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The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act And High School Obesity, Derek Grills Jan 2015

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act And High School Obesity, Derek Grills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

United States high school student obesity rates have doubled in the past 30 years to 13%, threatening the health of millions of adolescents. To mitigate the epidemic, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) in 2010, which mandated significant changes to school nutrition and physical education. From a public policy perspective, the HHFKA changed school nutrition and exercise policy to affect obesity rates by changing intake and energy expenditure at school, though no study using national-level data examined this relationship. As such, the purpose of the study was to examine whether HHFKA policy compliance had a statistically significant effect …


Health Education To Decrease Obesity In Adolescents With Asthma, Mitzie Eumarie Thomas Jan 2015

Health Education To Decrease Obesity In Adolescents With Asthma, Mitzie Eumarie Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity increases asthma severity and is costing the health care industry a significant amount of money. Decreasing adolescents' obesity will decrease the risk for chronic health problems, which can have a significant impact in adulthood. Implementing a school-based health education program can decrease the prevalence of obesity amongst adolescents. This program will be implemented by school nurses in the after-school program at Public School 59 (P.S) in New York City. The purpose of this project is to develop adolescents' school-based obesity prevention policies and documentation which will focus on increasing their nutrition education, increasing physical activities, and providing skills to …


Predictors Of Obesity Among Nigerian Immigrants In The United States, Olawunmi Obisesan Jan 2015

Predictors Of Obesity Among Nigerian Immigrants In The United States, Olawunmi Obisesan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity has been identified as a significant risk factor for chronic diseases, contributing to health disparities in minority and vulnerable populations. Though research has identified an increased risk for obesity in the Hispanic immigrant population, there is little or no research on the heterogeneity of obesity predictors in specific immigrant populations in the United States. This study examined the predictors of obesity in the Nigerian immigrant population in the United States. Guided by the social ecological model and the segmented assimilation theory, this cross-sectional study collected primary data from 205 Nigerian immigrants in the United States using the CDC's Behavioral …


Obesity And Workplace Injury In Hazardous Occupations Among The Hispanic/Latino Population, Barbara Klyde Jan 2015

Obesity And Workplace Injury In Hazardous Occupations Among The Hispanic/Latino Population, Barbara Klyde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past 20 years, adult obesity has increased in the United States, especially among the Hispanic/Latino population. In 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Environmental and Safety News, reported that younger workers, ages 18 to19 years of age, worked in the most high-risk occupations such as agriculture, construction, fishing, and manufacturing. The reported fatality rates for these occupations were 5.6 times greater for Hispanic workers compared to other race/ethnicity groups reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2013. This study determined whether obesity contributed to workplace injury or mortality in hazardous occupations, using federal, state, and independent …


Weight Management Of Women Of Childbearing Age, Marcia Hagen Jan 2015

Weight Management Of Women Of Childbearing Age, Marcia Hagen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black River Memorial Hospital identified obesity as a priority health concern in its rural service area; this concern was in line with the county's needs assessment. It was identified that women of childbearing age affect the lifestyle and health choices of their families and that they are at higher risk for the additional health risks associated with obesity affecting pregnancy and birth. Despite the identification of these risk factors, the factors that affect healthy weight management have not been well understood. Using the life course theory, a qualitative inquiry in the form of a structured interview was developed with local …


Maternal Depression, Infant Feeding Practices, And Weight Gain Among African American And Hispanic Women, Alphonsus Maduwuba Agbaere Jan 2015

Maternal Depression, Infant Feeding Practices, And Weight Gain Among African American And Hispanic Women, Alphonsus Maduwuba Agbaere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood overweight and obesity are public health concerns that have negative health consequences and affect many children. Efforts are needed to identify children who are at a higher risk of developing overweight and obesity so that early detection and treatment may be offered. The intent of this study was to investigate the differences in the effects of postpartum depression on infant feeding practices and infant weight gain between Hispanic and African American women. Data were obtained from Infant Feeding Practices Study 11, a longitudinal study involving mothers in their third trimester through infants first year of life. The overall test …


Obesity Surveillance In Childhood, Jessica Garcia Jan 2015

Obesity Surveillance In Childhood, Jessica Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current practice behaviors for obesity management have remained refractory. Research has shown that lack of time and poor training/skills by primary care providers has led to poor or absent obesity counseling in practice. The purpose of this intervention was to facilitate obesity counseling in a pediatric office by using an evidence-based model called the 5As model of behavioral change. Lewin's change theory was the framework for this project to help clinicians transition their practice to include the 5As model in practice. The project consisted of a 30-minute power point presentation that included 2 case samples demonstrating how the 5As would …


Pregnant Obese Women And Factors Which Impact Their Social And Physiological Well-Being, Stephanie Denise Morgan Frye Jan 2015

Pregnant Obese Women And Factors Which Impact Their Social And Physiological Well-Being, Stephanie Denise Morgan Frye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For more than 50 years, researchers have recognized complications associated with obesity and pregnancy as a problem for mothers and their unborn children. Despite this recognition, the rates of obesity and mortality in pregnant women have continued to rise. Using the health belief model, the transtheoretical model of behavior change, and the social cognitive theory as the theoretical frameworks, this phenomenological study examined barriers that might hinder the health of obese pregnant women and their unborn children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 women who had a body mass index of 30 to 50, were between the ages of 18-55, …


The Predictors Of Obesity In Young Adults, Dominic Richard Tarinelli Jan 2015

The Predictors Of Obesity In Young Adults, Dominic Richard Tarinelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is becoming an increasing health concern for young adults. There have been numerous studies on the potential predictors of obesity. However, few studies have researched the predictors of obesity in young adults. Guided by the health belief model, this quantitative cross sectional study investigated the potential predictors of obesity in young adults. The 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used to gather data on the potential predictors of obesity, including physical activity, health care coverage, excessive alcohol consumption, and demographic characteristics on 1,511 young adults, aged 18-34 years, who were living in New York State. Data were analyzed …


Weight Management Counseling And Obesity Severity In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Adeola Sonaike Jan 2015

Weight Management Counseling And Obesity Severity In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Adeola Sonaike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Epidemiologic surveillance indicates an increased susceptibility to obesity among children with special health care needs (SHCN) in comparison to children without. The present study investigated this disparity in weight severity between both groups, with a focus on the provision of obesity management counseling by physicians. This study consisted of a retrospective medical record review that acknowledged the effect of patient-provider interactions on health behaviors and risk perceptions. An independent sample t test compared the incidence of clinician-initiated obesity management counseling received by children with SHCN to that which was received by children without SHCN. This t test revealed a statistically …


Health-Related Beliefs Among Low-Income African American Women And Their Perceptions About Obesity, Cenora Kimberly Akhidenor Jan 2015

Health-Related Beliefs Among Low-Income African American Women And Their Perceptions About Obesity, Cenora Kimberly Akhidenor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The aim of this study was to explore the health-related beliefs and perceptions of low-income African American women regarding obesity. Phenomenology served as the conceptual framework for this study. African American women, especially those in low-income brackets, have been shown to weigh more than women of other racial/ethnic groups. The consequences of these high rates are increased risks of developing chronic health disorders, such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The study sample consisted of 7 low-income obese African American women, ranging in age from 20 to 62, who resided in the Pacific Northwest. Recruitment for participation occurred via …


Diabetes Among Hispanic Immigrants: The Impact Of Age At Migration, Nancy Hahn Jan 2015

Diabetes Among Hispanic Immigrants: The Impact Of Age At Migration, Nancy Hahn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes is a disease that affects the Hispanic population in disproportionate numbers. With larger numbers of immigrants coming to the United States who are of Hispanic origin, the individual risk and health burden of this disease will have a major impact on the quality of life and the health care system. Research into the influence of the timing of changes in lifestyle suggested an association between specific levels of socioecological exposures and certain health conditions. This study examined that possibility. The use of the National Health Interview Survey, 2005-2011, provided adequate data for examining whether age at migration was associated …


The Effects Of Barriers Toward Fighting Childhood Obesity Within Head Start, Vanessa Chaney Jan 2015

The Effects Of Barriers Toward Fighting Childhood Obesity Within Head Start, Vanessa Chaney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and poses a health care burden. Child care facilities serve at the forefront in fighting childhood obesity among preschoolers. Since 2009, a significant shift has occurred in studying child care settings among children aged 3-5 in North Carolina and South Carolina in response to the rising rates of obesity in this population. Some of the hypothesized determinants of childhood obesity among preschoolers in North Carolina and South Carolina are outdoor activity, staff behavior, center's size and location. The purpose of this study was to investigate if significant relationships exist between childhood …