I provide novel evidence on the role of imperfect information in shaping childhood obesity. Between 2003 and 2017, 24 states began requiring schools to perform Body Mass Index assessments on students. Using the 1991 to 2017 National and State Youth Risk Behavior Surveys and a stacked difference-in-differences identification strategy, I show that…

Background: Little is known about the effects of outdoor behavioral healthcare on participants' body composition or about the relationship between body changes and indicators of mental health. Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to compare body and mental health changes in adolescents in an 8-week adventure therapy program.…

The relationship between dietary habits and microbiota composition during adolescence has not been well examined. This is a crucial knowledge gap to fill considering that diet-microbiota interactions influence neurodevelopment, immune system maturation and metabolic regulation. This study examined the associations between diet and the gut…

Regular physical activity and balanced nutrition are important in maintaining a healthy weight. Nonetheless, minority populations, like Hispanics, face challenges (e.g., language barriers and transportation unavailability) that limit their participation in intervention programs to receive benefits. Furthermore, dog companionship has been shown to…

The association of overweight/obesity, and central obesity with thiocyanate (SCN), perchlorate (CIO), and nitrate (NO) in childhood and adolescence is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore this association in 4447 participants comprising children and adolescents (aged 6-19 years) using data from the United States National Health and…

Introduction: Heavy metals such as Lead (Pb) and Mercury (Hg) can affect adipose tissue mass and function. Considering the high prevalence of exposure to heavy metals and obesity in Mexico, we aim to examine if exposure to Pb and Hg in adolescence can modify how fat is accumulated in early adulthood. Methods: This study included 100 participants…

Purpose: This review aimed to evaluate the utility of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programs integrated into physical education classes. Method: Searches of electronic databases from January 2008 to March 2020. Inclusion criteria: Applied to adolescents aged 10-19 years; applied in school settings; reported results on physical fitness,…

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at a heightened risk for obesity. Family-level measures of nutrition and physical activity may help explain factors contributing to disproportionate rates of weight gain. Twenty adolescents with ASD participated in baseline testing for a study to assess the feasibility of remotely-delivered yoga.…

Compared to their public-school peers, homeschool students are less physically active, perform worse in health-related physical fitness tests, and have poorer body composition status (Kabiri et al., 2017; Kabiri et al., 2020; Long et al., 2010; Tribby & Berrigan, 2021). The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of an outdoor…

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…

Using the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (weighted population size = 35,460,209; 8-18 years old; 52.1% males), we compared the obesity prevalence in children and adolescents between body mass index-based (BMI-based) and total percent body fat-based (BF%-based, measured by the dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) cutoffs.…

Excess adipose tissue may impact the motor performance of youth. Therefore, the current study examined: (1) if adiposity influenced performance in the jump and reach and 30-yard dash; and (2) if maturation predicted motor performance. Participants (N = 267) included girls aged 8 to 16 years. Latent growth curves were used to assess changes in…

Children's early experiences have potential to shape their development through early childhood, middle childhood, and into adolescence. Family structure at birth and material hardship may offer insight into how children's health and well-being are shaped within their family of origin. The current paper examined (a) the association between family…

Background: Balanced and adequate nutrition is important to improve the quality of life of children with intellectual disability but most of these children are negatively affected by nutritional problems. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the nutritional status and effect of the severity of intellectual disability on nutritional…

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to identify studies evaluating the impact of high-intensity interval training when delivered in school and sports training. Methods: A systematic search of 10 databases (September 2019) identified 24 eligible studies (including children and/or adolescents 5-18 years and reporting cardiometabolic health and/or…