Authors address current recommendations for physical activity and health, physical activity and mental well being, and implications for counselors and the counseling profession. Specifically, they review a recent article published in the "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology" and examine in detail the resulting implications for counselors…

Validated the transtheoretical model for exercise behavior and the constructs of decisional balance and self-efficacy for exercise in low-income, poorly educated individuals from four public primary care clinics. Interview data indicated that respondents had high rates of sedentary behaviors that could significantly impact their health status.…

Presents guidance to help school nurses achieve three goals: describe the scope of the problems related to teen smoking, discuss the characteristics of teens most likely to begin smoking, and identify strategies that parents and nurses can use to discourage teen smoking. A sidebar includes a 10-question quiz on adolescent tobacco use as well as an…

A research review identified four factors other than knowledge that influence decisions regarding healthful behaviors: perceptions of risks, perceptions of self, physical and social environment, and perceptions of costs and benefits of recommended behavior. Findings were used to develop guidelines for messages and programs designed to encourage…

Examined health behaviors in college students (n=20,721) collected over a 10-year period. Found gender differences and a negative relationship between alcohol and cigarette use. Found drinking was a frequent behavior among college students and more common among men than women. Cigarette smoking was more commonly reported by women than by men. (ABL)

Discusses the validity and reliability of using food records and recalls when measuring dietary intake and eating behaviors of children, noting the advantages of collecting dietary data in a school environment. The article explains the appropriate use of food records and describes how to improve the method. (SM)

Results from a study of 82 males provide no statistical support and limited encouragement that genetic risk information may motivate persons to make positive changes in preventive health behaviors. Health risk assessments were used to identify subjects at risk for coronary heart disease or lung cancer because of genetic factors. (IAH)

Over 1 million new cases of skin cancer are expected in the U.S. this year. Education about and adherence to sun safety practices can help prevent skin cancer. This paper describes types of skin cancer, what the ultraviolet (UV) radiation index is, who is at risk, sun safety practices, tips for children, and strategies for parks and recreation…

Examines the concept of school-site health promotion for school faculty and staff, discussing its essential functions and impact and noting what school decision makers at the national, state, and school levels need to know and do to implement such programs. Examples of successful implementation are presented. (SM)

Estimates effects of schooling, cognitive ability, and time preference on the probability that young adults smoke cigarettes or use marijuana, using data from the "High School and Beyond 1980 Study." Results show that all three variables affect the likelihood of smoking. Schooling and time preference have modest effects on using marijuana when…

Examined data from adolescents who had completed the 1989 Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey and who were re-interviewed in 1993 to determine social and environmental factors that influenced their smoking progression. Smoking behavior of best friends and smoking beliefs were consistent and significant factors in predicting progression from…

Examines the many effects of marijuana use on the lungs. States that patients with pre-existing immune deficits are particularly vulnerable to marijuana-related pulmonary infections. However, warns that habitual use of marijuana may lead to respiratory cancer must await epidemiological studies, which are now possible since 30 years have passed…

In 4 kibbutzim, 43 adults over 60 completed a questionnaire on sun-exposure protective behaviors before and 2 weeks and 4 months after a skin cancer intervention. Beliefs about skin cancer did not change, but beliefs about the value of health and internal health locus of control changed significantly. (SK)

Discusses the scope of the problem of obesity in the United States, noting the health risks associated with being overweight or obese (e.g., gallstones, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and colon cancer); discussing the association of type-II diabetes mellitus with obesity; examining the effects of exercise on metabolic disease; and looking at…

Because many obese children become obese adults, the recent rapid increase in juvenile obesity poses a major public health challenge. Enhanced physical activity is a cornerstone in a multidisciplinary approach to preventing and treating juvenile obesity. Giving exercise recommendations focused for obese youth is critical. Cutting down on sedentary…