Lifestyle factors and other health measures in a Canadian university community

2010 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 498-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Émilie Pérusse-Lachance ◽  
Angelo Tremblay ◽  
Vicky Drapeau
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Energy Drink ◽  
Lifestyle Factors ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Breakfast Consumption ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Health Related ◽  
University Community

With the increasing prevalence of obesity, there is a continuous search for effective obesity-prevention and health-promotion interventions. These interventions should be based on factors that have the potential to influence body weight and health. This study describes various health-related factors in a Canadian university community with the aim of developing more specific obesity interventions. A total of 3143 individuals completed an online questionnaire made up of 3 sections — on physical activity (PA), food habits, and other relevant lifestyle factors. The sampling error was ±3.3% with a 95% confidence interval. Results showed that 22.9% of students and 37.3% of staff members were either overweight or obese. Students had less desirable eating patterns than staff members in terms of fish, energy drink, and regular milk product intake, and both groups reported undesirable breakfast consumption and quality. Nevertheless, results also showed that a high percentage of individuals in both groups did not meet the recommendations for vegetable, fruit, and fish intake, or PA. Only a few gender differences were observed in eating habits. Soft drink and energy drink consumption was higher and breakfast consumption was lower in men, whereas a higher percentage of women did not meet the recommendations for vegetable, fruit, or fish consumption. Dieting behaviours, disinhibition susceptibility, and moderate-intensity (MIPA) were the 3 lifestyle factors most highly associated with overweight and obesity in both groups. Results also suggest that female students were highly preoccupied with their body weight. This study shows that overweight and obesity are problems in a university community, and that they are associated with many health-related lifestyle behaviours. Although most of the lifestyle factors and health measures examined are similar across groups and genders, some differences call for the development of health-promotion programs with specific targeting strategies.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Associations Between Energy Drink Consumption, Health, and Norm-Breaking Behavior Among Swedish Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Åsa Svensson ◽  
Maria Warne ◽  
Katja Gillander Gådin
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Energy Drink ◽  
Questionnaire Data ◽  
Energy Drink Consumption ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Longitudinal Associations ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Broad Approach

Objectives: To describe the intake of energy drinks (EDs) among a sample of Swedish adolescents while considering health-related variables, and to investigate the longitudinal associations between ED consumption, health, and norm-breaking behavior. Longitudinal studies on this topic are scarce.Methods: Questionnaire data were collected in the northern part of Sweden in 2010–2011 from 1,622 adolescents in grades 6–9. Analyses were performed using a chi-squared test and logistic regression.Results: Seventy-four percent of the boys and 54% of the girls had consumed EDs (P < 0.001). ED consumption was associated with variables related to low health, low support levels, and norm-breaking behavior. The associations were generally stronger among the girls and the boys who consumed EDs at least once a week. ED consumption was a predictor of worse health and norm-breaking behavior 1 year later. Adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.53 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.20; school-related stress) to 4.88 (95% CI: 2.28, 10.43; gaming-related truancy).Conclusions: Health promotion activities benefit from a broad approach but could focus on girls who consume EDs and those boys with the highest consumption levels.

Developing the Choosing Health digital weight loss and maintenance intervention using an Intervention Mapping approach (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iga Palacz-Poborczyk ◽  
Paulina Idziak ◽  
Anna Januszewicz ◽  
Aleksandra Luszczynska ◽  
Eleanor Quested ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Intervention Mapping ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Excess Body Weight ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Intervention Mapping Protocol ◽  
Health Promotion Programs

BACKGROUND Digital health promotion programs tailored to the individual are a potential cost-effective and scalable solution to enable self-management and provide support to people with excess body weight. However, solutions that are personalised, theory- and evidence- based and widely accessible are still limited. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a digital behaviour change program, Choosing Health, that could identify modifiable predictors of weight loss and maintenance for each individual and utilise these to provide tailored support. METHODS We applied an Intervention Mapping protocol to design the program. This systematic approach to develop theory- and evidence-based health promotion programs consisted of 6 steps: development of (1) a logic model of the problem, (2) model of change, (3) intervention design and (4) production, (5) the implementation plan, and (6) evaluation plan. The decisions made during the Intervention Mapping process were guided by theory, existing evidence, and our own research (including four focus groups, N=40, expert consultations, N=12 and interviews, N=11). The stakeholders included researchers, public representatives (including individuals with overweight and obesity), and experts from the variety of relevant backgrounds (including nutrition, physical activity, and healthcare sector). RESULTS Following a structured process, we developed a tailored intervention that has potential to reduce excess body weight and support behaviour changes in people with overweight and obesity. The Choosing Health intervention consists of tailored personalised text messages and email support that correspond with theoretical domains potentially predictive of weight outcomes for each participant. Intervention content includes behaviour change techniques to support motivation maintenance, self-regulation, habit formation, environmental restructuring, social support and addressing physical and psychological resources. CONCLUSIONS Use of an Intervention Mapping protocol enabled the systematic development of the Choosing Health intervention and guided the implementation and evaluation of the program. Through the involvement of different stakeholders, including representatives of general public, we were able to map out program facilitators and barriers while increasing ecological validity of the program, to ensure that we build an intervention that is useful, user friendly, and informative. We also summarised lessons learnt for the Choosing Health intervention development and for other health promotion programs. CLINICALTRIAL This is an Intervention Mapping study which is currently evaluated through a Randomised Controlled Trial. This trial was registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov; registration number NCT04291482. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040183

scholarly journals The Impact of Skipping Breakfast on the Body Weight of Children and Young People in Saudi Arabia; A Systematic Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Hanan Saleem Alhilabi ◽  
Anne Payne
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Young People ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Breakfast Consumption ◽  
Breakfast Skipping ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Skipping Breakfast

Aim: To review evidence on the impact of skipping breakfast on the body weight of children and young people of Saudi Arabia.  Method: A systematic search of the Cochrane Library, EBSCO (AMED, MEDLINE, and CINAHL), Web of Science, SCOPUS, PubMed, and EMBASE was conducted in March 2018 to identify primary published research. Additional studies were identified by hand searching in other sources such as subject-specific journals and grey literature. Any observational study, published in the English language in the last 20 years (1998-2018), involving healthy children and/or young people (5-24 years) in Saudi Arabia was included and the effect of skipping breakfast on their body weight was evaluated. Pre-defined information was extracted from each study onto a data extraction form for evaluation, following the Cochrane method for undertaking a systematic review. Study quality was evaluated using a Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies.  Results: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, of which seven graded weak in quality assessment, while one paper scored moderate. Six studies show that regular breakfast consumption has a protective effect against overweight/obesity, of which three studies tested the correlation, while controlling for confounding variables. Two of the eight studies demonstrated no significant correlation. Breakfast intake was also found to have a positive association with student's academic performance, with two out of three trials demonstrating a significant relationship, but in linking regular breakfast habit with socioeconomic status, no effect was found.  Conclusion: The findings suggest that skipping breakfast is associated with a higher risk of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia and thus breakfast consumption is associated with a reduced risk of overweight and obesity. However, in view of the array of methods used to define breakfast skipping and overweight/obesity, as well as the less robust nature of observational studies we cannot conclusively assume this relationship, suggesting further more controlled studies are required. Key words: Obesity, overweight, breakfast, breakfast skipping, children, young people, Saudi Arabia.

Pro-Health Education of Youth in Poland

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-68
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Michalska
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Developmental Disorders ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Individual Counseling ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Continuous Work ◽  
Vegetables And Fruits

Abstract Nowadays, thanks to greater awareness of society and development of restorative medicine, more and more attention is paid to preventive care. That is caused by the fact that there is little progress for both sexes in the frequency of healthy behavior: girls fall much worse than boys in terms of frequency of physical activity, they do not eat breakfast either; boys do not maintain a healthy diet and are reluctant to eat vegetables and fruits, they often drink high-calorie sodas and less frequently brush teeth. Though with age some improvements in oral hygiene and certain eating behaviors can be noticed. It has been determined that overweight and obesity is a serious problem, as they can contribute to developmental disorders. In this respect it should be the responsibility of teachers to provide individual physical education (according to medical qualifications), prevent various forms of discrimination and bullying among peers, provide individual counseling and health education, weight control of students. It has been defined that for modern teachers it is a difficult task as students rarely eat fruits and vegetables, do not care about hygiene and frequency of meals, have passive mode of leisure. The acquisition of health during puberty allows functioning smoothly in society. However, despite the continuous work on improving and introduction of new programs of health education classes into schools of Poland, children still suffer from health-related problems. According to epidemiological research most of children in Poland fall on obesity, overweight and accompanying disorders and allergies. Youth is also exposed to accidents and related injuries. The problem is that students do not receive assistance and necessary information.

Psychosocial Consequences of Body Weight and Obesity

2018 ◽  
pp. 274-286
Author(s):  
Deborah Carr ◽  
Vera K. Tsenkova
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Integrative Health ◽  
Psychosocial Consequences ◽  
Adults And Children

The body weight of U.S. adults and children has risen markedly over the past three decades. The physical health consequences of obesity are widely documented, and emerging research from the Midlife in the United States study and other large-scale surveys reveals the harmful impact of obesity on adults’ psychosocial and interpersonal well-being. This chapter synthesizes recent research on the psychosocial implications of body weight, with attention to explanatory mechanisms and subgroup differences in these patterns. A brief statistical portrait of body weight is provided, documenting rates and correlates of obesity, with a focus on race, gender, and socioeconomic status disparities. The consequences of body weight for three main outcomes are described: institutional and everyday discrimination, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the ways that recent integrative health research on the psychosocial consequences of overweight and obesity inform our understanding of population health.

scholarly journals The Role of Health-related Behaviors in Gestational Weight Gain among Women with Overweight and Obesity: A Cross-sectional Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (06) ◽  
pp. 316-324
Author(s):  
Daiane Sofia Morais Paulino ◽  
Maira Pinho-Pompeu ◽  
Fernanda Raikov ◽  
Juliana Vasconcellos Freitas-Jesus ◽  
Helymar Costa Machado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Gestational Weight Gain ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Stepwise Logistic Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Gestational Weight ◽  
Health Related Behaviors ◽  
Health Related

Abstract Objective To evaluate the influence of health-related behaviors including food intake, physical activity, sleep time, smoking habits, stress, depression, and optimism on excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) among women with overweight and obesity. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Women's Hospital of the Universidade de Campinas, Campinas, state of São Paulo, Brazil, with 386 mediate postpartum women that fit the inclusion criteria of ≥ 19 years old, first prenatal care visit at or before 14 weeks, and single live baby. Dietary habits, physical exercise practice, sleep duration, smoking and alcohol habits were self-reported. Psychosocial history was evaluated using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). Sociodemographic, obstetric, anthropometric, and neonatal data were retrieved from medical records. Descriptive statistics and stepwise logistic regression were performed. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 29.27% and 24.61%, respectively, according to the body mass index (BMI). Excessive GWG was observed in 47.79% of women with overweight and in 45.26% of women with obesity. Excessive GWG among overweight and obese women was associated with inadequate vegetable and bean consumption (odds ratio [OR] = 2.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35–6.46 and OR = 1.91; 95%CI: 1.01–3.63, respectively) and stress (OR = 1.63; 95%CI 1.01–2.64). After adjustment by maternal age, multiparity, sleep duration, smoking, and alcohol intake, we found that stress (PSS ≥ 20) was associated with excessive GWG in women with overweight or obesity (OR: 1.75; 95%CI: 1.03–2.96). Conclusion Among women with overweight and obesity, stress is the main variable associated with excessive GWG. Inadequate vegetables and beans consumption also showed association with excessive GWG.

scholarly journals The Role of Snack Choices, Body Weight Stereotypes and Smoking Behavior in Assessing Risk Factors for Adolescent Overweight and Obesity

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 557
Author(s):  
Elena Raptou
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Prevention Interventions ◽  
Frequent Consumption ◽  
Adolescent Overweight ◽  
Relationship Of

This study investigated the relationship of behavioral factors, such as snack choices, obesity stereotypes and smoking with adolescents’ body weight. Individual-level data for 1254 Greek youths were selected via a formal questionnaire. Snack choices seem to be gender specific with girls showing a stronger preference for healthier snacks. Frequent consumption of high-calorie and more filling snacks was found to increase Body Mass Index (BMI) in both genders. Fruit/vegetable snacks were associated with lower body weight in females, whereas cereal/nut snacks had a negative influence in males’ BMI. The majority of participants expressed anti-fat attitudes and more boys than girls assigned positive attributes to lean peers. The endorsement of the thin-ideal was positively associated with the BMI of both adolescent boys and girls. This study also revealed that neglecting potential endogeneity issues can lead to biased estimates of smoking. Gender may be a crucial moderator of smoking–BMI relationships. Male smokers presented a higher obesity risk, whereas female smokers were more likely to be underweight. Nutrition professionals should pay attention to increase the acceptance of healthy snack options. Gender differences in the influence of weight stereotypes and smoking on BMI should be considered in order to enhance the efficacy of obesity prevention interventions.

scholarly journals Acceptability of a Mobile Application in Children’s Oral Health Promotion—A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3256
Author(s):  
Kirsi Rasmus ◽  
Antti Toratti ◽  
Saujanya Karki ◽  
Paula Pesonen ◽  
Marja-Liisa Laitala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Oral Health Promotion ◽  
Oral Health Behaviors ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Children’S Oral Health

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the acceptability of an oral health-related mobile application developed for young children based on the feedback given by the children and their parents. Another aim was to evaluate the self-reported change in children’s oral health behaviors during a short test period. The application—a virtual pet integrated into a child’s daily routines—aimed to promote oral hygiene and dietary behaviors in children. A total of 36 4–12-year-old voluntary children were given a mobile phone with the installed application. After the 5-week testing period, the feasibility of the application and possible changes in the children’s oral health behaviors were asked using an electronic questionnaire. Most of the children considered the application clear (n = 34), amusing (n = 31), and useful (n = 29). The children’s tooth brushing manners improved both qualitatively and quantitatively: the time used for tooth brushing increased and the children learned how to brush different tooth surfaces. Mobile applications can be fun and useful in oral health promotion; while playing, children can learn good oral health-related behaviors. Mobile applications integrate oral health promotion into children’s daily environment and routines.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document