvements in anthropometric measurements related to childhood obesity. Several of the studies did consider elements related to the intervention's potential for translation into practice settings.