Background: There is little understanding of men's weight loss outcomes and behaviors in self-directed contexts, such as digital commercial mobile weight management programs. This is an especially pressing question given that men often express disinterest in weight management programs and it is unknown how that manifests in self-directed…

Background and Aims: To estimate and compare the change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) between an accelerometer and technology-supported physical activity (PA) log across a 3-week PA intervention. Method: Participants (N = 204, 77% female, age = 33 ± 11 years, body mass index = 28.2 ± 7.1 kg/m[superscript 2]) were randomized to…

Our objective was to characterize the relationship between public housing residents' diet/exercise habits with similar behaviors among their social network. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of randomly selected households in Baltimore, Maryland, from August 2014 to August 2015. Adult heads of household completed questions on diet, exercise,…

Efforts to combat the U.S. obesity epidemic have been ongoing in earnest for nearly two decades, informed by a substantial body of knowledge and guided by numerous programmatic and policy recommendations. Yet, although there are some bright spots, I sense frustration in the public health community with the overall lack of clear progress in…

Preventive behaviors established during adolescence can reduce cancer throughout the life span. Understanding the combinations of multiple behaviors, and how these behaviors vary across states, is important for identifying where additional interventions are needed. Using data on 2011-2015 vaccination, energy balance, and substance use from…

Background: We have demonstrated previously that patterns of behavioral adherence in the first 6 months of behavioral lifestyle interventions were associated with significant weight loss at 18 months. In this article, we extend this work to examine patterns of behavioral adherence over 18 months and to explore baseline demographic and psychosocial…

Background: Lifestyle modification programs improve several health-related behaviors, including physical activity (PA) and nutrition. However, few of these programs have been expanded to impact a large number of individuals in one setting at one time. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether a PA- and nutrition-based lifestyle…

Chronic diseases are common among adults. A healthy diet may be beneficial for managing the consequences of such conditions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a self-directed nutrition program on dietary behaviors among adults with chronic health conditions. As part of a larger trial examining the effects of a self-directed…

Background/Aim: Increased knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about a topic and behavioral capability and self-efficacy for healthy eating are often a precursor to behavior change. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the multicomponent school-based program on children's healthy eating knowledge, attitudes, and…

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) impose a growing burden on the health, economy, and development of South Africa. According to the World Health Organization, four risk factors, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, account for a significant proportion of major NCDs. We analyze the role of tobacco, alcohol, and…

Licensed child care providers, and the early care and education settings in which they operate, are uniquely situated to influence children's healthy eating and physical activity through practices, attitudes, and supportive physical and social environments. However, preliminary research indicates that child-, family-, and provider-level…

Energy balance-related behavior on schooldays and beliefs about school-based interventions may differ between students in different educational levels, sexes, and BMI (body mass index) categories. In Zwolle (the Netherlands), 1,084 adolescents (13-15 years) at 9 secondary schools completed a questionnaire. Overweight prevalence (boys 18.1%, girls…

Background: The YMCA of USA has adopted Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards for its afterschool programs (ASPs). Little is known about strategies YMCA ASPs are implementing to achieve Standards and these strategies' effectiveness. Aims: (1) Identify strategies implemented in YMCA ASPs and (2) evaluate the relationship between…

Objective: In an effort to develop targets for childhood obesity interventions in non-Hispanic-Black (Black) families, this study examined parental perceptions of stress and identified potential links among parental stress and children's eating patterns, physical activity, and screen-time. Method: Thirty-three self-identified Black parents or…

Objective: To examine whether and to what extent relevant and meaningful discussions of weight loss occurred in the Weight Watchers' online community, and whether and to what extent the online community is designed for fostering such discussions. Methods: A multimethod approach was used here. First, a quantitative content analysis was conducted on…