A reinforcement sensitivity perspective on adolescents' susceptibility to the influence of soap opera viewing on alcohol attitudes

Previous research found support for an association between exposure to alcohol-related media content and alcohol attitudes, intentions and behavior. Nevertheless, research on what makes young people susceptible to the occurrence of this relationship is scarce. The current study examined the behavioral activation (BAS) and inhibition system (BIS) as moderators of the relationship between soap opera viewing and alcohol attitudes. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among a sample of 922 adolescents (M-age=14.96years, SD=.85, 56% girls). Regression analyses showed no association between total television viewing and alcohol attitudes, but did confirm that soap opera viewing is associated with positive attitudes towards alcohol use. Moderation analyses indicated that BAS did not moderate this relationship, while BIS did; the relationship between soap opera viewing and positive attitudes toward alcohol was only significant for adolescents with a low BIS-profile. These results provide support for the premise that an elevated BIS protects adolescents from the effect of soap opera viewing frequency on their alcohol attitudes

Can Parenting Practices Moderate the Relationship between Reward Sensitivity and Adolescents’ Consumption of Snacks and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages?

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Boviene sarcosporidiosis of eosinofiele myositis?

Sarcosporidiosis is a misused term in meat inspection to name multifocal grey-green lesions observed in muscles of cattle. Instead the correct morphological diagnosis is bovine eosinophilic myositis. The confusion in terminology can not only lead to problems in insurance cases, it also results in incorrect European data reports. This article summarizes the current knowledge of Sarcocystis and bovine eosinophilic myositis in cattle, as a plea for the correct us of terminology

Disposition-content congruency in adolescents' alcohol-related social media (self-) effects : the role of the five-factor model

Objective: Accumulating evidence indicates that social networking sites play an increasingly important role in young people's drinking behavior. The present study adds to this research by assessing the conditionality of the relationships between exposure to and self-sharing of alcohol-related content on social media and adolescents' drinking behavior. Specifically, the moderating role of the five-factor model of personality is determined. Method: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted among 866 mid-adolescents (Msubsample = 14.85 years, SD = 0.71, 57.5% girls). Polynomial regression analysis with response surface modeling was used to test the interactions. Results: Exposure, but not self-sharing, was directly associated with more alcohol consumption. However, it appeared that the act of sharing was more important than the frequency of sharing. Next, the relationship between exposure and consumption was not found to be moderated by personality. In contrast, there were significant linear and nonlinear interactions between self-sharing and all five personality traits. Individuals who are predisposed to engage in more alcohol consumption experience a stronger association between self-sharing and their drinking behavior. Conclusions: Social media can play a role in adolescents' drinking behavior, but this role is partially dependent on temperamental predispositions

Using a gamified monitoring app to change adolescents' snack intake : the development of the REWARD app and evaluation design

Background: As the snacking pattern of European adolescents is of great concern, effective interventions are necessary. Till now health promotion efforts in children and adolescents have had only limited success in changing adolescents' eating patterns and anthropometrics. Therefore, the present study proposes an innovative approach to influence dietary behaviors in youth based on new insights on effective behavior change strategies and attractive intervention channels to engage adolescents. This article describes the rationale, the development, and evaluation design of the 'Snack Track School' app. The aim of the app is to improve the snacking patterns of Flemish 14- to 16-year olds. Methods: The development of the app was informed by the systematic, stepwise, iterative, and collaborative principles of the Intervention Mapping protocol. A four week mHealth intervention was developed based on the dual-system model with behavioral change strategies targeting both the reflective (i.e., active learning, advance organizers, mere exposure, goal-setting, monitoring, and feedback) and automatic processes (i.e., rewards and positive reinforcement). This intervention will be evaluated via a controlled pre-post design in Flemish schools among 1400 adolescents. Discussion: When this intervention including strategies focused on both the reflective and automatic pathway proves to be effective, it will offer a new scientifically-based vision, guidelines and practical tools for public health and health promotion (i.e., incorporation of learning theories in intervention programs)

Use of fitness and nutrition apps : associations with body mass index, snacking, and drinking habits in adolescents

Background: Efforts to improve snacking and drinking habits are needed to promote a healthy body mass index (BMI) in adolescents. Although commercial fitness and nutrition mobile phone apps are widely used, little is known regarding their potential to improve health behaviors, especially in adolescents. In addition, evidence on the mechanisms through which such fitness and nutrition apps influence behavior is lacking. Objectives: This study assessed whether the use of commercial fitness or nutrition apps was associated with a lower BMI and healthier snacking and drinking habits in adolescents. Additionally, it explored if perceived behavioral control to eat healthy; attitudes to eat healthy for the good taste of healthy foods, for overall health or for appearance; social norm on healthy eating and social support to eat healthy mediated the associations between the frequency of use of fitness or nutrition apps and BMI, the healthy snack, and beverage ratio. Methods: Cross-sectional self-reported data on snack and beverage consumption, healthy eating determinants, and fitness and nutrition app use of adolescents (N=889; mean age 14.7 years, SD 0.8; 54.8% [481/878] boys; 18.1% [145/803] overweight) were collected in a representative sample of 20 schools in Flanders, Belgium. Height and weight were measured by the researchers. The healthy snack ratio and the healthy beverage ratio were calculated as follows: gram healthy snacks or beverages/(gram healthy snacks or beverages+ gram unhealthy snacks or beverages) x100. Multilevel regression and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the proposed associations and to explore multiple mediation. Results: A total of 27.6% (245/889) of the adolescents used fitness, nutrition apps or both. Frequency of using nutrition apps was positively associated with a higher healthy beverage ratio (b=2.96 [1.11], P=.008) and a higher body mass index z-scores (zBMI; b=0.13 [0.05], P=.008. A significant interaction was found between the frequency of using nutrition and for the zBMI (b=-0.03 [0.02], P=.04) and the healthy snack ratio (b=-0.84 [0.37], P=.03). Attitude to eat healthy for appearance mediated both the fitness app use frequency-zBMI (a x b=0.02 [0.01], P=.02) and the nutrition app use frequency-zBMI (a x b= 0.04 [0.01], P=.001) associations. No mediation was observed for the associations between the frequency of use of fitness or nutrition apps and the healthy snack or beverage ratio. Conclusions: Commercial fitness and nutrition apps show some association with healthier eating behaviors and BMI in adolescents. However, effective behavior change techniques should be included to affect key determinants of healthy eating

Adding a reward increases the reinforcing value of fruit

Adolescents' snack choices could be altered by increasing the reinforcing value (RV) of healthy snacks compared with unhealthy snacks. This study assessed whether the RV of fruit increased by linking it to a reward and if this increased RV was comparable with the RV of unhealthy snacks alone. Moderation effects of sex, hunger, BMI z-scores and sensitivity to reward were also explored. The RV of snacks was assessed in a sample of 165 adolescents (15.1 (SD 1.5) years, 39.4% boys and 17.4% overweight) using a computerised food reinforcement task. Adolescents obtained points for snacks through mouse clicks (responses) following progressive ratio schedules of increasing response requirements. Participants were (computer) randomised to three experimental groups (1: 1: 1): fruit (n 53), fruit + reward (n 60) or unhealthy snacks (n 69). The RV was evaluated as total number of responses and breakpoint (schedule of terminating food reinforcement task). Multilevel regression analyses (total number of responses) and Cox's proportional hazard regression models (breakpoint) were used. The total number of responses made were not different between fruit + reward and fruit (b -473; 95% CI -1152, 205, P=0.17) or unhealthy snacks (b 410; 95% CI -222, 1043, P = 0.20). The breakpoint was slightly higher for fruit than fruit + reward (HR 1.34; 95% CI 1.00, 1.79, P=0.050), whereas no difference between unhealthy snacks and fruit + reward (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.62, 1.18, P=0.34) was observed. No indication of moderation was found. Offering rewards slightly increases the RV of fruit and may be a promising strategy to increase healthy food choices. Future studies should however, explore if other rewards, could reach larger effect sizes