American Journal of Health Promotion

This study investigated the associations among 100% juice consumption, nutrient intake, and measures of weight in adolescents.

A cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from adolescents aged 12 to 18 years (n = 3939) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002 was conducted to assess nutrient and weight in categories of 100% juice consumption.

Least square means and logistic regression analyses were generated, and were adjusted for gender, age, ethnicity, and energy intake. Analyses were Bonferroni corrected with an effective p value of .0125.

Twenty-eight percent of adolescents (51% male, 42% Hispanic, 25% non-Hispanic white, 29% non-Hispanic black) consumed 100% juice the day of the recall. The mean amount of 100% juice consumed was 3.7 ounces (2.2% of energy intake). Compared with non-juice consumers, carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins C and B6, folate, potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron intakes of juice consumers were higher, and intakes of fat and saturated fatty acids were lower. Those consuming greater than 6 ounces of juice consumed more servings of fruit and less discretionary fat and added sugar than nonconsumers. No differences were found in weight by juice consumption group.

In conclusion, when compared with non-juice consumers, adolescents consuming 100% juice did not show mean increased weight measures. Juice provided valuable nutrients, and consumption was associated with lower intakes of total fat, saturated fatty acids, discretionary fat, and added sugars and with higher intakes of whole fruit; however, consumption was not associated with decreased intake of milk, meat, or grains.

Satisfaction is understudied in weight loss programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between participant/program experiences and satisfaction with a weight loss intervention.

A prospective cohort design was utilized.

The study was conducted in the Minneapolis metro area.

Participants were obese employees of a managed care organization. One hundred were enrolled, and 78 had complete data available.

Treatment included telephone counseling along with a home telemonitoring scale and instructions to self-weigh daily.

Outcomes included overall program satisfaction and willingness to refer the program to others. Predictors included demographics, treatment group, participation in other programs, expected weight, general health, body mass index, diet quality, physical activity, body image, mental health, counseling, and self-weighing.

Quantitative predictor-outcome associations were examined using multiple logistic regressions. Qualitative satisfaction responses were analyzed using a general inductive approach.

Weight loss (odds ratio [OR] = 1.83, p = .008), improved diet (OR = 1.27, p = .092), increased physical activity (OR = 1.05, p = .034), and improved body image (OR = 1.38, p = .051) were independent predictors of overall satisfaction. Treatment group (OR = 14.83, p = .015) and number of counseling calls (OR = 1.49, p = .009) were predictors of willingness to refer the program. Qualitative themes indicated desire to integrate counseling on emotional issues.

Health progress explained overall satisfaction, whereas treatment characteristics explained willingness to endorse the intervention. Concentrating on these factors may improve retention. Limitations included self-reported measures.

Little is known about obesity-related health issues among American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations.

A large cohort of AIAN people was assembled to evaluate factors associated with health.

The study was conducted in Alaska and on the Navajo Nation.

A total of 11,293 AIAN people were included.

We present data for body mass index (BMI, kg/m²) and waist circumference (cm) to evaluate obesity-related health factors.

Overall, 32.4% of the population were overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m²), 47.1% were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), and 21.4% were very obese (BMI, ≥ 35 kg/m²). A waist circumference greater than 102 cm for men and greater than 88 cm for women was observed for 41.7% of men and 78.3% of women. Obese people were more likely to perceive their health as fair/poor than nonobese participants (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.91; 95% CI, 1.71-2.14). Participants younger than 30 years were three times more likely to perceive their health as being fair or poor when their BMI results were 35 or greater compared with those whose BMI results were less than 25 kg/m². A larger BMI was associated with having multiple medical conditions, fewer hours of vigorous activity, and more hours of television watching.

Given the high rates of obesity in AIAN populations and the association of obesity with other health conditions, it is important to reduce obesity among AIAN people.

To evaluate the effects of a 12-week e-mail intervention promoting physical activity and nutrition, and to describe participant use and satisfaction feedback.

A longitudinal, randomized trial.

Five large workplaces in Alberta, Canada.

One thousand forty-three participants completed all three assessments, and 1263 participants in the experimental group provided use and satisfaction feedback after receiving the 12-week intervention.

Paired physical activity and nutrition messages were e-mailed weekly to the experimental group. The control group received all messages in bulk (i.e., within a single e-mail message) at the conclusion of the intervention.

Self-report measures of knowledge, cognitions, and behaviors related to physical activity and nutrition were used. Satisfaction with e-mail messages was assessed at Time 2.

Planned contrasts compared the experimental group measures at Time 3 with those reported at Time 2 and with control group measures reported at Time 3. Control group measures at Time 3 were also compared with control group measures at Time 2.

The small intervention effects previously reported between Time 1 and Time 2 were maintained at Time 3. Providing the e-mail messages in bulk also had a significant positive effect on many of the physical activity and nutrition variables.

E-mail offers a promising medium for promoting health-enhancing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Additional research is needed to determine optimal message dose and content.

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy and effectiveness of an intensive cardiac rehabilitation program in improving health outcomes in multiple sites.

This study employs a nonexperimental (prospective time series) design to investigate changes in cardiovascular disease in 2974 men and women from 24 socioeconomically diverse sites who participated in an intensive cardiac rehabilitation program at baseline, 12 weeks, and 1 year. Paired t-tests were used to assess differences by comparing baseline values to those after 12 weeks, baseline values to those after 1 year, and values after 12 weeks to those after 1 year.

Eighty-eight percent of patients remained enrolled in the program after 12 weeks, and 78.1% remained enrolled in the program after 1 year. Patients showed statistically significant improvements after 12 weeks in body mass index (BMI), triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, depression, hostility, exercise, and functional capacity. These differences also remained significant after 1 year. There was additional significant improvement between 12 weeks and 1 year only in BMI, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, functional capacity, and hostility, and significant recidivism between 12 weeks and 1 year in all other measures (except triglycerides) and depression, yet improvements from baseline to 1 year remained significant in all measures (except HDL, which was unchanged) (p < .005).

This intensive cardiac rehabilitation program was feasible and sustainable for most patients who enrolled and was associated with numerous subjective and objective improvements in health outcomes. It demonstrates that the intervention works when it is administered by staff at multiple clinical/community sites in four different states. These improvements were also seen in patients 65 years of age or older.

To conduct a systematic review of the literature to examine the influence of the built environment (BE) on the physical activity (PA) of adults in rural settings.

Key word searches of Academic Search Premier, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Sport Discus were conducted.

Studies published prior to June 2008 were included if they assessed one or more elements of the BE, examined relationships between the BE and PA, and focused on rural locales. Studies only reporting descriptive statistics or assessing the reliability of measures were excluded.

Objective(s), sample size, sampling technique, geographic location, and definition of rural were extracted from each study. Methods of assessment and outcomes were extracted from the quantitative literature, and overarching themes were identified from the qualitative literature.

Key characteristics and findings from the data are summarized in Tables 1 through 3.

Twenty studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Positive associations were found among pleasant aesthetics, trails, safety/crime, parks, and walkable destinations.

Research in this area is limited. Associations among elements of the BE and PA among adults appear to differ between rural and urban areas. Considerations for future studies include identifying parameters used to define rural, longitudinal research, and more diverse geographic sampling. Development and refinement of BE assessment tools specific to rural locations are also warranted.

To determine whether five behaviors shown to predict low fat intake in adults predicted low fat intake among economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents.

Cross-sectional.

Recruited through youth services agencies serving low-income communities in New York and New Jersey, participants were 265 African-American adolescents aged 10 to 14 years. Participants completed the Block Fat Screener and scales for measuring the following behaviors: avoiding fat as a seasoning, modifying meat to make it lower in fat, substituting high-fat foods with manufactured low-fat equivalents, replacing high-fat foods with fruits and vegetables, and replacing high-fat foods with low-fat foods other than fruits and vegetables.

The reliability and construct validity of the scales were assessed using internal consistency reliability and correlation analyses. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine behavioral predictors of low fat intake.

Scale coefficient alphas ranged from .60 to .80. Fat avoidance, substitution, and replacement with fruits and vegetables were significantly associated with fat intake. The regression equation containing these behaviors accounted for 12% of the variance in intake. All three behaviors were significant predictors of low fat intake.

Fewer behaviors have salience for predicting low fat intake among economically disadvantaged African-American adolescents than among adults. Interventions to lower youths' intake should emphasize fat avoidance, substitution, and replacement with fruits and vegetables.