In the wake of the recent headlines and research on obesity, schools have an obligation to teach students about fitness and to provide a format for students to become and remain fit. Last year, such an opportunity arose at Davidson Middle School in Southgate, Michigan, when the school decided to incorporate some of its newly purchased technology…

This article describes the efforts made by various schools in the U.S. to fight off the obesity problems of students. The intensive media coverage of the country's childhood-obesity problem sparked by the release of alarming statistics, created a junk food backlash. The Montgomery County school system and the many districts nationwide has…

Given the unprecedented global incidence of overweight in children, the issues that potentially create and sustain a circumstance of epidemic childhood overweight, and the efforts that are underway to prevent and remediate childhood overweight need to be examined. The article explores potentially interrelated causes of obesity/overweight in…

Adolescent obesity is positively associated with soft drink consumption. We investigated the association of social-environmental and individual-level factors with soft drink consumption in a Dutch adolescent sample. Data were gathered in a longitudinal Dutch adolescent sample (n = 208, 62% girls). Soft drink consumption, social cognitions from the…

Mary Story, Karen Kaphingst, and Simone French argue that U.S. schools offer many opportunities for developing obesity-prevention strategies by providing more nutritious food, offering greater opportunities for physical activity, and providing obesity-related health services. Meals at school are available both through the U.S. Department of…

Mary Story, Karen Kaphingst, and Simone French argue that researchers and policymakers focused on childhood obesity have paid insufficient attention to child care. Although child care settings can be a major force in shaping children's dietary intake, physical activity, and energy balance--and thus in combating the childhood obesity…

This paper discusses the use of Rational Recovery (RR) as a counseling technique in treating people who feel fat, particularly women. Fatness is viewed as a philosophy, not a physical condition. Cultural influences defining and stressing ideal femininity come down hard on women whose physiques or appearances do not measure up. RR gives people…

This booklet offers advice for adults who want to lower their blood cholesterol level. The first section, "What You Need To Know about High Blood Cholesterol," discusses blood cholesterol and why it matters, what cholesterol numbers mean, and what affects blood cholesterol levels. Section 2, "What You Need To Do To Lower Blood…

Three areas of research have supported the conceptual relevance of Reduced Environmental Stimulation (RES) techniques in the management of psychological dependencies. First, preliminary studies through the late l960's indicated that relatively short periods of RES had a facilitative effect on the type of subject who might be most vulnerable to…

The behaviorally-based weight control program conducted by Levitz and Jordan at the University of Pennsylvania and the Institute for Behavioral Education is tailored to patient needs and includes stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, and nutrition education. The success of patients in maintaining the clinically meaningful weight losses…

Evaluated efficacy of parental problem-solving training in a behavioral weight-reduction program for obese children. Assigned children and their parents to problem-solving, behavioral, and instruction-only weight-loss groups. Children in the problem-solving group lost significantly more weight and maintained the weight loss better. Child weight…

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the relative effectiveness of a self-control program that emphasized modification of external environmental-eliciting cues for eating behavior with an induced affect program that was aimed at decreasing eating behavior as a response to emotional states. Results are discussed. (Author)

The rapid increase in overweight among children and adolescents is generating widespread concern. On average, rates of overweight for boys and girls remain similar. Some groups of children are more affected by overweight than others. This paper discusses the health consequences of childhood obesity. A list of school interventions for obesity…

A study examined welfare reform and food security issues. Interviews were conducted with 32 rural Louisiana women in 1997-98 when they were receiving welfare payments, in 1998-99 when they were in transition, and in 2000-01 when none received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Most women were African-American; about half had not…

A weight control program for a group of eighth-grade girls, which included learning disabled students, was developed to change eating, exercise, and behavior patterns. The course included dietary management, physical activity, and behavior modification techniques. Results show that the students participating in the program decreased their weight…