Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

The Parents' Role In Childhood Obesity, Heather M. Wintrup

Psychology and Child Development

This paper is an examination of the current childhood obesity crisis in the U.S. and how this epidemic is related to psychological issues. Specifically, the role of parental forces on children’s health attitudes and habits is addressed. The following chapters will define and explain the current situation of childhood obesity, investigate the role parents have in contributing to their children’s weight development, and cover methods of intervention for families dealing with this serious health issue.

Association Of Body Mass Index, Fruit And Vegetable Intake, And Acculturation In A Sample Las Vegas Hispanic Population, Anne L. Bolstad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The U.S. is experiencing a rising prevalence of overweightedness that has been identified as the second leading cause for chronic health conditions threatening public health. Overweightedness has grown disproportionately among ethnic sub-groups. In the fastest going minority population in the U.S., Hispanic Americans are observed with disparately high body mass index, placing them at heightened risk for poor health outcomes. Research suggests five servings of fruit and vegetables, in any combination, provides a sound nutritional base for healthful living and helps to maintain normal body weight.

Americans are known to have poor eating habits while foreign-born populations have well balanced …

Trends In Body Fat, Body Mass Index And Physical Fitness Among Male And Female College Students, Peter Pribis, Carol A. Burtnack, Sonya O. Mckenzie, Jerome Thayer

Faculty Publications

There have been many publications in recent years reporting on the quantity of physical activity among college students using indirect indicators such as steps walked per day or time spent on physical activities. The purpose of this study was to describe the trends of physical fitness related to BMI and body fat among university students between 1996 and 2008. The results showed a significant decline in the average fitness levels measured as an estimation of VO2max for male and female students (p < 0.001 for both sexes). The linear trend for BMI by years was not significant for both sexes (p for males = 0.772, p for females = 0.253). On average, in the last 13 years, % body fat was increasing 0.513%/year for males and 0.654%/year for females. There is a significant indirect correlation between the student's VO2max levels and % body fat, r = -0.489; p < 0.001 for males; and r = -0.416, p < 0.001 for females. Approximately 23.9% of the variance in the VO2max levels in males and 17.3% in females can be explained by the variance in % body fat. The results support recent findings that physical fitness among college students is declining and body fatness is increasing. © 2010 by the authors.