The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the self-administered International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form in college students. One hundred twenty-three undergraduate students (20.8 [plus or minus] 1.5 years of age, 76% Caucasian, 74% female) wore an accelerometer and pedometer at their waists…

According to many studies, childhood obesity is an epidemic. Studies of populations in the United States and Australia highlight the critical need for children to be physically active in order to maintain healthy weight. In this article, the author describes the efforts made by Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) in supporting…

This article begins with an analysis of a 1987 report by a research group of the World Health Organization [WHO] of the United Nations General Assembly, under the heading "The Health of Young People Is the Concern of Society." The author discusses the "Schools of Health" project, as well as the "Health-Promoting…

Child-to-Child ideas and activities represent an approach to health education. Not an alternative program but instead a component of other programs, Child-to-Child emphasizes the role of children as partners within families and communities in promoting better health practices and promotes Child-to-Child activities. This booklet describes…

This report discusses the health of adolescents and youth in the tropics. The report is divided into five sections. The first section defines adolescence, youth, the duration of adolescence, the age group and its problems, and societies in adolescence. The second section discusses adolescence in relation to society and culture and focuses on the…

A health maintenance organization designed a pilot health promotion program that enrolled 55 employees, primarily allied health personnel. A control group of allied health personnel was also formed. Evaluation results indicate that the experimental group did improve on several health and health behavior measures, but the improvement generally was…

A healthy weight means you are not too fat or too thin. Your doctor may have said that you should not gain more weight or that you need to lose a few pounds. If you have diabetes and are overweight, you are not alone. The steps you take to manage your weight will help you feel better and may improve your blood sugar or glucose (GLOO-kos) levels.…

This paper reviews the relationships between physical fitness and body composition and their combined effect on health. After discussing the epidemiologic evidence for a protective effect of physical fitness on the health risks associated with obesity, it describes the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, an ongoing observational study that…

Researchers evaluated On the Right Track, which works to prevent secondary conditions for Texans with disabilities. The three main goals are: science (knowledge concerning the magnitude and severity of disabilities and secondary conditions); service (promoting healthy lifestyles by increasing awareness of the need for preventing secondary…

What can be done to support fitness and physical activity? Schools can guide students in developing life-long habits of participating in physical activities. According to the National Association for Sports and Physical Education, the concepts of physical fitness activities and physical education are used synonymously, however, they are not the…

A joint venture between an adult education service and a health promotion team in Kent, England, enables doctors to refer patients to health and fitness courses. More than 49% of participants are over age 60. A wide range of offerings, personal counseling, health diaries, and 50% fee reduction encourage participation. (SK)

Reviewed prevalence data on health parameters for football officials, noting outcomes when screening criteria were applied in preseason exams. Referees had a lower risk than the national 10-year coronary heart disease risk but a higher risk compared with that of the low-risk population. Results suggested that more graded exercise testing was…

Describes the planning, implementation, and evaluation of school-based Wellness Centers operated by the Riverside Unified School District in Riverside, CA, as part of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. Describes the program as planned in terms of the theoretical model for the intervention and the evaluation design, and discusses the…

Surveyed adolescent boys who had participated in a brief outreach program to high school health education classes designed to increase boys' knowledge about and improve their attitudes toward testicular self-examination (TSE) and early cancer detection. Results indicated that the 1-hour outreach improved students' knowledge and attitudes regarding…

To address shortages of health professional human resources and overcome cultural barriers, interdisciplinary health care teams in most northern Canadian aboriginal communities include paraprofessionals recruited locally. This paper identifies factors fundamental to effective team functioning, arguing for an extension of the information on…