Background: Adolescents with overweight or obesity are at greater risk of having physical and psychosocial consequences. With increased disparities and inadequate literature on prevalence of adolescent weight status in rural Appalachia, there is potential for further complications. Unfortunately, adolescent obesity treatment options are often…

Background: Approximately 20% of US children are obese and these rates are expected to increase. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides meals to millions of students and may influence their body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to investigate whether students who participate in the NSLP have a higher BMI when compared to those that do…

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) plays a significant role in health and academic performance in youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between CRF and academic performance from fifth to eighth grade among a large, diverse, and state-wide cohort of students, and to determine the extent to which the…

Background: The structure provided by school settings even with no specific obesity-intervention may prevent weight gain. This meta-analytic study considered this premise by examining weight outcomes from control groups in published randomized controlled trials of school-year obesity-related interventions conducted in-school and out-of-school.…

Background: Despite extensive literature on school-based health center (SBHC) characteristics and outcomes, their quality of care has not been examined nationally. Standardized quality metrics can inform health care delivery and improvement. Methods: SBHC national performance measures (NPMs) were developed by reviewing measures from national child…

Background: Since children are generally not achieving desirable levels of physical activity (PA), schools can provide an opportunity to increase their active time. This study aimed to describe individual- and social-level variables associated with PA at school recess in a culturally diverse primary school. Methods: This observational…

Background: The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize what is known about health-related physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition) and physical activity among homeschool youth. Findings from this study have implications for all American youth as they return to public…

Background: The school presents an ideal environment to positively impact the long-term health and nutrition outcomes of early adolescents, who are at risk of obesity and anemia. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, we described differences in weight and anemia by sociodemographic, diet and physical activity indicators among 1059 students aged…

Background: Evidence for the effectiveness of state-mandated body mass index (BMI) screening programs in the United States has been inconclusive, and potential unintended consequences of the programs have been debated. The present review aims to understand parents' perceptions of and responses to school-based BMI screening, and to highlight…

Background: Associations between school participation in an academic medical center-supported school-based wellness initiative and programmatic components implemented with change in average student body mass index (BMI) over time were examined. Methods: This was an observational study of 103 K-12 South Carolina schools over school years 2014-2018,…

Background: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) declines during adolescence, particularly among girls. In this randomized control trial, we examined MVPA in a physical activity intervention compared to physical education (PE) class as usual (TAU), stratified by sex and weight classification. Standardized BMI (zBMI) overtime was also…

Background: This study aims to quantify associations between one's weight management goal and eating behaviors and physical activity among teenagers. Methods: Weighted logistic regressions were performed predicting healthy behaviors from weight goal separately for boys and girls while controlling for age, body mass index, socioeconomic indicators,…

Background: After-school programs (ASP) provide opportunities to influence children's physical activity (PA). However, little is known about the PA levels of the youngest schoolchildren. The aim of the study was to describe the level of PA intensity and sedentary time among first graders attending ASP in Norway, and to investigate factors that are…

BACKGROUND: Low-functional health literacy (HL) of parents influences poor child health outcomes. This study aimed to assess the relationship between comprehensive HL of parents and body mass index (BMI) of their children. METHODS: We enrolled 3- to 6-year-old preschool-aged children and their parents in this multicenter cross-sectional cohort…

Background: Public school children regularly participate in school-based physical activity, physical education, and fitness testing. However, almost 2 million American children are homeschooled. The purpose of this research was to assess the body composition of elementary school-aged homeschool children and their corresponding cardiovascular…