The punpose of this report is to review existing research concerned with the relationship of nutrition to student achievement, behavior and health. Information was obtained through searches of computerized data bases, review of journal citations, discussions and correspondence with nutrition personnel as well as reviews of materials available from…

As part of a national study of the nutrition of preschool children, data were collected on 201 Apache children, 1 to 6 years of age, living on an Indian reservation in Arizona. This report reviews procedures and clinical findings, and gives an analysis of growth data including skeletal maturation, nutrient intakes and clinical biochemical data. In…

At 3 years of age, children who had received food supplementation were an average of 2.6 cm and 642 grams larger than controls. Home visiting and supplementation combined reduced the number of children with severe growth retardation. Participants were 280 infants and their families from poor neighborhoods in Bogota, Colombia. (RH)

Assessed mother-infant attachment in a low-income population in Chile. Underweight children and children with adequate weight were classified as secure or anxious by means of the Ainsworth Strange Situation. Underweight children showed more anxious attachment, and anxious children showed the most serious weight deficits. (BC)

To monitor priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). The YRBSS includes national, state, territorial, and local school-based surveys of high school students in grades 9-12. In addition, some states, territories,…

While they demonstrate some ability to critically analyze the more obvious forms of deceptive weight-loss advertising, many girls do not recognize how advertising evokes emotional responses or how visual and narrative techniques are used to increase identification in weight-loss advertising. This study examined how girls aged 9-17 years…

An 18-year old's freshman year in college is not only a test of his or her intellect, but also a test in social skills, adaptability to new living situations, and other conditions. This study examined the link of emotions to compulsive eating and its use as a coping mechanism for female college students. It explores the stresses of the transition…

This report includes: (1) a description of the way overweight and obesity have been measured by various investigators, including an assessment of the reliability and validity of the available measures; (2) data on the prevalence of overweight based on a literature review, including a list of issues that may influence estimates of prevalence (e.g.,…

Reviews psychological research suggesting that conditioning and social modeling procedures contribute to the formation and modification of the affective components of eating behavior. (DS)

Describes the role caregivers play in helping young children dealing with obesity. Examines: (1) causes of childhood obesity; (2) caregiver's position; (3) learning nutrition concepts; (4) preparing and serving healthy foods; (5) encouraging physical activity; (6) working with parents; and (7) assisting an obese child. (SD)

Though leanness in athletes is often a natural state, it can pose long-term liability to some athletes' performance and/or health. The physician must determine when leanness is reason for clinical concern. Athletes who do not eat enough to sustain training must either reduce the exercise load or increase nutritional intake. (Author/SM)

A study of 8 to 35 month olds found that informally employed mothers had more undernourished children than did formally employed or nonworking mothers. With maternal education controlled for, no effects of maternal employment on children's growth patterns were found. Percentage of family income earned by the mother was associated with children's…

Berkeley Nutrition Study followed 180 children longitudinally to investigate whether child rearing practices, health beliefs, demographics, and parental characteristics related to childhood obesity. Results indicated a high mother-daughter correlation. Other factors included how often per day the child ate, irregular eating patterns, and parental…

This study aimed to identify factors in school physical and social environments that may facilitate or compete with programs and policies to improve student physical activity and nutrition. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with students, faculty, and staff of two public middle schools. Participants identified numerous aspects of the…

Colorado traditionally has ranked as one of the healthiest states in the nation, a claim that reinforces a culture of activity, community and well-being. Though Colorado is ahead of the curve in this area, Coloradans aren't immune to the growing trends that threaten the health of people across the nation. One of the most concerning elements of…