Selected health behaviors that influence college freshman weight change.

OBJECTIVE AND PARTICIPANTS: The authors investigated the effect of physical activity (PA), fruit and vegetable intake, and alcohol use on 6-month weight change in 193 college freshmen (78.8% white, 88.2% women, 94.5% on a meal plan). METHODS: The authors administered a Web-based survey in fall 2002 (baseline) and spring 2003 (follow-up). RESULTS: There was an overall average weight gain of 2.5 lbs (p < .05), although only 57% reported weight gain (M = 7.1 lbs). Fruit and vegetable intake decreased (p = .034), alcohol use increased (p > .05), and PA was unchanged. Weight gain for students with body mass indexes (BMI) > or =25 kg/m2 was nearly twice that of students with BMIs < 25 (p < .05). Students with low-frequency baseline PA were twice as likely to be overweight. Follow-up data showed that students reporting > or = 4 sessions per week (ie, high frequency) of low-intensity PA were twice as likely to have healthy BMIs as students engaging in low- and moderate-frequency PA. CONCLUSIONS: PA interventions should target freshmen with BMIs > or = 25.

Factors of fruit and vegetable intake by race, gender, and age among young adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To explore demographic differences in individual, social, and environmental factors potentially related to fruit and vegetable intake. DESIGN: Self-report questionnaires administered to a convenience sample of middle school students during regular classes. PARTICIPANTS: Black and white adolescents, 11 to 15 years of age (N = 736). VARIABLES MEASURED: Measures included self-efficacy, family dinner frequency, normative beliefs, outcome expectations, modeling, availability, preferences, snack choice, and demographics. ANALYSIS: Chi-square, general linear models, and Poisson and linear regressions as appropriate. RESULTS: Black participants reported greater social influences than did white participants, whereas white adolescents reported greater family environmental influences on fruit and vegetable intake. The oldest adolescents reported lower self-efficacy, peer modeling, family dinner frequency, and fruit and vegetable preferences compared with younger adolescents. White participants and females reported a higher preference for vegetables than did black participants and males. Regression models for self-efficacy and snack choice explained 41% and 34% of the variance, respectively. Preferences for vegetables and parental modeling were the strongest correlates of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was the strongest correlate of snack choice. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Decreases in several factors with age highlight the importance of intervention for this age group. Future research is needed for a better understanding of the formation and modification of self-efficacy and snack choice.

Covariations of adolescent weight-control, health-risk and health-promoting behaviors.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of dieting and investigate clusters of risk behaviors among adolescents. METHODS: Data were secured from a random sample of adolescents (4,636) and analyzed using bivariate methods and logistic regression. RESULTS: From the survey sample, 19.2% adolescents were classified as extreme, 43.2% as moderate dieters, 37.2% as nondieters. Extreme dieters were more likely to use alcohol, cigarettes, and/or marijuana and to attempt suicide and less likely to practice vigorous exercise. Moderate dieters were less likely to use cigarettes, marijuana and more likely to engage in vigorous exercise, with differences across gender-race categories. CONCLUSIONS: Results have relevance for developing multicomponent programs for adolescents.

Examining gender, racial, and age differences in weight concern among third, fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders.

Weight management and concern, body weight beliefs, and perceptions of friend's and family's weight concerns were examined in this study by race, grade, and gender. A stratified random sample was used to select schools within nine districts in South Carolina and an anonymous self-report paper-pencil questionnaire was completed by the students. The final sample included 3151 African American (42.3%) and White (57.7%) children (51.7% female) in the third (n=599), fifth (n=686), eighth (n=1168), and eleventh (n=698) grades. White girls were more likely to report being overweight (P=.0042), having higher personal weight concerns (P<.0001), and perceiving higher friend (P<.0001) and family weight concerns (P<.0001) than the African American girls. Using multiple regression, 29.8% of the variance in the children's personal weight concern scores was explained by perceptions of family's weight concerns (R(2)=.1659), gender (R(2)=.0762), perceptions of friend's weight concerns (R(2)=.0392), grade (R(2)=.0094), a Race x Gender interaction (R(2)=.0042), and race (R(2)=.003). Most of the children, particularly the white girls, have personal weight concerns and dieting practices which place them at risk for possible health problems. These results support the need for nutrition interventions and education in early childhood. Programs to prevent obesity and eating disorders should be tailored for differences by gender, grade, and race.

Dietary practices of South Carolina adolescents and their parents.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and identify correlates of adolescents' and parents' compliance with food guide pyramid recommendations (FGPR) and weight-control behaviors (WCB). METHODS: Data were collected from a random sample of adolescents (2,021) and parents (1,231) and were analyzed using multiple and logistic regression. RESULTS: Only 7% eight graders, 4% eleventh graders, and 3% parents met all FGPR. The most significant predictors of FGPR and WCB include knowledge, attitudes, and eating concerns. Extreme dieters were less likely and moderate dieters were more likely to meet recommendations. CONCLUSION: Results have relevance for developing nutritional programs for adolescents.

Differences in diet quality among fourth and seventh grade public school students in South Carolina.

The purpose of this study was to compare various aspects of diet quality between fourth graders and seventh graders. Consumption in each food group and food variety pattern suggested that dietary quality of fourth graders and seventh graders were different. Fourth graders showed "better" dietary behaviors than seventh graders with some variations among food groups and differences regarding gender. Importantly, it should be noted by the health care community that diet quality tends to decline with the progression from childhood to early adolescence. These same concerns are mentioned in the previous paper, i.e., the declining quality of diet with increased age in moving from childhood to adolescence. Specific areas that should be targeted for improvement were identified. The information obtained from this study suggests the need for renewed efforts by physicians, health educators, nutritionists, and policy makers to improve the diet quality of children and adolescents. In addition, this information is vital for formulating the appropriate and effective private provider and public health interventions and prevention initiatives to improve the health and wellness of South Carolina youth as they progress from childhood to adolescence into adulthood.