Objective: There is recent evidence that exercise referral schemes (ERSs) are beginning to permit self-referral access. Notwithstanding this, to date it is unknown whether key referral characteristics, such as age, gender and socioeconomic status are associated with a greater likelihood of self-referring to an ERS, and whether self-referral…

Background: Racial/ethnic minorities (REMs) continue to carry the burden of sexual health disparities in the United States, including increased health risks and lower proportions of preventative care. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has been useful in developing interventions aimed at reducing these disparities. Specifically,…

Research on behavioral and social science has demonstrated that transitions throughout a person's life course, as the life event of becoming a parent, represent an opportunity for dietary changes. However, research in this area has been mostly restricted to developed European and North American countries and has shown ambiguous results. The…

Background: The impact of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (N-DPP) for Latinos "post-program" participation is uncertain. Purpose: We examine the experiences of Latinos who participated in the N-DPP in continuing the dietary and physical activity changes learned in the program. Methods: This is a qualitative descriptive interview…

Background: The American Psychological Association reports that Generation Z are suffering mentally and physically more than any other group. Purpose: Measure the effects of a 16-week, online college-level "Complementary Therapies in Health Course" through the lens of the biopsychosocial-spiritual model on measures of health and aspects…

Volunteering can serve as a protective factor against substance abuse. Yet, it is unclear whether volunteering in specific community organizations, such as emergency services, promotes or protects against substance use. We aimed to (1) describe community volunteering characteristics among adolescents; (2) investigate differences in the prevalence…

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…

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a theory-grounded, text message-based intervention targeting sedentary behaviour among university students. Design: Single-group repeated measures design. Setting: Post-secondary institution in British Columbia, Canada. Methods: Data concerning students' sedentary behaviour were collected…

The purpose of this study was to determine how the research intervention called Healthy Eaters, Lifelong Movers (HELM) and associated San Luis Valley Physical Education Academy (SLVPEA) influenced teachers' beliefs about physical education and the extent to which they sustained pedagogical changes over time. Seventeen physical educators who…

To contain the spread of COVID-19, engagement in protective behaviors across the population is of great importance. The present study investigated protective behavior intentions during the early phases of COVID-19 in Germany (February 2-April 3, 2020) as a function of threat level and age using data from 4,940 participants in the EUCLID project.…

Geographical, cultural, and socio-economic factors create a different lifestyle. Accordingly, the aim of this research was to identify the differences in anthropometric and fitness characteristics among adolescents living in Montenegro and Kosovo in order to optimize the physical fitness as a consequence of the proactive behavior. Anthropometric…

In the coronavirus "infodemic," people are exposed to official recommendations but also to potentially dangerous pseudoscientific advice claimed to protect against COVID-19. We examined whether irrational beliefs predict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines as well as susceptibility to such misinformation. Irrational beliefs were indexed by…

Background: Juvenile justice-involved African American girls are considered uniformly high-risk for adverse sexual health outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy; however, their sexual health statuses may be more complex. Objective: The present study assessed whether diverse subgroups of sexual risk exist and explored…

Students have been multiply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic: threats to their own and their family's health, the closure of schools, and pivoting to online learning in March 2020, a long summer of physical distancing, and then the challenge of returning to school in fall 2020. As damaging as the physical health effects of a global pandemic are,…

Despite well-established benefits, the majority of young people around the globe are not sufficiently active. In many countries, including Australia, physical activity (i.e. physical education and school sport) is not mandatory in the final two years of high school (i.e. senior school years). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a…