Factors associated with frequent consumption of fast food among Australian secondary school students.

OBJECTIVE: To examine demographic and behavioural correlates of frequent consumption of fast food among Australian secondary school students and explore the associations between fast food consumption and social/environmental factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey using a web-based self-report questionnaire. SETTING: Secondary schools across all Australian states and territories. PARTICIPANTS: Students aged 12-17 years participating in the 2012-2013 National Secondary Students' Diet and Activity survey (n 8392). RESULTS: Overall, 38 % of students surveyed reported consuming fast food at least weekly. Being male, residing in lower socio-economic areas and metropolitan locations, having more weekly spending money and working at a fast food outlet were all independently associated with consuming fast food once a week or more, as were several unhealthy eating (low vegetable intake and high sugary drink and snack food intake) and leisure (low physical activity and higher commercial television viewing) behaviours and short sleep duration. Frequent fast food consumption and measured weight status were unrelated. Students who agreed they go to fast food outlets with their family and friends were more likely to report consuming fast food at least weekly, as were those who usually 'upsize' their fast food meals and believe fast food is good value for money. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that frequent fast food consumption clusters with other unhealthy behaviours. Policy and educational interventions that reach identified at-risk groups are needed to reduce adolescent fast food consumption at the population level. Policies placing restrictions on the portion sizes of fast food may also help adolescents limit their intake.

The role of grandparents as providers of food to their grandchildren.

The increasing reliance on grandparents as a source of childcare means that child dietary intake, child obesity, and child health may be increasingly influenced by grandparents' food provision. Although calls have been made for research that explores the role of grandparents in shaping children's eating behaviours, results of research assessing the types of foods provided by grandparents have been limited in focus to fruit and vegetables or energy-dense nutrient-poor foods. In addition, research assessing the determinants of food provision is lacking. Such information is important in identifying targets for education programs that aim to improve grandparents' food provision practices. Accordingly, the present study assessed the extent to which Australian grandparents are providing meals and snacks for their grandchildren, the types of foods and beverages being provided, and the determinants of provision. Grandparents providing regular childcare (i.e., ≥3 h every week) to at least one grandchild aged 3-14 years were recruited (n = 1076; 60% female; age = 65.07 years (SD = 6.68)). Results revealed that a majority of grandparents (82%) reported providing their grandchild with snacks. Nearly one-fifth (18%) of grandparents reported providing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The provision of main meals occurred one to three times a week and snack provision occurred two to six times a week. Although grandparents generally provided a healthy food environment, practices were found to differ by the sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, and socioeconomic status) of grandparent caregivers and by the sex and age of the grandchild in their care. Results suggest that grandparents should be considered crucial to efforts to increase healthy eating in children and address childhood obesity.

Association of the LiveLighter mass media campaign with consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages: Cohort study.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Evaluation of the behavioural impact of Western Australia's LiveLighter healthy weight and lifestyle campaign focussed on decreasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) using graphic imagery, as well as monitoring unintended consequences. METHODS: A cohort design with pre-campaign telephone survey of Western Australian adults aged 25-49 (Time 1 May/Jun 2013: N = 1504) undertaken and repeated following the campaign (Time 2 Aug/Sep 2013: N = 822). RESULTS: Post-campaign awareness was 67% with respondents in low socio-economic areas most likely to report viewing the campaign frequently. There was evidence of reduced SSB intake from baseline to follow-up among frequent (4+/week) SSB consumers (22% cf. 16%; P = 0.003) and some evidence among overweight (BMI 25+) weekly SSB consumers (56% cf. 48%; P = 0.013). There was also some evidence consumption of sweet food decreased (3+/week: 53% cf. 48%; P = 0.035) while fruit, vegetable and fast food consumption remained stable. Knowledge of potential health consequences of SSBs increased (70% cf. 82%; P < 0.001) with no change in knowledge of potential health consequences of overweight generally (86% cf. 89%). Importantly, there was no increase in endorsement of overweight stereotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The LiveLighter "Sugary Drinks" campaign positively impacted adults' knowledge and behaviour with regard to SSB consumption in a pattern specific to the campaign messaging and without adverse impact on weight-related stereotypes. SO WHAT?: Findings support the use of mass media for healthy lifestyle change. They suggest the public are receptive to undertaking the campaign's simple concrete lifestyle recommendation and provide an indication of the campaign dose required to achieve positive behaviour change.

Physical activity and screen-based recreation: Prevalences and trends over time among adolescents and barriers to recommended engagement.

Adolescence is a critical time for disengagement from physical activity making young people a priority group for interventions. To determine whether existing initiatives are working in this population segment and help inform future programs, the present study sought to (i) examine prevalences and trends in physical activity and screen-based recreation among Australian adolescents and (ii) identify the barriers to adolescents meeting recommended guidelines. Two cross-sectional representative samples of Western Australian secondary school students aged 12 to 17years were surveyed in 2009-2010 (n=1505) and 2012-2013 (n=1406). Around a quarter (24%) of boys and just 9% of girls reported engaging in the recommended 60min of physical activity per day in 2012-2013. A minority (13% of boys, 17% of girls) adhered to guidelines for time spent engaging in screen-based recreation (≤2h of electronic media use for entertainment). These findings were comparable to 2009-2010 prevalence levels. Multivariable logistic regression analyses conducted on data from the most recent wave found individual-level barriers to be significantly associated with lower odds of meeting physical activity guidelines in both boys (Adj. OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.38, 0.72) and girls (Adj. OR=0.41, 95% CI=0.25, 0.66). The consistently high proportion of adolescents not meeting physical activity recommendations over time suggests that current efforts to increase physical activity may be failing to have an impact on population-level trends in compliance. While initiatives to improve the built environment may reduce barriers at the environmental level, these initiatives risk having little impact on physical activity if individual level barriers remain unaddressed.

The effect of chronic disease warning statements on alcohol-related health beliefs and consumption intentions among at-risk drinkers.

Informing drinkers of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption via warning statements located on alcohol products can increase their capacity to make healthier choices. This study assessed whether exposing at-risk drinkers to warning statements relating to specific chronic diseases increases the extent to which alcohol is believed to be a risk factor for those diseases and influences consumption intentions. Australians drinking at levels associated with long-term risk of harm (n = 364; 72% male) completed an online survey assessing their drinking habits, beliefs in the link between alcohol and various diseases and drinking intentions. Respondents were then exposed to one of five statements advising of the potential risks associated with alcohol consumption (either cancer, liver damage, diabetes, mental illness or heart disease). Beliefs and drinking intentions were reassessed. Significant increases in the extent to which alcohol was believed to be a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, mental illness and cancer were found. With the exception of the liver damage and heart disease statements, exposure to each statement was associated with a significant reduction in consumption intentions. Warning statements advising of the specific chronic diseases associated with alcohol consumption can produce favourable changes in drinking intentions among at-risk drinkers.

A process and outcome evaluation of an in-class vegetable promotion program.

OBJECTIVE: Nutrition interventions that target both fruits and vegetables are effective in increasing fruit consumption, but have been limited in their ability to improve vegetable intake. To address the low proportion of children meeting vegetable intake guidelines, approaches specifically targeting vegetables are needed. This paper reports on a mixed-method analysis of a 10-week vegetable promotion pilot project that aimed to increase vegetable intake as part of the existing Crunch&Sip in-class fruit and vegetable break program. DESIGN: The intervention was designed to promote vegetable consumption through the implementation of vegetable-focused resources, including curriculum resources and parent education materials. Teachers completed pre- and end-of-intervention surveys. Process measures related to the use of resources and teachers' perceptions of barriers to implementation. The outcome evaluation included measures of children's vegetable consumption during Crunch&Sip breaks and teachers' attitudes and confidence relating to educating students about the benefits of consuming vegetables. SUBJECTS: Twenty-one Western Australian primary schools already participating in the Crunch&Sip program participated in the pilot intervention and evaluation. Coverage included 35 primary school teachers representing 818 students aged 4-11 years. RESULTS: The proportion of children bringing vegetables for Crunch&Sip more than doubled over the 10-week intervention (21% vs 46%; p < 0.001). Improvements were observed in teachers' perceived knowledge about the nutritional benefits of vegetables (p = 0.001) and confidence to educate students about the benefits of vegetable consumption (p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Preferentially promoting vegetable consumption as part of an existing school-based nutrition program may be an effective strategy to increase children's vegetable intake.

Vegetable and fruit intake in Australian adolescents: Trends over time and perceptions of consumption.

The consumption of vegetables and fruit during adolescence is crucial to ensuring adequate intake of the nutrients required to meet the rapid growth that characterises this developmental period. However, significant reductions in vegetable and fruit intake during adolescence have been observed making the promotion of consumption an important health promotion challenge. To monitor progress in this population segment toward meeting recommended intake levels and identifying at-risk groups, the present study assessed changes in Australian adolescents' vegetable and fruit consumption over time and identified the demographic factors associated with meeting recommendations. As individuals who are aware of their diet deficiencies are likely to be more receptive to healthy eating interventions, the present study also assessed adolescents' perceptions of the adequacy of their vegetable and fruit intake and identified the demographic factors associated with correctly perceiving fruit and vegetable intake to be inadequate. Two cross-sectional samples of Western Australian secondary school students aged 12-17 years were surveyed in 2009-2010 (n = 1501) and 2012-2013 (n = 1406). Only 14% of students at Wave 1 and 13% at Wave 2 met the recommended guidelines for vegetable intake while 68% and 71% met the guidelines for fruit intake. Females had significantly greater odds of failing to meet guidelines for vegetable intake than males. Only 50% of students correctly identified their vegetable and fruit intake to be inadequate. The observed very low levels of compliance with vegetable intake recommendations suggest that addressing deficiencies in vegetable consumption should be a primary focus of future nutrition interventions. Efforts should also be made to increase adolescents' perceptions of the inadequacy of their intake to optimise the effectiveness of schemes designed to improve vegetable and fruit consumption in this population segment.

Whetting disadvantaged adults' appetite for nutrition education.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the features of a nutrition education programme for disadvantaged adults deemed most attractive and useful by participants. DESIGN: A two-year, multi-method, qualitative evaluation of pre and post data collected from programme participants. Data were imported into NVivo10 for coding to facilitate a thematic analysis. SETTING: Western Australia. Participants Individuals attending the Western Australian FOODcents nutrition education programme that is designed to provide knowledge and skills needed to consume a healthy diet on a budget. Focus groups were conducted several weeks after course completion (five groups, forty-seven participants), observations were conducted during FOODcents sessions (thirty-one observation episodes, 237 participants), and open-ended questions were asked in pre-post hard-copy surveys administered in sessions (n 927) and an online survey administered on average six weeks after course completion (n 114). RESULTS: The course attributes that were found to be especially important to participants were: (i) user-friendly, practical information that could be immediately translated to their daily lives; (ii) experiential learning that involved direct contact with food products; and (iii) opportunities for social interaction. These aspects of nutrition education were described as being highly influential in the decision to participate in the course, the application of the information in their subsequent food purchase and preparation activities, and their word-of-mouth communications with others about the course. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating aspects of most importance to participants into nutrition education programme delivery and promotion may increase joining rates, enjoyment, satisfaction with course content and, ultimately, the uptake of recommended behaviours.

Factors associated with high consumption of soft drinks among Australian secondary-school students.

OBJECTIVE: To examine demographic and behavioural correlates of high consumption of soft drinks (non-alcoholic sugar-sweetened carbonated drinks excluding energy drinks) among Australian adolescents and to explore the associations between high consumption and soft drink perceptions and accessibility. DESIGN: Cross-sectional self-completion survey and height and weight measurements. SETTING: Australian secondary schools. SUBJECTS: Students aged 12-17 years participating in the 2012-13 National Secondary Students' Diet and Activity (NaSSDA) survey (n 7835). RESULTS: Overall, 14 % of students reported consuming four or more cups (≥1 litres) of soft drinks each week ('high soft drink consumers'). Demographic factors associated with high soft drink consumption were being male and having at least $AU 40 in weekly spending money. Behavioural factors associated with high soft drink consumption were low fruit intake, consuming energy drinks on a weekly basis, eating fast foods at least once weekly, eating snack foods ≥14 times/week, watching television for >2 h/d and sleeping for <8 h/school night. Students who perceived soft drinks to be usually available in their home, convenient to buy and good value for money were more likely to be high soft drink consumers, as were students who reported usually buying these drinks when making a beverage purchase from the school canteen/vending machine. CONCLUSIONS: High soft drink consumption clusters with other unhealthy lifestyle behaviours among Australian secondary-school students. Interventions focused on reducing the availability of soft drinks (e.g. increased taxes, restricting their sale in schools) as well as improved education on their harms are needed to lower adolescents' soft drink intake.

Potential in-class strategies to increase children's vegetable consumption.

OBJECTIVE: The Crunch&Sip programme is a school-based nutrition initiative designed to increase the fruit, vegetable and water intakes of primary-school children. In recognition of the notable deficits in children's vegetable consumption, the present study explored the receptivity of school staff to a realignment of the Crunch&Sip programme to feature a primary focus on vegetable consumption. This involved investigating school staff members' perceptions of relevant barriers, motivators and facilitators. DESIGN: A multi-method approach was adopted that involved four focus groups and a survey (administered in paper and online formats) containing a mixture of open- and closed-ended items. SETTING: Western Australia. SUBJECTS: Staff from Western Australian schools participated in the focus groups (n 37) and survey (n 620). RESULTS: School staff were strongly supportive of modifying the Crunch&Sip programme to focus primarily on children's vegetable consumption and this was generally considered to be a feasible change to implement. Possible barriers identified included children's taste preferences and a perceived lack of parental support. Suggested strategies to overcome these barriers were education sessions for parents and children, teachers modelling vegetable consumption for their students and integrating vegetable-related topics into the school curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: School staff are likely to support the introduction of school-based nutrition programmes that specifically encourage the consumption of vegetables. Potential barriers may be overcome through strategies to engage parents and children.

Assessing parents' receptiveness to a vegetable-focussed in-school nutrition intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Crunch&Sip is an Australian school-based initiative designed to increase the consumption of fruit, vegetables, and water among primary school children. To address the significant deficiencies in children's vegetable intake, the present study aimed to examine the responsiveness of parents (the main providers of food for Crunch&Sip) to a modified version of the program that focuses primarily on vegetable consumption. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 329 Western Australian parents completed an online questionnaire examining their support for a vegetable focus for Crunch&Sip and any perceived barriers, motivators, and facilitators. RESULTS: Most (80%) parents were supportive of a shift to a vegetable focus for Crunch&Sip. Belief in the effectiveness of Crunch&Sip at improving children's attitudes towards vegetables and increasing children's vegetable consumption was found to be significantly associated with levels of support. The most commonly nominated motivator was to improve their children's eating habits and the main facilitator was the perceived ability of teachers and peers to influence children's food consumption behaviours. Identified potential barriers included the difficulties associated with providing a variety of vegetables, maintaining freshness, and the preparation time required. The primary suggested strategy to overcome these barriers was for schools to conduct education sessions to provide information about vegetable provision options. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest that parents can be supportive of school-based nutrition programs that specifically encourage the consumption of vegetables but they may require guidance to reduce the identified barriers related to vegetable provision.

The connecting health and technology study: a 6-month randomized controlled trial to improve nutrition behaviours using a mobile food record and text messaging support in young adults.

BACKGROUND: Early adulthood represents the transition to independent living which is a period when changes in diet and body weight are likely to occur. This presents an ideal time for health interventions to reduce the effect of health problems and risk factors for chronic disease in later life. As young adults are high users of mobile devices, interventions that use this technology may improve engagement. The Connecting Health and Technology study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of tailored dietary feedback and weekly text messaging to improve dietary intake of fruit, vegetables and junk food over 6 months among a population-based sample of men and women (aged 18-30 years). METHODS: A three-arm, parallel, randomized control trial was conducted. After baseline assessments, participants were randomized to one of three groups: A) dietary feedback and weekly text messages, B) dietary feedback only or C) control group. Dietary intake was assessed using a mobile food record App (mFR) where participants captured images of foods and beverages consumed over 4-days at baseline and post-intervention. The primary outcomes were changes in serves of fruits, vegetables, energy-dense nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). The intervention effects were assessed using linear mixed effect models for change in food group serves. RESULTS: Young adults (n = 247) were randomized to group A (n = 82), group B (n = 83), or group C (n = 82). Overall, no changes in food group serves for either intervention groups were observed. An unanticipated outcome was a mean weight reduction of 1.7 kg (P = .02) among the dietary feedback only. Men who received dietary feedback only, significantly reduced their serves of EDNP foods by a mean of 1.4 serves/day (P = .02). Women who received dietary feedback only significantly reduced their intake of SSB (P = .04) by an average of 0.2 serves/day compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Tailored dietary feedback only resulted in a decrease in EDNP foods in men and SSB in women, together with a reduction in body weight. Using a mobile food record for dietary assessment and tailored feedback has great potential for future health promotion interventions targeting diet and weight in young adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian Clinical Trials Registry Registration number: ACTRN12612000250831 .

Evaluation outcomes of a long-running adult nutrition education programme.

OBJECTIVE: For more than 20 years, the FOODcents adult nutrition education programme has been delivered to Western Australians. The aim of the programme is to provide disadvantaged individuals with the knowledge, skills and motivation to buy healthy foods on a limited budget. The present study evaluated whether the FOODcents curriculum and the way it is delivered are effective in improving participants' nutrition-related knowledge and behaviours. DESIGN: Evaluation data were collected via in-session pre-post questionnaires and a post-course online questionnaire. SETTING: Western Australia. SUBJECTS: Data were collected from participants attending just over one-half (54 %) of the FOODcents courses conducted over the two-year evaluation period. In total, 927 course participants provided usable data. RESULTS: After exposure to the course, respondents demonstrated an improved ability to: (i) categorize foods according to the frequency with which they should be consumed and the proportion of the food budget that should be allocated to them; (ii) correctly interpret nutrition labels on food products; and (iii) appreciate the link between diet/obesity and a range of diseases. Improvements in the latter were especially pronounced among participants of low socio-economic status. In terms of behaviour change, significant improvements in fruit and vegetable consumption were reported, along with reductions in the consumption of fast food. Participants of low socio-economic status reported the greatest changes. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the FOODcents nutrition education programme improves participants' nutrition-related knowledge and behaviours.

The effect of cancer warning statements on alcohol consumption intentions.

In response to increasing calls to introduce warning labels on alcoholic beverages, this study investigated the potential effectiveness of alcohol warning statements designed to increase awareness of the alcohol-cancer link. A national online survey was administered to a diverse sample of Australian adult drinkers (n = 1,680). Along with attitudinal, intentions and demographic items, the survey included an online simulation that exposed respondents to one of six cancer warning statements delivered across a range of situational contexts. Half of the statements made general reference to cancer and half mentioned specific forms of cancer. Respondents reported on the believability, convincingness and personal relevance of the warning statements. Pre- and post-exposure data were captured relating to respondents' alcohol consumption intentions. Of the six statements tested, Alcohol increases your risk of bowel cancer produced the highest scores across all outcome measures. All statements produced favorable changes in alcohol consumption intentions, including among high-risk drinkers. There is thus the potential for these and similar statements to be used as a suite of rotating warning messages located on alcoholic beverage labels and applied in various public education contexts.

A Comparison of Alcohol Consumption Intentions Among Pregnant Drinkers and Their Nonpregnant Peers of Child-Bearing Age.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate alcohol consumption intentions among Australian women of childbearing age by pregnancy status. METHODS: Three national online surveys were conducted with adult drinkers who consume an alcoholic beverage at least two days per month. Data from female respondents of childbearing age were analyzed according to pregnancy status: pregnant (n = 101), possibly pregnant (n = 178), and not pregnant (n = 1,957). RESULTS: Pregnant drinkers were significantly more likely than possibly pregnant and nonpregnant drinkers of child-bearing age to report that they should and will reduce their alcohol consumption. Results showed that 33% of the pregnant women, 32% of the nonpregnant women, and 39% of the possibly pregnant women reported intending to drink five or more standard drinks on a single occasion in the following two weeks. Older pregnant women exhibited higher rates of heavy drinking intentions and lower intentions to reduce their consumption relative to younger pregnant women. CONCLUSION: Despite current alcohol consumption guidelines recommending abstinence while pregnant, pregnant respondents exhibited heavy episodic drinking intentions comparable to those of their nonpregnant peers. IMPLICATIONS: There is a need to increase public awareness of current alcohol guidelines for pregnant women. Older women of childbearing age and those planning a pregnancy may require particular attention.

What factors are associated with frequent unhealthy snack-food consumption among Australian secondary-school students?

OBJECTIVE: To examine demographic and behavioural correlates of unhealthy snack-food consumption among Australian secondary-school students and the association between their perceptions of availability, convenience and intake with consumption. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of students' eating, physical activity and sedentary behaviours using validated instruments administered via an online questionnaire. SETTING: Australian secondary schools across all states/territories. SUBJECTS: Secondary-school students aged 12-17 years participating in the 2009-10 National Secondary Students' Diet and Activity (NaSSDA) survey (n 12 188). RESULTS: Approximately one in five students (21 %) reported consuming unhealthy snack foods ≥14 times/week ('frequent snackers'). After adjusting for all covariates, older students and those with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m² were less likely to be frequent snackers, while students who reported high fast-food and high sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and those who watched television for >2 h/d were more likely to snack frequently. Furthermore, after adjusting for all covariates and demographic factors, students who agreed that snack foods are usually available at home, convenient to buy and that they eat too many snack foods were more likely to be snacking frequently. Conversely, students who agreed that fruit is a convenient snack were less likely to be frequent snackers. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent unhealthy snack-food consumption appears to cluster with other poor health behaviours. Perceptions of availability and convenience are factors most readily amenable to change, and findings suggest interventions should focus on decreasing the availability of unhealthy snack foods in the home and promoting healthier options such as fruit as convenient snacks.

Developing cancer warning statements for alcoholic beverages.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of the increased cancer risk associated with alcohol consumption, but this is not well understood by the general public. This study investigated the acceptability among drinkers of cancer warning statements for alcoholic beverages. METHODS: Six focus groups were conducted with Australian drinkers to develop a series of cancer-related warning statements for alcohol products. Eleven cancer warning statements and one general health warning statement were subsequently tested on 2,168 drinkers via an online survey. The statements varied by message frame (positive vs negative), cancer reference (general vs specific), and the way causality was communicated ('increases risk of cancer' vs 'can cause cancer'). RESULTS: Overall, responses to the cancer statements were neutral to favorable, indicating that they are unlikely to encounter high levels of negative reaction from the community if introduced on alcoholic beverages. Females, younger respondents, and those with higher levels of education generally found the statements to be more believable, convincing, and personally relevant. Positively framed messages, those referring to specific forms of cancer, and those using 'increases risk of cancer' performed better than negatively framed messages, those referring to cancer in general, and those using the term 'can cause cancer'. CONCLUSION: Cancer warning statements on alcoholic beverages constitute a potential means of increasing awareness about the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.

Legal drug content in music video programs shown on Australian television on saturday mornings.

AIMS: To examine the extent to which legal drug references (alcohol and tobacco) are present in the music video clips shown on two music video programs broadcast in Australia on Saturday mornings. Further, to examine the music genres in which the references appeared and the dominant messages associated with the references. METHODS: Music video clips shown on the music video programs 'Rage' (ABC TV) and [V] 'Music Video Chart' (Channel [V]) were viewed over 8 weeks from August 2011 to October 2011 and the number of clips containing verbal and/or visual drug references in each program was counted. The songs were classified by genre and the dominant messages associated with drug references were also classified and analysed. RESULTS: A considerable proportion of music videos (approximately one-third) contained drug references. Alcohol featured in 95% of the music videos that contained drug references. References to alcohol generally associated it with fun and humour, and alcohol and tobacco were both overwhelmingly presented in contexts that encouraged, rather than discouraged, their use. CONCLUSION: In Australia, Saturday morning is generally considered a children's television viewing timeslot, and several broadcaster Codes of Practice dictate that programs shown on Saturday mornings must be appropriate for viewing by audiences of all ages. Despite this, our findings show that music video programs aired on Saturday mornings contain a considerable level of drug-related content.

What factors are associated with excess body weight in Australian secondary school students?

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Australian secondary school students and identify factors associated with excess adiposity. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional survey of students aged 12-17 years (in school years 8-11) who completed the National Secondary Students' Diet and Activity survey in 2009-10, which included a web-based self-report questionnaire and height and weight measurements. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overweight and obesity based on international standard body mass index (BMI) cut-offs for children and adolescents. RESULTS: Data were analysed for 12 188 students. Just under one in four students were either overweight (18%) or obese (5%). After adjusting for demographic and health-behaviour characteristics, males were more likely than females to be overweight or obese (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.07-1.40; P = 0.004), as were both low (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.40-1.99; P < 0.001) and medium (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.14-1.55; P < 0.001) socioeconomic position (SEP) students compared with high SEP students. Students engaging in low levels of physical activity (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08-1.36; P = 0.001), more time in small-screen recreation (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.32; P = 0.005), and short sleep duration (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.05-1.41; P = 0.008) also had higher odds of being overweight or obese. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for interventions to reduce overweight and obesity during adolescence. Preventive measures should include a focus on facilitating physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour, as well as promoting adequate sleep, particularly among young people from lower SEP neighbourhoods who appear to be most susceptible.

Connecting Health and Technology (CHAT): protocol of a randomized controlled trial to improve nutrition behaviours using mobile devices and tailored text messaging in young adults.

BACKGROUND: Increasing intakes of fruits and vegetables intake, in tandem with reducing consumption of energy-dense and nutrient poor foods and beverages are dietary priorities to prevent chronic disease. Although most adults do not eat enough fruit and vegetables, teenagers and young adults tend to have the lowest intakes. Young adults typically consume a diet which is inconsistent with the dietary recommendations. Yet little is known about the best approaches to improve dietary intakes and behaviours among this group. This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using a mobile device to assess dietary intake, provide tailored dietary feedback and text messages to motivate changes in fruit, vegetable and junk food consumption among young adults. METHODS/DESIGN: The CHAT project will involve the development of the mobile device food record (MDFR), and evaluation of dietary feedback and implementation of a 6-month intervention in young adults aged 18 to 30 years. The participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups (1) Intervention Group 1: MDFR + Text Messages + Dietary Feedback; (2) Intervention Group 2: MDFR + Dietary Feedback; (3) Control Group 3: MDFR, no feedback. All groups will undertake a 3-day dietary record using the MDFR but only the Intervention Groups 1 and 2 will receive tailored dietary feedback at baseline and at 6-months which will consist of assessment of serves of fruits, vegetables and junk food in comparison to dietary recommendations. Tailored nutrition text messages will be sent to Intervention Group 1 over the 6 months. Data will be collected at baseline and again at the 6-month completion. DISCUSSION: This trial will test if applications running on mobile devices have potential to assess diet, provide tailored feedback and nutrition messages as an effective way of improving fruit and vegetable consumption and reducing energy-dense nutrient poor foods in young adults. The CHAT project will assess the impact of the intervention on behavioural intention to eat a more healthful diet. This innovative approach if successful may provide a means to deliver a low cost health promotion program that has the potential to reach large groups, particularly young adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000250831.