Study investigated the status of student health center nutrition services. Surveys completed by directors of 168 centers indicated that 79 percent provided some nutrition education and 96 percent had one-to-one counseling. Larger institutions were more likely to have nutrition programs. Registered dietitians were the typical service providers. (SM)

Describes an elective high school weight-loss course. Students do fat-burning exercises in an atmosphere that does not stigmatize them because they are heavy or unathletic. They study nutrition, proper eating habits, and self-esteem. Most students continue to lose weight or sustain their weight after the course is completed. (SM)

The article reports a study that examined relationships between self-esteem, health promotion, nutrition, and weight among female college freshmen. Questionnaires completed by 57 female students indicated that high self-esteem positively related to the practice of healthy behaviors, good nutrition, and satisfaction with present weight. (SM)

Addresses issue of whether underweight, normal-weight, and overweight adolescent females who maintain perception of being too fat differ with respect to loneliness, hopelessness, and shyness from each other and from those who do not think they are fat. Results indicate that underweight girls with perception of being too fat suffer significantly…

Presents summary of a panel discussion at the Conference of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (1992) on the health risks of treating obesity. The panel focused on selectivity in accepting patients, obesity and mortality, genetic individuality, weight loss mode and outcome, weight loss and longevity, and weight maintenance.…

Presents seven reasons why it is important for health specialist teams to take action supporting the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. The article offers guidelines to help parents assist their children in maintaining positive eating, exercise, and self-esteem patterns, noting sensitive intervention is preferable to imposed diets. (SM)

Defines different eating disorders, discusses athlete eating problems, and presents the signs physicians should look for that signal the presence of an eating disorder. The article also discusses the tailoring of treatment programs, questions to ask athletes about eating habits, and society's influence on an athlete's eating behavior. (GLR)

This study examined the relationship between reading women's fashion magazines and the use of pathogenic dieting methods among 502 high school females. Reading these magazines does influence a female's decision to restrict calories or take diet pills. Further research is needed to examine factors that are antecedent to reading the magazines to…

This paper examined whether the greater average schooling and employment, and lower parenting competence, of young mothers who reside with adult relatives reflect preexisting differences versus potential causal mechanisms. The sample included 554 young mothers (ages 13 to 25; nearly two thirds African American) from the Infant Health and…

Purpose: This study compares rural and small-city teenage and adult pregnancies, with respect to complication rates and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: Chart review of Medicaid patients (513 teenage [under 20 years] and 174 adult controls [ages 25-34]) delivered (excluding multiple gestation) in Amarillo, Texas, from January 1999 to April 2001.…

This research examined the effects of three factors (friendship, gender, and topic of teasing) on adolescents' predicted emotional reactions to hypothetical teasing episodes regarding appearance and academic competence. The 8th graders (n = 131) in Study 1 made predictions regarding the negative emotions and humor experienced when teasing occurred…

Identifying and intervening with overweight children may decrease their likelihood of developing heart disease later in life. This secondary analysis of 58 children in the 3rd grade examined the prevalence of overweight children, methods for measuring overweight status, and the relationship among these measures and other risk factors for heart…

Objective: To examine the knowledge, approaches and attitudes of fitness instructors dealing with clients seeking weight loss advice. Design: A qualitative project whereby semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten fitness instructors representing a range of qualifications, work settings and years of experience. Setting: Interviews were…

The present study was designed to assess body mass index (BMI), self-esteem, parent and peer relations, negative affect, and perfectionism, as predictors of dieting, food preoccupation, and muscle preoccupation, in 326 preadolescent children (150 girls and 176 boys) aged between 8 and 10 years. Preadolescents were tested twice over a 10-month…

Over the past 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2 to 5 years and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, and it has more than tripled for children 6 to 11 years of age (Institute of Medicine, 2005). At present, approximately 9 million children over 6 years are considered obese (Institute of…