Objective: This study examined the relationship between adolescent weight status and food advertisement receptivity. Design: Survey-based evaluation with data collected at baseline (initial and at 2 months), and at follow-up (11 months). Setting: New Hampshire and Vermont. Participants: Students (n = 2,281) aged 10-13 in 2002-2005. Main Outcome…

Background: Weight perception has been studied with a limited focus on "feeling overweight." This study, using a more inclusive definition of overestimation and underestimation, examines adolescents' weight perception focusing on how accurate it is in relation to body mass index (BMI)-based weight status and how it varies across socio-demographic…

Childhood obesity affects children across all ages and genders. However, Latino children and adolescents are at an increased risk, with one out of three Latino children (ages 2-19) being classified as overweight. Physical inactivity is deemed a major factor contributing to the energy imbalance that leads to excess adiposity. The aims of this study…

In 2007-2008 almost 17% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years were obese. Childhood obesity often tracks to adulthood and, in the short run, childhood obesity can lead to psychosocial problems and cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and abnormal glucose tolerance or diabetes. Studies have suggested that…

Background: The purpose of this study was: (1) to evaluate the beliefs, attitudes and behaviours associated with nutrition and physical activity of parents with adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID); (2) to determine if these variables related to the body mass index (BMI) of the adolescents and the parents' BMI; and (3) to investigate if…

In individual behavior therapy two clients were evaluated using behavior categories created by the therapist. Both clients were observed to improve in terms of social competence. One demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between improvement of social competence and weight loss during treatment (16 sessions) and lost weight. The other…

Social psychologists have amassed a large body of work demonstrating that overweight African American adolescent girls have generally positive self-images, particularly when compared with overweight females from other racial and ethnic groups. Some scholars have proposed that elements of African American social experience may contribute to the…

Each year since 1997, the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has published a report on the well-being of children and families. The "America's Children" series provides accessible compendiums of indicators drawn across topics from the most reliable official statistics; it is designed to complement other more…

Texas (USA) public schools require high school students to take one year of physical education to graduate. However, students can meet this requirement by participating on a state sanctioned athletic team for a year. The Texas Education Agency states the physical education curriculum should teach affective attitudes and values that will encourage…

Childhood obesity has become a major health problem. Approximately 17 percent of U.S. children six to 17 years of age are obese--that is, their sex-and-age-specific Body Mass Index (BMI) is at or above the 95th percentile. This proportion is two-and-a-half times higher than it was 25 years ago. Obesity during childhood often carries into…

Throughout the first 157 years of The Children's Aid Society, the economy has cycled through highs and lows, some more severe than the recession individuals are still experiencing. And through them all, Children's Aid has remained strong. The society has always developed new and effective strategies to serve New York City's most vulnerable…

This study is about the relation between self-efficacy expectations and the attitude towards child and youth obesity, as well as the role of the school in this matter. A questionnaire was given to a sample of 436 trainee physical education teachers from eight universities in Andalusia (Spain). The questionnaire was a version of "Teaching…

Many family-based treatments for pediatric obesity teach specific parenting practices related to weight management. Although youth in these programs show increases in positive health behaviors and reductions in the extent to which they are overweight, most remain overweight after treatment. A recent trend is to create tailored programs for…

With a growing number of school hours devoted to increased instructional time and physical education programs being scaled back in many schools, the afterschool hours are becoming increasingly crucial to ensuring the healthy development of the nation's youth. Additionally, with students spending the majority of their waking hours and consuming the…

Background: To explore the prevalence of obesity and related secondary conditions associated with obesity in adolescents with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Methods: In total, 461 parents of adolescents with IDD (M = 14.9 year, SD = 1.9) across 49 US states completed a web-based survey containing questions related to their child's…