The effects of individual attributes, health behaviors, and religion on adolescent obesity: a study of African American and Caucasian adolescents

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of individual attributes (family socioeconomic status, gender, and race) and health behavior factors (vigorous physical activity, sedentary activity, dietary intake, and sleeping pattern) as well as religion (religious affiliations and religious commitment) on African American and Caucasian adolescents\u27 body weight. The sample for this study consisted of African American and Caucasian adolescents (N = 3,596) aged 14-18 years at Wave II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Stratification of the percentage of adolescents based on CDC growth charts indicates greater prevalence of overweight and obesity among African American than Caucasian adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships of these attributes and health behaviors with adolescent\u27s adiposity. Based on this model, multigroup comparisons between African American and Caucasian models were performed to determine the varied relationships of these variables with body weight. In both models, vigorous physical activity protected against overweight and obesity. The model for African Americans seems to fit the data better than does the model for Caucasians; however, the model for Caucasians had more significant pathways than the model for African Americans. In addition, the multiple group comparison regarding religiously committed African American and Caucasian adolescents, without controlling for religious affiliations, indicates that the influence of religiosity on youth adiposity is moderated by race

Computer-mediated communication among family and consumer sciences teachers

The purpose of this study has been to investigate the uses of telecommunication networks among family and consumer sciences (FCS) teachers. Three family and consumer sciences yahoo electronic bulletin boards -- North Carolina family and consumer sciences, FCS work and family, and FCS teachers -- on the World Wide Web were selected for the study. The electronic bulletin board was a place where family and consumer sciences professionals share ideas, reflections, and dialogue on teaching and updates in the field of family and consumer sciences, while also providing support for each other as a member of an electronic professional community. A pluralistic approach using interpretive research design was used to explore the contents of the messages of interaction that facilitated collaborative reflective conversation and professional development on the electronic bulletin boards. Data sources were from electronic bulletin boards and survey instruments administered to selected informants. A total of 691 message threads were downloaded in 12-month period from three electronic bulletin boards. Analyses of this data reveal that the use of electronic bulletin boards afforded the members the opportunity to discuss and reflect on issues that were important to their teaching and professional development. The findings reveal that certain topics promoted discourse on all the electronic bulletin boards indicating that FCS teachers experienced similar situations and used the electronic bulletin boards to share and discuss these experiences. An analysis of the electronic bulletin boards\u27 postings showed that North Carolina State Department of Education personnel contributed to the large number of dialogues observed on the North Carolina family and consumer sciences electronic bulletin board

Adolescents' health behaviors and obesity: Does race affect this epidemic?

This study explores the influence of health behaviors and individual attributes on adolescent overweight and obesity using data from Wave II (Add Health). Structural equation model/path analysis using maximum likelihood estimation was utilized to analyze the relationships of health behaviors and attributes with obesity. Results of the model reveal that the causal paths (adolescents' attributes and health behaviors) for overweight and obesity were different for African American and Caucasian adolescents. Generally, African Americans were more susceptible to overweight and obesity than Caucasians. Although increasing levels of vigorous physical activities lowers the risk for obesity among African American and Caucasian adolescents alike, low family SES and being sedentary were associated with overweight and obesity among Caucasians. No significant associations were found among African Americans. Increased hours of sleep at night relate positively with obesity among African Americans. These findings suggest important elements in the consideration of race in developing effective intervention and prevention approaches for curbing the obesity epidemic among U.S. adolescents

Bodyweight Perceptions among Texas Women: The Effects of Religion, Race/Ethnicity, and Citizenship Status

Despite previous work exploring linkages between religious participation and health, little research has looked at the role of religion in affecting bodyweight perceptions. Using the theoretical model developed by Levin et al. (Sociol Q 36(1):157–173, 1995) on the multidimensionality of religious participation, we develop several hypotheses and test them by using data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults. We estimate multinomial logistic regression models to determine the relative risk of women perceiving themselves as overweight. Results indicate that religious attendance lowers risk of women perceiving themselves as very overweight. Citizenship status was an important factor for Latinas, with noncitizens being less likely to see themselves as overweight. We also test interaction effects between religion and race. Religious attendance and prayer have a moderating effect among Latina non-citizens so that among these women, attendance and prayer intensify perceptions of feeling less overweight when compared to their white counterparts. Among African American women, the effect of increased church attendance leads to perceptions of being overweight. Prayer is also a correlate of overweight perceptions but only among African American women. We close with a discussion that highlights key implications from our findings, note study limitations, and several promising avenues for future research

Computer-mediated communication among family and consumer sciences teachers

The purpose of this study has been to investigate the uses of telecommunication networks among family and consumer sciences (FCS) teachers. Three family and consumer sciences yahoo electronic bulletin boards -- North Carolina family and consumer sciences, FCS work and family, and FCS teachers -- on the World Wide Web were selected for the study. The electronic bulletin board was a place where family and consumer sciences professionals share ideas, reflections, and dialogue on teaching and updates in the field of family and consumer sciences, while also providing support for each other as a member of an electronic professional community. A pluralistic approach using interpretive research design was used to explore the contents of the messages of interaction that facilitated collaborative reflective conversation and professional development on the electronic bulletin boards. Data sources were from electronic bulletin boards and survey instruments administered to selected informants. A total of 691 message threads were downloaded in 12-month period from three electronic bulletin boards. Analyses of this data reveal that the use of electronic bulletin boards afforded the members the opportunity to discuss and reflect on issues that were important to their teaching and professional development. The findings reveal that certain topics promoted discourse on all the electronic bulletin boards indicating that FCS teachers experienced similar situations and used the electronic bulletin boards to share and discuss these experiences. An analysis of the electronic bulletin boards' postings showed that North Carolina State Department of Education personnel contributed to the large number of dialogues observed on the North Carolina family and consumer sciences electronic bulletin board.</p

The effects of individual attributes, health behaviors, and religion on adolescent obesity: a study of African American and Caucasian adolescents

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of individual attributes (family socioeconomic status, gender, and race) and health behavior factors (vigorous physical activity, sedentary activity, dietary intake, and sleeping pattern) as well as religion (religious affiliations and religious commitment) on African American and Caucasian adolescents' body weight. The sample for this study consisted of African American and Caucasian adolescents (N = 3,596) aged 14-18 years at Wave II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Stratification of the percentage of adolescents based on CDC growth charts indicates greater prevalence of overweight and obesity among African American than Caucasian adolescents. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships of these attributes and health behaviors with adolescent's adiposity. Based on this model, multigroup comparisons between African American and Caucasian models were performed to determine the varied relationships of these variables with body weight. In both models, vigorous physical activity protected against overweight and obesity. The model for African Americans seems to fit the data better than does the model for Caucasians; however, the model for Caucasians had more significant pathways than the model for African Americans. In addition, the multiple group comparison regarding religiously committed African American and Caucasian adolescents, without controlling for religious affiliations, indicates that the influence of religiosity on youth adiposity is moderated by race.</p

Adolescents’ health behaviors and obesity: Does race affect this epidemic?

This study explores the influence of health behaviors and individual attributes on adolescent overweight and obesity using data from Wave II (Add Health). Structural equation model/ path analysis using maximum likelihood estimation was utilized to analyze the relationships of health behaviors and attributes with obesity. Results of the model reveal that the causal paths (adolescents’ attributes and health behaviors) for overweight and obesity were different for African American and Caucasian adolescents. Generally, African Americans were more susceptible to overweight and obesity than Caucasians. Although increasing levels of vigorous physical activities lowers the risk for obesity among African American and Caucasian adolescents alike, low family SES and being sedentary were associated with overweight and obesity among Caucasians. No significant associations were found among African Americans. Increased hours of sleep at night relate positively with obesity among African Americans. These findings suggest important elements in the consideration of race in developing effective intervention and prevention approaches for curbing the obesity epidemic among U.S. adolescents. B. A. Dodor, M.C. Shelley, C.O. Hausafus, Adolescents’ health behaviors and obesity: Does race affect this epidemic? Nutrition Research and Practice. 2010;4(6):528-534 DOI: 10.4162/nrp.2010.4.6.528. </p

Adolescents' health behaviors and obesity: Does race affect this epidemic?

This study explores the influence of health behaviors and individual attributes on adolescent overweight and obesity using data from Wave II (Add Health). Structural equation model/path analysis using maximum likelihood estimation was utilized to analyze the relationships of health behaviors and attributes with obesity. Results of the model reveal that the causal paths (adolescents' attributes and health behaviors) for overweight and obesity were different for African American and Caucasian adolescents. Generally, African Americans were more susceptible to overweight and obesity than Caucasians. Although increasing levels of vigorous physical activities lowers the risk for obesity among African American and Caucasian adolescents alike, low family SES and being sedentary were associated with overweight and obesity among Caucasians. No significant associations were found among African Americans. Increased hours of sleep at night relate positively with obesity among African Americans. These findings suggest important elements in the consideration of race in developing effective intervention and prevention approaches for curbing the obesity epidemic among U.S. adolescents