I provide novel evidence on the role of imperfect information in shaping childhood obesity. Between 2003 and 2017, 24 states began requiring schools to perform Body Mass Index assessments on students. Using the 1991 to 2017 National and State Youth Risk Behavior Surveys and a stacked difference-in-differences identification strategy, I show that…

The prevalence of fast food consumption and childhood obesity has increased rapidly. This study aimed to assess the association between the frequency of fast food consumption in the past week with emotional and behavioral problems of 624 adolescents with overweight and obese problems (mean age = 14.6). Frequency of fast food consumption was…

The study assessed health literacy (HL) in Lebanese adolescents and its associations with health during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 228 adolescents (63.1% female), 15.5 ± 1.5 years, took the survey. Data was collected between May and September 2020. The questionnaire consisted of the Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC) scale,…

Previous studies have suggested the impact of intervention fidelity on the management and prevention of chronic diseases; however, little is known about the effect of the contributing determinants (at multiple levels of influence) that can impact health-related interventions intending to improve the health status of Hispanic adolescents with…

This study examined mediating effects of body weight control behaviors in the relationship between body weight perception and health-related behaviors among 11,458 U.S. adolescents from the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey. Parallel multiple mediation analysis was performed for the secondary data analysis. Nearly one…

Background: Among adolescents, physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary habits are associated with being obese. We know little about how those are associated with trying to lose weight. Methods: We analyzed the 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data (N = 13,583) to examine how obesity and…

Background: Few studies have examined 24-hour activity and sleep behaviors and their contribution to type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Latino adolescents and young adults with obesity. Aim: This study included quantitative data on T2D risk and 24-hour activity and sleep behaviors and qualitative data on individual, social, and environmental behavioral…

Background: Four-day school week (FDSW) use has increased substantially among US districts in recent years, but limited data exist on health impacts of this school schedule. This study examined associations of reduced school exposure via FDSWs with adolescent health and risk behaviors, obesity, and food security. Methods: Self-report data from…

Obesity is an important global health problem. Although obesity is not directly related to access to health care or constrained by resource deprivation, overweight status is predominantly found in poor, less-educated populations. This paper seeks to identify the causal role of schooling in affecting obesity among children and adolescents, using…

This study aimed to summarize the evidence of the impact of school-based nutrition education programs that incorporate technology on the acquisition of nutrition-related knowledge and behavior change of adolescents. Literature searches were conducted using Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases. Studies…

To assess the prevalence of weight misperception in American adolescents and its association with diet and physical activity behaviors, "Youth Risk Behavior Survey" data were utilized for this study. Based on reported and perceived weight, adolescents in the study were grouped into four categories (true negative [52.4%] = normal body…

Objective: To characterize the heterogeneity in response to lifestyle intervention among Latino adolescents with obesity. Methods: We conducted secondary data analysis of 90 Latino adolescents (age 15.4 ± 0.9 y, female 56.7%) with obesity (BMI% 98.1 ± 1.5%) that were enrolled in a 3 month lifestyle intervention and were followed for a year.…

Previous research indicates that the disproportionate distribution of income within society is associated with aggression and violence. Although research has been conducted identifying the relationship between income inequality and bullying victimization and perpetration, little is known about possible mediators. We investigated the association…

The introduction of smartphones has revolutionized how late adolescents (aged 18-21 years) access and use the internet. Vast troves of health information are today just a tap or swipe away, with smartphones and internet connectivity becoming increasingly accessible. The need for eHealth literacy among late adolescents is now gaining importance as…

Adolescents with overweight and obesity are at risk for future health problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and initial efficacy of a weight management intervention to help adolescents develop healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors and improve their anthropometrics. This study used a single-group repeated…