Some 600,000 children in the US are allergic to peanuts. Of 400 elementary school nurses, 44% cite increased food-allergic students in the past five years. Peanut allergy doubled in children from 1997 to 2002, and yet peanuts are only one of six foods most often causing allergic reactions in children, including milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and tree…

Physical education represents an area of the middle school curriculum that has the potential to impact adolescents' developing knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in positive and meaningful ways that may endure across the lifespan. Despite the well-documented benefits of engaging in regular physical activity (e.g., American Heart…

This study examined the impact of tobacco possession laws on public smoking among youth. There were two intervention sites: a fast food restaurant and a shopping mall. Two control sites were also monitored for public smoking among youth. Preliminary findings suggest that when police issued tickets to minors for violating tobacco possession laws,…

This article presents a three-module intervention based on social action theory that focuses on health promotion and social identity formation for seropositive youth. The modules are designed to reduce transmission of HIV by reducing sexual and substance abuse acts, increasing healthy acts and adherence to care, and maintaining positive behavioral…

Women's magazines in Australia have become increasingly involved in various public health awareness campaigns. In particular, breast cancer has been targeted as an issue for attention. This disease occupies a privileged position in women's magazines, being represented as treatable and survivable with an emphasis on the advocacy of early detection…

Several recent reviews (e.g., L. C. Gallo & K. Matthews, 2003; A. Rozanski, J. A. Blumenthal, & J. Kaplan, 1999; R. Rugulies, 2002) have identified 3 affective dispositions--depression, anxiety, and anger-hostility--as putative risk factors for coronary heart disease. There are, however, mixed and negative results. Following a critical summary of…

Youth sports have become a childhood rite, yet they have a high dropout rate. Given the fact that participation rates decline dramatically as children grow older, coupled with the growing concern about the detrimental effects of a sedentary lifestyle, it is important that a greater understanding of the motivational patterns of children in physical…

Prostate health has emerged as a key health issue for men. Nearly 10000 men die from prostate cancer each year and many more live with non-cancerous, but debilitating, prostate conditions. Despite the widespread prevalence, evidence suggests that men lack knowledge about male cancers and conditions, and are more likely to ignore signs and delay…

We investigate the educational value of direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements from 58 popular magazines published in 1992 and 2002. We find that the number of DTC prescription drug ads increased nine-fold from 1992 to 2002, while the advertisements for other health care products increased only slightly. We examine changes in…

The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the self-administered International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form in college students. One hundred twenty-three undergraduate students (20.8 [plus or minus] 1.5 years of age, 76% Caucasian, 74% female) wore an accelerometer and pedometer at their waists…

Objectives: To report the findings of a literature review of the concept of wellbeing and consider its operational and heuristic potential within a range of disciplines. Design: A literature review to examine the philosophical roots of wellbeing and the contributions of the main disciplines uncovered by the review; economics, psychology, health…

This study assessed mail survey return rates published in seven general health education journals for the 13-year period, 1990-2002: "American Journal of Health Behavior," "American Journal of Health Education," "American Journal of Health Promotion," "Health Education & Behavior," "Health Education Research," "Journal of American College Health,"…

Examined in this article is whether it is ethical for health educators to try to change the health behaviors of people who are informed about the risks of engaging in an unhealthy behavior, have the skills and confidence to change the behavior, but nevertheless choose not to change. Questions are raised about whether interventions for such…

According to many studies, childhood obesity is an epidemic. Studies of populations in the United States and Australia highlight the critical need for children to be physically active in order to maintain healthy weight. In this article, the author describes the efforts made by Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) in supporting…

This article begins with an analysis of a 1987 report by a research group of the World Health Organization [WHO] of the United Nations General Assembly, under the heading "The Health of Young People Is the Concern of Society." The author discusses the "Schools of Health" project, as well as the "Health-Promoting…