The Role of Social Support vs. Modeling on Adolescents' Diet and Physical Activity: Findings from a School-based Weight Management Trial

Abstract There is a growing recognition that social support can potentially exert consistent or opposing effects in influencing health behaviours. The present paper presents a cross-sectional study, including 2,064 adults from Italy, Spain and Greece, who were participants in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial (C4H study), aiming to examine whether social support is correlated with adherence to a healthy Mediterranean diet and physical activity. Social support data were available for 1,572 participants. The majority of the sample reported emotional support availability (84·5 %), financial support availability (72·6 %) and having one or more close friends (78·2 %). Mediterranean diet adherence was significantly associated with emotional support (P = 0·009) and social network support (P = 0·021). No statistically significant associations were found between participant physical activity and the social support aspects studied. In conclusion, emotional and social network support may be associated with increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet. However, further research is needed to evaluate the role of social support in adherence to healthy Mediterranean diet.

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Awareness and knowledge about weight status and management: results from the 1 d sensitization campaign ‘Obesity Day’ in northern Italy

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001100005x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 14 (10) ◽

pp. 1813-1822 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Michela Barichella ◽

Alexis E Malavazos ◽

Giuseppe Fatati ◽

Emanuele Cereda

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Weight Management ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Weight Control ◽

Weight Status ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Obese Adults ◽

Cross Sectional

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the awareness and knowledge about weight status and its management.DesignA 1 d cross-sectional survey. Basic anthropometric assessments (weight, height, BMI and waist circumference) and a self-administered questionnaire were considered.SettingNineteen Clinical Nutrition or Endocrinology and Metabolic Disorders Units or Dietetics Services in the Italian region of Lombardy.SubjectsAll adults attending the ‘Obesity Day’ initiative.ResultsA total of 914 participants (605 female and 309 male) were recruited. Although most of the participants (83·5 %) considered obesity to be a disease, 38·5 % were likely to misperceive their weight status. In particular, 38·8 % of normal-weight adults believed themselves to be overweight, whereas 71·1 % and 37·5 % of classes I and II/III obese adults classified themselves as being overweight and mildly obese, respectively. However, most of the overweight (90·2 %), mildly (96·8 %) and moderately/severely obese adults (99·1 %) recognized the need to lose weight. In all, 37·8 % of the sample underestimated the role of physical activity in weight management. Interestingly, only 17·2 % of dieters (previous or current) declared being advised by their doctor to lose weight. Multivariate models revealed that higher age, low education and higher BMI were important determinants of poor weight control and management. In addition, previous dieting appeared not to provide better knowledge, whereas the role of physical activity was recognized mainly by those practising it.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that in Italy knowledge about weight management should be improved not only in the general population but also among health-care professionals. To confirm this finding, there is now the rationale for a nationally representative survey. New educational programmes can be designed on the basis of the information collected.

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A childhood obesity prevention programme in Barcelona (POIBA Project): Study protocol of the intervention

Journal of Public Health Research ◽

10.4081/jphr.2018.1129 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Francesca Sánchez-Martínez ◽

Olga Juárez ◽

Gemma Serral ◽

Sara Valmayor ◽

Rosa Puigpinós ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

New Technologies ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Total Duration ◽

Outcome Variable ◽

Preventive Interventions ◽

School Based ◽

Diet And Physical Activity

Background: Childhood obesity preventive interventions should promote a healthy diet and physical activity at home and school. This study aims to describe a school-based childhood obesity preventive programme (POIBA Project) targeting 8-to-12- year-old. Design and methods: Evaluation study of a school-based intervention with a pre-post quasi-experimental design and a comparison group. Schools from disadvantaged neighbourhoods are oversampled. The intervention consists of 9 sessions, including 58 activities of a total duration between 9 and 13 hours, and the booster intervention of 2 sessions with 8 activities lasting 3 or 4 hours. They are multilevel (individual, family and school) and multicomponent (classroom, physical activity and family). Data are collected through anthropometric measurements, physical fitness tests and lifestyle surveys before and after the intervention and the booster intervention. In the intervention group, families complete two questionnaires about their children’s eating habits and physical activity. The outcome variable is the cumulative incidence rate of obesity, obtained from body mass index values and body fat assessed by triceps skinfold thickness. The independent variables are socio-demographic, contextual, eating habits, food frequency, intensity of physical activity and use of new technologies. Expected impact for public health: It is essential to implement preventive interventions at early ages and to follow its effects over time. Interventions involving diet and physical activity are the most common, being the most effective setting the school. The POIBA Project intervenes in both the school and family setting and focuses on the most disadvantaged groups, in which obesity is most pronounced and difficult to prevent.

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