Context: Few studies have examined the prevalence of overweight status and physical inactivity among children and adolescents living in rural America. Purpose: We examined urban and rural differences in the prevalence of overweight status and physical inactivity among US children. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2003 National Survey of…

To curb the epidemic of obesity in the United States, revised Medicare policy allows support for efficacious obesity treatments. This review summarizes the evidence from rigorous randomized trials (9 lifestyle trials, 5 drug trials, and 2 surgical trials) on the efficacy and risk-benefit profile of lifestyle, drug, and surgical interventions aimed…

As childhood obesity has increased, schools have struggled with their role in this epidemic. Parents with a school-age child in a suburban latchkey program were surveyed regarding their perceptions of childhood obesity, body mass index, and the school's role in prevention and treatment of obesity. More than 80% of participants identified…

Schools have the potential to foster healthy behaviors among youths through sound health and physical education programs. Teacher candidates who are being certified through teacher preparation programs should take a course on basic wellness and exercise principles, in order to prepare themselves to teach those principles to all school faculty…

Purpose: The aim of this literature review is to summarise and synthesise the research base concerning childhood obesity and physical activity, particularly in relation to teachers and schools and within a policy context of the UK. The review investigates childhood obesity, physical activity, physical education, the role of teachers, the role of…

The NCSSSMST (National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology) and Keystone Science School co-sponsored two Youth Policy Summits during the summer of 2007. Forty students represented 10 high schools from across the country at each Summit, meeting for a week in June and August at Keystone Science School…

Obesity is a major public health epidemic in the United States. During the past decade, obesity has increased across all education levels, including college graduates. The purpose of this research was to study the health decisions that young women, post-college graduation make regarding their food intake. The subjects in this study completed a…

According to Lori Benson, Director of Fitness & Physical Education for the New York City Department of Education, findings from a 2003 study conducted on students in New York City elementary schools were so telling, that education and health administrators were prompted to make major changes to improve physical education and fight the…

This publication contains abstracts of books, articles, and research studies on the subject of adult patient nutrition. The materials offer dietary guidelines for mature individuals with a variety of ailments. The citations in this bibliography were entered in the "Agricola" database between January, 1979 and October, 1989. (JD)

This study examined the effectiveness of the addition of a cognitive intervention based on individualized assessment to a behavioral intervention for obesity. Overweight subjects (N=63) were randomly assigned to either a behavioral intervention or a behavioral intervention combined with a cognitive intervention which focused on changing specific…

Individual variability in response to behavioral weight loss programs remains an unresolved and perplexing issue for health psychologists. Determining in advance who will succeed or fail at losing weight would be useful in devising programs that produce a more homogeneous and dramatic response to treatment. In order to examine which responses to…

Health psychologists continue to have difficulty identifying prognostic indicators of weight loss success. Psychological, social, and demographic factors have been examined, but correlations with weight loss are disappointing. Actual behaviors or quantifications of specific actions and historical measures were examined for their validity in…

This student guide on nutrition contains activities categorized according to the seven dietary guidelines for Americans developed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture. The seven goals for which activities are provided are (1) to eat a variety of foods (daily nutrition guide, nutrients,…

Time estimates and ability to delay gratification of obese and nonobese boys, aged 8-13, were compared in this experiment in which hunger and edibility of incentives were manipulated. (GO)

Consequences of body weight were explored in sample of women and men. Average weight subjects showed preference for thin women but not for thin men; women are more negatively affected by body size in opposite-sex relationships; being overweight negatively affected self-attitudes of all subjects, but particularly those of women; and women are…