The school food environment and student body mass index and food consumption: 2004 to 2007 national data

PURPOSE: This study identifies trends in the availability of various food choices in United States' middle and high schools from 2004 to 2007, and examines the potential associations between such food availability and students' self-reported eating habits and body mass index (BMI)-related outcomes. METHODS: Data are based on nationally representative samples of 78,442 students in 684 secondary schools surveyed from 2004 to 2007 as part of the Youth, Education, and Society (YES) study and the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study. In the YES study, school administrators and food service managers completed self-administered questionnaires on their school's food environment. In the MTF study, students in the same schools completed self-administered questionnaires, providing data used to construct BMI and food consumption measures. RESULTS: Overall, there was a decrease in the availability of regular-sugar/fat food items in both middle and high schools, and some indication of an increase in high school availability of reduced-fat food items through school lunch or a la carte. Some minimal evidence was found for relationships between the school food environment and student BMI-related outcomes and food consumption measures. CONCLUSIONS: United States secondary schools are making progress in the types of foods offered to students, with food items of lower nutritional value becoming less prevalent in recent years. Continued monitoring of food environment trends may help clarify whether and how such factors relate to youth health outcomes.The Youth, Education, and Society (YES) project (part of a larger research initiative, entitled Bridging the Gap: Research Informing Policy and Practice for Healthy Youth Behavior) is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Monitoring the Future study is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA01411). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; DA01411 - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Accessibility Over Availability: Associations Between the School Food Environment and Student Fruit and Green Vegetable Consumption

Background: No national studies have examined associations between (1) school food availability and accessibility and (2) secondary student fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. This article uses 5 years of nationally representative data from secondary school students to examine associations between the school food environment and student fruit and green vegetable consumption. Methods: From 2008 to 2012, cross-sectional, nationally representative data from US middle and high school students were collected annually on self-reported fruit and green vegetable consumption. Each year, data from administrators at each relevant school were collected on food item availability (any venue) and accessibility (total number of school sources). Data were obtained from 10,254 eighth-grade students in 317 schools and 18,898 tenth- and 12th-grade students in 518 schools. Associations were estimated by multi-level models controlling for student- and school-level characteristics. Results: Availability showed minimal association with student consumption. Candy/regular-fat snack accessibility was associated negatively with middle school fruit consumption. Salad bar availability and accessibility were positively associated with middle school green vegetable consumption; FV accessibility was associated positively with high school fruit and green vegetable consumption. Significant associations were consistent across student racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Conclusions: Forthcoming USDA nutrition standards for school foods and beverages sold outside of reimbursable meal programs should result in the removal of school candy/regular-fat snacks. In deciding which items to make available under the new standards, schools should consider increasing the number of FV sources?including salad bars?thereby potentially increasing student FV consumption.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140338/1/chi.2014.0011.pd

Profits, Commercial Food Supplier Involvement, and School Vending Machine Snack Food Availability: Implications for Implementing the New Competitive Foods Rule

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/107388/1/josh12165.pd

Physical Activity Breaks and Facilities in US Secondary Schools

BACKGROUND Research on physical activity breaks and facilities (indoor and outdoor) in secondary schools is relatively limited. METHODS School administrators and students in nationally representative samples of 8th (middle school) and 10th/12th grade (high school) students were surveyed annually from 2008‐2009 to 2011‐2012. School administrators reported information about physical activity breaks and facilities. Students self‐reported height, weight, and physical activity. RESULTS The prevalence of physical activity breaks and indoor and outdoor facilities (dichotomized by median split) differed significantly by region of the country, school size, student race/ethnicity, and school socioeconomic status (SES). Breaks were associated with lower odds of overweight (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83‐1.00) and obesity (AOR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75‐0.99) among middle school students. Among low‐SES middle school students and schools, higher indoor facilities were associated with lower rates of overweight and obesity. Among high school students, higher indoor and outdoor facilities were associated with 19‐42% higher odds of moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity. CONCLUSIONS Physical activity breaks and school facilities may help to address high rates of overweight/obesity and low physical activity levels among secondary students, especially lower‐SES students. Students in all schools should have equal access to these resources.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108694/1/josh12206.pd

Trends in Recall and Appraisal of Anti-Smoking Advertising Among American Youth: National Survey Results, 1997–2001

Public health efforts to reduce the harms related to tobacco use currently include a significant emphasis on anti-smoking media campaigns. This paper provides (a) data on the overall extent of exposure to anti-smoking media among American youth from 1997 to 2001, (b) an appraisal of general youth reactions to such advertising, and (c) an examination of how exposure levels and reactions vary by socio-demographic characteristics. Data were obtained from the Monitoring the Future study, an ongoing nationwide study of youth. Data were collected each year from nationally representative separate and nonoverlapping school samples of 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students ( N = 29,724; 24,639; and 12,138, respectively). Self-reported levels of recalled exposure to both electronic and print anti-smoking advertising were measured, as well as the judged impact and perceived exaggeration of such advertising. Data indicate that significant increases in overall exposure to anti-smoking advertising occurred over the study time period. These increases were associated with (a) increases in the self-reported likelihood that anti-smoking advertising diminished the probability of individual smoking behaviors, and (b) increases in the perceived level to which anti-smoking advertising exaggerates the risks associated with smoking. Further, these trends were significantly associated with various characteristics—most notably, ethnicity, smoking behaviors, and residence in a state with an ongoing tobacco-control program having a media component.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45502/1/11121_2005_Article_NY00001249.pd

Energy Drinks, Soft Drinks, and Substance Use Among United States Secondary School Students

Objectives: Examine energy drink/shot and regular and diet soft drink use among United States secondary school students in [2010][2011], and associations between such use and substance use. Methods: We used self-reported data from cross-sectional surveys of nationally representative samples of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students and conducted multivariate analyses examining associations between beverage and substance use, controlling for individual and school characteristics. Results: Approximately 30% of students reported consuming energy drinks or shots; more than 40% reported daily regular soft drink use, and about 20% reported daily diet soft drink use. Beverage consumption was strongly and positively associated with past 30-day alcohol, cigarette, and illicit drug use. The observed associations between energy drinks and substance use were significantly stronger than those between regular or diet soft drinks and substance use. Conclusions: This correlational study indicates that adolescent consumption of energy drinks/shots is widespread and that energy drink users report heightened risk for substance use. This study does not establish causation between the behaviors. Education for parents and prevention efforts among adolescents should include education on the masking effects of caffeine in energy drinks on alcohol-and other substance-related impairments, and recognition that some groups (such as high sensation-seeking youth) may be particularly likely to consume energy drinks and to be substance users

Community and School Drug Prevention Strategy Prevalence: Differential Effects by Setting and Substance

This study used key informant interviews and student survey data in 508 U.S. communities to examine relationships between the prevalence of community an

Community and School Drug Prevention Strategy Prevalence: Differential Effects by Setting and Substance

This study used key informant interviews and student survey data in 508 U.S. communities to examine relationships between the prevalence of community and non-classroom-based school substance prevention strategies and teen substance use rates. After controlling for covariates, analyses indicated that: (1) adult-supervised after-school activities were significantly related to lower past 30-day cigarette smoking and both past 30-day alcohol use and binge drinking; (2) unsupervised after-school recreational facilities were significantly associated with both lower past 30-day cigarette smoking and current daily smoking; (3) community activities to reduce substance use were significantly related to lower binge drinking; and (4) student organizations to prevent alcohol abuse were significantly related to lower binge drinking. Communities need a broad spectrum of strategies to address variation in substance use among youth.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45097/1/10935_2005_Article_5387.pd

Trends and timing of cigarette smoking uptake among US young adults: survival analysis using annual national cohorts from 1976 to 2005

AimsTo measure changes over time in cigarette smoking uptake prevalence and timing during young adulthood (ages 19–26 years), and associations between time‐invariant/‐varying characteristics and uptake prevalence/timing.DesignDiscrete‐time survival modeling of data collected from United States high school seniors (modal age 17/18) enrolled in successive graduating classes from 1976 to 2005 and participating in four follow‐up surveys (to modal age 25/26).SettingThe longitudinal component of the Monitoring the Future study.ParticipantsA total of 10 758 individuals reporting no life‐time smoking when first surveyed as high school seniors.MeasurementsSmoking uptake (any, experimental, occasional and regular); socio‐demographic variables; marital, college and work status; time spent socializing.FindingsThe percentage of young adults moving from non‐smoker to experimental smoking [slope estimate 0.11, standard error (SE) = 0.04, P = 0.005] or occasional smoking (slope estimate 0.17, SE = 0.03, P < 0.001) increased significantly across graduating classes; the percentage moving from non‐smoker to regular smoker remained stable. All forms of smoking uptake were most likely to occur at age 19/20, but uptake prevalence at older ages increased over time [e.g. cohort year predicting occasional uptake at modal age 25/26 adjusted hazard odds ratio (AHOR) = 1.05, P = 0.002]. Time‐invariant/‐varying characteristics had unique associations with the timing of various forms of smoking uptake (e.g. at modal age 21/22, currently attending college increased occasional uptake risk (AHOR = 2.11, P < 0.001) but decreased regular uptake risk (AHOR = 0.69, P = 0.026).ConclusionsYoung adult occasional and experimental smoking uptake increased in the United States for non‐smoking high school seniors graduating from 1976 to 2005. Smoking uptake for these cohorts remained most likely to occur at age 19/20, but prevalence of uptake at older ages increased.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111968/1/add12926.pd

Simultaneous Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among Young Adult Drinkers: Ageâ Specific Changes in Prevalence from 1977 to 2016

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146298/1/acer13879_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146298/2/acer13879.pd