Background: Obesity may cause physiological, psychological, social, and economic problems. Therefore, it is of considerable importance to implement preventive interventions for the factors that may cause obesity. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the obesity prevention program developed for secondary school students.…

The issue of obesity continues to be a concern in the US. Throughout the years, research has shown that adopting healthier eating habits and increasing physical activity can help people lead healthier lives. Families of low socioeconomic status suffer disproportionately from poor health. Nutrition education programs have been successful in…

The aim of this study was to test a training and technical assistance program in early care and education (ECE) center-based programs focused on obesity prevention -- Healthy Way to Grow (HWTG). After completing a self-assessment, ECE programs develop actionable policies to improve the wellness environment. Then, they receive individualized…

Extension educators across the United States are being asked to expand their direct education efforts to include policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes. However, professional development opportunities and tools are needed to familiarize Extension professionals with PSE change approaches, build their capacity to implement PSE change, and…

Obesity and overweight in early childhood have detrimental impacts on children's health and development. Changing policy, system and environmental features focused on physical activity and healthy eating behaviors as part of health promotion interventions can play a key role in prevention strategies in early childhood education settings. These…

Aim and objectives: In the USA, undergraduate students gain more weight in the first year in college than at any other point in their lives. However, the factors that predict their weight gain are unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore the predictors of weight gain among first-year college students at a US college over a 3-month period.…

Purpose: To address the obesity epidemic and promote children's health; several health organizations recommend that schools develop comprehensive programs designed to promote physical activity and health behavior. Given a lack of empirical investigation, the authors sought to understand how physical education programs are perceived within such…

Background: School wellness legislation has potential to impact the health of children and alter the obesity crisis in the United Sates. Little is known about how state lawmakers perceive child wellness legislation effectiveness relative to obesity prevention. Our purpose was to understand state lawmakers' perceptions of childhood obesity and…

Early childhood is an optimal time for establishing healthy eating habits which may prevent disease later in life. In Georgia, the child obesity rate?hovers at 13% with the majority being children from low-income Black or Hispanic families. Currently, the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommend children aged 2-5 consume 1-1.5 cups…

This Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Nutrition Education (SNAP-Ed) Plan Guidance" provides instructions for developing and submitting State nutrition education and obesity prevention grant program plans, commonly referred to as State SNAP-Ed Plans. It describes Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)…

As noted in the first article in this National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Social Justice Committee (SJC) series on health disparities (see Proctor et al., 2020), health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or in opportunities to achieve optimal health experienced by socially…

Background: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) declines during adolescence, particularly among girls. In this randomized control trial, we examined MVPA in a physical activity intervention compared to physical education (PE) class as usual (TAU), stratified by sex and weight classification. Standardized BMI (zBMI) overtime was also…

Objective: To explore parents' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours regarding sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs, e.g. soft drinks, juice drinks, sports drinks) and other beverages provided by parents at youth sports events. Design: Qualitative analysis of focus group discussions. Setting: Ada County, Idaho, USA. Method: A total of 3 focus groups were…

Background: People with intellectual disabilities are more at risk of obesity than the general population. Emerging literature indicates that multicomponent interventions are most effective, however, individual results are variable and little research exists as to why this is the case. Methods: Focus groups were conducted to explore lived…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at high risk for being overweight and obese. Little is known about how obesity in children with ASD is being addressed in primary care. This article reports findings from a survey completed by 327 general pediatricians, which included a fictional clinical vignette and Likert-scales assessing…