Physical disorders and pharmacotherapy for 134 people with mental retardation (ages 65 years and older) living in the United Kingdom were compared to 73 younger adults with mental retardation. Results showed the older group had higher rates of urinary incontinence, immobility, hearing impairments, arthritis, hypertension, and cerebrovascular…

Quality physical education classes are an important avenue for teaching children about lifetime fitness participation. Specific fitness information and habits can be taught as part of physical education classes. Physical education, however, should not be the only source of physical activity for children. Children need opportunities to participate…

Focusing on heart disease and cancer, the study compared the preventive health education needs of farm and nonfarm rural adults. During July and August 1975, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 57 men and 161 women living in Armstrong and Butler Counties, Pennsylvania. The sample included 119 commercial farm households and 99 rural nonfarm…

This study investigated the measurement integrity of the "Heart Smart" cognitive tests. Designed for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, the tests measure health-related knowledge involving physiology, nutrition, exercise, and behavioral skills. The report presents tables of specifications, test floors and ranges, a demographic profile of…

Examines, by gender, the outcomes of the Minnesota Heart Health Program's Class of 1989 Study, presenting observations of the stability of students' behaviors over seven years. Self-reported data on various health-related behaviors indicated that girls may be more receptive than boys to social influences models of health education. (SM)

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Growth and Health Study Research Group's 5-year cohort study provides basic information on the baseline cohort of 1,166 white and 1,213 African-American girls aged 9 through 10 years. Factors associated with development of obesity and cardiovascular risk factors are assessed. (SLD)

The incidence of chronic diseases is highest among the elderly in general; compared to Anglo-Americans, Mexican Americans have lower rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease and higher rates of depression and diabetes. Using baseline data from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) study, weighted…

In 2004, the Women's Sports Foundation published the first edition of "Her Life Depends On It" (Don Sabo, Kathleen E. Miller, Merrill J. Melnick, and Leslie Heywood). At that time, it was clear that evidence-based research confirmed that regular physical activity and sport provides the critical foundation, in no small part, that allows girls and…

This study compared dietary knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and patterns between Chinese American middle school students and their Chinese equivalents. Chinese students had less knowledge and less favorable attitudes but more positive behavioral factors affecting diet. They consumed less meat, dairy products, fat, sweets, and snacks and ate more…

This paper categorizes the many benefits of physical activity, offering information concerning the type of dose necessary to get that benefit. In 2000, Health Canada and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other agencies, sponsored a symposium to determine whether there was a dose-response relationship between…

This article provides background information on heart transplantation in general, focusing on pediatric heart transplantation and offering suggestions for teachers regarding the unique concerns of students with heart transplants (exercise, physical appearance, immunosuppressive medications, transplant rejection, infection, and psychological…

This high school resource package for the public television series "Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers" includes: (1) a teacher's guide that provides complete lesson plans for each program in the series; (2) a glossary that features definitions of the terms used in the series; (3) a bibliography containing books of interest to both…

Two studies investigated 10th-grade students' health attitudes and practices related to cardiovascular risk. A survey determined students' perceptions of their families' health practices and needs and students' confidence in their ability to modify parents' behavior. The Heart Health Test Telecast (April 1980) was used to stimulate parent-child…

This article identifies several national developments that have focused renewed attention on promoting young people's health through schools, highlighting relevant National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) initiatives, and summarizing 12 recent NHLBI-funded studies of children and adolescents focusing on developmental stage, gender, and…

This teacher's guide is part of a multiculturally sensitive teaching package to promote health-enhancing nutrition concepts for Florida public high school students. These nutrition promotion materials are intended to be incorporated into life skills management, home economics, physical education, or life science classes. The guide includes…