Using the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (weighted population size = 35,460,209; 8-18 years old; 52.1% males), we compared the obesity prevalence in children and adolescents between body mass index-based (BMI-based) and total percent body fat-based (BF%-based, measured by the dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) cutoffs.…

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between sugar and NNS consumption with body fat percentage in young adults. Methods: 524 college students were asked to complete the Web-based National Institutes of Health (NIH) Diet History Questionnaire II and had their body fat percentage measured using a bioelectrical…

Objective: Determine students' attitude toward menu labeling before and after menu labeling implementation at university dining facility. Participants: College students aged 18 years and older eating at campus dining facility. Methods: Survey on attitude toward menu labeling, weight management status, and athletic classification (NCAA,…

Objective: To examine health behaviors associated with overweight/obesity by race/ethnicity at a diverse urban college. Participants: 270 undergraduates (77.0% female; 26.7% non-Hispanic white) and median body mass index (BMI) of 23.1 kg/m2. Methods: A questionnaire about health-related behaviors as part of the "Get Fruved" project was…

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate physical activity patterns and body mass index (BMI) among black and white women in college to determine if attending college acts as a catalyst for sustaining physical activity and for closing the black-white physical activity and obesity gaps. Participants/Methods: 111 undergraduate women…

Identification of cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in U.S. younger population by assessing muscular strength via handgrip (HG) dynamometry may aid in prevention efforts. Currently, no nationally representative HG cut-points are available for identifying increased CMR in U.S. adolescents or young adults. In this study, we propose normalized grip strength…

Objective: To examine sex and racial/ethnic differences in sleep quality and the association between sleep quality and body weight status among US college students. Participants: A nationally representative sample (N = 324,767) of college students from 2011 to 2015. Methods: A secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data. Results: Women showed…

Objective: To investigate sex and racial/ethnic differences in overweight and obesity in college students. Participants: A nationally representative sample of 319,342 U.S. college students (mean age = 20.4 years; 67.7% female) from Fall 2011 to Spring 2015. Methods: A secondary data analysis of multi-year cross-sectional data was performed.…

School-age children with overweight or obesity continue to be problematic in the United States, and are associated with many health, social, and financial problems. Schools provide an excellent venue in which to promote healthy weight in students, and school nurses are well-positioned to play an essential role in controlling obesity. The number of…

Background: Cardiometabolic risk factors are related to the early onset of chronic health conditions. Purpose: To identify factors associated with perceptions about the severity of three interrelated cardiometabolic risks (i.e., high blood pressure, obesity, and cardiovascular disease) among U.S. college students. Methods: Data were analyzed from…

Objective: To examine rural-urban differences in college students' cardiovascular risk perceptions. Participants: College students in rural (n = 61) and urban (n = 57) Kentucky counties were recruited from November 2012 to May 2014. Methods: This was a secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional study examining rural-urban differences in…

Background: Physical activity at schools is an important component in combatting childhood obesity. Studies have shown that physical activity at school is positively associated with academic outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine associations between opportunity of physical activity time at school and academic outcomes. Methods: This…

Obesity among children in the USA is a growing epidemic that has received national attention (Puhl and Heuer 2010). Research suggests that children who are overweight are at increased risk for various health conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, cancer, and hypertension (Jelalian and Mehlenbeck 2003). In addition to risks to physical health,…

The purpose of this study was to examine current overweight and obesity prevalence rates among US youth (aged 10-17 years) with and without autism spectrum disorder, based on the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health. Analyses of weight status, derived from parent-reported height and weight measures, were conducted for a weighted sample of…

Decreased engagement in beneficial physical activity and increased levels of sedentary behavior and unhealthy weight are a continued public health concern in adolescents. Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder may be at an increased risk compared with their typically developing peers. Weekly physical activity, sedentary behavior, and body mass…