This cross-sectional study examined relationships among physical fitness, physical activity, and risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in male police officers. Data from screenings and physical fitness assessments indicated physical activity must be sufficient to influence fitness before obtaining statistically significant risk-reducing…

In plans for health care reform, the role of health education in reducing risk behaviors associated with leading causes of death must be recognized. Reform offers new opportunities for prevention programs in schools, worksites, and communities. (SK)

Analyzed current trends in television advertising targeting children, comparing results to the historical perspective of the last quarter century. Researchers evaluated 16 hours of Saturday morning children's programming on four network channels for commercial content based on Food Guide Pyramid and USDA Child Nutrition criteria. Overall,…

Assessed college students' perceptions of campus norms for recent sexual activity, investigating whether personal behavior related to those perceptions. Student surveys indicated that students who estimated high levels of sexual activity among peers were more likely to have had sexual intercourse in the past month than were students who made lower…

Investigated the relationship between reading women's health and fitness magazines and using eating disordered diet methods (laxatives, appetite suppressants/diet pills, vomiting, and over-restricting calories) among adolescent high school girls. Student surveys found positive associations between reading frequency and use of unhealthy weight…

Examines the interrelationships among adolescent health risk behaviors using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health for 12,955 adolescents. Findings show distinct differences for males and females in risk profile, but few distinctions between profiles based on socioeconomic characteristics. (SLD)

Introduces a collection of papers on adherence to exercise programs and physical activity from the 2000 American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education conference, which included research on middle school boys and girls, college men and women, and men and women in the later years, as well as on the more traditional subject of middle aged…

Followed 15 middle-aged men for 25-33 years while they participated in an aerobic exercise program. Adherence in the sample was 100 percent. Possible explanations for the adherence include program leadership, peer support, written evaluations and progress reports, emphasis on health, early and continued interest in sport and exercise, recognition…

An Institute of Medicine committee examined the links between biological, psychosocial, and behavioral factors and health; reviewed effective applications of behavioral interventions (individual behavior, families, organizations, communities, and society); and discussed the production and maintenance of behavior change. The paper presents a…

Examined the relationship between lifestyle-related health risks and health care costs and utilization among young adults. Data collected at a primarily white collar worksite in over 2 years indicated that health risks, particularly obesity, stress, and general lifestyle, were significant predictors of health care costs and utilization among these…

Developed a behaviorally-based health education instruction model from a review of successful interventions, identifying three principles common to health behavior improvement among program participants (experiential, awareness, and responsibility); organizing these principles and several theoretical premises into a structural framework for the…

Conducted focus groups with daily smokers to identify key themes and strategies that would be effective in influencing attitudinal and behavioral change in homes that allowed smoking to occur. Smokers preferred messages that addressed the health of children, respected smokers, were based on research, provided information and assistance on…

Study explored the relationship between substance use and spirituality and religious participation with a multicultural sample of youths. Logistic regression measured efficacy of spiritual and religious participation as predictors of substance use. Although increased participation in religious activities predicted a greater probability of never…

Previous research shows that the health behavior of immigrants is favorable to that of native-born adults in the United States. We utilize pooled data from the 1998-2001 National Health Interview Surveys and multinomial logistic regression techniques to build on this literature and examine the association between acculturation and immigrant…

Relatively little research has examined factors that account for transitions between transtheoretical model (TTM) stages of change. The present study (N=787) used sociodemographic, TTM, and theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables, as well as theory-driven interventions to predict changes in stage. Longitudinal analyses revealed that…