Investigated whether stigmatization of obese persons has affected rehabilitation counseling students' perceptions of such clients. Results suggest that rehabilitation students perceive obese clients more negatively. If a counselor's first impression of an obese client is that he is less competent and less attractive, rehabilitation outcome could…

A comprehensive health education program stressing the development of sound health habits should be offered to all students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Such programs could help to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease by educating students of current practices that add to the risk of disease. (CJ)

The obese face severe discriminatory reactions, leading to low rates of prosocial intervention and devaluation of ability and potential. It is no surprise that the obese adopt negative self-images. Further research should explore how body build influences hiring, job advancement, salary, jury deliberations, and college admissions. (Author)

The overweight college student is faced not only with the normal anxieties of adolescence but also with the special stress of surviving in a new environment. The nurse practitioner can guide students to bear responsibility for good health and provide a sound nutritional framework for a weight loss program. (CJ)

Among obese females following a behavioral weight loss program, a measure of perceived personal control significantly predicted outcome. Internals achieved greater mean weight loss. The internal control orientation was associated with higher extraversion and self-acceptance, but neither of these other variables correlated with weight loss. (Author)

Examined the relationship between weight cycling and psychological health in 120 obese women. Weight cycling was defined in two ways by retrospective self-report: total lifetime weight loss and total number of weight cycles greater than or equal to 20 pounds. Psychological self-report measures assessed psychiatric symptoms, eating behavior, mood,…

Used vignettes to investigate children's integration of information on behavior, body weight, and sex when forming peer impressions. Found that positively behaving peers were liked more and attributed more positive traits than negatively behaving peers. Also found that boys, but not girls, believed that peers would evaluate average weight,…

Provides a rationale for the significance of the study of early feeding and delineates major issues that require investigation. Includes a list of acquisition processes implicated in the development of food acceptance patterns. (RH)

Studied weight gain after smoking cessation in a naturalistic setting where all smokers quit and risk factors for postcessation weight gain were modified. Results showed no significant weight changes for smokers who quit. Suggests that an intensive program featuring dietary guidelines and increased physical activity can attenuate weight gain. (RJM)

Examines whether physical fitness levels in U.S. children and youth have changed over time. Research indicates that weight and skinfolds have increased over 50 years and distance run times have worsened over 10 years. The article includes information on relationships between cardiovascular fitness and coronary heart disease risks in children. (SM)

A system of scoring food intake that can be used to encourage students to make more intelligent decisions regarding their diets is presented. A sampling of points assigned to a variety of foods, a copy of a typical student diet record, and an example on how to calculate scores are included. (KR)

Examines various psychodynamic and behavioral theories in a discussion about obesity and mental health. It is revealed that modern theory finds no identifiable personality profile, behavior, or family structure influencing large weight gain thus discounting psychopathology as the cause of obesity. Individual assessments for causes of obesity are…

Too many U.S. children are out of shape. Parents must help them learn to improve their fitness by exercising with them. The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently made physical fitness of the nation's children a primary emphasis. A sidebar presents information on how to contact local mayors to start up programs to help children improve their fitness.…

Sedentary lifestyles and obesity are leading causes of several diseases. About 20% of today's teenagers are overweight; 50% will become overweight adults. Effective health-education classes and physical education that focus on lifelong physical/mental well-being are needed. Administrators should evaluate students' health and fitness. (MLH)

A review of literature on nutrition education and eating disorders suggests that some school health promotion practices may influence children's obsession with body weight and food. Health education should include a broader perspective of the psychological aspects of body image and self-concept. (SK)