Middle school student and parent perceptions of government-sponsored free school breakfast and consumption: a qualitative inquiry in an urban setting.

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Bailey-Davis, Lisa; Virus, Amy; McCoy, Tara Alexis; Wojtanowski, Alexis; Vander Veur, Stephanie S; Foster, Gary D

2013-02-01

Universal free access to school breakfast is available in large urban schools, but participation rates are less than half of what they are at lunch. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the discrepancy between access and participation in school breakfast in a low-income, urban school district. Youth (n=23) and parents (n=22) were recruited from three middle schools where ≥ 50% of students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Parent focus groups (n=2) and student focus groups (n=4) were conducted in the fall/winter of 2009/2010. Content analysis was conducted to code transcripts and a constant comparative technique was used to identify emergent themes. Findings were validated using triangulation methods. The following themes emerged from the student and parent perceptions: sociocultural beliefs, physical availability, economic accessibility, social stigma, and consumption practices. There was agreement between students and parents across most themes, except consumption practices. Students were commonly purchasing food and beverages on the way to school, which was in conflict with parent rules. Parents desired access to copies of the school menus to be more involved in breakfast decisions with their child and students desired input into menu planning and taste testing to overcome school meal quality concerns. Future research aiming to improve participation in the breakfast program should examine the impact of student involvement in school menu planning and environmental modifications to reduce the social stigma associated with the program. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determinants of Fast Food Consumption among Iranian High School Students Based on Planned Behavior Theory

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Sharifirad, Gholamreza; Yarmohammadi, Parastoo; Azadbakht, Leila; Morowatisharifabad, Mohammad Ali; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2013-01-01

Objective. This study was conducted to identify some factors (beliefs and norms) which are related to fast food consumption among high school students in Isfahan, Iran. We used the framework of the theory planned behavior (TPB) to predict this behavior. Subjects & Methods. Cross-sectional data were available from high school students (n = 521) who were recruited by cluster randomized sampling. All of the students completed a questionnaire assessing variables of standard TPB model including at...

Factors associated with regular consumption of obesogenic foods: National School-Based Student Health Hurvey, 2012

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Giovana LONGO-SILVA

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the frequency of consumption of obesogenic foods among adolescents and its association with sociodemographic, family, behavioral, and environmental variables. Methods: Secondary data from the National School-Based Student Health Hurvey were analyzed from a representative sample of 9th grade Brazilian students (high school. A self-administered questionnaire, organized into thematic blocks, was used. The dependent variables were the consumption of deep fried snacks, packaged snacks, sugar candies, and soft drinks; consumption frequency for the seven days preceding the study was analyzed. Bivariate analysis was carried out to determine the empirical relationship between the regular consumption of these foods (≥3 days/week with sociodemographic, family, behavioral, and school structural variables. p-value <0.20 was used as the criterion for initial inclusion in the multivariate logistic analysis, which was conducted using the "Enter" method, and the results were expressed as adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence interval and p<0.05 indicating a statistically significance. Results: Regular food consumption ranged from 27.17% to 65.96%. The variables female gender, mobile phone ownership, Internet access at home, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, regular physical activity, eating while watching television or studying, watching television for at least 2 hours a day, and not willing to lose weight were associated in the final logistic models of all foods analyzed. Conclusion: It was concluded that fried snacks, packaged snacks, sugar candies, and soft drinks are regularly consumed by adolescents and that such consumption was associated with the sociodemographic, family, behavioral, and school structural variables.

ENERGY DRINKS CONSUMPTION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH HYPERACTIVITY/INATTENTION BEHAVIOUR AMONG THE INTERMEDIATE AND HIGH SCHOOL MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS

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Awad S. Alsamghan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND New studies has revealed the consumption of energy drinks as a common, linked with potential risky hyperactivity/inattention behaviour among the adolescent and especially college students. To assess the prevalence of the energy drinks consumption and to evaluate hyperactivity/inattention behaviour symptoms among the adolescent intermediate and high school male and female students in Abha city. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study. The self-administered questionnaires were distributed among students who were studying in the intermediate and high school. Schools were randomly selected and all students (N=602 participated with consent. Total sample size included 602 students, 50% students from intermediate school and 50% students from high school. The tools used in the present study to collect the information from the students were a structured standardised questionnaire includes the basics characteristic, demographic and consumption of energy drinks related information. RESULTS Prevalence of the energy drinks consumption among students studying in intermediate and high school level was 303 (50.3%. Male 162 (53.3% are more consuming energy drinks than female 141 (46.7%. Students who are studying in high school (56.1% drinking more energy drinks than students (43.9% in higher level. Mean score of SDQ was 21.53±5.414 falling in abnormal category. Mean±SD score of the hyperactivity subscale of the SDQ was 3.76±1.980. Female students 66 (21.9%, p=0.162 are more likely to score hyperactivity subscale compared to male students 52 (17.3% (Table 1. Bivariate logistic regression analysis (Table 2 revealed that there was a significance association found with risk of hyperactivity/inattention (OR=2.47, 95% Cl=1.61, 3.78 who consumed energy drinks. Most of the types of energy drinks types were associated with hyperactivity as regression analysis results shown. No association observed with study levels. CONCLUSION Energy drinks

The Association between Socio-Demographic Charactristics and Fast Food Consumption withinHigh School Students in Isfahan, Iran

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Parastoo Yarmohammadi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Fast food consumption has greatly increased with in adolescents in recent years, which is linked with weight gain, poor dietary indexes and insulin resistance. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between demographic characteristics and fast food consumption with in high school students. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, a sample of 521 high school students  aged 15-18 years were examined in Isfahan city, who were selected via multistage sampling method. The study data were collected using a questionnaire completed by the students. The present study probed to assess such items as frequency of fast food consumption, demographic characteristics, hours of television viewing, as well as high school students' knowledge and attitude. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: Frequent intake of fast food (&ge1 time/week was reported 15.5% within females and 15.3% within males. A significant relationship was detected between parents’ high level of education and high income of the family with the fast food consumption. The predominate reasons for fast food consumption were stated as “enjoying tastes”, “eating at any place”,” inexpensive and economic”. Conclusion: The findings revealed that fast food consumption increased in families with high income and high education level, though these families needed to be educated on the harmful effects of fast food and how to choose the healthy foods. Therefore, some interventions may be regarded beneficial in order to reduce the exposure to the fast food and promote knowledge, attitude, and behavior change in regard with reducing consumption of fast food.

The role of academic motivation in high school students' current and lifetime alcohol consumption: adopting a self-determination theory perspective.

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Wormington, Stephanie V; Anderson, Kristen G; Corpus, Jennifer Henderlong

2011-11-01

The current study investigated the relationship between different types of academic motives-specifically, intrinsic motivation, introjected regulation, and external regulation-and high school students' current and lifetime alcohol consumption. One thousand sixty-seven high school students completed measures of academic motivation, other school-related factors, and lifetime and current alcohol consumption. Using structural equation modeling, different types of motivation and school-related factors were differentially related to student drinking. Specifically, intrinsic motivation was negatively related to lifetime and current alcohol consumption. External regulation, on the other hand, was positively associated with current drinking. Grade point average was the only school-related factor related to student alcohol use. These findings suggest that motivation is an important construct to consider in predicting students' alcohol use, even when other more commonly studied educational variables are considered. In addition, it supports the adoption of a motivation framework that considers different types of motivation in understanding the relationship between academic motivation and alcohol use. Suggestions for incorporating the self-determination model of motivation into studies of alcohol and substance use, as well as potential impacts on intervention efforts, are discussed. In particular, it may be important to foster only certain types of motivation, rather than all types of academically-focused motives, in efforts to deter alcohol use.

Factors influencing fast food consumption behaviors of middle-school students in Seoul: an application of theory of planned behaviors.

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Seo, Hyun-Sun; Lee, Soo-Kyung; Nam, Soyoung

2011-04-01

Fast food is popular among children and adolescents; however, its consumption has often been associated with negative impacts on nutrition and health. This study examined current fast food consumption status among middle school students and explored factors influencing fast food consumption by applying Theory of Planned Behavior. A total of 354 (52.5% boys) students were recruited from a middle school. The subjects completed a pre-tested questionnaire. The average monthly frequency of fast food consumption was 4.05 (4.25 for boys, 3.83 for girls). As expected, fast food consumption was considered to be a special event rather than part of an everyday diet, closely associated with meeting friends or celebrating, most likely with friends, special days. The Theory of Planned Behavior effectively explained fast food consumption behaviors with relatively high R(2) around 0.6. Multiple regression analyses showed that fast food consumption behavior was significantly related to behavioral intention (b = 0.61, P intention was significantly related to subjective norm (b = 0.15, P fast food consumption was not significantly associated with behavioral intention. Therefore, effective nutrition education programs on fast food consumption should include components to change the subjective norms of fast food consumption, especially among peers, and perceived behavioral control. Further studies should examine effective ways of changing subjective norms and possible alternatives to fast food consumption for students to alter perceived behavioral control.

Illicit drug consumption in school populations measured by wastewater analysis.

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Zuccato, Ettore; Gracia-Lor, Emma; Rousis, Nikolaos I; Parabiaghi, Alberto; Senta, Ivan; Riva, Francesco; Castiglioni, Sara

2017-09-01

Analysis of student consumption of illicit drugs (ID) by school population surveys (SPS) provides information useful for prevention, but the results may be influenced by subjective factors. We explored wastewater (WW) analysis to improve the information. We used WW analysis to measure ID consumption in eight secondary schools in Italy in 2010-13 (students aged 15-19). Samples were collected from the sewage pipes of the schools during lessons for one week each year. Samples were analysed by mass spectrometry to measure ID and consumption by students was compared to that of the general population. We found THCCOOH (human metabolite of THC) concentrations in 2010 indicating significant consumption of cannabis in all the schools and benzoylecgonine (human metabolite of cocaine) suggesting a limited consumption of cocaine in all but one school. Morphine was only found in traces, and amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine and mephedrone were not detectable. Repeated analysis showed cannabis stable until 2012 with increases in 2013, low cocaine and morphine levels, and none of the other ID. WW analysis suggested that students used amounts of cannabis comparable to the general population, with low, sporadic use of cocaine and opioids, but excluded the use of significant amounts of amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine and mephedrone. WW analysis was useful to confirm SPS figures and provides complementary findings for effective prevention strategies. This is the first time WW analysis has been used to investigate consumption of a large number of ID and new psychoactive substances (NPS) in schools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The school environment and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among Guatemalan adolescents.

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Godin, Katelyn M; Chacón, Violeta; Barnoya, Joaquin; Leatherdale, Scott T

2017-11-01

The current study sought to examine Guatemalan adolescents' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), identify which individual-level characteristics are associated with SSB consumption and describe school characteristics that may influence students' SSB consumption. Within this observational pilot study, a questionnaire was used to assess students' consumption of three varieties of SSB (soft drinks, energy drinks, sweetened coffees/teas), as well as a variety of sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics. We collected built environment data to examine aspects of the school food environment. We developed Poisson regression models for each SSB variety and used descriptive analyses to characterize the sample. Guatemala City, Guatemala. Guatemalan adolescents (n 1042) from four (two public, two private) secondary schools. Built environment data revealed that students from the two public schools lacked access to water fountains/coolers. The SSB industry had a presence in the schools through advertisements, sponsored food kiosks and products available for sale. Common correlates of SSB consumption included school type, sedentary behaviour, frequency of purchasing lunch in the cafeteria, and frequency of purchasing snacks from vending machines in school and off school property. Guatemalan adolescents frequently consume SSB, which may be encouraged by aspects of the school environment. Schools represent a viable setting for equitable population health interventions designed to reduce SSB consumption, including increasing access to clean drinking-water, reducing access to SSB, restricting SSB marketing and greater enforcement of existing food policies.

How state taxes and policies targeting soda consumption modify the association between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors: a cross-sectional analysis.

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Taber, Daniel R; Chriqui, Jamie F; Vuillaume, Renee; Chaloupka, Frank J

2014-01-01

Sodas are widely sold in vending machines and other school venues in the United States, particularly in high school. Research suggests that policy changes have reduced soda access, but the impact of reduced access on consumption is unclear. This study was designed to identify student, environmental, or policy characteristics that modify the associations between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors. Data on school vending machine access and student diet were obtained as part of the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) and linked to state-level data on soda taxes, restaurant taxes, and state laws governing the sale of soda in schools. Regression models were used to: 1) estimate associations between vending machine access and soda consumption, fast food consumption, and lunch source, and 2) determine if associations were modified by state soda taxes, restaurant taxes, laws banning in-school soda sales, or student characteristics (race/ethnicity, sex, home food access, weight loss behaviors.). Contrary to the hypothesis, students tended to consume 0.53 fewer servings of soda/week (95% CI: -1.17, 0.11) and consume fast food on 0.24 fewer days/week (95% CI: -0.44, -0.05) if they had in-school access to vending machines. They were also less likely to consume soda daily (23.9% vs. 27.9%, average difference  =  -4.02, 95% CI: -7.28, -0.76). However, these inverse associations were observed primarily among states with lower soda and restaurant tax rates (relative to general food tax rates) and states that did not ban in-school soda sales. Associations did not vary by any student characteristics except for weight loss behaviors. Isolated changes to the school food environment may have unintended consequences unless policymakers incorporate other initiatives designed to discourage overall soda consumption.

How state taxes and policies targeting soda consumption modify the association between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors: a cross-sectional analysis.

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Daniel R Taber

Full Text Available Sodas are widely sold in vending machines and other school venues in the United States, particularly in high school. Research suggests that policy changes have reduced soda access, but the impact of reduced access on consumption is unclear. This study was designed to identify student, environmental, or policy characteristics that modify the associations between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors.Data on school vending machine access and student diet were obtained as part of the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS and linked to state-level data on soda taxes, restaurant taxes, and state laws governing the sale of soda in schools. Regression models were used to: 1 estimate associations between vending machine access and soda consumption, fast food consumption, and lunch source, and 2 determine if associations were modified by state soda taxes, restaurant taxes, laws banning in-school soda sales, or student characteristics (race/ethnicity, sex, home food access, weight loss behaviors..Contrary to the hypothesis, students tended to consume 0.53 fewer servings of soda/week (95% CI: -1.17, 0.11 and consume fast food on 0.24 fewer days/week (95% CI: -0.44, -0.05 if they had in-school access to vending machines. They were also less likely to consume soda daily (23.9% vs. 27.9%, average difference  =  -4.02, 95% CI: -7.28, -0.76. However, these inverse associations were observed primarily among states with lower soda and restaurant tax rates (relative to general food tax rates and states that did not ban in-school soda sales. Associations did not vary by any student characteristics except for weight loss behaviors.Isolated changes to the school food environment may have unintended consequences unless policymakers incorporate other initiatives designed to discourage overall soda consumption.

How State Taxes and Policies Targeting Soda Consumption Modify the Association between School Vending Machines and Student Dietary Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

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Taber, Daniel R.; Chriqui, Jamie F.; Vuillaume, Renee; Chaloupka, Frank J.

2014-01-01

Background Sodas are widely sold in vending machines and other school venues in the United States, particularly in high school. Research suggests that policy changes have reduced soda access, but the impact of reduced access on consumption is unclear. This study was designed to identify student, environmental, or policy characteristics that modify the associations between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors. Methods Data on school vending machine access and student diet were obtained as part of the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) and linked to state-level data on soda taxes, restaurant taxes, and state laws governing the sale of soda in schools. Regression models were used to: 1) estimate associations between vending machine access and soda consumption, fast food consumption, and lunch source, and 2) determine if associations were modified by state soda taxes, restaurant taxes, laws banning in-school soda sales, or student characteristics (race/ethnicity, sex, home food access, weight loss behaviors.) Results Contrary to the hypothesis, students tended to consume 0.53 fewer servings of soda/week (95% CI: -1.17, 0.11) and consume fast food on 0.24 fewer days/week (95% CI: -0.44, -0.05) if they had in-school access to vending machines. They were also less likely to consume soda daily (23.9% vs. 27.9%, average difference = -4.02, 95% CI: -7.28, -0.76). However, these inverse associations were observed primarily among states with lower soda and restaurant tax rates (relative to general food tax rates) and states that did not ban in-school soda sales. Associations did not vary by any student characteristics except for weight loss behaviors. Conclusion Isolated changes to the school food environment may have unintended consequences unless policymakers incorporate other initiatives designed to discourage overall soda consumption. PMID:25083906

Does Risk Perception Affect Alcohol Consumption among Secondary School Students in Jamaica?

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Oshi, Sarah N; Abel, Wendel D; Ricketts Roomes, Tana; Meka, Ijeoma A; Harrison, Joy; Weaver, Steve; Agu, Chinwendu F; Smith, Patrice Whitehorne; Omeje, Joachim C; Rae, Tania; Oshi, Daniel C

2018-04-23

Background: Alcohol consumption among young people is a major public health problem world-wide and in Jamaica. A number of factors have been reported to affect alcohol use among high school students. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of perception of the harmfulness of alcohol on alcohol use among secondary school students in Jamaica. Methods: Data collected from a nationally representative sample of 3,365 students were analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using SPSS. Results: Students’ perception of risk of drinking alcohol frequently and getting drunk respectively had positive and significant associations with past month alcohol use (AOR= 1.44, 95% CI= 1.09- 1.88 and AOR= 1.38, 95% CI= 1.02- 1.86, respectively) compared to students who felt that drinking alcohol frequently and getting drunk were very harmful. Males, 12 years or younger were significantly less likely to use alcohol in the past month (AOR= 0.77, 95% CI=0.60- 0.97; AOR= 0.68, 95% CI= 0.53-0.97 respectively). Students with good relationship with their mothers were less likely to use alcohol in the past year and past month (AOR= 0.55, 95% CI= 0.35-0.87; AOR= 0.50, 95% CI= 0.32- 0.78). Conclusion: Risk perception of the harmfulness of alcohol significantly affects alcohol use among secondary school students in Jamaica. Males, 12 years or younger, who had good relationship with mothers, were significantly less likely to use alcohol in past month Creative Commons Attribution License

Increasing the availability and consumption of drinking water in middle schools: a pilot study.

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Patel, Anisha I; Bogart, Laura M; Elliott, Marc N; Lamb, Sheila; Uyeda, Kimberly E; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Klein, David J; Schuster, Mark A

2011-05-01

Although several studies suggest that drinking water may help prevent obesity, no US studies have examined the effect of school drinking water provision and promotion on student beverage intake. We assessed the acceptability, feasibility, and outcomes of a school-based intervention to improve drinking water consumption among adolescents. The 5-week program, conducted in a Los Angeles middle school in 2008, consisted of providing cold, filtered drinking water in cafeterias; distributing reusable water bottles to students and staff; conducting school promotional activities; and providing education. Self-reported consumption of water, nondiet soda, sports drinks, and 100% fruit juice was assessed by conducting surveys among students (n = 876), preintervention and at 1 week and 2 months postintervention, from the intervention school and the comparison school. Daily water (in gallons) distributed in the cafeteria during the intervention was recorded. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and baseline intake of water at school, the odds of drinking water at school were higher for students at the intervention school than students at the comparison school. Students from the intervention school had higher adjusted odds of drinking water from fountains and from reusable water bottles at school than students from the comparison school. Intervention effects for other beverages were not significant. Provision of filtered, chilled drinking water in school cafeterias coupled with promotion and education is associated with increased consumption of drinking water at school. A randomized controlled trial is necessary to assess the intervention's influence on students' consumption of water and sugar-sweetened beverages, as well as obesity-related outcomes.

School Lunch Consumption Among 3 Food Service Providers in New Orleans.

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Canterberry, Melanie; Francois, Samantha; van Hattum, Taslim; Rudov, Lindsey; Carton, Thomas W

2018-02-01

Louisiana has one of the highest rates of overweight and obese children in the United States. The Healthy School Food Collaborative (HSFC) was created to allow New Orleans's schools to select their own healthy school Food Service Provider (FSP) with requirements for higher nutritional standards than traditional options. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to examine whether HSFC membership was associated with lunch consumption rates in elementary school children. An 8-week plate waste study examining 18,070 trays of food among fourth and fifth graders was conducted. Participants included 7 schools and the 3 FSPs (2 HSFC and 1 non-HSFC member) that serviced them. Mixed models analysis examined whether consumption rates of food items differed among FSPs. On average, students consumed 307 cal during lunch. Analyses showed significant differences in consumption rates of entrée, vegetables, fruit, and milk between the 3 FSPs (p < .01). The highest consumption rate was among entrées at 65%. One HSFC provider had consumption levels consistent with the non-HSFC FSP. Overall, students consumed less than 60% of the US Department of Agriculture recommended calories for school lunch. While overall caloric consumption was higher among the non-HSFC schools, interventions to increase lunch consumption across all schools are needed. © 2018, American School Health Association.

Impact of Fruit Smoothies on Adolescent Fruit Consumption at School

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Bates, Dylan; Price, Joseph

2015-01-01

We examine the impact of serving fruit smoothies during school breakfast on fruit consumption among middle school and high school students. We draw on observational plate-waste data over a 10-week period during which fruit smoothies were introduced for breakfast at two Utah schools. Our total sample includes 2,760 student-day observations. We find…

School lunch waste among middle school students: nutrients consumed and costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Juliana F W; Richardson, Scott; Austin, S Bryn; Economos, Christina D; Rimm, Eric B

2013-02-01

The National School Lunch Program has been guided by modest nutrient standards, and the palatability of meals, which drives consumption, receives inadequate attention. School food waste can have important nutritional and cost implications for policymakers, students, and their families. Nutrient losses and economic costs associated with school meal waste were examined. The study also assessed if school foods served were valid proxies for foods consumed by students. Plate waste measurements were collected from middle school students in Boston attending two Chef Initiative schools (n=1609) and two control schools (n=1440) during a 2-year pilot study (2007-2009) in which a professional chef trained cafeteria staff to make healthier school meals. The costs associated with food waste were calculated and the percentage of foods consumed was compared with a gold standard of 85% consumption. Analyses were conducted in 2010-2011. Overall, students consumed less than the required/recommended levels of nutrients. An estimated $432,349 of food (26.1% of the total food budget) was discarded by middle school students annually at lunch in these Boston middle schools. For most meal components, substantially less than 85% was consumed. There is substantial food waste among middle school students in Boston. Overall, students' nutrient consumption levels were below school meal standards, and foods served were not valid proxies for foods consumed. The costs associated with discarded foods are high; if translated nationally for school lunches, roughly $1,238,846,400 annually is wasted. Students might benefit if additional focus were given to the quality and palatability of school meals. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Grab a Cup, Fill It Up! An Intervention to Promote the Convenience of Drinking Water and Increase Student Water Consumption During School Lunch.

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Kenney, Erica L; Gortmaker, Steven L; Carter, Jill E; Howe, M Caitlin W; Reiner, Jennifer F; Cradock, Angie L

2015-09-01

We evaluated a low-cost strategy for schools to improve the convenience and appeal of drinking water. We conducted a group-randomized, controlled trial in 10 Boston, Massachusetts, schools in April through June 2013 to test a cafeteria-based intervention. Signage promoting water and disposable cups were installed near water sources. Mixed linear regression models adjusting for clustering evaluated the intervention impact on average student water consumption over 359 lunch periods. The percentage of students in intervention schools observed drinking water during lunch nearly doubled from baseline to follow-up compared with controls (+ 9.4%; P convenience by providing cups can increase student water consumption.

Breakfast consumption determinants among female high school students of Yazd Province based on Pender's Health Promotion Model.

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Mehrabbeik, Akram; Mahmoodabad, Seyed Saeed Mazloomy; Khosravi, Hassan Mozaffari; Fallahzadeh, Hossein

2017-08-01

Despite the importance of breakfast, especially for students, unfortunately, this meal is usually ignored in daily routine. The aim of this study was to identify determinants among female high school students of Yazd province based on the Pender Health Promotion Model. This was a cross-sectional study conducted to examine 200 female high school students of Yazd, selected by cluster sampling method in 2016. A researcher-made questionnaire, based on Pender's Health Promotion Model, was used as a data collection tool. A panel of experts and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to confirm the questionnaire validity and reliability. In order to analyze descriptive data, SPSS version 22 was used. AMOS software (v.23) was employed for path analysis. Direct impact of activity -related affect (0.300), interpersonal influences (0.276), and perceived barriers to eating breakfast (-0.223) were approved at significance level p<0.000. By influencing perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy and previous related behavior indirectly affected breakfast consumption. These components determined 33% of breakfast consumption. By planning to create a positive feeling in students to have breakfast, to involve family and friends to encourage students to eat breakfast, to reduce barriers to have breakfast by increasing students' self-efficacy, the behavior of having breakfast among students can be improved.

How State Taxes and Policies Targeting Soda Consumption Modify the Association between School Vending Machines and Student Dietary Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

OpenAIRE

Taber, Daniel R.; Chriqui, Jamie F.; Vuillaume, Renee; Chaloupka, Frank J.

2014-01-01

Background: Sodas are widely sold in vending machines and other school venues in the United States, particularly in high school. Research suggests that policy changes have reduced soda access, but the impact of reduced access on consumption is unclear. This study was designed to identify student, environmental, or policy characteristics that modify the associations between school vending machines and student dietary behaviors. Methods: Data on school vending machine access and student diet we...

Effect of school wellness policies and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act on food-consumption behaviors of students, 2006-2016: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansfield, Jennifer L; Savaiano, Dennis A

2017-07-01

Federal regulation mandates that the US National School Lunch Program nutrition standards align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. As students consume a substantial proportion of their nutrition during school lunch, increasing access to healthy foods is proposed to improve student dietary outcomes. The purpose of this review is to assess whether policy changes impacted food-consumption behaviors of students during periods when (1) school wellness policies were implemented (2006-2007); (2) the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was passed (2010-2012); and (3) the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was implemented (2012-present). PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct were searched for primary research studies. Policy evaluations and interventions implemented from 2006 to 2016 were included. A total of 31 studies evaluating plate waste, dietary intake, food selection, and/or purchasing patterns were identified and reviewed. Fourteen of 19 intervention and longitudinal observation studies reported improved food-consumption behaviors (increased selection, intake, and sales of healthy foods, and decreased plate waste). Only 2 of 12 one-time observation studies reported food-consumption behaviors meeting target nutrition standards. The majority of studies indicated that increasing access to healthy foods during school lunch improved students' dietary intakes. Challenges related to study design, adaptation period, quality of foods, and policy implementation likely affect a school lunch program's ability to impact students' food-consumption behaviors. Ongoing evaluation of these programs is warranted. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Associations of Caffeinated Beverage Consumption and Screen Time with Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Korean High School Students

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Jun, Nuri; Lee, Aeri; Baik, Inkyung

2017-01-01

The present study investigated caffeinated beverage consumption and screen time in the association with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and sleep duration. We conducted a cross-sectional study including 249 Korean male high school students. These participants responded to a questionnaire inquiring the information on lifestyle factors, consumption of caffeinated beverages, time spent for screen media, and sleep duration as well as to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaire. EDS was...

Associations of Caffeinated Beverage Consumption and Screen Time with Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Korean High School Students.

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Jun, Nuri; Lee, Aeri; Baik, Inkyung

2017-01-01

The present study investigated caffeinated beverage consumption and screen time in the association with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and sleep duration. We conducted a cross-sectional study including 249 Korean male high school students. These participants responded to a questionnaire inquiring the information on lifestyle factors, consumption of caffeinated beverages, time spent for screen media, and sleep duration as well as to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaire. EDS was defined as ESS scores of 9 or greater. Students with EDS consumed greater amount of chocolate/cocoa drinks and spent longer time for a TV and a mobile phone than those without EDS (p students with short sleep (≤ 6 hours) consumed greater amount of coffee than others whereas students with long sleep (> 8 hours) consumed greater amount of chocolate/cocoa drinks than others (p sleep duration. Although these findings do not support causal relationships, they suggest that screen time is associated with EDS, but not with sleep duration, and that consumption of certain types of caffeinated beverages is associated with EDS and sleep duration. Adolescents may need to reduce screen time and caffeine consumption to improve sleep quality and avoid daytime sleepiness.

Food Purchasing Behaviors and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption among Canadian Secondary School Students in the COMPASS Study.

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Godin, Katelyn M; Chaurasia, Ashok; Hammond, David; Leatherdale, Scott T

2018-02-23

To examine whether several food purchasing behaviors (ie, sources of meals or snacks) are associated with adolescents' sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and whether these associations vary by province. Cross-sectional observational study. Alberta and Ontario, Canada. Secondary school students from Alberta (n = 3,300) and Ontario (n = 37,999) participating in year 2 (2013-2014) of the Cannabis Use, Obesity, Mental Health, Physical Activity, Alcohol Use, Smoking, Sedentary Behavior (COMPASS) study. Participants' self-reported frequency of consuming 3 SSB types (soft drinks, sweetened coffees/teas, and energy drinks) in a typical week. Hierarchical Poisson regression analyses. Participants from Alberta had a significantly (P purchasing meals or snacks from school food outlets compared with their Ontario counterparts. Most of the food purchasing behaviors were significantly (P purchases on weekends (vs weekdays) and from food outlets off school property (vs on school property) had a greater association with SSB consumption. Eating a home-packed lunch was protective against SSB consumption across models. Adolescents' food purchasing behaviors have a significant impact on their propensity for SSB consumption. These data demonstrate potentially important contexts for SSB consumption and have implications for possible settings and strategies for future interventions to reduce adolescents' SSB intake. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term impact of a chef on school lunch consumption: findings from a 2-year pilot study in Boston middle schools.

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Cohen, Juliana F W; Smit, Liesbeth A; Parker, Ellen; Austin, S Bryn; Frazier, A Lindsay; Economos, Christina D; Rimm, Eric B

2012-06-01

School cafeterias can play an important role in providing healthy meals. Although schools participating in the National School Lunch Program are required to meet minimum program standards, advocates recommend that innovations be sought to enhance menu dietary quality. This study evaluated the Chef Initiative, a 2-year pilot study in two Boston middle schools, designed to increase the availability and consumption of healthier school foods. Between 2007 and 2009, a professional chef trained cafeteria staff to prepare healthier school lunches (ie, more whole grains, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, and less sugar, salt, saturated fats, and trans fats). Meal nutrient compositions were monitored from 2007 to 2009, and a plate waste study conducted in the spring of 2009 compared food selection and consumption patterns among students at Chef Initiative schools, with students receiving standard school lunches at two matched control schools. Paired t tests and descriptive statistics were used to examine differences in menus and mixed-model analysis of variance was used to analyze differences in students' food selection and consumption between Chef Initiative and control schools. Overall, the Chef Initiative schools provided healthier lunches and the percent of foods consumed at Chef Initiative and control schools were similar (61.6% vs 57.3%; P=0.63). Of the areas targeted, there was greater whole-grain selection and vegetable consumption; 51% more students selected whole grains (P=0.02) and students consumed 0.36 more vegetable servings/day (P=0.01) at Chef Initiative schools. The potential of chefs collaborating with cafeteria staff to improve the availability, selection, and consumption of healthier meals is promising. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fruit, Vegatables and Fast Food Consumption among University Students

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Claudiu Avram

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To establish the prevalence of fruit, vegetables and fast food consumption among students from Timisoara university center and provide evidence based information for increasing healthy food choices in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Material and Methods: We perform a cross-sectional study on 435 university students from the Timisoara university center, Romania (mean age: 22±4.8 years. The students were recruited using internet and public announcements in the student’s campus. All students completed a self administered diet questionnaire. Results: Two thirds of students are not eating fruits and vegetables daily. The prevalence of daily fruit consumption is even lower - 25%. Regarding fast food consumption we found that 26% of students are often consume these unhealthy products. Three main determinants was identified for choosing unhealthy diet: lack of time, school programme and lack of money. Conclusions: The unhealthy food consumption among students from Timisoara university center is highly prevalent. Increasing students’ nutrition-information knowledge and provision of nutrition education is recommended.

Knowledge, Attitude, Frequency and Level of Consumption Regarding Non-alcoholic Carbonated Soft Drinks among Students from Two High Schools in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2015

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Nguyen Thanh Ha

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: This article aims to describe the knowledge, attitude, frequency and level of consumption regarding non-alcoholic carbonated soft drinks (NCSD among students from two high schools in Hanoi. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey including a semi-quantitative food frequency were conducted with 620 students from two high schools, one in the urban area and the other in the rural area of Hanoi city. Results: Data on knowledge of health risk associated with the consumption of NCSD showed neagtive results (only 11.9% of the students were able to identify all the contents of NCSD correctly, and 2.7% knew all eight health risks due to consumption of NCSD. Besides, 31.4% of all students did not have the intention to quit NCSD despite being aware of health risks associated with the consumption of NCSD. Students who reported consuming NCSD within one month prior to the study constituted 83.1%, and those who consumed NCSD 1–2 times/week accounted for the highest proportion, being 21.3%. On average, each student consumed 2,094 ml NCSD within one month prior to the study. Suburban students and male students consumed more than urban and female ones, respectively (p < 0.01. Recommendations: Students should be equipped with information about NCSD related health risks and encouraged to consume less NCSD.

School Lunch Waste among Middle School Students: Implications for Nutrients Consumed and Food Waste Costs

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Cohen, Juliana F.W.; Richardson, Scott; Austin, S. Bryn; Economos, Christina D.; Rimm, Eric B.

2013-01-01

Background The National School Lunch Program has been guided by modest nutrient standards, and the palatability of meals, which drives consumption, receives inadequate attention. School food waste can have important nutritional and cost implications for policy makers, students, and their families. Purpose Nutrient losses and economic costs associated with school meal waste were examined. The study also assessed if school foods served were valid proxies for foods consumed by students. Methods Plate waste measurements were collected from middle school students in Boston attending two Chef Initiative schools (n=1609) and two control schools (n=1440) during a two-year pilot study (2007-2009) where a professional chef trained cafeteria staff to make healthier school meals. The costs associated with food waste were calculated and the percent of foods consumed was compared with a gold standard of 85% consumption. Analyses were conducted in 2010-2011. Results Overall, students consumed less than the required/recommended levels of nutrients. An estimated $432,349 of food (26.1% of the total food budget) was discarded by middle school students annually at lunch in Boston middle schools. For most meal components, significantly less than 85% was consumed. Conclusions There is substantial food waste among middle school students in Boston. Overall, students' nutrient consumption levels were below school meal standards and foods served were not valid proxies for foods consumed. The costs associated with discarded foods are high; if translated nationally for school lunches, roughly $1,238,846,400 annually is wasted. Students would benefit if additional focus was given to the quality and palatability of school meals. PMID:23332326

Alcohol Consumption, Peer Influence and Secondary School ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the influences of Acohol Consumption peer influence and secodnary school stuents attitudes towards schol in some selected secodnary shools in Katsit, Kafanchan, Kaduna State. The study adopted a correlational research design and the population of this study was 200 senior students from four (4) ...

Promotion of water consumption in elementary school children in San Diego, USA and Tlaltizapan, Mexico.

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Elder, John P; Holub, Christina K; Arredondo, Elva M; Sánchez-Romero, Luz María; Moreno-Saracho, Jessica E; Barquera, Simón; Rivera, Juan

2014-01-01

Consumption of water may help promote health and prevent obesity in children by decreasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. This study used evidence-based strategies to increase water consumption in Mexican-American and Mexican children. In 2012, two schools in San Diego, USA and two other in Tlaltizapan, Mexico were recruited to Agua para Niños (Water for Kids), a program designed to promote water consumption among elementary grade students. Guided by operant psychology, the intervention focused on school and classroom activities to encourage water consumption. One control and one intervention school in each country were included. Agua para Niños resulted in increases in observed water consumption and bottle possession among US and Mexican students. Teacher receptivity to the program was very positive in both countries. Agua para Niños yielded sufficiently positive behavioral changes to be used in a future fully randomized design, and to contribute to school nutrition policy changes.

A holistic approach for the assessment of the indoor environmental quality, student productivity, and energy consumption in primary schools.

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Dorizas, Paraskevi Vivian; Assimakopoulos, Margarita-Niki; Santamouris, Mattheos

2015-05-01

The perception of the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) through questionnaires in conjunction with in-field measurements related to the indoor air quality (IAQ), the thermal comfort and the lighting environment were studied in nine naturally ventilated schools of Athens, Greece. Cluster analysis was carried out in order to determine the ranges of indoor air pollutants, temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and ventilation rates at which the students were satisfied with the indoor environment. It was found that increased levels of particulate matter did not have a negative effect on students' perception while students seemed to link the degradation of IAQ with temperature variations. Statistically significant correlations were further found between measurement results and students' perception of the IEQ. Students' sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms and performance of schoolwork were also investigated as a function of the levels of indoor air pollutants and ventilation, and there were found significant positive correlations between particulate matter (PM) and certain health symptoms. Students' learning performance seemed to be affected by the ventilation rates and carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations while certain health effects positively correlated to the levels of PM and CO₂. The energy consumption of schools was rather low compared to other national findings, and both the electricity and oil consumption for heating positively correlated to the levels of indoor air pollutants.

Middle school food environments and racial/ethnic differences in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: findings from the Healthy Choices study.

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Richmond, Tracy K; Spadano-Gasbarro, Jennifer L; Walls, Courtney E; Austin, S Bryn; Greaney, Mary L; Wang, Monica L; Mezegebu, Solomon; Peterson, Karen E

2013-11-01

Prior studies have demonstrated disproportionate clustering of fast food outlets around schools. The purpose of this study is to determine if racial/ethnic differences in middle school student self-reported sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is explained by differential distributions of food outlets surrounding their schools. Baseline (2005) data were analyzed from 18,281 middle school students in 47 Massachusetts schools participating in Healthy Choices, an obesity prevention program. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the association of individual race/ethnicity and daily SSB consumption and the potential mediating effect of the density of food outlets (the number of fast food outlets and convenience stores in a 1500 m buffer area surrounding the school) on this association adjusting for individual and school demographics. More SSB consumption was reported by students of all racial/ethnic minority groups compared to their White peers except Asians. The density of fast food restaurants and convenience stores was not associated with individual SSB consumption (β=0.001, p=0.875) nor did it mediate the association of race/ethnicity and SSB consumption. Racial and ethnic differences in SSB consumption among MA middle school students cannot be fully explained by the location of fast food restaurants and convenience stores. © 2013.

Association between junk food consumption and fast-food outlet access near school among Quebec secondary-school children: findings from the Quebec Health Survey of High School Students (QHSHSS) 2010-11.

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Cutumisu, Nicoleta; Traoré, Issouf; Paquette, Marie-Claude; Cazale, Linda; Camirand, Hélène; Lalonde, Benoit; Robitaille, Eric

2017-04-01

We investigated the association between junk food consumption at lunchtime (JCL) and fast-food outlet access near school among secondary-school children in Quebec. A geographic information system database was used to characterize the food environment around a sub-sample of 374 public schools in which 26 655 students were enrolled. The outcome variable was JCL during the previous week, dichotomized into low JCL (none or once) v. high JCL (twice or more). Access to fast-food outlets near school was assessed using an existing database of fast-food outlets in Quebec. Covariates included student (age, sex and self-rated perceived health), family (familial status and parental education) and school (urban/rural status and deprivation) variables. Hierarchical logistic regression models were employed for analyses using PROC GLIMMIX of SAS version 9.3. Province of Quebec, Canada. We used data from the Quebec Health Survey of High School Students (QHSHSS) 2010-11, a survey of secondary-school Quebec students. Exposure to two or more fast-food outlets within a radius of 750 m around schools was associated with a higher likelihood of excess JCL (OR=1·50; 95 % CI 1·28, 1·75), controlling for the characteristics of the students, their families and their schools. The food environment surrounding schools can constitute a target for interventions to improve food choices among secondary-school children living in the province of Quebec. Transforming environments around schools to promote healthy eating includes modifying zoning regulations that restrict access to fast-food outlets around schools.

Consumption of psychoactive substances in educational institutions: an inquiry into the state of affairs in the schools of Córdoba.

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Lucchese, M S M; Burrone, M S; Enders, J E; Fernández, A R

2014-01-01

This study describes and analyses the consumption of psychoactive substances in educational institutions, the school environment conditions and its relation to the school standing of the students. In the first stage, a quantitative evaluation was performed, based on the records of the Second National Survey of Secondary School Students carried out in Córdoba in 2005; the second stage used a qualitative approach. A multistage probabilistic sample of 4593 students was used for the quantitative assessment. The analysis comprised summary measurements, multivariate and factorial correspondence analysis, in all cases with a significance level of p consumption is lower among morning-shift students and that grade repetition and behavior problems are associated to consumption of illegal drugs. Furthermore, it was detected that students in night-shift schools with low academic and disciplinary demand standards have a higher probability of consumption. It is clear that as academic standards decrease, consumption increases.

Improvements in middle school student dietary intake after implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy.

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Cullen, Karen Weber; Watson, Kathy; Zakeri, Issa

2008-01-01

We assessed the effect of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy on middle school student lunchtime food consumption. Three years of lunch food records were collected from middle school students in southeast Texas: baseline (2001-2002), after local district changes (2002-2003), and 1 year after implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy (2005-2006). Students recorded amount and source of foods and beverages they consumed. Analysis of variance and covariance and nonparametric tests were used to compare intake after the policy change with intake during the 2 previous years. After implementation of the nutrition policy, student lunch consumption of vegetables, milk, and several nutrients increased (protein, fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and sodium), and consumption of less desirable items (sweetened beverages, snack chips) decreased, as did percentage of energy from fat. Most of the desired nutrients and foods (vegetables and milk) were obtained from the National School Lunch Program meal. Fewer sweetened beverages, candy, chips, and dessert foods were purchased and consumed, but more of these items were brought from home and purchased from the snack bar. Overall, state school nutrition policies can improve the healthfulness of foods consumed by students at lunch.

Adolescent Student Use of School-Based Salad Bars.

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Andersen, Lori; Myers, Leann; O'Malley, Keelia; Mundorf, Adrienne R; Harris, Diane M; Johnson, Carolyn C

2015-10-01

Childhood obesity continues to be a public health problem in the United States. Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables (F/V) is one strategy for decreasing high consumption of energy-dense, high-fat foods, thereby improving weight status. Many Orleans Parish public schools were provided with salad bars (SBs) to augment school lunch with increased access to F/V. This study identified factors associated with student use of SBs. Surveys examining SB use, demographics, food preference, nutrition knowledge, and social support were administered to students in the 7th to 12th grades (N = 702) in Orleans Parish (New Orleans, Louisiana). Generalized estimating equations, which incorporate clustering at the school level, helped to determine associations between independent variables and SB use. Sixty percent of participants were SB users. Non-African-American students were more likely to be SB users than African-American students (odds ratio [OR] = 2.35, confidence interval [CI]: 1.35-4.07) and students who had high preference for healthy food were more likely to use the SB than those who had low preference (OR = 2.41, CI: 1.44-4.01). Students who encouraged others to consume F/V were more likely to use the SB than those who did not (p = .015). Individual and interpersonal factors related to SB use can provide guidance in the development of school-based interventions to increase SB use and F/V consumption. © 2015, American School Health Association.

School Gardens: An Experiential Learning Approach for a Nutrition Education Program to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Knowledge, Preference, and Consumption among Second-Grade Students

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Parmer, Sondra M.; Salisbury-Glennon, Jill; Shannon, David; Struempler, Barbara

2009-01-01

Objective: To examine the effects of a school garden on children's fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption. Design: Self-report questionnaires, interview-style taste and rate items, lunchroom observations. Setting: An elementary school. Participants: Second-grade students (n = 115). Intervention: Participants were assigned to…

Modifying Alcohol Consumption among High School Students: An Efficacy Trial of an Alcohol Risk Reduction Program (PRIME for Life)

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Hallgren, Mats A.; Sjolund, Torbjorn; Kallmen, Hakan; Andreasson, Sven

2011-01-01

Purpose: PRIME for Life is an alcohol risk reduction program that has been used and refined in the USA for over 20 years. A Swedish version of the program has recently been adapted for use among Swedish high-school students (age 18-19). The objective of the study is to evaluate the effects of the program on youth alcohol consumption (including…

Amount of Time to Eat Lunch Is Associated with Children's Selection and Consumption of School Meal Entrée, Fruits, Vegetables, and Milk.

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Cohen, Juliana F W; Jahn, Jaquelyn L; Richardson, Scott; Cluggish, Sarah A; Parker, Ellen; Rimm, Eric B

2016-01-01

There are currently no national standards for school lunch period length and little is known about the association between the amount of time students have to eat and school food selection and consumption. Our aim was to examine plate-waste measurements from students in the control arm of the Modifying Eating and Lifestyles at School study (2011 to 2012 school year) to determine the association between amount of time to eat and school meal selection and consumption. We used a prospective study design using up to six repeated measures among students during the school year. One thousand and one students in grades 3 to 8 attending six participating elementary and middle schools in an urban, low-income school district where lunch period lengths varied from 20 to 30 minutes were included. School food selection and consumption were collected using plate-waste methodology. Logistic regression and mixed-model analysis of variance was used to examine food selection and consumption. Compared with meal-component selection when students had at least 25 minutes to eat, students were significantly less likely to select a fruit (44% vs 57%; Peat. There were no significant differences in entrée, milk, or vegetable selections. Among those who selected a meal component, students with eat consumed 13% less of their entrée (Peat. During the school year, a substantial number of students had insufficient time to eat, which was associated with significantly decreased entrée, milk, and vegetable consumption compared with students who had more time to eat. School policies that encourage lunches with at least 25 minutes of seated time might reduce food waste and improve dietary intake. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social anxiety and attitude towards conspicuous consumption in sixth and seventh grade primary school students

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Vukičević Leposava

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Our previous research was aimed at psychological underpinnings of the attitude towards conspicuous consumption (displayed through use of designer clothes in high school and university students, aged 17 to 25. This study examined the relationship between the attitude towards designer clothes and social anxiety in 205 sixth and seventh grade primary school children, aged 12 to 13. Their attitude towards designer clothes was assessed by an abridged version of our standard questionnaire (CC - 28. Social anxiety was evaluated by a psychometric scale SA - 34 that was modeled after the social anxiety scale SA - 32 (Tovilović, 2004 in order to comply with our respondents' age and vocabulary. The data indicated that social anxiety at age 12 -13 is primarily manifested as shyness and the importance placed on the impression that one makes on his/her social environment. Both factors were positively correlated with the positive attitude towards designer clothes indicating that among 12 to 13 year old Serbian children wearing designer clothes enhances personal esteem and attractiveness in the eyes of other group members. At this age, the attitude towards designer clothes can be, at least partially, explained by a belief that conspicuous consumption contributes to increased social acceptance and the feelings of personal respect and safety.

The school food environment associations with adolescent soft drink and snack consumption.

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van der Horst, Klazine; Timperio, Anna; Crawford, David; Roberts, Rebecca; Brug, Johannes; Oenema, Anke

2008-09-01

Because students may purchase food and drinks in and around their schools, the school food environment may be important for obesity-related eating behaviors such as soft drink and snack consumption. However, research exploring the associations between school environments and specific eating behaviors is sparse. Associations of the availability of canteen food and drinks, the presence of food stores around schools, and individual cognitions (attitudes, norms, modeling, perceived behavioral control, and intentions) with soft drink and snack consumption were examined in a cross-sectional study (2005-2006) among 1,293 adolescents aged 12-15 years. Soft drink and snack consumption and related cognitions were assessed with self-administered questionnaires. The presence of food stores and the distance to the nearest food store were calculated within a 500-meter buffer around each school. Data on the availability of soft drinks and snacks in school canteens were gathered by observation. In 2007, multilevel regression models were run to analyze associations and mediation pathways between cognitions, environmental factors, and behaviors. Adolescents' attitudes, subjective norms, parental and peer modeling, and intentions were positively associated with soft drink and snack consumption. There was an inverse association between the distance to the nearest store and the number of small food stores with soft drink consumption. These effects were mediated partly by cognitions. This study provided little evidence for associations of environmental factors in the school environment with soft drink and snack consumption. Individual cognitions appeared to be stronger correlates of intake than physical school-environmental factors. Longitudinal research is needed to confirm these findings.

New School Meal Regulations and Consumption of Flavored Milk in Ten US Elementary Schools, 2010 and 2013.

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Yon, Bethany A; Johnson, Rachel K

2015-10-01

Milk is a source of shortfall nutrients in children's diets, but most children do not consume recommended amounts. We measured consumption of milk by elementary-schoolchildren (grades 3-5) in a diverse sample of schools before and after implementation of the US Department of Agriculture's updated meal regulations requiring flavored milk to be fat-free. Flavored milk consumption did not change from 2010 to 2013; 52.2% of students in 2010 and 49.7% in 2013 consumed 7 ounces or more of an 8-ounce container. Updated regulations succeeded in lowering the amount of fat, added sugars, and calories in school milk but did not change overall milk consumption, thus improving children's diet quality.

The Effect of nutrition education on knowledge, attitude, and performance about junk food consumption among students of female primary schools

Science.gov (United States)

Vardanjani, Ali Esmaeili; Reisi, Mahnoush; Javadzade, Homamodin; Pour, Zabihollah Gharli; Tavassoli, Elahe

2015-01-01

Background: Undoubtedly, proper nutrition has important role in safeguarding the individual from many diseases, especially chronic ones, and increasing ones physical and intellectual efficiency. Considering the importance of nutrition education to school-age kids, this research was done with the purpose of determining the effect of nutrition education on the knowledge, attitude, and performance of female students at primary school about junk food consumption. Materials and Methods: This is an experimental intervention study in Shahr-e-kord city about the reduction of junk foods consumption in 2011. Seventy-two primary girl students were randomly divided into 2 groups, experimental (36) and controls (36). Before of the educational program, self-administrative questionnaire and FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) questionnaire were filled out for both the groups. The self-administrative questionnaire was completed 3 times (before, immediately, and 2 months after education), and FFQ questionnaire was completed 2 times (before and 2 months after education) by students. After pre-test, 4 educational session classes in experimental group were performed. Finally, data were collected and analyzed by SPSS 16 computer software. Results: Demographic variables of the studied population in 2 groups were similar. Before intervention, there were no significant differences regarding the knowledge, attitude, and performance in 2 groups (P > 0/05). After intervention, there were significant differences in the levels of knowledge, attitude, and performance between experimental and control groups (P effective on increasing or improving the knowledge, attitude, and performance of the students. PMID:26430680

[Relationship between tobacco consumption and sport practice among health and education science university students].

Science.gov (United States)

Ayán Pérez, Carlos; Molina, Antonio J; Varela Mato, Verónica; Cancela Carral, José María; Barrio Lera, Juan Pablo; Martín Sánchez, Vicente

To identify the prevalence and relationship between the practice of sports and smoking in university students enrolled on accredited qualifications related to health and/or education sciences. Cross-sectional study including 540 students (average age of 21.3±3.8 years; 68% women) of the University of Vigo registered in degree programs linked to health (Physical Therapy and Nursing), or education (Pre-School, Primary School and Physical Activity and Sport Sciences) who answered an "ad hoc" questionnaire relating sports practice and tobacco consumption. Women showed a lower habit on sports practice and a higher tobacco consumption, regardless of their academic degree. The average share of students who recognized practicing sports was significantly minor in those enrolled in health careers (37.7 vs. 57.5%). Regarding tobacco consumption, the students enrolled in health careers reported the lowest prevalence (16.7%). Among the students associated to education, this prevalence was found to be 25.9%. The bivariate analysis showed a trend towards a lower sport practice among the smokers. This association was significant only among the moderate consumers. The findings of this research show a low prevalence in sports practice among students enrolled in degrees associated to health, and a more relevant tobacco consumption among those enrolled in degrees associated to education. It seems necessary to develop strategies aimed at promoting healthy habits that should be taking into account the tobacco consumption reported by the student. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Amount of Time to Eat Lunch is Associated with Children’s Selection and Consumption of School Meal Entrée, Fruits, Vegetable, and Milk

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Cohen, Juliana F.W.; Jahn, Jaquelyn L.; Richardson, Scott; Cluggish, Sarah A.; Parker, Ellen; Rimm, Eric B.

2015-01-01

Background There are currently no national standards for school lunch period lengths and little is known about the association between the amount of time students have to eat and school food selection and consumption. Objectives To examine plate waste measurements from students in the control arm from the MEALS study (2011-2012 school year) for the association of the amount of time to eat with school meal selection and consumption. Design Prospective study using up to six repeated measures among students over the school year. Participants/Setting 1001 students in grades 3-8 attending 6 participating elementary/middle schools in an urban, low-income school district where lunch period lengths varied from 20-30 minutes. Main Outcome Measures School food selection and consumption were collected using plate waste methodology. Statistical Analyses Performed Logistic regression and mixed-model ANOVA was used to examine food selection and consumption. Results Compared with meal component selection when students had at least 25 minutes to eat, students were significantly less likely to select a fruit (44% vs. 57%; p=0.0001) compared with when students had fewer than 20 minutes to eat. There were no significant differences in entrée, milk, or vegetable selection. Among those who selected a meal component, students with fewer than 20 minutes to eat consumed 13% less of their entrée (peat. Conclusions Over the school year, a substantial number of students had insufficient time to eat, which was associated with significantly decreased entrée, milk, and vegetable consumption compared with students who had more time to eat. School policies that encourage lunches with at least 25 minutes of seated time may reduce food waste and improve dietary intake. PMID:26372337

Western Australian students' alcohol consumption and expenditure intentions for Schoolies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jongenelis, Michelle I; Pettigrew, Simone; Biagioni, Nicole; Hagger, Martin S

2017-07-01

In Australia, the immediate post-school period (known as 'Schoolies') is associated with heavy drinking and high levels of alcohol-related harm. This study investigated students' intended alcohol consumption during Schoolies to inform interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm among this group. An online survey was administered to students in their senior year of schooling. Included items related to intended daily alcohol consumption during Schoolies, amount of money intended to be spent on alcohol over the Schoolies period, and past drinking behaviour. On average, participants (n=187) anticipated that they would consume eight standard drinks per day, which is substantially higher than the recommended maximum of no more than four drinks on a single occasion. Participants intended to spend an average of A$131 on alcohol over the Schoolies period. Although higher than national guidelines, intended alcohol consumption was considerably lower than has been previously documented during Schoolies events. The substantial amounts of money expected to be spent during Schoolies suggest this group has adequate spending power to constitute an attractive target market for those offering alternative activities that are associated with lower levels of alcohol-related harm.

[Frequency and preferences of consumption of high-fat products by students of catering school in Kraków].

Science.gov (United States)

Biezanowska-Kopeć, Renata; Kopeć, Aneta; Leszczyńska, Teresa; Pisulewski, Paweł M

2012-01-01

Dyslipidemia is one of the most important risk factors for atherosclerotic disease and may lead to coronary heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes and certain cancers. The choice of food and meals by adults is a large part determined by the dietary habits and knowledge acquired in earlier periods of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate frequency of consumption of food products containing fats among students of the Catering School in Kraków. The study was conducted with the participation of 140 students divided into two subgroups, depending on gender and age, in the autumn and winter season. During the studies a food frequency questionnaire containing question about frequency intake of selected groups of food products containing fats was used. This questionnaire was prepared at the Department of Human Nutrition Agricultural University of Kraków. A significant (P Catering School, despite the acquired knowledge of nutrition, make many mistakes.

The Effect of nutrition education on knowledge, attitude, and performance about junk food consumption among students of female primary schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Vardanjani, Ali Esmaeili; Reisi, Mahnoush; Javadzade, Homamodin; Pour, Zabihollah Gharli; Tavassoli, Elahe

2015-01-01

Undoubtedly, proper nutrition has important role in safeguarding the individual from many diseases, especially chronic ones, and increasing ones physical and intellectual efficiency. Considering the importance of nutrition education to school-age kids, this research was done with the purpose of determining the effect of nutrition education on the knowledge, attitude, and performance of female students at primary school about junk food consumption. This is an experimental intervention study in Shahr-e-kord city about the reduction of junk foods consumption in 2011. Seventy-two primary girl students were randomly divided into 2 groups, experimental (36) and controls (36). Before of the educational program, self-administrative questionnaire and FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) questionnaire were filled out for both the groups. The self-administrative questionnaire was completed 3 times (before, immediately, and 2 months after education), and FFQ questionnaire was completed 2 times (before and 2 months after education) by students. After pre-test, 4 educational session classes in experimental group were performed. Finally, data were collected and analyzed by SPSS 16 computer software. Demographic variables of the studied population in 2 groups were similar. Before intervention, there were no significant differences regarding the knowledge, attitude, and performance in 2 groups (P > 0/05). After intervention, there were significant differences in the levels of knowledge, attitude, and performance between experimental and control groups (P < 0.001). According to the results, intervention has positive impact on pattern of nutrition, and it can be concluded that intervention is effective on increasing or improving the knowledge, attitude, and performance of the students.

Profile of alcohol consumption in high school adolescents.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla Ferraz dos Anjos

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Alcohol, psychoactive substance, harmful to health, has been widely accepted and consumed by society in a premature manner. The Brazilian contemporaneous reality has demonstrated a high number of adolescents who consume alcohol on regularly basis, and nowadays, its damages start to be evident, hence the importance of contextualizing this issue in relation to adolescents. This study aims to determine the profile of alcohol consumption in adolescent students of a public high school in a city of the inland of Bahia, Brazil. It is a descriptive study with quantitative approach, conducted with 98 male and female students, and a structured questionnaire used to collect data, which was analyzed with aid of descriptive statistics. The survey was approved by the Ethics inResearch Committee Involving Human Beings, of the State University of Southwest Bahia –campus of Jequié-Bahia, Brazil under Protocol 179/2009. It was perceived that most of the teenagers had already consumed alcohol prematurely, with minimal difference between male and female gender. Several of these adolescents continue consuming too much and too often, influenced by friends, family and media. It can be concluded that it is imperative to insert educational methodological proposals at schools which shouldinstruct about premature and indiscriminate alcohol consumption, addressing principally risk factors and possible biopsychosocial complications.

Serving vegetables first: A strategy to increase vegetable consumption in elementary school cafeterias.

Science.gov (United States)

Elsbernd, S L; Reicks, M M; Mann, T L; Redden, J P; Mykerezi, E; Vickers, Z M

2016-01-01

Vegetable consumption in the United States is low despite the wealth of evidence that vegetables play an important role in reducing risk of various chronic diseases. Because eating patterns developed in childhood continue through adulthood, we need to form healthy eating habits in children. The objective of this study was to determine if offering vegetables before other meal components would increase the overall consumption of vegetables at school lunch. We served kindergarten through fifth-grade students a small portion (26-33 g) of a raw vegetable (red and yellow bell peppers) while they waited in line to receive the rest of their lunch meal. They then had the options to take more of the bell peppers, a different vegetable, or no vegetable from the lunch line. We measured the amount of each vegetable consumed by each child. Serving vegetables first greatly increased the number of students eating vegetables. On intervention days most of the vegetables consumed came from the vegetables-first portions. Total vegetable intake per student eating lunch was low because most students chose to not eat vegetables, but the intervention significantly increased this value. Serving vegetables first is a viable strategy to increase vegetable consumption in elementary schools. Long-term implementation of this strategy may have an important impact on healthy eating habits, vegetable consumption, and the health consequences of vegetable intake. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations of Truancy, Perceived School Performance, and Mental Health with Alcohol Consumption among Adolescents

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Holtes, Muriel; Bannink, Rienke; Joosten-van Zwanenburg, Evelien; van As, Els; Raat, Hein; Broeren, Suzanne

2015-01-01

Background: This study examined associations of truancy, perceived school performance, and mental health with adolescents' week, weekend, and binge drinking. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1167 secondary school students of Dutch ethnicity (mean age, 15.9 years, SD?=?0.69). Alcohol consumption, truancy, perceived school…

Prevalence, perceptions and predictors of alcohol consumption and abstinence among South Australian school students: a cross-sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowden, Jacqueline A; Delfabbro, Paul; Room, Robin; Miller, Caroline L; Wilson, Carlene

2017-06-07

Alcohol consumption by young people (particularly early initiation) is a predictor for poorer health in later life. In addition, evidence now clearly shows a causal link between alcohol and cancer. This study investigated prevalence, predictors of alcohol consumption among adolescents including perceptions of the link between alcohol and cancer, and the role of parents and peers. A sample of Australian school students aged 12-17 years participated in a survey (n = 2885). Logistic regression analysis was undertaken to determine predictors. Alcohol use increased with age and by 16, most had tried alcohol with 33.1% of students aged 12-17 reporting that they drank at least occasionally (95% CI = 31.0-35.2). Awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer was low (28.5%). Smoking status and friends' approval were predictive of drinking, whereas parental disapproval was protective. Those aged 14-17 who did not think the link between alcohol and cancer was important were more likely to drink, as were those living in areas of least disadvantage. The only factors that predicted recent drinking were smoking and the perception that alcohol was easy to purchase. An education campaign highlighting the link between alcohol and cancer may have positive flow-on effects for young people, and schools should incorporate this messaging into any alcohol education programs. Consideration should be given to factors that serve to regulate under-aged accessibility of alcohol.

Intelligent analysis of energy consumption in school buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raatikainen, Mika; Skön, Jukka-Pekka; Leiviskä, Kauko; Kolehmainen, Mikko

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Electricity and heating energy consumptions of six school buildings were compared. • Complex multivariate data was analysed using modern computational methods. • Variation in electricity consumption cost is considerably low between study schools. • District heating variation is very slight in two new study schools. • District heating cost describes energy efficiency and state of building automation. - Abstract: Even though industry consumes nearly half of total energy production, the relative share of total energy consumption related to heating and operating buildings is growing constantly. The motivation for this study was to reveal the differences in electricity use and district heating consumption in school buildings of various ages during the working day and also during the night when human-based consumption is low. The overall aim of this study is to compare the energy (electricity and heating) consumption of six school buildings in Kuopio, Eastern Finland. The selected school buildings were built in different decades, and their ventilation and building automation systems are also inconsistent. The hourly energy consumption data was received from Kuopion Energia, the local energy supply company. In this paper, the results of data analysis on the energy consumption in these school buildings are presented. Preliminary results show that, generally speaking, new school buildings are more energy-efficient than older ones. However, concerning energy efficiency, two very new schools were exceptional because ventilation was on day and night in order to dry the building materials in the constructions. The novelty of this study is that it makes use of hourly smart metering consumption data on electricity and district heating, using modern computational methods to analyse complex multivariate data in order to increase knowledge of the buildings’ consumption profiles and energy efficiency.

[ANDALIES project: consumption, offer and promotion of healthy eating habits within secondary schools in Andalusia].

Science.gov (United States)

González Rodríguez, Angustias; García Padilla, Francisca M; Martos Cerezuela, Ildefonso; Silvano Arranz, Agustina; Fernández Lao, Isabel

2015-04-01

The school context stands out as one of the factors influencing the food practices of adolescents. Food consumption during the school day, the cafeterias' supply and the promotional activities proposed by the centers are objects of increasing attention to community health services. To describe students' eating habits during the school day; to analyze the food on offer by the cafeterias and surrounding establishments; and to assess whether secondary schools are suitable environments for the promotion of healthy eating habits. Cross-sectional study during 2010-2012 courses. Sampling units: public secondary schools (95) and students (8.068). Multistage cluster sampling: random and stratified selection by province and habitat size. Selection of students: systematic sampling of classrooms. 77.5% of students have breakfast at home: cereals and a dairy product (40.9%) or a liquid (29.2%); 70.3% eat something at school and most of them choose a cold meat sandwich. Fruit consumption is infrequent (2.5%) while packed juices are very common (63.3%). 75% eat sweets, the figure increasing significantly in schools with cafeterias. Cafeterias offer a large number of non-recommended products: soft drinks (97,3%), cold meats (91,8%), sweets and chips (89%). Lack of control of the products on offer is common (68.42%); only 28.4% of the managers know the law. 72.5% of the centers undertake isolated activities for the promotion of healthy eating habits. 71.5% of the centers are surrounded by shops that supply the students. Low protection of students' food health is evident, resulting from: students' nutritional deficits, the low quality of the food offered by the cafeterias and the lack of activities to encourage healthy habits. For which reason, educational, health and local administrations must accept shared responsibility on this subject. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Food sold in school vending machines is associated with overall student dietary intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Rovner, Alisha J; Nansel, Tonja R; Wang, Jing; Iannotti, Ronald J

2011-01-01

To examine the association between food sold in school vending machines and the dietary behaviors of students. The 2005-2006 U.S. Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey was administered to 6th to 10th graders and school administrators. Dietary intake in students was estimated with a brief food frequency measure. School administrators completed questions regarding food sold in vending machines. For each food intake behavior, a multilevel regression analysis modeled students (level 1) nested within schools (level 2), with the corresponding food sold in vending machines as the main predictor. Control variables included gender, grade, family affluence, and school poverty index. Analyses were conducted separately for 6th to 8th and 9th-10th grades. In all, 83% of the schools (152 schools; 5,930 students) had vending machines that primarily sold food of minimal nutritional values (soft drinks, chips, and sweets). In younger grades, availability of fruit and/or vegetables and chocolate and/or sweets was positively related to the corresponding food intake, with vending machine content and school poverty index providing an explanation for 70.6% of between-school variation in fruit and/or vegetable consumption and 71.7% in sweets consumption. Among the older grades, there was no significant effect of food available in vending machines on reported consumption of those food. Vending machines are widely available in public schools in the United States. In younger grades, school vending machines were either positively or negatively related to the diets of the students, depending on what was sold in them. Schools are in a powerful position to influence the diets of children; therefore, attention to the food sold at school is necessary to try to improve their diets. Copyright © 2011 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Milk Enhancements Improve Milk Consumption and Increase Meal Participation in the NSLP: The School Milk Pilot Test

Science.gov (United States)

Rafferty, Karen; Zipay, Diane; Patey, Camellia; Meyer, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The objective of the School Milk Pilot Test and the Westside School Milk Pilot Study was to test the effect of a milk enhancement initiative to make milk more appealing and attractive to elementary and secondary school students and to improve milk consumption. Methods: 146 schools participated in the national School Milk Pilot…

[Factors associated with the consumption of school meals by Brazilian adolescents: results of the PeNSE survey 2012].

Science.gov (United States)

Locatelli, Nathália Tarossi; Canella, Daniela Silva; Bandoni, Daniel Henrique

2017-05-18

The aim was to study the association between socio-demographic and routine dietary variables and consumption of school meals by adolescents enrolled in public schools in Brazil. The study used data used from the National School Health Survey (PeNSE) 2012. To assess differences between schoolchildren based on whether or not they ate school meals, the study used Pearson's chi-square test, and associations were analyzed with univariate and multivariate Poisson regression models. Of the 86,660 students included in the study, 22.8% eat school meals. Higher consumption of school meals is associated with male gender, brown skin color, residence outside state capitals, working, and low maternal schooling, for those that ate breakfast and lunch with their parents. The findings are relevant for planning strategies to encourage consumption of school meals.

PROFILE OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN HIGH SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karla Ferraz dos Anjos

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Alcohol, psychoactive substance, harmful to health, has been widely accepted and consumed by society in a premature manner. The Brazilian contemporaneous reality has demonstrated a high number of adolescents who consume alcohol on regularly basis, and nowadays, its damages start to be evident, hence the importance of contextualizing this issue in relation to adolescents. This study aims to determine the profile of alcohol consumption in adolescent students of a public high school in a city of the inland of Bahia, Brazil. It is a descriptive study with quantitative approach, conducted with 98 male and female students, and a structured questionnaire used to collect data, which was analyzed with aid of descriptive statistics. The survey was approved by the Ethics in Research Committee Involving Human Beings, of the State Perfil do consumo de bebidas alcoólicas por adolescentes University of Southwest Bahia – campus of Jequié-Bahia, Brazil under Protocol 179/2009. It was perceived that most of the teenagers had already consumed alcohol prematurely, with minimaldifference between male and female gender. Several of these adolescents continue consuming too much and too often, influenced by friends, family and media. It can be concluded that it is imperative to insert educational methodological proposals at schools which should instruct about premature and indiscriminate alcohol consumption, addressing principally risk factors and possible biopsychosocial complications

Is the Consumption of Energy Drinks Associated With Academic Achievement Among College Students?

Science.gov (United States)

Champlin, Sara E; Pasch, Keryn E; Perry, Cheryl L

2016-08-01

Despite widely reported side effects, use of energy drinks has increased among college students, who report that they consume energy drinks to help them complete schoolwork. However, little is known about the association between energy drink use and academic performance. We explored the relationship between energy drink consumption and current academic grade point average (GPA) among first-year undergraduate students. Participants included 844 first-year undergraduates (58.1 % female; 50.7 % White). Students reported their health behaviors via an online survey. We measured energy drink consumption with two measures: past month consumption by number of drinks usually consumed in 1 month and number consumed during the last occasion of consumption. We used multiple linear regression modeling with energy drink consumption and current GPA, controlling for gender, race, weekend and weekday sleep duration, perceived stress, perceived stress management, media use, and past month alcohol use. We found that past month energy drink consumption quantity by frequency (p energy drinks consumed during the last occasion (p Energy drinks consumed during the last occasion of consumption (p = 0.01) remained significantly associated with a lower GPA when controlling for alcohol use. While students report using energy drinks for school-related reasons, our findings suggest that greater energy drink consumption is associated with a lower GPA, even after controlling for potential confounding variables. Longitudinal research is needed that addresses whether GPA declines after continued use of energy drinks or if students struggling academically turn to energy drinks to manage their schoolwork.

Food choice, plate waste and nutrient intake of elementary- and middle-school students participating in the US National School Lunch Program.

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Smith, Stephanie L; Cunningham-Sabo, Leslie

2014-06-01

To (i) evaluate food choices and consumption patterns of elementary- and middle-school students who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and (ii) compare students' average nutrient intake from lunch with NSLP standards. Plate waste from elementary- and middle-school students' lunch trays was measured in autumn 2010 using a previously validated digital photography method. Percentage waste was estimated to the nearest 10 % for the entrée, canned fruit, fresh fruit, vegetable, grain and milk. Univariate ANOVA determined differences in percentage waste between schools, grades and genders. Daily nutrient intake was calculated using the district's menu analysis and percentage waste. Elementary and middle schools in northern Colorado (USA). Students, grades 1-8. Plate waste was estimated from 899 lunch trays; 535 elementary- and 364 middle-school students. Only 45 % of elementary- and 34 % middle-school students selected a vegetable. Elementary-school students wasted more than a third of grain, fruit and vegetable menu items. Middle-school students left nearly 50 % of fresh fruit, 37 % of canned fruit and nearly a third of vegetables unconsumed. Less than half of the students met the national meal standards for vitamins A and C, or Fe. Few students' lunch consumption met previous or new, strengthened NSLP lunch standards. Due to the relatively low intake of vegetables, intakes of vitamins A and C were of particular concern. Effective behavioural interventions, combined with marketing, communications and behavioural economics, will likely be necessary to encourage increased vegetable intake to meet the new meal standards.

School gardens: an experiential learning approach for a nutrition education program to increase fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption among second-grade students.

Science.gov (United States)

Parmer, Sondra M; Salisbury-Glennon, Jill; Shannon, David; Struempler, Barbara

2009-01-01

To examine the effects of a school garden on children's fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption. Self-report questionnaires, interview-style taste and rate items, lunchroom observations. An elementary school. Second-grade students (n = 115). Participants were assigned to one of 3 groups: (1) nutrition education and gardening (NE+G) treatment group, (2) nutrition education only (NE) treatment group, or (3) control group (CG). Both treatment groups received classroom instruction, and the NE+G group also received a school gardening experience. Fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption. Analyses of variance (alpha = .05). Participants in the NE+G and NE treatment groups exhibited significantly greater improvements in nutrition knowledge and taste ratings than did participants in the CG. Moreover, the NE+G group was more likely to choose and consume vegetables in a lunchroom setting at post-assessment than either the NE or CG groups. School gardens as a component of nutrition education can increase fruit and vegetable knowledge and cause behavior change among children. These findings suggest that school administrators, classroom teachers, and nutrition educators should implement school gardens as a way to positively influence dietary habits at an early age.

Relationships between food consumption and living arrangements among university students in four European countries - A cross-sectional study

OpenAIRE

El Ansari, Walid; Stock, Christiane; Mikolajczyk, Rafael T

2012-01-01

Abstract Background The transition of young people from school to university has many health implications. Food choice at the university can differ because of childhood food consumption patterns, sex and the living arrangements. Food consumption may change especially if students are living away from home. We aimed to assess food consumption patterns among university students from four European countries and how they differ by their living arrangements. Methods We analysed data from a cross-co...

Associations between Parental Limits, School Vending Machine Purchases, and Soft Drink Consumption among Kentucky Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Nickelson, Jen; Roseman, Mary G.; Forthofer, Melinda S.

2010-01-01

Objective: To examine associations between parental limits on soft drinks and purchasing soft drinks from school vending machines and consuming soft drinks among middle school students. Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the middle school Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Setting: Eight public middle schools in central Kentucky.…

[General characteristics of psychoactive substances consumption and abuse among high school population].

Science.gov (United States)

Radovanović, Snezana; Milić, Caslav; Kocić, Sanja

2010-01-01

Consumption of psychoactive substances among the youth is suggestive of a trend indicating an accelerated and continual growth of the tendency in question. This research was aimed at investigating the frequency of psychoactive substance consumption among high school students on the territory of the town of Kragujevac so that the adequate measures on prevention could be taken. Data from the questionnaire answered by high school student attending the 1st and 4th grade of the medical, technical and economic high schools in Kragujevac were thereby used. The survey included the overall number of 1280 students: there were 793 (62%) male participants and 487 (38%) female. The research was conducted from October 2007 until January 2008. The questionnaire from the project "Health Status, Health Needs and Utilization of Health Care of the Population of Serbia" conducted by the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut" in 2000 was used in the survey. According to the answers, alcohol was used by 45.5%, cigarettes by 20% and drugs by 3.1% of the examined subjects. Following the use of alcohol and cigarettes, the most often used psychoactive substance was cannabis, which was consumed by 7.8% of the examined subjects out of who 9.8% were boys and 4.8% were girls. Since the risky behaviour seems not to be isolated and individual but rather as a combination of several forms of it, school programmes should treat young people before certain forms of behaviour are established. Family, school, health service and society should work on an organized basis as well as methodically on prevention and on fighting against these inadequate habits.

Let's move salad bars to schools: a public-private partnership to increase student fruit and vegetable consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Diane M; Seymour, Jennifer; Grummer-Strawn, Laurence; Cooper, Ann; Collins, Beth; DiSogra, Lorelei; Marshall, Andrew; Evans, Nona

2012-08-01

Few school-age youth consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, and increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children and adolescents is an important public health goal to maintain long-term good health and to decrease risk of chronic disease and obesity. School salad bars are an important tool to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among schoolchildren. Studies show that introduction of school salad bars increases the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables consumed by children in schools. However, many schools cannot afford the capital investment in the salad bar equipment. In 2010, the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA), United Fresh Produce Association Foundation, the Food Family Farming Foundation, and Whole Foods Market launched Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools (LMSB2S) in support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative. The goal of LMSB2S is to place 6000 salad bars in schools over 3 years. As of June, 2012, over 1400 new salad bar units have been delivered to schools across the United States, increasing access to fruits and vegetables for over 700,000 students. Any K through 12 school district participating in the National School Lunch Program is eligible to submit an application at www.saladbars2schools. org/. Requests for salad bar units ($2625 each unit) are fulfilled through grassroots fund raising in the school community and through funds raised by the LMSB2S partners from corporate and foundation sources. LMSB2S is a model for coalition-building across many government, nonprofit, and industry partners to address a major public health challenge.

Relationships between food consumption and living arrangements among university students in four European countries - a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

El Ansari, Walid; Stock, Christiane; Mikolajczyk, Rafael T

2012-04-24

The transition of young people from school to university has many health implications. Food choice at the university can differ because of childhood food consumption patterns, sex and the living arrangements. Food consumption may change especially if students are living away from home. We aimed to assess food consumption patterns among university students from four European countries and how they differ by their living arrangements. We analysed data from a cross-country survey assessing health and health behaviours of students. The sample comprised a total of 2402 first year undergraduate students from one university in each of the countries of Germany, Denmark, Poland and Bulgaria. Food consumption was assessed by means of a food frequency questionnaire with 9 food groups (indicators). Students' food consumption patterns differed across the countries. Frequent consumption of unhealthy items was common. Bulgarian students reported most often frequent consumption of sweets and cakes and snacks (e.g. chips and fast food). Polish students reported the least frequent consumption of vegetables and a low consumption of fruits. Across all countries except Bulgaria, men reported substantially more often frequent consumption of snacks than women. Students living at parental home consumed more fruit, vegetables, and meat than those who resided outside of their family home in all studied countries. There was more variation with regard to cakes and salads with more frequent consumption of cakes among Bulgarian female students and Danish male students and more frequent consumption of salads among Danish female students not living at parental home, compared to students from other countries. Nutrition habits of university students differed across countries and by sex. Students living at parental home displayed more healthy nutrition habits, with some exceptions.

Alcohol Consumption in Students

OpenAIRE

Tran, Cathy

2010-01-01

Drinking behaviour among university students is a serious public health concern. Reasons for drinking are complex and many factors contribute to this behaviour. Previous research has established links between personality factors and alcohol consumption and also between metacognitions and alcohol consumption. Few studies have looked into how personality traits and metacognitions interact. This study investigated the relationships between personality, metacognitions and alcohol consumption in a...

Adverse Situations Encountered by Adolescent Students Who Return to School Following Suspension

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Cheng-Fang Yen

2009-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the adverse personal, family, peer and school situations encountered by adolescent students who had returned to school after being suspended. This was a large-scale study involving a representative population of Taiwanese adolescents. A total of 8,494 adolescent students in Southern Taiwan were recruited in the study and completed the questionnaires. The relationships between their experiences of suspension from school and adverse personal, family, peer, and school situations were examined. The results indicated that 178 (2.1% participants had been suspended from school at some time. Compared with students who had never been suspended, those who had experienced suspension were more likely to report depression, low self-esteem, insomnia, alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, low family support, low family monitoring, high family conflict, habitual alcohol consumption, illicit drug use by family members, low rank and decreased satisfaction in their peer group, having peers with substance use and deviant behaviors, low connectedness to school, and poor academic achievement. These results indicate that adolescent students who have returned to school after suspension encounter numerous adverse situations. The psychological conditions and social contexts of these individuals need to be understood in depth, and intervention programs should be developed to help them to adjust when they return to school and to prevent school dropouts in the future.

Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in Middle School Students Following the Implementation of a School District Wellness Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Kathleen D.; Snelling, Anastasia; Maroto, Maya; Young, Katherine A.

2013-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: In 2010, a large urban school district implemented a district-wide school wellness policy that addressed childhood obesity by requiring schools to increase health and physical education contact hours for students and to improve the nutritional standards of school meals. Schools were required to serve a different fruit and…

The Role of Academic Motivation in High School Students’ Current and Lifetime Alcohol Consumption: Adopting a Self-Determination Theory Perspective*

Science.gov (United States)

Wormington, Stephanie V.; Anderson, Kristen G.; Corpus, Jennifer Henderlong

2011-01-01

Objective: The current study investigated the relationship between different types of academic motives—specifically, intrinsic motivation, introjected regulation, and external regulation—and high school students' current and lifetime alcohol consumption. Method: One thousand sixty-seven high school students completed measures of academic motivation, other school-related factors, and lifetime and current alcohol consumption. Results: Using structural equation modeling, different types of motivation and school-related factors were differentially related to student drinking. Specifically, intrinsic motivation was negatively related to lifetime and current alcohol consumption. External regulation, on the other hand, was positively associated with current drinking. Grade point average was the only school-related factor related to student alcohol use. Conclusions: These findings suggest that motivation is an important construct to consider in predicting students’ alcohol use, even when other more commonly studied educational variables are considered. In addition, it supports the adoption of a motivation framework that considers different types of motivation in understanding the relationship between academic motivation and alcohol use. Suggestions for incorporating the self-determination model of motivation into studies of alcohol and substance use, as well as potential impacts on intervention efforts, are discussed. In particular, it may be important to foster only certain types of motivation, rather than all types of academically-focused motives, in efforts to deter alcohol use. PMID:22051210

Relationships between food consumption and living arrangements among university students in four European countries - A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El Ansari Walid

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The transition of young people from school to university has many health implications. Food choice at the university can differ because of childhood food consumption patterns, sex and the living arrangements. Food consumption may change especially if students are living away from home. We aimed to assess food consumption patterns among university students from four European countries and how they differ by their living arrangements. Methods We analysed data from a cross-country survey assessing health and health behaviours of students. The sample comprised a total of 2402 first year undergraduate students from one university in each of the countries of Germany, Denmark, Poland and Bulgaria. Food consumption was assessed by means of a food frequency questionnaire with 9 food groups (indicators. Results Students’ food consumption patterns differed across the countries. Frequent consumption of unhealthy items was common. Bulgarian students reported most often frequent consumption of sweets and cakes and snacks (e.g. chips and fast food. Polish students reported the least frequent consumption of vegetables and a low consumption of fruits. Across all countries except Bulgaria, men reported substantially more often frequent consumption of snacks than women. Students living at parental home consumed more fruit, vegetables, and meat than those who resided outside of their family home in all studied countries. There was more variation with regard to cakes and salads with more frequent consumption of cakes among Bulgarian female students and Danish male students and more frequent consumption of salads among Danish female students not living at parental home, compared to students from other countries. Conclusions Nutrition habits of university students differed across countries and by sex. Students living at parental home displayed more healthy nutrition habits, with some exceptions.

Relationships between food consumption and living arrangements among university students in four European countries - A cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The transition of young people from school to university has many health implications. Food choice at the university can differ because of childhood food consumption patterns, sex and the living arrangements. Food consumption may change especially if students are living away from home. We aimed to assess food consumption patterns among university students from four European countries and how they differ by their living arrangements. Methods We analysed data from a cross-country survey assessing health and health behaviours of students. The sample comprised a total of 2402 first year undergraduate students from one university in each of the countries of Germany, Denmark, Poland and Bulgaria. Food consumption was assessed by means of a food frequency questionnaire with 9 food groups (indicators). Results Students’ food consumption patterns differed across the countries. Frequent consumption of unhealthy items was common. Bulgarian students reported most often frequent consumption of sweets and cakes and snacks (e.g. chips and fast food). Polish students reported the least frequent consumption of vegetables and a low consumption of fruits. Across all countries except Bulgaria, men reported substantially more often frequent consumption of snacks than women. Students living at parental home consumed more fruit, vegetables, and meat than those who resided outside of their family home in all studied countries. There was more variation with regard to cakes and salads with more frequent consumption of cakes among Bulgarian female students and Danish male students and more frequent consumption of salads among Danish female students not living at parental home, compared to students from other countries. Conclusions Nutrition habits of university students differed across countries and by sex. Students living at parental home displayed more healthy nutrition habits, with some exceptions. PMID:22531503

Effects of Choice Architecture and Chef-Enhanced Meals on the Selection and Consumption of Healthier School Foods

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Juliana F.W.; Richardson, Scott A.; Cluggish, Sarah A.; Parker, Ellen; Catalano, Paul J.; Rimm, Eric B.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Little is known about the long-term effect of a chef-enhanced menu on healthier food selection and consumption in school lunchrooms. In addition, it remains unclear if extended exposure to other strategies to promote healthier foods (eg, choice architecture) also improves food selection or consumption. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of chef-enhanced meals and extended exposure to choice architecture on healthier school food selection and consumption. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A school-based randomized clinical trial was conducted during the 2011–2012 school year among 14 elementary and middle schools in 2 urban, low-income school districts (intent-to-treat analysis). Included in the study were 2638 students in grades 3 through 8 attending participating schools (38.4%of eligible participants). INTERVENTIONS Schools were first randomized to receive a professional chef to improve school meal palatability (chef schools) or to a delayed intervention (control group). To assess the effect of choice architecture (smart café), all schools after 3 months were then randomized to the smart café intervention or to the control group. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES School food selection was recorded, and consumption was measured using plate waste methods. RESULTS After 3 months, vegetable selection increased in chef vs control schools (odds ratio [OR], 1.75; 95% CI, 1.36–2.24), but there was no effect on the selection of other components or on meal consumption. After long-term or extended exposure to the chef or smart café intervention, fruit selection increased in the chef (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 2.23–4.25), smart café (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13–1.87), and chef plus smart café (OR, 3.10; 95% CI, 2.26–4.25) schools compared with the control schools, and consumption increased in the chef schools (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.03–0.30 cups/d). Vegetable selection increased in the chef (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.83–3.54), smart café (OR, 1.91; 95

Assessment of nutritional habits and preferences among secondary school students

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Duma-Kocan, Paulina; Barud, Barbara; Głodek, Elżbieta; Gil, Marian

Appropriate nutrition is one of the most important factors affecting the proper development of man, nutritional status and maintaining good health. Adolescence is a period of development of skills of self-determination and self-realization, also in the case of nutrition. Children and school-age youth are the group most vulnerable to the effects of incorrect nutrition. The way of nutrition during this period determines psychophysical and emotional development, effectiveness in learning process and has influence on health in adulthood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the habits and nutrition preferences in secondary school students from Rzeszów and Krosno age 16-19 years and to identify the differences between their eating behaviours. The study involved 300 secondary school students from Rzeszów and Krosno. The research material was the Authors’ questionnaire containing questions examining the eating habits of surveyed students. The statistical analysis was performed using the program StatSoft, Inc. STATISTICA version 12.0. To evaluate the differences between the two examined qualities there was used the Chi2 test of independence. As the statistically significant level there was assumed the level of p ≤ 0.05. In the surveyed group of high school students, more than half (59.66%) ate 4-5 meals a day. Snacking between meals declared 95% of high school students. Between meals the youth most frequently consumed fruits and vegetables (72.99%) and sweets (59.66%). Daily consumption of first breakfast before leaving the home declared more than half (62.33%) of the surveyed youth. Consuming products containing complete protein several times a week was declared by 49%. Whole wheat bread was daily consumed by 10.33% of the respondents, and grain products are daily consumed by 52.66% of the youth. 43.33% every day drank milk and milk products, while fruits and vegetables several times a day were consumed by 59.66% of the surveyed students. Consumption of products of

Prevalence of hazardous alcohol use among pharmacy students at nine U.S. schools of pharmacy

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English C

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Hazardous use of alcohol continues to be recognized as a problem at the university level. Knowledge regarding alcohol consumption in healthcare professional students is limited, especially in regards to pharmacy students. Much of the information available focuses on pharmacy student drinking patterns in specific geographic regions or is simply outdated.Objectives: This study was designed to assess levels of alcohol consumption and estimate the level of hazardous drinking among pharmacy students in a larger sample size that is representative of US pharmacy schools.Methods: An anonymous survey regarding alcohol usage was offered to students at nine school of pharmacy across the United States. The survey consisted of demographic questions, the World Health Organization Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT, and questions that assess particular alcohol-induced behaviorsResults: More than 25% of 1161 respondents had a total AUDIT score = 8, which indicates a risk of alcohol-related problems. Students that were male, in their first or second professional year of school, not married, and without children were statistically more likely to have AUDIT scores in the hazardous drinking range. Grade point average and student housing did not statistically affect student’s AUDIT scores.Conclusion: These results indicate that over one-fourth of pharmacy students surveyed have indicators of harmful alcohol use. Pharmacy schools should continue to address and confront hazardous alcohol use on campuses in order to curtail heavy alcohol consumption and reduce the risk of alcohol-related problems in pharmacy students.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Special School Students with Mild Intellectual Disability in Hong Kong.

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Mok, W K; Ling, T K

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to predict the fruit and vegetable consumption intention of students with mild intellectual disability in Hong Kong by the application of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour. 50 students with mild intellectual disability (30 male and 20 female), ranging in age from 15 to 38 years, were participated in this study. By means of face-to-face interviews, demographic data, Food Preference and variables of Theory of Planned Behaviour, such as Attitude, Subjective Norm and Perceived Behavioural Control were measured. 20%, 28% and 10% students with mild intellectual disability were rated to be overweight, obese and severely obese respectively. The rest of 10% were classified to be underweight. Regarding the daily intake of fruit and vegetable, 96% students with mild intellectual disability failed to consume sufficient amount. The variables of Theory of Planned Behaviour explained 47.7% of fruit and vegetable consumption intention with significant factors of Attitude, Subjective Norm and Perceived Behavioural Control. Food Preference was found to be a useful construct and further improve the prediction by about 7% after incorporating into the model. Results of this study indicated that Theory of Planned Behaviour is a useful model to predict dietary intention of students with mild intellectual disability in Hong Kong. Food Preference was a significant predictor to model the intention of fruit and vegetable consumption among students other than Attitude, Subjective Norm and Perceived Behavioural Control.

Temporal associations of popularity and alcohol use among middle school students.

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Tucker, Joan S; Miles, Jeremy N V; D'Amico, Elizabeth J; Zhou, Annie J; Green, Harold D; Shih, Regina A

2013-01-01

The goal of this study is to better understand the longitudinal cross-lagged associations between popularity, assessed through self-rating and peer nominations, and alcohol use among middle school students. The analytical sample comprises 1,835 sixth- to eighth-grade students who were initially recruited from three California middle schools and surveyed in the fall and spring semesters of 2 academic years. Students reported on their background characteristics, past-month alcohol use, and perceived popularity. Additionally, students provided school-based friendship nominations, which were used to calculate peer-nominated popularity. A cross-lagged regression approach within a structural equation modeling framework was used to examine the longitudinal relationship between popularity (self-rated and peer-nominated) and alcohol use. There was a statistically significant (p = .024) association between peer-nominated popularity and the probability of alcohol consumption at the subsequent survey, but not vice versa. Our results suggest that in a scenario where 8% of students are past-month drinkers, each increase of five friendship nominations is associated with a 30% greater risk of being a current drinker at the next wave. We found no evidence of longitudinal associations between past-month alcohol consumption and self-rated popularity. Popularity is a risk factor for drinking during the middle school years, with peer-nominated popularity being more predictive of use than self-perceptions of popularity. To inform alcohol prevention efforts for middle school students, additional research is needed to better understand why adolescents with a larger number of school-based friendship ties are more inclined to drink. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Correlation between Junk Food Consumption and Age of Menarche of Elementary School Student In Gedung Johor Medan

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Surya Anita

2018-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Acceleration age of menarche, can increase the chances of endometrial hyperplasia. The incidence of uterine and breast cancer are associated with early menarche. Junk food is indicated as one of the triggers of early menarche. With observational-analytic research and case-control research design, it was conducted to determine the effect of junk food in early menarche at elementary school student. The population of the study was the 6th grade elementary school students who had been menstruated, yet the sample was chosen randomly. Data collected using questionnaires, also measuring weight and height, then analysed using chi-square. The results shows a relationship between junk food consumption with early menarche incidence (p = 0.021 and OR 1.889. This is due to the high consumption patterns of junk food/fast food in teenages. Affected by behavioral patterns of people who tend to choose practical food, easy to get and ready to eat.   ABSTRAK Percepatan usia menarche dapat memperbesar peluang terjadI hyperplasia endometrium. Insiden kanker uterus dan kanker payudara dihubungkan dengan menarche dini.  Junk food diindikasi sebagai salah satu pemicu menarche dini. Dengan penelitian observasional-analitik dan desain penelitian case-control, dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh junk food pada menarche dini di usia SD. Populasi penelitian adalah siswi SD kelas VI yang sudah haid /belum, sampel dipilih secara random. Pengumpulan data menggunakan kuesioner kepada siswi, menimbang berat badan serta  mengukur tinggi badan. Analisis data menggunakan chi-square. Hasil penelitian bahwa ada hubungan konsumsi junk food dengan kejadian menarche dini (p=0,021 dan OR 1,889. Hal ini disebabkan Tingginya pola konsumsi junk food/fast food  pada remaja dipengaruhi oleh pola perilaku masyarakat yang cenderung memilih makanan praktis, mudah didapat dan siap saji.

Academic stress levels were positively associated with sweet food consumption among Korean high-school students.

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Kim, Yeonsoo; Yang, Hye Young; Kim, Ae-Jung; Lim, Yunsook

2013-01-01

The objectives of the present study were to identify the association among levels of persistent academic stress, appetite, and dietary habits and to determine the specific types of sweet foods consumed by Korean high-school students according to their academic stress levels. The study participants included 333 high-school students in the 10th to 12th grades in Kyunggi Province, Korea. The level of academic stress was scored with a 75-item academic stress scale and was categorized as high, medium, or low. A food-frequency questionnaire was used to measure the sugar intake from sweet foods. Korean high-school students with a high academic stress level had larger meals than the other students. Compared with students with low academic stress, the students with high academic stress had a higher frequency of sugar intake from the following food types: confectionaries, candies and chocolates, breads, and flavored milk. Moreover, compared with students with low academic stress, the students with high academic stress had a higher total intake of sugar from the following food types: confectionaries, candies, chocolates, flavored milk, traditional Korean beverages, and spicy, sweet, and fried rice cakes. Unhealthy stress-related food choices may compromise high-school students' health and contribute to their morbidity. The findings of the present study could be used to help nutritionists develop effective strategies for nutritional education and counseling to improve adolescent health. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of school competitive food and beverage policies on obesity, consumption, and availability: a systematic review.

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Chriqui, Jamie F; Pickel, Margaret; Story, Mary

2014-03-01

The US Department of Agriculture recently issued an interim final rule governing the sale of foods and beverages sold outside of the school meal programs ("competitive foods and beverages" [CF&Bs]). To examine the potential influence that the federal rule may have based on peer-reviewed published studies examining the relationship between state laws and/or school district policies and student body mass index (BMI) and weight outcomes, consumption, and availability of CF&Bs. Keyword searches of peer-reviewed literature published between January 2005 and March 2013 were conducted using multiple databases. Titles and abstracts for 1160 nonduplicate articles were reviewed, with a full review conducted on 64 of those articles to determine their relevancy. Qualitative studies, studies of self-reported policies, or studies examining broad policies without a specific CF&B element were excluded. Twenty-four studies were selected for inclusion. Studies focused on state laws (n = 14), district policies (n = 8), or both (n = 2), with the majority of studies (n = 18) examining foods and beverages (as opposed to food-only or beverage-only policies). Sixteen studies examined prepolicy/postpolicy changes, and 8 studies examined postpolicy changes. Study designs were cross-sectional (n = 20), longitudinal (n = 3), or a combination (n = 1). Outcomes examined included change in BMI, weight, probability of overweight or obesity (n = 4), consumption (n = 10), and availability (n = 13); 3 studies examined more than 1 outcome. The majority of studies primarily reported results in the expected direction (n = 15), with the remaining studies (n = 9) reporting primarily mixed or nonsignificant results. In most cases, CF&B policies are associated with changes in consumption and/or availability in the expected direction; however, caution should be exercised, given that nearly all were cross-sectional. The influence of such policies on overall

The FIT Game: preliminary evaluation of a gamification approach to increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in school.

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Jones, Brooke A; Madden, Gregory J; Wengreen, Heidi J

2014-11-01

Incentive-based interventions designed to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption tend to yield positive, short-term outcomes. Because consumption most often returns to baseline levels when incentives are removed, sustainable long-duration interventions may be needed to impact public health. Anticipating that low-cost interventions will be more appealing to schools, the present study explored a low-cost, game-based intervention. An alternating-treatments design was used to evaluate the effects of the FIT Game on objectively measured FV consumption in one elementary school (n=251) in Utah. During the Fall 2013 semester, game-based rewards were provided to heroic characters within a fictional narrative read by teachers on days when the school, as a whole, met a fruit or vegetable consumption goal in accord with the alternating-treatments design. On intervention days, fruit and vegetable consumption increased by 39% and 33%, (p<0.01, p<0.05; binomial tests), respectively. Teacher surveys indicated that students enjoyed the game and grade 1-3 teachers recommended its use in other schools. This game-based intervention provides a promising step towards developing a low-cost, effective, and sustainable FV intervention that schools can implement without outside assistance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence, comorbidities, and cofactors associated with alcohol consumption among school-going adolescents in Malaysia.

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Manickam, Mala A; Abdul Mutalip, Mohd Hatta B; Abdul Hamid, Hamizatul Akmal Bt; Kamaruddin, Rozanim Bt; Sabtu, Mohd Yusoff B

2014-09-01

Alcohol is deleterious to physical and mental health as well as social well-being. This study aims to examine the prevalence of alcohol consumption and factors associated with its use among school-going Malaysian adolescents. The Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2012 employed 2-stage clustering design to Malaysian secondary school respondents aged 12 to 17 years. The prevalence of current alcohol usage was 8.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.8-10.07) overall, 11.2% (95% CI: 9.80-12.80) among males, and 23.4 (95% CI: 21.40-25.50) among Chinese students. Multivariate logistic regression showed that adolescents who had used alcohol were more likely to have used substance (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.39; 95% CI: 2.33-4.99), experienced injury (aOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.20-1.95), and engaged in sexual behaviors (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12-1.79), and fights (aOR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.08-1.41). The current national policies on alcohol should be strengthened to curb alcohol consumption among adolescents. © 2014 APJPH.

Comparative study on natural plant antibiotics – vegetable and their consumption among college students

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Tűnde Juríková

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The research study is aimed at evaluation of natural plant antibiotics utilization among college students (554 with different subject study (Pre-school and elementary education, Biology, Regional Tourism, Horticulture, Physical education from 3 countries - Slovak Republic, Czech Republic and Hungary. The attention has been focused on natural antibiotics in plants - vegetables (garlic, onion and horse radish and the frequency of their consumption among college students. From the research results there is evident that majority of students had basic knowledge about natural plant antibiotics (85% of respondents and they utilize them in everyday life (60.3%. The prevailing number of students utilizes synthetic antibiotics only rarely - once a year (33.4% or never (37.5%. From achieved results about exact plants (garlic, onion and horse radish consumption, the majority of respondents consume garlic once a week (42.2%; on the daily base the highest usage was noticed in the group of Slovak students with the subject of Physical education (32.1% that could be considered as statistically different in comparison with the rest of groups. On the contrary, the lowest garlic consumption was noticed for students of biology (23.5% and only small amount of students (3.6% claimed that they have never included garlic into their diet. As for the onion, the majority of respondents (42.10% also consume this commodity once a week; everyday consumption was noticed again especially between Slovak students with the subject of Physical education (32.1% and Horticulture (31.1%. The results of these groups significantly differed from results of other groups. Third studied vegetable, horse-radish, it has never been consumed by Slovak students of Pre-school and elementary education in Slovak language (47.9% that has been significantly distinguishable from another groups. Also Hungarian students of Physical education consume this commodity rarely (30.6% - only once a year. Major

The Effect of School-Based Management on Schools' Culture of Consumption

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Nir, Adam E.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which the introduction of school-based management (SBM) has affected schools' culture of consumption and the inequalities between schools with different socio-economic backgrounds. An analysis of financial reports from 31 SBM schools over four years reveals that schools have increased rather…

Chronotype, Light Exposure, Sleep, and Daytime Functioning in High School Students Attending Morning or Afternoon School Shifts: An Actigraphic Study.

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Martin, Jeanne Sophie; Gaudreault, Michael M; Perron, Michel; Laberge, Luc

2016-04-01

Adolescent maturation is associated with delays of the endogenous circadian phase. Consequently, early school schedules may lead to a mismatch between internal and external time, which can be detrimental to adolescent sleep and health. In parallel, chronotype is known to play a role in adolescent health; evening chronotype adolescents are at higher risk for sleep problems and lower academic achievement. In the summer of 2008, Kénogami High School (Saguenay, Canada) was destroyed by fire. Kénogami students were subsequently relocated to Arvida High School (situated 5.3 km away) for the 2008-2009 academic year. A dual school schedule was implemented, with Arvida students attending a morning schedule (0740-1305 h) and Kénogami students an afternoon schedule (1325-1845 h). This study aimed to investigate the effects of such school schedules and chronotype on sleep, light exposure, and daytime functioning. Twenty-four morning and 33 afternoon schedule students wore an actigraph during 7 days to measure sleep and light exposure. Academic achievement was obtained from school. Subjects completed validated questionnaires on daytime sleepiness, psychological distress, social rhythms, school satisfaction, alcohol, and chronotype. Overall, afternoon schedule students had longer sleep duration, lower sleepiness, and lower light exposure than morning schedule students. Evening chronotypes (E-types) reported higher levels of sleepiness than morning chronotypes (M-types) in both morning and afternoon schedules. Furthermore, M-types attending the morning schedule reported higher sleepiness than M-types attending the afternoon schedule. No difference was found between morning and afternoon schedule students with regard to academic achievement, psychological distress, social rhythms, school satisfaction, and alcohol consumption. However, in both schedules, M-type had more regular social rhythms and lower alcohol consumption. In summary, this study emphasizes that an early school

An examination of school- and student-level characteristics associated with the likelihood of students' meeting the Canadian physical activity guidelines in the COMPASS study.

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Harvey, Amanda; Faulkner, Guy; Giangregorio, Lora; Leatherdale, Scott T

2017-11-09

To examine school- and student-level correlates of physical activity. Cross-sectional Year 2 data collected from 45 298 grade 9-12 students attending 89 secondary schools in the COMPASS study were examined using multi-level modelling to predict the likelihood of students a) achieving 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily; and b) achieving the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) activity guideline for youth (60 minutes/MVPA daily, vigorous physical activity at least three days in a week, and resistance training at least three days in a week). The prevalence of students achieving 60 minutes of MVPA daily and meeting the CSEP guideline was 49.3% and 31.0% respectively. Modest between-school variability was identified (1.1% for 60 minutes MVPA and 0.8% for CSEP guideline). School-level characteristics significantly associated with the outcome measures included location, school size, quality of facilities, and accessibility of facilities. Significant student-level correlates included sex, grade, weekly income, binge drinking, fruit and vegetable consumption, and body mass index. Most youth in this large study reported inadequate physical activity levels. Students were more likely to achieve 60 minutes of MVPA if they attended a larger school or a school in an urban location, whereas students were less likely to meet the CSEP guideline if they attended a school in a small urban location. However, student-level factors, such as binge drinking and inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, were more strongly associated with the outcomes examined.

Measures of self-efficacy and norms for low-fat milk consumption are reliable and related to beverage consumption among 5th graders at school lunch

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The objective was to determine the reliability and validity of scales measuring low-fat milk consumption self-efficacy and norms during school lunch among a cohort of 5th graders. Two hundred seventy-five students completed lunch food records and a psychosocial questionnaire measuring self-efficacy ...

Obesity and Aerobic Fitness among Urban Public School Students in Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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B Ruth Clark

Full Text Available To assess the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk among urban public school students through a collaborative school district and university partnership.Children and adolescents in grades K-12 from 24 urban public schools participated in measurements of height, weight, and other health metrics during the 2009-2010 school year. Body mass index (BMI percentiles and z-scores were computed for 4673 students. President's Challenge 1-mile endurance run was completed by 1075 students ages 9-19 years. Maximal oxygen consumption (⩒O2max was predicted using an age-, sex-, and BMI-specific formula to determine health-related fitness. Resting blood pressure (BP was assessed in 1467 students. Regression analyses were used to compare BMI z-scores, fitness, and age- and sex-specific BP percentiles across grade levels. Chi-square tests were used to explore the effect of sex and grade-level on health-related outcomes.Based on BMI, 19.8% were categorized as overweight and 24.4% were obese. Included in the obese category were 454 students (9.7% of sample classified with severe obesity. Using FITNESSGRAM criteria, 50.2% of students did not achieve the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ; the proportion of students in the Needs Improvement categories increased from elementary to middle school to high school. Male students demonstrated higher fitness than female students, with 61.4% of boys and only 35.4% of girls meeting HFZ standards. Elevated BP was observed among 24% of 1467 students assessed. Systolic and diastolic BP z-scores revealed low correlation with BMI z-scores.A community-university collaboration identified obesity, severe obesity, overweight, and low aerobic fitness to be common risk factors among urban public school students.

Assessment of water consumptions in small mediterranean islands' primary schools by means of a long-term online monitoring

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Ferraris, Marco; De Gisi, Sabino; Farina, Roberto

2017-10-01

A key challenge of our society is improving schools through the sustainable use of resources especially in countries at risk of desertification. The estimation of water consumption is the starting point for the correct dimensioning of water recovery systems. To date, unlike the energy sector, there is a lack of scientific information regarding water consumption in school buildings. Available data refer roughly to indirect estimates by means of utility bills and therefore no information on the role of water leakage in the internal network of the school is provided. In this context, the aim of the work was to define and implement an on-line monitoring system for the assessment of water consumptions in a small Mediterranean island primary school to achieve the following sub-goals: (1) definition of water consumption profile considering teaching activities and secretarial work; (2) direct assessment of water consumptions and leakages and, (3) quantification of the behaviour parameters. The installed monitoring system consisted of 33 water metres (3.24 persons per water metre) equipped with sensors set on 1-L impulse signal and connected to a data logging system. Results showed consumptions in the range 13.6-14.2 L/student/day and leakage equal to 54.8 % of the total water consumptions. Considering the behavioural parameters, the consumptions related to toilet flushing, personal, and building cleaning were, respectively, 54, 43 and 3 % of the total water ones. Finally, the obtained results could be used for dimensioning the most suitable water recovery strategies at school level such as grey water or rainwater recovery systems.

Healthier food choices as a result of the revised healthy diet programme Krachtvoer for students of prevocational schools

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Bessems Kathelijne MHH

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Krachtvoer is a Dutch healthy diet programme for prevocational schools, developed in 2001 and revised for a broader target group in 2007, based on the findings of an evaluation of the first version. The goal of this study was to report on the short- and longer-term total and subgroup effects of the revised programme on students’ fruit, fruit juice, breakfast, and snack consumption. Methods Schools were randomized to the experimental condition, teaching the Krachtvoer programme, or to the control condition teaching the regular nutrition lessons. Self-reported consumption of fruit, fruit juice, breakfast and snacks was measured at baseline directly before programme implementation, one to four weeks after finishing programme implementation, and after six months. Mixed linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results In total 1117 students of 13 experimental schools and 758 students of 11 control schools participated in the study. Short- and longer-term favourable intervention effects were found on fruit consumption (mean difference between experimental and control group 0.15 servings at both posttests. Regarding fruit juice consumption, only short-term favourable effects were revealed (mean difference between experimental and control group 0.05 glasses. Intervention effects on breakfast intakes were limited. No changes in snack frequency were reported, but students made healthier snack choices as a result of the programme. Some favourable as well as unfavourable effects occurred in subgroups of students. Conclusions The effects on fruit consumption and snack choices justify the current nationwide dissemination of the programme. Achieving changes in breakfast consumption may, however, require other strategies.

The Evaluation of Effects of Educational Intervention Based on Planned Behavior Theory on Reduction of Unhealthy Snack Consumption among Kermanshah Elementary School Students, 2015- 2016

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Arezoo Nazari

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Sedentary lifestyle and great advertising of high calorie junk foodstuffs cause the change of the nutritional pattern of children and adolescents. This study has been carried out with this objective: determining the effect of educational intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on reducing consumption of unhealthy snacks in the elementary students in Kermanshah City in 2015-2016. This research is a quasi-experimental study. Research setting was the primary schools in Kermanshah city. Sampling was conducted in multi-stage random method. Three hundred and fourteen female and male students were selected randomly. They were divided into two groups of Case and Control. The data collection tool in this study was a questionnaire. Status of snacks consumption among students in both study groups was examined after four weeks. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used in order to analyze data. Before intervention, there were no significant differences between two groups of case and control. The average grades of the theory of planned behavior structures have increased in case group after intervention and it shows a significant difference (P < 0.05. No significant differences were observed in each structure in control group after intervention. The results indicate the positive effect of educational intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on reducing consumption of unhealthy snacks in elementary students. Theory-based educational intervention has also increased students’ willingness to consume healthy snacks.

Reduced Availability of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Diet Soda Has a Limited Impact on Beverage Consumption Patterns in Maine High School Youth

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Whatley Blum, Janet E.; Davee, Anne-Marie; Beaudoin, Christina M.; Jenkins, Paul L.; Kaley, Lori A.; Wigand, Debra A.

2008-01-01

Objective: To examine change in high school students' beverage consumption patterns pre- and post-intervention of reduced availability of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and diet soda in school food venues. Design: A prospective, quasi-experimental, nonrandomized study design. Setting: Public high schools. Participants: A convenience sample from…

Effects of choice architecture and chef-enhanced meals on the selection and consumption of healthier school foods: a randomized clinical trial.

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Cohen, Juliana F W; Richardson, Scott A; Cluggish, Sarah A; Parker, Ellen; Catalano, Paul J; Rimm, Eric B

2015-05-01

Little is known about the long-term effect of a chef-enhanced menu on healthier food selection and consumption in school lunchrooms. In addition, it remains unclear if extended exposure to other strategies to promote healthier foods (eg, choice architecture) also improves food selection or consumption. To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of chef-enhanced meals and extended exposure to choice architecture on healthier school food selection and consumption. A school-based randomized clinical trial was conducted during the 2011-2012 school year among 14 elementary and middle schools in 2 urban, low-income school districts (intent-to-treat analysis). Included in the study were 2638 students in grades 3 through 8 attending participating schools (38.4% of eligible participants). Schools were first randomized to receive a professional chef to improve school meal palatability (chef schools) or to a delayed intervention (control group). To assess the effect of choice architecture (smart café), all schools after 3 months were then randomized to the smart café intervention or to the control group. School food selection was recorded, and consumption was measured using plate waste methods. After 3 months, vegetable selection increased in chef vs control schools (odds ratio [OR], 1.75; 95% CI, 1.36-2.24), but there was no effect on the selection of other components or on meal consumption. After long-term or extended exposure to the chef or smart café intervention, fruit selection increased in the chef (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 2.23-4.25), smart café (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13-1.87), and chef plus smart café (OR, 3.10; 95% CI, 2.26-4.25) schools compared with the control schools, and consumption increased in the chef schools (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.03-0.30 cups/d). Vegetable selection increased in the chef (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.83-3.54), smart café (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.46-2.50), and chef plus smart café schools (OR, 7.38, 95% CI, 5.26-10.35) compared with the control schools

A survey on lifestyle and attitudes on fruit and vegetable consumption and participation in physical activity in a sample of secondary school and university students from Palermo, Western Sicily

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Enza Sidoti

2010-06-01

Full Text Available

Background: Fruit and vegetable (F&V consumption, and physical activity (PA, are thought to be some of the most important protective factors that can improve long-term health quality of life. Many epidemiological studies indicate, in fact, that F&V consumption and PA are health-promoting and are correlated with the beneficial effects and positive outcomes such as preventing some chronic diseases. Evidence, however, indicates that large proportions of adolescents are not consuming the minimum servings of F&V as recommended by experts and a high percentage of them have sedentary habits.

Objective and method: The purpose of this research was to investigate knowledge and behaviors in a sample of secondary school, (250, and university students, (200, referred to F&V consumption and PA. The instrument used for the survey was a questionnaire containing 19 items with multiple choice answers. Data were codified, descriptive analysis and ÷2 tests were computed through Openstat and Statistica software.

Results: Only 24,2% of the individuals identified welfare as including healthy eating, and this attitude seemed to be associated with the students’ families educational level. Educational level was also positively associated with the awareness of the importance of a healthy diet for well-being and with PA practice. The percentage of students having knowledge of the expert recommendations on PA and eating guidelines about F&V consumption was about one third of the entire population. Students who met the expert recommendation for daily servings of fruit and vegetables were 27,8%, while only 17,8% practiced regular PA. The principal source of information was university/school, (48,0% and 57,0%.

Conclusions: Healthy dietary and PA habits are far from the optimal in our sample of students. Because of the importance for the prevention of many diseases and long term health

Frequent fliers, school phobias, and the sick student: school health personnel's perceptions of students who refuse school.

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Torrens Armstrong, Anna M; McCormack Brown, Kelli R; Brindley, Roger; Coreil, Jeannine; McDermott, Robert J

2011-09-01

This study explored school personnel's perceptions of school refusal, as it has been described as a "common educational and public health problem" that is less tolerated due to increasing awareness of the potential socioeconomic consequences of this phenomenon. In-depth interviews were conducted with school personnel at the middle school (N = 42), high school (N = 40), and district levels (N = 10). The findings focus on emergent themes from interviews with school health personnel (N = 12), particularly those themes related to their perceptions of and role in working with school-refusing students. Personnel, especially school health services staff, constructed a typification of the school-refusing student as "the sick student," which conceptualized student refusal due to reasons related to illness. Personnel further delineated sick students by whether they considered the illness legitimate. School health personnel referenced the infamous "frequent fliers" and "school phobics" within this categorization of students. Overarching dynamics of this typification included parental control, parental awareness, student locus of control, blame, and victim status. These typifications influenced how personnel reacted to students they encountered, particularly in deciding which students need "help" versus "discipline," thus presenting implications for students and screening of students. Overall, findings suggest school health personnel play a pivotal role in screening students who are refusing school as well as keeping students in school, underscoring policy that supports an increased presence of school health personnel. Recommendations for school health, prevention, and early intervention include the development of screening protocols and staff training. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Awareness and attitude of secondary school students about drug use

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Suada Branković

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Problem of addiction on psychoactive substances is one of the most diffi cult problems in a modern society, which brings serious consequences, both for the individual, his environment and the whole society.Methods: The study included 95 children and adolescents of medical school. Among the respondents, there were 44 subjects of third year of high school and 51 respondent-grader.Results: Students involved in this research as an answer to why young people start using drugs often reported curiosity in over 50% of cases, as well as pressure of friends. For students who use narkotine respondents generally thought they are  reasonable and sufficiently weak and limited personality. Thelargest number of high school students who were involved in the study did not know the individuals who use drugs.Conclusion: Drug addiction is a serious problem all over the country, and the number of addicts is becoming larger. Particularly worrisome is the fact that the consumption of the drug phenomenon is a characteristic of young population, especially high school students

What influences urban Indian secondary school students' food consumption? - A qualitative study.

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Rathi, Neha; Riddell, Lynn; Worsley, Anthony

2016-10-01

Indian adolescents' over reliance on foods such as nutrient-poor snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages and take-away foods puts them at significant risk of obesity and several diet-related chronic diseases. Therefore, the factors that influence their dietary behaviours need to be better understood in order to develop effective nutrition promotion strategies. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to investigate adolescents', parents', teachers', and school principals' perceptions of the main influences on adolescent eating behaviours. Fifteen adolescents aged 14-15 years, 15 parents, 12 teachers and 10 principals from 10 private English-speaking schools in Kolkata, India, participated in semi-structured interviews. The digitally-recorded conversations were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. The 52 interviews revealed a number of factors that may influence adolescents' eating habits including parent and peer influences, home and school food environments, and the mass media. Emerging evidence suggests that future health and nutrition promotion interventions need to target the different influences on Indian teenagers' food consumption. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of social and environmental practices related to conscious consumption of students from public education of Sertão Pernambucano, Brazil

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Anna Fernanda Beatriz Amorim Cavalcante

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This research aimed to analyze socio-environmental practices related to the conscious consumption of students of Sertão Pernambucano. A total of 174 high school students from two public schools were interviewed through a 29-item Likert-type measurement scale with five response levels. Among the students, 62.4% were female and 37.6% were male, aged between 15 and 20 years. It was found that 5.8% of the students were careful to take into account if the product residues were recyclable, 40.0% showed indifference or little commitment to use as few shopping bags as possible and the minority (8.3% of the students used to separate the waste by categories. 47.9% of the students affirmed to reuse draft paper and 55.9% save gift paper for future packaging. Few have the habit of watching (24.8%, talking to friends (12.9% or alerting people (23.2% about environmental problems or news. Therefore, Environmental Education, particularly, habits related to conscious consumption, needs to be inserted in the school context so that socio-educational actions become a daily practice, improving the expectations of future generations.

Does Tasting Local Sweet Potatoes Increase the Likelihood of Selection by High School Students?

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Bristow, Kelly; Jenkins, Steven; Kelly, Patrick; Mattfeldt-Beman, Mildred

2017-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: Schools are offering more fruits and vegetables; yet consumption of fruits and vegetables among adolescents remains low. Many schools are implementing Farm-to-School programs to help generate excitement and increase selection of fruits and vegetables by students. The purpose of this research was to determine if a simple tasting…

Foods Sold in School Vending Machines are Associated with Overall Student Dietary Intake

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Rovner, Alisha J.; Nansel, Tonja R.; Wang, Jing; Iannotti, Ronald J.

2010-01-01

Purpose To examine the association between foods sold in school vending machines and students’ dietary behaviors. Methods The 2005-2006 US Health Behavior in School Aged Children (HBSC) survey was administered to 6th to 10th graders and school administrators. Students’ dietary intake was estimated with a brief food frequency measure. Administrators completed questions about foods sold in vending machines. For each food intake behavior, a multilevel regression analysis modeled students (level 1) nested within schools (level 2), with the corresponding food sold in vending machines as the main predictor. Control variables included gender, grade, family affluence and school poverty. Analyses were conducted separately for 6th to 8th and 9th to 10th grades. Results Eighty-three percent of schools (152 schools, 5,930 students) had vending machines which primarily sold foods of minimal nutritional values (soft drinks, chips and sweets). In younger grades, availability of fruits/vegetables and chocolate/sweets was positively related to the corresponding food intake, with vending machine content and school poverty explaining 70.6% of between-school variation in fruit/vegetable consumption, and 71.7% in sweets consumption. In older grades, there was no significant effect of foods available in vending machines on reported consumption of those foods. Conclusions Vending machines are widely available in US public schools. In younger grades, school vending machines were related to students’ diets positively or negatively, depending on what was sold in them. Schools are in a powerful position to influence children’s diets; therefore attention to foods sold in them is necessary in order to try to improve children’s diets. PMID:21185519

Problems associated with alcohol consumption by university students

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Guillermo Alonso Castaño-Perez

2014-10-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: the aim of this study was to analyze alcohol consumption by university students and psychosocial problems related.METHOD: descriptive correlational study that included 396 university students. The "Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test" - (AUDIT - and an "ad hoc" questionnaire were used as instruments to assess the associated problems.RESULTS: of the total sample, 88.6% drank, 20.5% had harmful consumption and 14.9% were at risk of dependence according to AUDIT. The study showed important results related to harmful alcohol consumption and dependence, with damage to the academic performance, social relationships, psychological status and sexual condition.CONCLUSIONS: complications caused by problematic alcohol consumption by university students, which is high in this group due to the high prevalence of their alcohol consumption, highlights the importance of promoting programs to prevent the abuse and dependence of this substance in universities.

Prevalence of dental caries in high school students in Asmara, Eritrea

African Journals Online (AJOL)

consumption of refined carbohydrates in the length of time in the mouth are ... the factors contributing to it among high school students of Asmara. Data was collected in the ..... Drugs, Diseases and the peridentium. Robert A Seymour Peter A ...

Sleep duration and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and energy drinks among adolescents.

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Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Hamilton, Hayley A; Chaput, Jean-Philippe

2018-04-01

To examine the relationship between sleep duration and consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) and energy drinks (EDs) among adolescents. Data on 9,473 adolescents aged 11-20 years were obtained from the 2015 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province-wide and cross-sectional school based survey of students in middle and high school. Respondents self-reported their sleep duration and consumption of SSBs and EDs. Those who did not meet the age-appropriate sleep duration recommendation were considered short sleepers. Overall, 81.4% and 12.0% of respondents reported that they had at least one SSBs and EDs in the past week, respectively. Males were more likely than females to consume SSBs and EDs. High school students were more likely than those in middle school to report drinking EDs. After adjusting for multiple covariates, results from logistic regression analyses indicated that short sleep duration was associated with greater odds of SSB consumption in middle school students (odd ratio (OR) = 1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18-2.11), but not those in high school (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.86-1.31). Short sleep duration was associated with greater odds of ED consumption in both middle (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.10-2.34) and high school (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.38-2.30) students. Short sleep duration was associated with consumption of EDs in middle and high school students and with SSBs in middle school students only. Future studies are needed to establish causality and to determine whether improving sleep patterns can reduce the consumption of SSBs and EDs among adolescents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk-taking behaviour of Cape Peninsula high-school students. Part ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this study, risk-taking behaviour of Cape Peninsula high-school students was investigated. Suicidal behaviour, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, road-related behaviour, violent behaviour and sexual behaviour were included. This article, the first in a series, describes the rationale and methodology of the ...

Feeding in full-time public schools: Do students adhere and accept?

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Nágila Araújo de CARVALHO

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective Identifying adherence to, and acceptance of school feeding, and analyzing the factors associated with non-adherence/non-acceptance in full-time public schools in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. Methods Cross-sectional study with students of both sexes aged 6-14 years. Issues regarding the consumption of meals, food distribution, food eaten outside the school and socioeconomic data, including nutritional assessment of students, were investigated. Adherence to meals was defined as the consumption of school meals four to five times/week, and acceptance was defined as meal approval, using the facial hedonic scale. Results A total of 359 students participated in this study and it was observed that adherence was high for lunch (95% and afternoon snacks (78%, and low for morning snacks (44%. Acceptance did not reach the required minimum percentage of 85% for any of the meals. Factors associated with non-adherence were the presence of >4 people in a household, having meals in a refectory, the meal location being considered uncomfortable and a negative evaluation of utensils used in eating meals. Factors associated with non-acceptance were age >10 years, female sex, the negative evaluation of utensils used in eating meals and inadequate food temperature. Conclusion Lunch and afternoon snacks showed the highest adherence, but the stipulated acceptance was not reached. Non-adherence and non-acceptance were mainly associated with aspects related to school feeding. This study allowed the evaluation of feeding in full-time public schools, in order to influence its improvement.

A survey of energy drink and alcohol mixed with energy drink consumption.

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Magnezi, Racheli; Bergman, Lisa Carroll; Grinvald-Fogel, Haya; Cohen, Herman Avner

2015-01-01

Energy drink consumption among youth is increasing despite recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics to eliminate consumption by youth. This study provides information on consumption of energy drinks and alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) in a sample of Israeli youth and how consumer knowledge about the risks affects consumption rates. The study was conducted in three Tel Aviv public schools, with a total enrollment of 1,253 students in grades 8 through 12. Among them, 802 students completed a 49-item questionnaire about energy drink and AmED consumption, for a 64 % response rate Non-responders included 451 students who were absent or refused to participate. All students in the same school were administered the questionnaire on the same day. Energy drinks are popular among youth (84.2 % have ever drunk). More tenth through twelfth grade students consumed energy drinks than eighth and ninth grade students. Students who began drinking in elementary school (36.8 %) are at elevated risk for current energy drink (P consumption (OR 1.925; 95 %CI 1.18-3.14). The association between current AmED consumption and drinking ED at a young age is important. Boys and those who start drinking early have a greater risk of both ED and AmED consumption. The characteristics of early drinkers can help increase awareness of potential at-risk youth, such as junior and senior high school students with less educated or single parents. Risks posed by early use on later energy drink and AmED consumption are concerning. We suggest that parents should limit accessibility. Increased knowledge about acceptable and actual amounts of caffeine in a single product might decrease consumption.

[Sedentary leisure time and food consumption among Brazilian adolescents: the Brazilian National School-Based Adolescent Health Survey (PeNSE), 2009].

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Camelo, Lidyane do Valle; Rodrigues, Jôsi Fernandes de Castro; Giatti, Luana; Barreto, Sandhi Maria

2012-11-01

The objective of this paper was to investigate whether sedentary leisure time was associated with increased regular consumption of unhealthy foods, independently of socio-demographic indicators and family context. The analysis included 59,809 students from the Brazilian National School-Based Adolescent Health Survey (PeNSE) in 2009. The response variable was sedentary leisure time, defined as watching more than two hours of TV daily. The target explanatory variables were regular consumption of soft drinks, sweets, cookies, and processed meat. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence limits (95%CI) were obtained by multiple logistic regression. Prevalence of sedentary leisure time was 65%. Regular consumption of unhealthy foods was statistically higher among students reporting sedentary leisure time, before and after adjusting for sex, age, skin color, school administration (public versus private), household assets index, and household composition. The results indicate the need for integrated interventions to promote healthy leisure-time activities and healthy eating habits among young people.

"Me, My Classmates and My Buddies": Analysing Peer Group Effects on Student Marijuana Consumption

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Duarte, Rosa; Escario, Jose-Julian; Molina, Jose-Alberto

2011-01-01

The aim of this paper is to explore the influence of peer behaviour on student marijuana consumption. Our hypothesis is that, in contrast to the traditional measures of peer group effects carried out at class or school level, the use of a closer peer group, which we relate to the group of friends, is more relevant in the explanation of marijuana…

Breakfast Consumption and Its Associations with Health-Related Behaviors among School-Aged Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study in Zhejiang Province, China

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Meng Wang

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Evidence indicates that breakfast consumption is associated with a cluster of health-related behaviors, yet studies in mainland China are scarce. This study is conducted to describe the frequency of breakfast consumption among Chinese adolescents and examine its associations with other dietary, physical activity, sedentary, sleep, cigarette-smoking, and alcohol-drinking behaviors. Breakfast consumption and other health-related behaviors data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire in a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang Province, China. A total of 19,542 school-aged adolescents were recruited in this survey. The associations between breakfast consumption and other health-related behaviors were examined using logistic regression models. A significantly higher prevalence of daily breakfast consumption was found among students who were younger (p for trend <0.001, from urban schools (p < 0.001, and academic high schools (p < 0.001. More frequent vegetable and milk consumption, greater physical activity, and longer sleep duration were positively associated with daily breakfast consumption, while soft drinks and fast food consumption, computer use, cigarette-smoking and alcohol-drinking behaviors were inversely associated. The prevalence of irregular breakfast consumption was relatively high among Chinese adolescents in Zhejiang Province. Daily breakfast consumption was associated with a constellation of health-related behaviors.

Alcohol consumption in college students from the pharmacy faculty.

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Miquel, Laia; Rodamilans, Miquel; Giménez, Rosa; Cambras, Trinitat; Canudas, Ana María; Gual, Antoni

2016-09-15

Alcohol consumption is highly prevalent in university students. Early detection in future health professionals is important: their consumption might not only influence their own health but may determine how they deal with the implementation of preventive strategies in the future. The aim of this paper is to detect the prevalence of risky alcohol consumption in first- and last-degree year students and to compare their drinking patterns.Risky drinking in pharmacy students (n=434) was assessed and measured with the AUDIT questionnaire (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). A comparative analysis between college students from the first and fifth years of the degree in pharmacy, and that of a group of professors was carried to see differences in their alcohol intake patterns.Risky drinking was detected in 31.3% of students. The highest prevalence of risky drinkers, and the total score of the AUDIT test was found in students in their first academic year. Students in the first academic level taking morning classes had a two-fold risk of risky drinking (OR=1.9 (IC 95%1.1-3.1)) compared with students in the fifth level. The frequency of alcohol consumption increases with the academic level, whereas the number of alcohol beverages per drinking occasion falls.Risky drinking is high during the first year of university. As alcohol consumption might decrease with age, it is important to design preventive strategies that will strengthen this tendency.

Alcohol Consumption among College Students: Chief Student Affairs Officers' Perspectives on Evidence-Based Alcohol Consumption Reduction Strategies

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Stender, David F., III

2014-01-01

Alcohol consumption among college students can lead to negative consequences for those consuming alcohol as well as for their classmates. The 2002 report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Task Force on College Drinking described a "three-in-one" evidence-based approach for alcohol consumption reduction…

State policies targeting junk food in schools: racial/ethnic differences in the effect of policy change on soda consumption.

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Taber, Daniel R; Stevens, June; Evenson, Kelly R; Ward, Dianne S; Poole, Charles; Maciejewski, Matthew L; Murray, David M; Brownson, Ross C

2011-09-01

We estimated the association between state policy changes and adolescent soda consumption and body mass index (BMI) percentile, overall and by race/ethnicity. We obtained data on whether states required or recommended that schools prohibit junk food in vending machines, snack bars, concession stands, and parties from the 2000 and 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study. We used linear mixed models to estimate the association between 2000-2006 policy changes and 2007 soda consumption and BMI percentile, as reported by 90 730 students in 33 states and the District of Columbia in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and to test for racial/ethnic differences in the associations. Policy changes targeting concession stands were associated with 0.09 fewer servings of soda per day among students (95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.17, -0.01); the association was more pronounced among non-Hispanic Blacks (0.19 fewer servings per day). Policy changes targeting parties were associated with 0.07 fewer servings per day (95% CI = -0.13, 0.00). Policy changes were not associated with BMI percentile in any group. State policies targeting junk food in schools may reduce racial/ethnic disparities in adolescent soda consumption, but their impact appears to be too weak to reduce adolescent BMI percentile.

Energy 80 for the 1981-82 School Year. [Student Handbook].

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Enterprise for Education, Santa Monica, CA.

Energy 80 is a booklet of energy topics for junior/high/middle school students. The topics are presented in 16 short sections (spreads). Topics include: energy forms; energy rules; solar energy; food energy; origin of fossil fuels; coal; oil and gas production and consumption; nuclear fission; renewable energy sources; history of United States…

The effects of the HEALTHY study intervention on middle school student dietary intakes

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Volpe Stella L

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The HEALTHY study was designed to respond to the alarming trends in increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in youth. The objective of this analysis was to examine the effects of the HEALTHY study on student self-reported dietary intakes (energy, macronutrients and grams consumed of selected food groups. Methods HEALTHY was a cluster-randomized study in 42 public middle schools. Students, n = 3908, self-reported dietary intake using the Block Kids Questionnaire. General linear mixed models were used to analyze differences in dietary intake at the end of the study between intervention and control schools. Results The reported average daily fruit consumption was 10% higher at the end of the study in the intervention schools than in the control schools (138 g or approximately 2 servings versus 122 g, respectively, p = 0.0016. The reported water intake was approximately 2 fluid ounces higher in the intervention schools than in the control (483 g versus 429 g respectively; p = 0.008. There were no significant differences between intervention and control for mean intakes of energy, macronutrients, fiber, grains, vegetables, legumes, sweets, sweetened beverages, and higher- or lower-fat milk consumption. Conclusion The HEALTHY study, a five-semester middle school-based intervention program that integrated multiple components in nutrition, physical education, behavior change, and social marketing-based communications, resulted in significant changes to student's reported fruit and water intake. Subsequent interventions need to go beyond the school environment to change diet behaviors that may affect weight status of children. Clinical Trials Registration NCT00458029

Socio-Demographic Differences in Energy Drink Consumption and Reasons for Consumption among US College Students

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Poulos, Natalie S.; Pasch, Keryn E.

2016-01-01

Background: Energy drink consumption has become increasingly prevalent among US college students, yet little is known about current rates of consumption and reasons for consumption among current energy drink users, particularly differences related to gender and race/ethnicity. Objectives: To better understand energy drink consumption alone and…

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Special School Students with Mild Intellectual Disability in Hong Kong

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Mok, W. K.; Ling, T. K.

2015-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to predict the fruit and vegetable consumption intention of students with mild intellectual disability in Hong Kong by the application of Ajzen?s Theory of Planned Behaviour. Methods: 50 students with mild intellectual disability (30 male and 20 female), ranging in age from 15 to 38 years, were participated in this study. By means of face-to-face interviews, demographic data, Food Preference and variables of Theory of Planned Behaviour, such as Attitude, S...

Lunchtime School Water Availability and Water Consumption Among California Adolescents.

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Bogart, Laura M; Babey, Susan H; Patel, Anisha I; Wang, Pan; Schuster, Mark A

2016-01-01

To examine the potential impact of California SB 1413, which required school districts to provide free, fresh drinking water during mealtimes in food service areas by July 1, 2011, on greater water consumption among California adolescents. Data were drawn from the 2012 and 2013 state-representative California Health Interview Survey. A total of 2,665 adolescents aged 12-17 years were interviewed regarding their water consumption and availability of free water during lunchtime at their school. Three-fourths reported that their school provided free water at lunchtime, mainly via fountains. In a multivariate model that controlled for age, gender, income, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and school type, adolescents in schools that provided free water consumed significantly more water than adolescents who reported that water was not available, bivariate (standard error) = .67 (.28), p = .02. School water access did not significantly vary across the 2 years. Lunchtime school water availability was related to water consumption, but a quarter of adolescents reported that their school did not provide free water at lunch. Future research should explore what supports and inducements might facilitate provision of drinking water during school mealtimes. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Alcohol Consumption and Academic Retention in First-Year College Students

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Liguori, Gary; Lonbaken, Barb

2015-01-01

Objectives: This study attempted to identify relationships between alcohol consumption and first-to-second-year student retention among college students. Methods: 820 students in general education courses completed an online wellness assessment at four separate time points, including questions related to alcohol consumption. Data were analyzed…

Consumption of sugar-rich food products among Brazilian students:National School Health Survey (PeNSE 2012

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Nathália Luíza Ferreira

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study aimed to analyze the consumption of high-sugar foods by Brazilian schoolchildren and to identify associated factors, based on data from the National School Health Survey (PeNSE 2012. Consumption of these foods was classified as: do not consume sweets and soft drinks regularly; consume sweets or soft drinks regularly; and consume sweets and soft drinks regularly. Its association with sociodemographic information, eating habits, and family contexts were investigated via multiple ordinal regressions. Regular consumption of sweets and/or soft drinks was reported by 19.2% and 36.1% of adolescents, respectively, and higher prevalence was associated with female gender, age 14-15 years, higher maternal education, not living with the mother and father, not eating meals with the parents, eating while watching TV, and longer TV time. Nearly one-fifth of adolescents regularly consumed sweets and soft drinks, which was associated with socio-demographic and behavioral factors that should be targeted in order to improve their food consumption.

Impact of replacing regular chocolate milk with the reduced-sugar option on milk consumption in elementary schools in Saskatoon, Canada.

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Henry, Carol; Whiting, Susan J; Finch, Sarah L; Zello, Gordon A; Vatanparast, Hassan

2016-05-01

Excess sugar consumption in children has led to the removal of chocolate milk from some schools. Lower-sugar formulations, if accepted, would provide the benefits of milk consumption. In a cross-over trial, milk consumption was measured in 8 schools over 6 weeks in 2 phases: phase 1 provided standard 1% chocolate milk and plain 2% milk choices for the first 3 weeks, and phase 2 provided reduced-sugar 1% chocolate milk and plain 2% milk for the next 3 weeks. Milk selection and milk wasted were measured by sex and grade (1-8). Children chose chocolate milk more often than white milk in both phases (phase 1, 8.93% ± 0.75% vs. 0.87% ± 0.11% (p chocolate milk in phase 2 (p chocolate milk over plain milk even when a reduced-sugar formula was offered; however, switching to reduced-sugar chocolate milk led to a decrease in the number of students choosing milk. Longer-duration studies are required to determine if students would purchase reduced-sugar chocolate milk at the same rate as they would purchase regular chocolate milk.

Consumption of Energy Drinks among Undergraduate Students in Taiwan: Related Factors and Associations with Substance Use.

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Chang, Yen-Jung; Peng, Ching-Yi; Lan, Yu-Ching

2017-08-24

Background : This study aimed to investigate the consumption of energy drinks and associated factors among undergraduate students in Taiwan. Methods : Data came from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2015. Eligible participants completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing use and perceptions of energy drinks, tobacco, alcohol, and betel nut. Results : Among 606 surveyed undergraduate students, 24.8% reported consuming energy drinks in the past 30 days. The major reasons for use included keeping alert at work (48.7%), being curious about the products (32.0%), enjoying the flavor (31.3%), or preparing for school exams (26.7%). Among energy drink users, half have never read the nutrition label, and 15.3% reported that they had ever mixed energy drinks with alcohol. Most participants showed negative attitudes toward using tobacco, alcohol, or betel nut, while 54.1% reported positive attitudes toward consuming energy drinks. Being male, living away from parents' home, tobacco use, alcohol use, and positive perceptions of energy drink's effects significantly predicted energy drink consumption. Conclusions : In addition to exploring motivations of energy drink consumption in undergraduate students in Taiwan, the study findings indicated that energy drink consumption might relate to the use of tobacco and alcohol, which should be taken into account in substance use prevention programs.

Consumption of Energy Drinks among Undergraduate Students in Taiwan: Related Factors and Associations with Substance Use

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Yen-Jung Chang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: This study aimed to investigate the consumption of energy drinks and associated factors among undergraduate students in Taiwan. Methods: Data came from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2015. Eligible participants completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing use and perceptions of energy drinks, tobacco, alcohol, and betel nut. Results: Among 606 surveyed undergraduate students, 24.8% reported consuming energy drinks in the past 30 days. The major reasons for use included keeping alert at work (48.7%, being curious about the products (32.0%, enjoying the flavor (31.3%, or preparing for school exams (26.7%. Among energy drink users, half have never read the nutrition label, and 15.3% reported that they had ever mixed energy drinks with alcohol. Most participants showed negative attitudes toward using tobacco, alcohol, or betel nut, while 54.1% reported positive attitudes toward consuming energy drinks. Being male, living away from parents’ home, tobacco use, alcohol use, and positive perceptions of energy drink’s effects significantly predicted energy drink consumption. Conclusions: In addition to exploring motivations of energy drink consumption in undergraduate students in Taiwan, the study findings indicated that energy drink consumption might relate to the use of tobacco and alcohol, which should be taken into account in substance use prevention programs.

The social environment of schools and adolescent nutrition: associations between the school nutrition climate and adolescents' eating behaviors and body mass index.

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Cvjetan, Branko; Utter, Jennifer; Robinson, Elizabeth; Denny, Simon

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the association between the school nutrition climate and students' eating behaviors and body mass index (BMI). Data were collected as part of Youth'07, a nationally representative health survey of high school students in New Zealand. Overall, 9107 randomly selected students from 96 randomly selected schools participated. School-level measures were created by aggregating students' reports within schools. Analyses were conducted using multilevel modeling, accounting for student-level characteristics. There was a positive association between the school nutrition climate and students' consumption of fruits and vegetables. This relationship was statistically significant after controlling for the background characteristics of students. There were no associations between the school nutrition climate and students' junk food consumption or BMI. The school nutrition climate appears to have a positive influence on adolescents' healthy eating behaviors (fruit and vegetable intake), but a limited effect on unhealthy eating behaviors and ultimately body weight. This may reflect the pervasiveness of junk food in the environments of adolescents outside of school and the difficulty in limiting its consumption. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Effects of the School for Health network on students' behaviour in Asturias (Spain).

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García-Vázquez, Jose

2017-04-01

From 1995, Asturias participates in the European Network of Schools for Health (SHE); in 2010, the schools in net were 44 (11 of secondary school). This study evaluates the effect of SHE in secondary school students' behaviour. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with four public SHE and four non-SHE-schools; the study population consisted of the first- and fourth-year students. By questionnaire, data on socio-demographics, the school environment, well-being and behaviours were collected. In the intervention group (the SHE-schools), the percentage of students who declared that their school engaged in health activities was significantly higher. Among the first-year students, the percentages of children having breakfast daily, occasionally eating pastries and occasional consumption of soft drinks were significantly higher in the control group; among the fourth-year students, the percentages of children reporting high school satisfaction, good relations with teachers, good academic performance, no alcohol use, never having been drunk and collaboration in housework were significantly higher in the intervention group. Significant gender differences were observed among the first-year students in both groups with boys consuming more hours of electronic entertainment; among the fourth-year students, the perception of school performance was significantly better for girls, while weekly physical activity, daily breakfast and high self-esteem were more prevalent among the boys. The results suggest a positive effect of the SHE programme, because differences among the first-year students favouring the control group were not present among the fourth-year students, while the intervention group showed significantly better results in 6 of 25 compared outcome variables. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

State Policies Targeting Junk Food in Schools: Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Effect of Policy Change on Soda Consumption

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Stevens, June; Evenson, Kelly R.; Ward, Dianne S.; Poole, Charles; Maciejewski, Matthew L.; Murray, David M.; Brownson, Ross C.

2011-01-01

Objectives. We estimated the association between state policy changes and adolescent soda consumption and body mass index (BMI) percentile, overall and by race/ethnicity. Methods. We obtained data on whether states required or recommended that schools prohibit junk food in vending machines, snack bars, concession stands, and parties from the 2000 and 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study. We used linear mixed models to estimate the association between 2000–2006 policy changes and 2007 soda consumption and BMI percentile, as reported by 90 730 students in 33 states and the District of Columbia in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and to test for racial/ethnic differences in the associations. Results. Policy changes targeting concession stands were associated with 0.09 fewer servings of soda per day among students (95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.17, −0.01); the association was more pronounced among non-Hispanic Blacks (0.19 fewer servings per day). Policy changes targeting parties were associated with 0.07 fewer servings per day (95% CI = −0.13, 0.00). Policy changes were not associated with BMI percentile in any group. Conclusions. State policies targeting junk food in schools may reduce racial/ethnic disparities in adolescent soda consumption, but their impact appears to be too weak to reduce adolescent BMI percentile. PMID:21778484

Effectiveness of a Training Program based in PRECEDE Model on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Female Students

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Ali Khani Jeihooni

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background Fruit and vegetable consumption increases students' health and growth and strengthens their mental activities. The present study aimed to investigates a training program based on PRECEDE model on fruit and vegetable consumption by female students in high schools of Fasa, Iran. Materials and Methods This is a quasi –experimental study. The research sample includes 100 female high school students in Fasa city, Fars Province, Iran, who were randomly assigned to two groups of control (n=50 and experimental (n=50 groups. Data collection instrument was a questionnaire that included items on demographic characteristics and the PERCEDE model components (knowledge, attitude, enabling and reinforcing factors and performance. Educational intervention for the experimental group was carried out in four sessions which each lasting 55 to 60 minutes, and subjects were followed for 2 months. The questionnaires were administered to both groups before and 3 months after the intervention. The collected data was analyzed by SPSS version 18.0 statistical software. Results The average performance score of experimental and control groups regarding fruits and vegetables consumption was 15.15±2.44 and 14.96±2.12 (before the intervention and 28.22±2.22 and 16.1±11.32 (after the intervention. Mean scores of predisposing (knowledge and attitude, reinforcing, and enabling factors showed a significant difference in the experimental group in comparison the control group (P

[Trends in food consumption of university students].

Science.gov (United States)

De Piero, Alexia; Bassett, Natalia; Rossi, Analia; Sammán, Norma

2015-04-01

The university students need to consolidate good dietary habits based on an adequate selection of food, which is a factor of fundamental importance to maintain good health and prevent disease. to evaluate the food intake and diet profile of university students from Tucumán and its variation over time. Analyse if they accomplish current dietary recommendations. Data collection was carried out during the years 1998-1999 (G1) and 2012-2013 (G2); was performed by a self-survey and food frequency questionnaire of food consumption. It was applied to 329 university students selected randomly. The dietary pattern was described by frequency of usual consumption of principal food groups. Students were 25.2% male and 74.8% female, mean age 23 ± 3 years. In general, in both groups most of the students had a normal BMI, but had a high percentage of men with overweight (18.2%) and obesity (12.1%) and women with underweight (11.6%). According to the groups and sex analysis some significant statistically differences in macronutrient composition of the diet were observed: the G1 was higher carbohydrate intake than proteins and lipids; also differences in the intake of some micronutrients were found, with a higher intake of iron and less intake of vitamins B1, B2, niacin and C in G2. The diet was monotonous for both groups and with differences in the profile of nutrients. The most notable was the gradual increase consumption of sugary products, processed foods, snacks and decrease consumption of dairy, fish, fruits and vegetables in G2. In both groups, adequacy of dietary intake of the university students did not cover the recommendations of iron, calcium and vitamin A. Given the food profile observed in the student population, is warned the need to promote changes to prevent the development of obesity and cardiovascular disease in adulthood; it should be convenient to carrying out food and nutrition education. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All

Nutritional status and food consumption patterns of primary school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

South Africa is regarded as food secure; however, food insecurity and malnutrition are still affecting school-aged children residing mostly in rural areas. This paper reports the nutritional status and consumption patterns of school children from two purposively selected schools located in Orange Farm informal settlement.

Consumption Skill Acquisition in Ski Schools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Woermann, Niklas; Wieser, Verena

2016-01-01

Remedying the absence of a cultural theory of consumption skill acquisition, we use video data to explore how consumers learn in ski schools. We identify six modes of skill acquisition and theorize the interplay between the sensori-motor system, the conscious state of skillful coping...

JUNK FOOD CONSUMPTION PATTERN AND OBESITY AMONG SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN IN AN URBAN FIELD PRACTICE AREA: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

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Vidya

2015-03-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Junk food simply means an empty calorie food; it lacks in micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, or amino acids, and fibre but has high energy (calories. During school - age years, children begin to establish habits for eating and exercise that stick w ith them for their entire lives. If children establish healthy habits, their risk for developing many chronic diseases will be greatly decreased. The family, friends, schools, and community resources in a child’s environment reinforce lifestyle habits rega rding diet and activity. OBJECTIVES: To study the fast food consumptions pattern and fast food preferences among the school going children (9 - 13yrs and some of the determinants related to fast food consumption . STUDY SETTING: Department of Community Medic ine in an Urban field practice area of Rajarajeswari Medical College & Hospital, Bangalore. STUDY DESIGN: Cross - sectional study. STUDY DURATION: Three months duration ( Oct – Dec 2014. STUDY POPULATION: school students studying in V th standard to X th standar d. SAMPLE SIZE : The selected school had a strength of 200 students. Hence complete enumeration of the students was considered for this study. DATA COLLECTION : by using pre - structured questionnaire by interview method. The variables included were socio - demographic profile, measurement of height, weight and questions related to junk food consumption and its patterns. DATA ANALYSIS: using statistics software SPSS 20. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for anthropometric measurements. Test of significance for proportions was done by Chi - square test. RESULTS: Among 200 study subjects, 107 were male (53.5% and 93 females (46.5%. Majority of the students wer e in the age group of 12 - 15 years ( 66% and 9 - 11 years ( 34%. Snacks (41%, Fast food (25.50%, soft drinks (17.50% and candies (16% were the favourite junk foods among the study subjects. Taste and time factors, watching television while consuming

Student-teacher relationships matter for school inclusion: school belonging, disability, and school transitions.

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Crouch, Ronald; Keys, Christopher B; McMahon, Susan D

2014-01-01

For students with disabilities, the process of school inclusion often begins with a move from segregated settings into general education classrooms. School transitions can be stressful as students adjust to a new environment. This study examines the adjustment of 133 students with and without disabilities who moved from a school that served primarily students with disabilities into 23 public schools in a large urban school district in the Midwest. These students and 111 of their teachers and other school staff rated the degree that students felt they belonged in their new schools and the quality of their social interactions. Results show that students who experienced more positive and fewer negative social interactions with school staff had higher school belonging. Teachers accurately noted whether students felt they belonged in their new settings, but were not consistently able to identify student perceptions of negative social interactions with staff. Implications for inclusion and improving our educational system are explored.

Changes in beverage consumption among adolescents from public schools in the first decade of the century XXI.

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Monteiro, Luana Silva; Vasconcelos, Thaís Meirelles de; Veiga, Gloria Valéria da; Pereira, Rosângela Alves

2016-01-01

To evaluate the changes in beverage consumption among adolescents between 2003 and 2008. Two school-based cross-sectional studies were carried out with public school students (12 to 19 years-old) from Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Data from three food records were used to estimate daily, weekdays and weekend average consumption (volume and percent contribution for total daily energy intake) of milk and milk-based beverages, sugar sweetened beverages, fresh squeezed fruit juices, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Beverage consumption age-adjusted means for weekdays and weekends were compared using linear regression (Generalized Linear Models - GLM). A total of 433 adolescents were examined in 2003, and 510 in 2008. The prevalence of overweight was 17% in 2003 and 22% in 2008 (p > 0.05). Milk was the most consumed beverage, being reported by 89% of adolescents, followed by sodas (75%). In general, in the five-year period, there was an increase in the prevalence of consumption of alcoholic drinks, guarana syrup refreshment, and processed fruit drinks, especially on weekdays. The soft drink was the largest contributor to the total energy consumption, corresponding on average to 4% of daily energy intake. The main changes in the beverage consumption among adolescents from Niterói, in the first decade of the XXI century, were the tendency to reduce the consumption of milk and the increase in the consumption of processed and alcoholic beverages.

Breast Cancer Knowledge Among Male High School Students in Saudi Arabia.

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Al-Amoudi, Samia; AlHomied, Moaiad Tariq Abdul-Aziz; AlSayegh, Nasser Youssef Nasser; Radi, Osama Naseem Ismail; Zagzoog, Mohammed Majed Suliman; Aloufi, Omar Faisal Mubarak; Al-Harbi, Abdullah Abdulkarim Ali; Tayeb, Safwan; Hassanien, Mohammed; Al-Ahwal, Mahmoud; Eldeek, Basem; Harakeh, Steve

2016-12-01

Breast cancer (BC) accounts for 24 % of all women cancer cases diagnosed in Saudi Arabia each year. Awareness is extremely important in combating this disease. This study was undertaken to assess male high school students' response to BC. This cross-sectional survey was performed on male high school students across schools in Jeddah. A questionnaire gathered data on respondent demographics, beliefs about BC, BC risk factors, early screening methods, and role of men in BC. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 20. A total of 824 students participated, with an average age of 17.0 years. There was more than 50 % agreement that early detection of BC enhances the chances of recovery, that BC is treatable, and that clinical breast examination and breastfeeding provide protection from BC. Around half the survey population thought that BC was fatal and contagious. Fewer than 50 % thought that BC was inherited and related to smoking, consumption of contraceptive pills, repeated exposure to radiation, obesity, and wearing a bra and that breast tumors were all malignant and spread to different parts of the body. Others knew that mammograms should be performed periodically. A high percentage persuaded their relatives to have mammograms and provided them with psychological support. Knowledge of BC among male high school students in Saudi Arabia is still limited, and, therefore, programs and activities need to be established to increase awareness among high school students.

Smart Snacks in School Legislation Does Not Change Self-Reported Snack Food and Beverage Intake of Middle School Students in Rural Appalachian Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Georgianna; Hosig, Kathy; Zhang, Angang; Shen, Sumin; Serrano, Elena

To assess the effects of the national Smart Snacks in School standards, which include nutrient and ingredient limitations for school competitive foods and beverages effective July, 2014, on student intake in low-income rural Appalachian middle schools. Food-frequency questionnaires were administered to students before and after implementation. Multiple ordinal logistic regression models were conducted to examine effects from year of data collection, grade, and free or reduced price lunch participation rates. No significant changes were observed after implementation except a decrease in consumption of 1% or nonfat flavored milk at school. Smart Snacks in School standards did not result in significant dietary changes in this study. Longitudinal studies could evaluate long-term impacts of nutrition standards. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

College Student Perceptions on Campus Alcohol Policies and Consumption Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Brenda L.; Roberts, Katherine J.; Donnelly, Joseph W.; Rutledge, Imani N.

2011-01-01

Environmental strategies for colleges and universities to reduce alcohol consumption among their students include the development and enforcement of campus alcohol policies. This study examines students' knowledge and attitudes toward campus alcohol policies and how they relate to alcohol consumption and alcohol social norms. A sample of 422…

Does School Choice Improve Student Performance?

OpenAIRE

Kaja Høiseth Brugård

2013-01-01

This paper studies the relationship between school choice and student performance for high school students in Norway. The analysis exploits both the fact that the degree of school choice formally differs between counties, and detailed information on travelling distances to high schools, which more closely reflects the students' actual school choice possibilities. Information on students' residence, high school location, and the degree of formal school choice is used to estimate the effect on ...

Headache is associated with lower alcohol consumption among medical students

OpenAIRE

Domingues,Renan Barros; Domingues,Simone Aires

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between headache and alcohol consumption among medical students. 480 medical students were submitted to a questionnaire about headaches and drinking alcohol. Headache was assessed by ID-Migraine and functional disability was evaluated with MIDAS. The evaluation of alcohol consumption was assessed with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). There was significantly lower proportion of students with drinking problem among stude...

Student nurses as school nurse extenders.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossman, Carol L; Dood, Florence V; Squires, Darcy A

2012-12-01

The severe underuse of school nurses leaves students with unaddressed health needs that impact their safety and learning ability. An undergraduate pediatric clinical focusing on nursing students and the role of a school nurse in an elementary school setting can be a unique approach to combining the needs of school children and educating student nurses. One school of nursing created such a project to help address these needs and collect data on the activities student nurses performed in school nurse role and their impact on student health. This project serves as both a practice improvement project and an innovation in pediatric clinical education. The purposes of this project were to quantify baccalaureate nursing student activities related to the school nurse role and to evaluate the results that have the potential to impact on student health in an urban elementary school. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Consumption of licit and illicit drugs in students and the factors of protection and risk].

Science.gov (United States)

Duvicq, Carmen Gloria Fraile; Pereira, Náyade Riquelme; Carvalho, Ana Maria Pimenta

2004-01-01

The aims of the investigation were identify the population that consumes licit and illicit drugs among students of sixth primary, from municipal urban schools of Chiguayante, know the levels of risks and identify risks factors and protection. Descriptive, transversal, correlate study. The instrument applied to 301 students was the Dusy Abreviado. The variables were subjected to a statistic descriptive -- comparative analysis through the test of Chi -- Cuadrado de Pearson and ANOVA. There was 60% of the consumers of licit drugs, that began consumption between 8 and 11 years. The prevalence of use of tobacco and alcohol was 18.7% and 16.3% respectively. The 85% of men showed inclination to the consumption, from which 69% is between 11 and 12 years old. There are mainly abusers of licit drugs. The behaviours associated to the personal risk factor were the most relevant, the ones of protection were mainly associated with the micro-social protective factor. All subjects were submitted to different levels of risk.

[Validity and reproducibility of an Internet-based questionnaire (Web-CAAFE) to evaluate the food consumption of students aged 7 to 15 years].

Science.gov (United States)

Jesus, Gilmar Mercês de; Assis, Maria Alice Altenburg de; Kupek, Emil

2017-06-05

The study evaluated the validity and reproducibility of the food consumption section of the questionnaire Food Intake and Physical Activity of School Children (Web-CAAFE), an Internet-based software for the qualitative measurement of food consumption by recalling the previous day. A total of 390 students in grades 2 to 5 (7 to 15 years) of a semi-integral public school participated in the study. The validity was tested by comparing the report in the Web-CAAFE and the direct observation of food consumed in the school in the previous day. The reproducibility was evaluated in a sub-sample of 92 schoolchildren, by comparing repeated reports in the Web-CAAFE on the same day. Probabilities of accuracy in the Web-CAAFE report in relation to the observation (matches, omissions and intrusions and respective 95% confidence intervals) among seven food groups were estimated through multinomial logistic regression. The average for the match rate was 81.4% (variation: 62% sweets and 98% beans); for the omission rate was 16.2% (variation between 2.1% dairy products and 28.5% sweets); for the intrusion rate was 7.1% (variation between 1.3% beans and 13.8% cereals). Sweets, cereals and processed foods, snack foods and fried foods simultaneously exhibited higher rates of omission and intrusion. Students 10 years of age or older had lower probabilities of intruding food items. There were no significant variations in the accuracy of the report between repeated measures. The Web-CAAFE was a valid and reliable instrument for the evaluation of food consumption, when applied to students in grades 2 to 5 of public schools.

Students "Hacking" School Computer Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Stover, Del

2005-01-01

This article deals with students hacking school computer systems. School districts are getting tough with students "hacking" into school computers to change grades, poke through files, or just pit their high-tech skills against district security. Dozens of students have been prosecuted recently under state laws on identity theft and unauthorized…

School Libraries and Student Learning: A Guide for School Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Rebecca J.

2015-01-01

Innovative, well-designed school library programs can be critical resources for helping students meet high standards of college and career readiness. In "School Libraries and Student Learning", Rebecca J. Morris shows how school leaders can make the most of their school libraries to support ambitious student learning. She offers…

Increasing portion sizes of fruits and vegetables in an elementary school lunch program can increase fruit and vegetable consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Nicole; Reicks, Marla; Redden, Joseph P; Mann, Traci; Mykerezi, Elton; Vickers, Zata

2015-08-01

Increasing portion size can increase children's consumption of food. The goal of this study was to determine whether increasing the portion sizes of fruits and vegetables in an elementary school cafeteria environment would increase children's consumption of them. We measured each child's consumption of the fruit and vegetables served in a cafeteria line on a control day (normal cafeteria procedures) and on two intervention days. When we increased the portion size of 3 of the 4 fruits and vegetables by about 50%, children who took those foods increased their consumption of them. Although this was an effective strategy for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among students who took those foods, many children chose not to take any fruits or vegetables. Further efforts are needed to increase children's selection and consumption of fruits and vegetables in an environment of competing foods of higher palatability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumo de energia e macronutrientes por adolescentes de escolas públicas e privadas Energy and macronutrients consumption by adolescents from public private schools

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Ileana Mourão KAZAPI

2001-01-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a adequação do consumo de energia e macronutrientes em adolescentes de escolas públicas (EPU e privadas (EPR do município de Florianópolis, SC. A amostra constou de 797 estudantes: 466 (228 meninas e 238 meninos de EPU e 331 (175 meninas e 156 meninos de EPR. Os dados foram obtidos através do método recordatório de 24 horas. Observou-se que aproximadamente 50% dos adolescentes apresentaram consumo energético insuficiente e mais da metade tiveram um consumo adequado de carboidratos. Entre os adolescentes do sexo masculino que apresentaram alto consumo de carboidratos, houve maior prevalência na rede pública (12,6% EPU e 3,8% EPR. Mais da metade dos estudantes apresentaram alto consumo de proteínas (54,3% EPU e 58,9% EPR, havendo maior prevalência entre os de sexo masculino (61,7% masculino e 50,6% feminino. Apenas 30,5% dos estudantes das EPU e 36,5% das EPR apresentaram consumo adequado de lipídios; ressalta-se o elevado percentual de adolescentes com alto consumo deste nutriente (33,9% EPU e 39,0% EPR. Entre os estudantes que apresentaram baixo consumo de lipídios, houve maior prevalência dos adolescentes do sexo masculino (35,3% masculino e 26,8% feminino, estudantes da EPU (41,6% EPU e 25,6% EPR. Pode-se concluir que o padrão alimentar apresentado por estes adolescentes pode estar associado a riscos para a saúde na vida adulta.The aim of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of energy and macronutrients consumption in adolescent students from public (EPU and private schools (EPR of Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina. The sample consisted of 797 students: 466 (228 female and 238 male from public schools and 331 (175 female and 156 male from private schools. The informations were obtained using the 24-hour recall method. It was observed that around 50% of the adolescents presented insufficient energy intake and more than 50% of them had adequate consumption of carbohydrates. The

Effectiveness of waste prevention program in primary students' schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Zorpas, Antonis A; Voukkali, Irene; Loizia, Pantelitsa

2017-06-01

Even though reducing waste is at the top of the waste hierarchy, no real decoupling between waste generation and consumption has been demonstrated. Several waste directives had been published from EU, but they have only brought minor changes within the key objective of reducing waste generation. Most efforts have been targeted towards greater amounts of recycling and better management of waste disposal. While these are necessary and socially beneficial goals, they are not adequate for the achievement of long-term sustainability goals. The purpose of this study is to understand students' knowledge, attitudes and behavioural changes in relation to the water plastic bottle of 500 ml. Understanding waste prevention behaviour (WPB) could enable schools' principals, local authorities and committees as well as decision makers to design and implement more effective policies for reducing the amount of specific waste streams that is generated. Students in a daily base bring their own water containers of 500 ml or buy water from the school as they do not feel safe to use other sources of water. Nine hundred ninety-eight refilling stainless steel water refilling bottles (SSWRB-of 600 ml) were shared to the students in four primary schools. The results indicated that the students are presented with different behaviours from class to class for many reasons; most of them are related with what their parents believe, and how themselves or the synergies between them reacts and affected.

A Comparison on the Consumption of Cultural Goods among University Students

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Ziba Batvandi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The consumption of culture and cultural goods can be defined as an economic and political activity. The activity in its pure and creative form can lead to the creation of culture. Based on the new developments in the world, the role of the university and the student has changed. In these new roles, cultural element is very important. In other words, cultural consumption and lifestyle are based on the students’ cultural life and promote them to a level that can play the expected role. This study aimed to compare the amount and type of cultural goods consumption in Marine Science and Technology University students, by taking three variables into account: gender, field of study and location. These findings could lead to cultural politics and communications in such a way that provide proper distribution of cultural products and cultural knowledge of students based on personal consumption data and regard necessary measures in the field of distribution of goods between different groups of students to create more opportunities to students that they are interested in. The results suggest a significant difference among students regarding academic, cultural, and social life. This study depicts these differences.

Fast Food Consumption Pattern and Its Association with Overweight Among High School Boys in Mangalore City of Southern India.

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Joseph, Nitin; Nelliyanil, Maria; Rai, Sharada; Y P, Raghavendra Babu; Kotian, Shashidhar M; Ghosh, Tanima; Singh, Manisha

2015-05-01

Fast foods are quite popular among children owing to taste, appearance and hype created by mass media. However, the increased incidence of lifestyle disorders seen now-a-days at an early age could be attributed to fast foods. This study was done to assess the awareness of health hazards, consumption pattern of fast foods and to find out its association with overweight among high school students. This cross-sectional study was done among boys of 3 private schools in Mangalore city in March 2012. Data was collected using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square test, one-way ANOVA and binary logistic regression analysis was used for analysis. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant association. Mean age of boys was 13.5±0.9 years. Out of 300 participants, 41(13.7%) were overweight and 8 (2.7%) were obese. 292(97.3%) were fast food users of which 42(14.4%) consumed it every day. Majority of participants were introduced to fast foods through television commercials 193(64.3%). 73(57%) developed this habit as they were bored with home food. Awareness of harmful effects of fast food consumption was known to 186(62%) students and this was found to be associated with the perceived need to control its usage (pconsumption of fast foods was found to influence fast food consumption among children (p=0.024). As many as 68(22.7%) and 206(68.7%) children were not eating vegetables and fruits respectively every day. Increased frequency of fast food consumption in a week was found to be associated with overweight or obesity among children after adjusting the effects of confounders (p=0.003). Awareness on health hazards of fast foods needs to be taught at schools so as to minimize its consumption. Parents have to set an example themselves by not eating fast foods and improving home food to support discouragement of fast foods. This would minimize life style disorders among children to a greater extent.

Evaluating the performance of unhealthy junk food consumption based on health belief model in elementary school girls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azam Fathi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background and objective: Nowadays, due to changes in eating patterns, the worthless junk foods are replaced useful food among children. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of unhealthy junk food consumption based on health belief model in elementary school girls Methods: Cross-sectional study Descriptive-analytic type of multi-stage sampling (208 samples was carried out in 2016. The survey instrument was a questionnaire valid and reliable based on the Health Belief Model (70 items. Data was analyzed by SPSS software according to statistical tests of significance level of 0.05. Results: Results showed that students of sensitivity (49% and relatively high efficacy (53/8%, perceived benefits (73/1% and better social protection (68/3% had. The results showed that among all the health belief model structures with yield (junk food intake significantly correlated. Also significant differences in parental education and sensitivity, perceived severity, self-efficacy, social support and yield (p<0/05. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that students from relatively favorable sensitivity and self-efficacy, perceived benefits and social protection in the field of unhealthy snacks were good. Also a significant relationship between structural and non-use study results showed unhealthy snacks but because of the importance of unhealthy snacks and unhealthy snack consumption among school children and the complications of the health belief model in predicting nutritional behaviors suggest that this model used as a framework for school feeding programs. Paper Type: Research Article.

Breakfast and Other Meal Consumption in Adolescents from Southern Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Ostachowska-Gasior, Agnieszka; Piwowar, Monika; Kwiatkowski, Jacek; Kasperczyk, Janusz; Skop-Lewandowska, Agata

2016-04-28

The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of breakfast and other meal consumption by adolescents and to assess the relationship between the first and the last meal consumption and sex, body mass index (BMI), and middle school and high school students' education level. The study was conducted in 2013-2014 among 3009 students (1658 girls and 1351 boys) from middle s and high schools in Krakow and Silesia (Poland). The data was obtained from questionnaires that were analyzed with a logistic regression model for measurable and dichotomous variables. Breakfast consumers were seen to eat other meals (second breakfast, lunch, dessert, supper) significantly more often than breakfast skippers. The main meal consumption habits depend on sex and change as adolescents age. Being a girl and a high school student predisposed participants to skip breakfast and supper more often. The BMI of breakfast consumers does not differ significantly from the BMI of breakfast skippers, so BMI might thus not be a sufficient marker of breakfast consumption regularity and dietary habits in an adolescent group. The importance of regularly eaten meals, especially breakfast, together with adequate daily dietary energy intake are beneficial for physical and psychological development and cannot be overestimated in nutritional education and it is necessary to promote healthy eating behavior for well-being in later adult life.

[Use of social marketing to increase water consumption among school-age children in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Carriedo, Ángela; Bonvecchio, Anabelle; López, Nancy; Morales, Maricruz; Mena, Carmen; Théodore, Florence L; Irizarry, Laura

2013-01-01

To increase water consumption in school children in Mexico City through a social marketing intervention. Cluster quasi-experimental design. Intervention of three months in schools, including water provision and designed based on social marketing. Reported changes in attitude, knowledge and behavior were compared pre and post intervention. Children of the intervention group (n=116) increased in 38% (171 ml) water consumption during school time, control group (n=167) decreased its consumption in 21% (140 ml) (pwater consumption among children, strategy that might contribute to mitigate childhood obesity.

Pattern of beverage intake and milk and dairy products sufficiency among high-school students in Kuwait.

Science.gov (United States)

Nassar, M F; AbdelKader, A M; Al-Refaee, F A; Al-Dhafiri, S S

2014-12-17

High consumption of soft drinks has been associated with lower intakes of milk and calcium-rich foods and higher body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to explore the pattern of beverage intake among Kuwaiti high-school students. A questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning beverages and milk and dairy products intake was completed by 190 Kuwaiti students aged 16-18 years and BMI was calculated for 181 of them. Intake of sweetened carbonated beverages and to a lesser extent packaged fruit juices affected the sufficiency of milk and dairy products intake among the sample of high-school students in Kuwait. Although BMI was not related to milk and dairy insufficiency, more of the overweight and obese students displayed incorrect practices. Nutritional education of high-school students on the importance of milk and dairy products as well as the hazards of excess sweetened carbonated beverages and packaged juice is recommended to prevent the obesity epidemic prevailing in Kuwait.

Prevalence and profile of alcohol consumption among university students in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruisoto, Pablo; Cacho, Raúl; López-Goñi, José J; Vaca, Silvia; Jiménez, Marco

2016-01-01

Alcohol consumption is one of the main health and social problems in Ecuador. The aim of this study was to explore gender differences in the prevalence and psychosocial profile of problematic consumers among university students. We surveyed 3,232 students by using the AUDIT and psychosocial scales. To discriminate the explanatory value of each variable, a CHAID segmentation analysis was used. The prevalence of alcohol consumption was 92.24% in men and 82.86% in women. In total, 49.73% of men and 23.80% of women reported problematic consumption. In men, the profile of problematic consumption was defined by higher scores in anxiety and depression, especially if they showed higher levels of psychological stress and lower life engagement. In women, problematic consumption showed a tendency towards psychological inflexibility, especially in those with lower life engagement. There is a need to prioritise attention to alcohol consumption in university students and to design different interventions for men and women. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and Correlates of Missing Meals Among High School Students-United States, 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Demissie, Zewditu; Eaton, Danice K; Lowry, Richard; Nihiser, Allison J; Foltz, Jennifer L

2018-01-01

To determine the prevalence and correlates of missing meals among adolescents. The 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study, a cross-sectional study. School based. A nationally representative sample of 11 429 high school students. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner consumption; demographics; measured and perceived weight status; physical activity and sedentary behaviors; and fruit, vegetable, milk, sugar-sweetened beverage, and fast-food intake. Prevalence estimates for missing breakfast, lunch, or dinner on ≥1 day during the past 7 days were calculated. Associations between demographics and missing meals were tested. Associations of lifestyle and dietary behaviors with missing meals were examined using logistic regression controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade. In 2010, 63.1% of students missed breakfast, 38.2% missed lunch, and 23.3% missed dinner; the prevalence was highest among female and non-Hispanic black students. Being overweight/obese, perceiving oneself to be overweight, and video game/computer use were associated with increased risk of missing meals. Physical activity behaviors were associated with reduced risk of missing meals. Students who missed breakfast were less likely to eat fruits and vegetables and more likely to consume sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food. Breakfast was the most frequently missed meal, and missing breakfast was associated with the greatest number of less healthy dietary practices. Intervention and education efforts might prioritize breakfast consumption.

Computer Profile of School Facilities Energy Consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Oswalt, Felix E.

This document outlines a computerized management tool designed to enable building managers to identify energy consumption as related to types and uses of school facilities for the purpose of evaluating and managing the operation, maintenance, modification, and planning of new facilities. Specifically, it is expected that the statistics generated…

Lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms among elementary school students and junior high school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Isshiki, Yuriko; Morimoto, Kanehisa

2004-05-01

To examine the relationship between lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms in children, we conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey of elementary school students and junior high school students in Japan. We designed an original questionnaire to investigate the lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms of children. In 1997, responses to the questionnaires were elicited from public elementary school fourth grade students (then aged 9-10) and public junior high school seventh grade students (then aged 12-13). The survey was repeated annually for three years as the students advanced through school. For both boys and girls, each cross-sectional analysis revealed a strong relationship between lifestyle behaviors and psychosomatic symptoms. Psychosomatic, symptoms scores varied according to daily hours of sleep, eating of breakfast, having strong likes and dislikes of food, bowel habits, and daily hours of television watching. Both boys and girls with "good" lifestyle, behaviors evaluated by the HPI (Health Practice Index) showed lower scores for psychosomatic symptoms. These findings show that the lifestyle behaviors of children are significantly associated with psychosomatic symptoms and suggest that poor lifestyle behaviors are likely to increase physical and psychological health risks.

Mathematic Achievement of Canadian Private School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Cadigan, Francoise Jane; Wei, Yichun; Clifton, Rodney A.

2013-01-01

Very little Canadian research has examined the academic achievement of private school students. Data from The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 were used to examine the achievement of private school students. The study found that private school students outperformed their public school peers. In addition, the students'…

School climate: perceptual differences between students, parents, and school staff

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsey, Christine M.; Spira, Adam P.; Parisi, Jeanine M.; Rebok, George W.

2016-01-01

Research suggests that school climate can have a great impact on student, teacher, and school outcomes. However, it is often assessed as a summary measure, without taking into account multiple perspectives (student, teacher, parent) or examining subdimensions within the broader construct. In this study, we assessed school climate from the perspective of students, staff, and parents within a large, urban school district using multilevel modeling techniques to examine within- and between-school variance. After adjusting for school-level demographic characteristics, students reported worse perceptions of safety and connectedness compared to both parent and staff ratings (all p climate ratings within a school. Understanding how perceptions differ between informants can inform interventions to improve perceptions and prevent adverse outcomes. PMID:28642631

Cannabis use among middle and high school students in Ontario: a school-based cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Hamilton, Hayley A.; LeBlanc, Allana G.; Chaput, Jean-Philippe

2018-01-01

Background: Cannabis use can have serious detrimental effects in children and adolescents. It is therefore important to continually assess the use of cannabis among young people in order to inform prevention efforts. We assessed the prevalence of cannabis use among middle and high school students in Ontario and examined its association with demographic and behavioural factors. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province-wide school-based survey of students in grades 7 through 12. Analyses included a representative sample of 9920 middle and high school students. Bivariate cross-tabulations and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the factors associated with cannabis use. Results: Overall, 21.5% and 13.9% of students reported using cannabis in the previous year and previous month, respectively. The conditional probability that an adolescent who reported cannabis use in the previous year would report daily use was 12.5%. There was a significant dose-response gradient with age, with older students being more likely to use cannabis than younger students. In multivariable analyses, being in grades 10 through 12 (odds ratios [ORs] ranged from 3.71 to 3.85), being black (OR 2.67 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.76-4.05]), using tobacco cigarettes (OR 10.10 [95% CI 8.68-13.92]) and being an occasional (OR 5.35 [95% CI 4.01-7.13]) or regular (OR 14.6 [95% CI 10.8-19.89]) alcohol user were associated with greater odds of cannabis use. Being an immigrant was associated with lower odds of cannabis use (OR 0.55 [95% CI 0.39-0.78]). Interpretation: The findings suggest that cannabis use is prevalent among middle and high school students in Ontario and is strongly associated with tobacco cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. Future research should document trends in cannabis use over time, including its risks, especially when the legalization of recreational cannabis comes into effect. PMID:29367264

Variation in obesity among American secondary school students by school and school characteristics.

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O'Malley, Patrick M; Johnston, Lloyd D; Delva, Jorge; Bachman, Jerald G; Schulenberg, John E

2007-10-01

Body mass index (BMI) is known to vary by individual characteristics, but little is known about whether BMI varies by school and by school characteristics. Nationally representative samples of United States schools and students are used to determine the extent to which BMI and percent of students at or above the 85th percentile of BMI vary by school and by school characteristics. Data from the 1991-2004 Monitoring the Future (MTF) study were analyzed in 2006 and 2007. A relatively small proportion of variance in BMI lies between schools; intraclass correlations are on the order of 3%. Still, this is sufficient variation to provide very different environments for students attending schools that are low versus high in average BMI. There is some modest variation by school type (public, Catholic private, non-Catholic private); school size (number of students in the sampled grade); region of the country; and population density. There is more variation as a function of school socioeconomic status (SES) and racial/ethnic composition of the school. School SES in particular was negatively associated with BMI levels, even after controlling individual-level SES and racial/ethnic status. The residual differences in BMI by school suggest that some characteristic of the school and/or community environment--perhaps cultural factors or peer role modeling or differences in school food, beverage, or physical education policies--facilitate obesity in schools with a high concentration of lower socioeconomic students, beyond individual-level factors.

Study of the Effects on Student Knowledge and Perceptions of Activities Related to Submetering the 6th Grade Wing of a Middle School, to Displaying the Carbon Footprint, and to Efforts to Reduce Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gases

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Peck, Rick

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects upon student knowledge and perceptions regarding greenhouse gas emissions as a result of an intervention relying upon the submetering the 6th grade wing of a Middle School, displaying the information regarding electrical consumption and carbon footprint, and reducing the electrical consumption…

A Six-Year Longitudinal Study of Consumption of Pornographic Materials in Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong.

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Shek, Daniel T L; Ma, Cecilia M S

2016-02-01

Using longitudinal data collected over 6 years, consumption of pornographic materials in adolescents in Hong Kong and the related demographic and psychosocial correlates were examined in this study. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A longitudinal research design with 6 waves of data was used to examine consumption of pornographic materials in high school students. A total of 3291 high school students from 28 schools responded to the questionnaire at wave 1. Consumption of online pornography was higher than traditional pornography. There was an increase in consumption of pornographic materials in the high school years. Gender, family functioning, and positive youth development were related to the initial status of pornography consumption. Besides, gender, family intactness and positive youth development predicted rates of change in consumption of pornographic material over time. The present findings showed that gender, family functioning, and positive youth development are significant predictors for pornography consumption in Chinese adolescents. Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy drinks, soft drinks, and substance use among US secondary school students

Science.gov (United States)

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M.; O’Malley, Patrick M.; Johnston, Lloyd D.

2014-01-01

Objectives Examine energy drink/shot and regular and diet soft drink use among US 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 wide-spread, 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. PMID:24481080

Students' beliefs and behaviour regarding low-calorie beverages, sweets or snacks: are they affected by lessons on healthy food and by changes to school vending machines?

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Kocken, Paul L; van Kesteren, Nicole M C; Buijs, Goof; Snel, Jeltje; Dusseldorp, Elise

2015-06-01

To study the effects of school lessons about healthy food on adolescents' self-reported beliefs and behaviour regarding the purchase and consumption of soft drinks, water and extra foods, including sweets and snacks. The lessons were combined with the introduction of lower-calorie foods, food labelling and price reductions in school vending machines. A cluster-randomized controlled design was used to allocate schools to an experimental group (i.e. lessons and changes to school vending machines) and a control group (i.e. 'care as usual'). Questionnaires were used pre-test and post-test to assess students' self-reported purchase of extra products and their knowledge and beliefs regarding the consumption of low-calorie products. Secondary schools in the Netherlands. Twelve schools participated in the experimental group (303 students) and fourteen in the control group (311 students). The students' mean age was 13.6 years, 71.5% were of native Dutch origin and mean BMI was 18.9 kg/m(2). At post-test, the experimental group knew significantly more about healthy food than the control group. Fewer students in the experimental group (43%) than in the control group (56%) reported bringing soft drinks from home. There was no significant effect on attitude, social norm, perceived behavioural control and intention regarding the consumption of low-calorie extra products. The intervention had limited effects on students' knowledge and self-reported behaviour, and no effect on their beliefs regarding low-calorie beverages, sweets or snacks. We recommend a combined educational and environmental intervention of longer duration and engaging parents. More research into the effects of such interventions is needed.

Smoking Prevalence Among Mugla School of Health Sciences Students and Causes of Leading Increase in Smoking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Metin Picakciefe

2007-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the smoking prevalence among Mugla School of Health Sciences students, to determine the effects the increasing causes of smoking and their education about adverse health outcome of smoking. A cross-sectional study was performed among Mugla School of Health Sciences students in Mugla University. All students (417 in Mugla School of Health Sciences included in the study. The participation rates was 85.1%. Data were obtained by the self-administered questionnaire without teachers in classes. SPSS 11.0 was used for data analysis, and the differentiation was assessed by Chi-square analysis. P < 0.05 was accepted statistically significant. The prevalence of current smokers was 25.3% among students in Mugla School of Health Sciences. The students stated that the most important factor of smoking initiation was stress (59.2%. The univariable analysis showed that the friends’ smoking (p: 0.000 , having knowledge about smoking habits of teachers (p: 0.020 , alcohol consumption (p: 0.000, and other smokers out of parent in the home (p: 0.000 was significantly associated with increasing rate of smoking prevalence. The smoking prevalence was quite high (25.3% among Mugla School of Health Sciences students in Mugla University. It is needed to decreasing smoking prevalence among students that antismoking education should be reevaluated, that antismoking campaign should be administered in schools. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2007; 6(4.000: 267-272

Smoking Prevention for Students: Findings From a Three-Year Program of Integrated Harm Minimization School Drug Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Midford, Richard; Cahill, Helen; Lester, Leanne; Foxcroft, David R; Ramsden, Robyn; Venning, Lynne

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of the Drug Education in Victorian Schools (DEVS) program on tobacco smoking. The program taught about licit and illicit drugs in an integrated manner over 2 years, with follow up in the third year. It focused on minimizing harm, rather than achieving abstinence, and employed participatory, critical-thinking and skill-based teaching methods. A cluster-randomized, controlled trial of the program was conducted with a student cohort during years 8 (13 years), 9 (14 years), and 10 (15 years). Twenty-one schools were randomly allocated to the DEVS program (14 schools, n = 1163), or their usual drug education program (7 schools, n = 589). One intervention school withdrew in year two. There was a greater increase in the intervention students' knowledge about drugs, including tobacco, in all 3 years. Intervention students talked more with their parents about smoking at the end of the 3-year program. They recalled receiving more education on smoking in all 3 years. Their consumption of cigarettes had not increased to the same extent as controls at the end of the program. Their change in smoking harms, relative to controls, was positive in all 3 years. There was no difference between groups in the proportionate increase of smokers, or in attitudes towards smoking, at any time. These findings indicate that a school program that teaches about all drugs in an integrated fashion, and focuses on minimizing harm, does not increase initiation into smoking, while providing strategies for reducing consumption and harm to those who choose to smoke.

Students' Attitudes to Paper Consumption in relation to Carbon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mubanga Kapuka, Riverine Zambia Limited; Overson Shumba, School of ... Keywords: Climate change, paper consumption, education for sustainable ..... International Conference on Future Computational Technologies, Singapore. Buis, A.

Working While in Middle School: Student Perceptions of School Climate & Connectedness

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Sabrena

2016-01-01

Does working during the school year result in lowered perceptions of school climate and connectedness for middle school students? According to outcomes from a Rocky Mountain Region School District's (RMRSD) school climate survey, 20% of their middle school student population works during the school year. Existing literature on youth employment…

The Association between Health Behaviours and Academic Performance in Canadian Elementary School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D; Kirk, Sara F L; Kuhle, Stefan

2015-11-20

Establishing early healthy eating and physical activity behaviours is critical in supporting children's long-term health and well-being. The objective of the current paper was to examine the association between health behaviours and academic performance in elementary school students in a school board in Nova Scotia, Canada. Our population-based study included students in grades 4-6 across 18 schools in a rural school board. Diet and physical activity were assessed through validated instruments. Academic performance measures were obtained from the school board for Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA). Associations between health behaviours and academic performance were assessed using multilevel logistic regression. Students with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours were more likely to have poor academic performance for both ELA and Mathematics compared to students with healthy lifestyle behaviours; associations were statistically significant for diet quality, physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption for ELA; and breakfast skipping, not being physically active at morning recess, and not being physically active after school for Mathematics. The effects of diet and physical activity were independent of each other and there was no interaction between the two exposures. Our findings suggest that support for healthy behaviours may help to improve academic outcomes of students.

The Association between Health Behaviours and Academic Performance in Canadian Elementary School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Science.gov (United States)

McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D.; Kirk, Sara F. L.; Kuhle, Stefan

2015-01-01

Background: Establishing early healthy eating and physical activity behaviours is critical in supporting children’s long-term health and well-being. The objective of the current paper was to examine the association between health behaviours and academic performance in elementary school students in a school board in Nova Scotia, Canada. Methods: Our population-based study included students in grades 4–6 across 18 schools in a rural school board. Diet and physical activity were assessed through validated instruments. Academic performance measures were obtained from the school board for Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA). Associations between health behaviours and academic performance were assessed using multilevel logistic regression. Results: Students with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours were more likely to have poor academic performance for both ELA and Mathematics compared to students with healthy lifestyle behaviours; associations were statistically significant for diet quality, physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption for ELA; and breakfast skipping, not being physically active at morning recess, and not being physically active after school for Mathematics. The effects of diet and physical activity were independent of each other and there was no interaction between the two exposures. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that support for healthy behaviours may help to improve academic outcomes of students. PMID:26610537

The Association between Health Behaviours and Academic Performance in Canadian Elementary School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessie-Lee D. McIsaac

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Establishing early healthy eating and physical activity behaviours is critical in supporting children’s long-term health and well-being. The objective of the current paper was to examine the association between health behaviours and academic performance in elementary school students in a school board in Nova Scotia, Canada. Methods: Our population-based study included students in grades 4–6 across 18 schools in a rural school board. Diet and physical activity were assessed through validated instruments. Academic performance measures were obtained from the school board for Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA. Associations between health behaviours and academic performance were assessed using multilevel logistic regression. Results: Students with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours were more likely to have poor academic performance for both ELA and Mathematics compared to students with healthy lifestyle behaviours; associations were statistically significant for diet quality, physical activity, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption for ELA; and breakfast skipping, not being physically active at morning recess, and not being physically active after school for Mathematics. The effects of diet and physical activity were independent of each other and there was no interaction between the two exposures. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that support for healthy behaviours may help to improve academic outcomes of students.

Electricity consumption in school buildings - benchmark and web tools; Elforbrug i skoler - benchmark og webvaerktoej

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-07-01

The aim of this project has been to produce benchmarks for electricity consumption in Danish schools in order to encourage electricity conservation. An internet programme has been developed with the aim of facilitating schools' access to benchmarks and to evaluate energy consumption. The overall purpose is to create increased attention to the electricity consumption of each separate school by publishing benchmarks which take the schools' age and number of pupils as well as after school activities into account. Benchmarks can be used to make green accounts and work as markers in e.g. energy conservation campaigns, energy management and for educational purposes. The internet tool can be found on www.energiguiden.dk. (BA)

School superintendents' perceptions of schools assisting students in obtaining public health insurance.

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Rickard, Megan L; Price, James H; Telljohann, Susan K; Dake, Joseph A; Fink, Brian N

2011-12-01

Superintendents' perceptions regarding the effect of health insurance status on academics, the role schools should play in the process of obtaining health insurance, and the benefits/barriers to assisting students in enrolling in health insurance were surveyed. Superintendents' basic knowledge of health insurance, the link between health and learning, and specific school system practices for assisting students were also examined. A 4-page questionnaire was sent to a national random sample of public school superintendents using a 4-wave postal mailing. Only 19% of school districts assessed the health insurance status of students. School districts' assistance in helping enroll students in health insurance was assessed using Stages of Change theory; 36% of superintendents' school districts were in the action or maintenance stages. The schools most often made health insurance materials available to parents (53%). The perceived benefits identified by more than 80% of superintendents were to keep students healthier, reduce the number of students with untreated health problems, reduce school absenteeism, and improvement of students' attention/concentration during school. The 2 most common perceived barriers identified by at least 50% of superintendents were not having enough staff or financial resources. Most superintendents believed schools should play a role in helping students obtain health insurance, but the specific role was unclear. Three fourths of superintendents indicated overwhelmingly positive beliefs regarding the effects of health insurance status on students' health and academic outcomes. School personnel and public policy makers can use the results to support collaboration in getting students enrolled in health insurance. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Pattern of alcoholic beverage consumption and academic performance among college students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Silva de Aguiar Nemer

2013-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Alcoholic beverages are widely available in the university environment, particularly at the parties. There are few studies addressing the relationship between alcohol consumption and academic performance among college students. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the behavior of college students regarding the profile of alcohol consumption and its academic consequences. METHODS: The volunteers (343 students answered a questionnaire about their pattern of alcohol consumption and possible related behaviors, especially academic performance. Participants were classified as "non-drinkers" (ND, "non-binge drinkers" (nBD, "binge drinkers" (BD and "heavy drinkers" (HD. RESULTS: 88.1% of the students reported ingesting alcoholic beverages, 44% as BD. Most of the drinker students (75.5% - nBD, BD or HD stated getting intoxicated at least once a month. Binge drinking was the predominant pattern (66.2% of those who drank. HD students presented a risk 9.2 times higher of not being in the ideal period of the course. DISCUSSION: The college students evaluated presented high rates of alcohol abuse. Binge drinking might have interfered in their academic performance. Organic, social and behavioral consequences were also reported.

Examining the effect of gardening on vegetable consumption among youth in kindergarten through fifth grade.

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Wright, William; Rowell, Laura

2010-06-01

Funded by a grant from the makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings the objective of this study was to determine if the introduction of a school-wide gardening program would affect overall vegetable consumption among elementary school youth. The study's setting was Elmore Elementary, Green Bay, Wisconsin, 1 of 27 elementary schools in the Green Bay Area Public School District. The school's salad bar was used to measure changes in vegetable consumption during school lunch. School food service staff recorded the weight of vegetables selected from the salad bar. The daily total weight of vegetables selected from the salad bar was divided by the number of students purchasing lunch that day. The resulting factor (average grams per child) was charted to monitor changes in consumption. After approximately 10 weeks of data collection, a gardening program was introduced. Food service staff continued to record weights, allowing for a quantitative analysis of the group's consumption prior to, during, and postintervention. Selection of vegetables from the salad bar decreased (r = -.403) during the first 2 1/2 months of the study. During the intervention period, selection increased (r = .3940) and continued to show a slight rise postintervention (r = .2037). The negative trend in daily salad bar selection before intervention was reversed, and a steady increase per day was seen during the intervention period. This suggests that intervention helped increase consumption rates per student. Consumption continued to increase postintervention, although at a lesser rate than during intervention. The average daily value also showed a slight increase between intervention and postintervention. This suggests that gardening intervention lessons and activities were retained by the students after the lessons and activities were completed.

Determinants of the use of dietary supplements among secondary and high school students

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Gajda, Karolina; Zielińska, Monika; Ciecierska, Anna; Hamułka, Jadwiga

All over the world, including Poland, the sale of dietary supplements is increasing. More and more often, people including children and youths, use dietary supplements on their own initiative and without any medical indications or knowledge in this field. Analysis of the conditions of using the dietary supplements with vitamins and minerals among secondary school and high school students in Poland. The study included 396 students aged 13-18 years (249 girls and 147 boys). Authors’ questionnaire was used to evaluate the intake of dietary supplements. The use of cluster analysis allowed to distinguish groups of students with similar socio-demographic characteristics and the frequency of use of dietary supplements. In the studied population of students three clusters were created that significantly differed in socio-demographic characteristics. In cluster 1 and 2, were mostly students who used dietary supplements (respectively, 56% of respondents and 100%). In cluster 1 there were mostly students coming from rural areas and small city, with a worse financial situation, mainly boys (56%), while cluster 2 was dominated by girls (81%) living in a big city, coming from families with a good financial situation and who were more likely to be underweight (28.8%). In cluster 3 there were mostly older students (62%), not taking dietary supplements. In comparison to cluster 2, they had lower frequency of breakfast consumption (55% vs. 69%), but higher frequency of the consumption of soft drinks, fast-food, coffee as well as salt use at the table. The results show that the use of dietary supplements in adolescence is a common phenomenon and slightly conditioned by eating behaviors. This unfavorable habit of common dietary supplements intake observed among students indicates the need for education on the benefits and risks of the supplements usage.

Feasibility and reliability of digital imaging for estimating food selection and consumption from students' packed lunches.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Jennifer C; Sutter, Carolyn; Ontai, Lenna L; Nishina, Adrienne; Zidenberg-Cherr, Sheri

2018-01-01

Although increasing attention is placed on the quality of foods in children's packed lunches, few studies have examined the capacity of observational methods to reliably determine both what is selected and consumed from these lunches. The objective of this project was to assess the feasibility and inter-rater reliability of digital imaging for determining selection and consumption from students' packed lunches, by adapting approaches previously applied to school lunches. Study 1 assessed feasibility and reliability of data collection among a sample of packed lunches (n = 155), while Study 2 further examined reliability in a larger sample of packed (n = 386) as well as school (n = 583) lunches. Based on the results from Study 1, it was feasible to collect and code most items in packed lunch images; missing data were most commonly attributed to packaging that limited visibility of contents. Across both studies, there was satisfactory reliability for determining food types selected, quantities selected, and quantities consumed in the eight food categories examined (weighted kappa coefficients 0.68-0.97 for packed lunches, 0.74-0.97 for school lunches), with lowest reliability for estimating condiments and meats/meat alternatives in packed lunches. In extending methods predominately applied to school lunches, these findings demonstrate the capacity of digital imaging for the objective estimation of selection and consumption from both school and packed lunches. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Addressing Student Burnout: What Medical Schools Can Learn From Business Schools.

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Pathipati, Akhilesh S; Cassel, Christine K

2018-03-13

Although they enter school with enthusiasm for a career in medicine, medical students in the United States subsequently report high levels of burnout and disillusionment. As medical school leaders consider how to address this problem, they can look to business schools as one source of inspiration. In this Commentary, the authors argue-based on their collective experience in both medical and business education-that medical schools can draw three lessons from business schools that can help reinvigorate students. First, medical schools should offer more opportunities and dedicated time for creative work. Engaging with diverse challenges promotes intellectual curiosity and can help students maintain perspective. Second, schools should provide more explicit training in resiliency and the management of stressful situations. Many business programs include formal training in how to cope with conflict and how to make high-stakes decisions whereas medical students are typically expected to learn those skills on the job. Finally, medical schools should provide better guidance on practical career considerations like income, lifestyle, and financial skills. Whether in medicine or business, students benefit from open discussions about their personal and professional goals. Medical schools must ensure students have an outlet for those conversations.

Breakfast and Other Meal Consumption in Adolescents from Southern Poland

OpenAIRE

Ostachowska-Gasior, Agnieszka; Piwowar, Monika; Kwiatkowski, Jacek; Kasperczyk, Janusz; Skop-Lewandowska, Agata

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of breakfast and other meal consumption by adolescents and to assess the relationship between the first and the last meal consumption and sex, body mass index (BMI), and middle school and high school students’ education level. The study was conducted in 2013–2014 among 3009 students (1658 girls and 1351 boys) from middle s and high schools in Krakow and Silesia (Poland). The data was obtained from questionnaires that were analyzed with a logi...

Potential in-class strategies to increase children's vegetable consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, Gemma; Pettigrew, Simone; Wright, Shannon; Pratt, Iain S; Blane, Sally; Biagioni, Nicole

2017-06-01

The Crunch&Sip programme is a school-based nutrition initiative designed to increase the fruit, vegetable and water intakes of primary-school children. In recognition of the notable deficits in children's vegetable consumption, the present study explored the receptivity of school staff to a realignment of the Crunch&Sip programme to feature a primary focus on vegetable consumption. This involved investigating school staff members' perceptions of relevant barriers, motivators and facilitators. A multi-method approach was adopted that involved four focus groups and a survey (administered in paper and online formats) containing a mixture of open- and closed-ended items. Western Australia. Staff from Western Australian schools participated in the focus groups (n 37) and survey (n 620). School staff were strongly supportive of modifying the Crunch&Sip programme to focus primarily on children's vegetable consumption and this was generally considered to be a feasible change to implement. Possible barriers identified included children's taste preferences and a perceived lack of parental support. Suggested strategies to overcome these barriers were education sessions for parents and children, teachers modelling vegetable consumption for their students and integrating vegetable-related topics into the school curriculum. School staff are likely to support the introduction of school-based nutrition programmes that specifically encourage the consumption of vegetables. Potential barriers may be overcome through strategies to engage parents and children.

School-Related Assets and Youth Risk Behaviors: Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Aspy, Cheryl B.; Vesely, Sara K.; Oman, Roy F.; Tolma, Eleni; Rodine, Sharon; Marshall, LaDonna; Fluhr, Janene

2012-01-01

Background: Two risk behaviors, alcohol consumption and early initiation of sexual intercourse (ISI), can have devastating consequences for youth. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of school connectedness and school-related behaviors (eg, academic performance, skipping school, getting into trouble at school) with these 2…

Authoritative School Climate and High School Student Risk Behavior: A Cross-sectional Multi-level Analysis of Student Self-Reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornell, Dewey; Huang, Francis

2016-11-01

Many adolescents engage in risk behaviors such as substance use and aggression that jeopardize their healthy development. This study tested the hypothesis that an authoritative school climate characterized by strict but fair discipline and supportive teacher-student relationships is conducive to lower risk behavior for high school students. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to analyze cross-sectional, student-report survey data from a statewide sample of 47,888 students (50.6 % female) in 319 high schools. The students included ninth (26.6 %), tenth (25.5 %), eleventh (24.1 %) and twelfth (23.8 %) grade with a racial/ethnic breakdown of 52.2 % White, 18.0 % Black, 13.1 % Hispanic, 5.9 % Asian, and 10.8 % reporting another or two or more race/ethnicities. Schools with an authoritative school climate had lower levels of student-reported alcohol and marijuana use; bullying, fighting, and weapon carrying at school; interest in gang membership; and suicidal thoughts and behavior. These results controlled for demographic variables of student gender, race, grade, and parent education level as well as school size, percentage of minority students, and percentage of low income students. Overall, these findings add new evidence that an authoritative school climate is associated with positive student outcomes.

Student and school factors associated with school suspension: A multilevel analysis of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sheryl, A. Hemphill; Stephanie, M. Plenty; Herrenkohl, Todd I.; Toumbourou, John W.; Catalano, Richard F.

2014-01-01

One of the common issues schools face is how best to handle challenging student behaviors such as violent behavior, antisocial behavior, bullying, school rule violations, and interrupting other students’ learning. School suspension may be used to remove students engaging in challenging behaviors from the school for a period of time. However, the act of suspending students from school may worsen rather than improve their behavior. Research shows that suspensions predict a range of student outcomes, including crime, delinquency, and drug use. It is therefore crucial to understand the factors associated with the use of school suspension, particularly in sites with different policy approaches to problem behaviors. This paper draws on data from state-representative samples of 3,129 Grade 7 and 9 students in Washington State, United States and Victoria, Australia sampled in 2002. Multilevel modeling examined student and school level factors associated with student-reported school suspension. Results showed that both student (being male, previous student antisocial and violent behavior, rebelliousness, academic failure) and school (socioeconomic status of the school, aggregate measures of low school commitment) level factors were associated with school suspension and that the factors related to suspension were similar in the two states. The implications of the findings for effective school behavior management policy are that, rather than focusing only on the student, both student and school level factors need to be addressed to reduce the rates of school suspension. PMID:24860205

Consumption of junk foods by school-aged children in rural Himachal Pradesh, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Aakriti; Kapil, Umesh; Singh, Gajendra

2018-01-01

There has been an increase in the consumption of junk food (JF) among school-aged children (SAC) possibly leading to obesity and diet-related diseases among them. We do not have evidence on consumption of JF in rural areas; hence, we conducted a study to assess the consumption of JF by SAC in rural, Himachal Pradesh. A total of 425 children in the age group of 12-18 years studying in 30 government schools (clusters) were included. The clusters were selected using population proportionate to size sampling methodology. We found high prevalence (36%) of consumption of JF among SAC during the last 24 h. Efforts should be taken to reduce the consumption of JF by promotion of healthy dietary habits and educating children about the ill effects of JF.

Energy drinks, soft drinks, and substance use among United States secondary school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M; OʼMalley, Patrick M; Johnston, Lloyd D

2014-01-01

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. 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. 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. 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.

School violence and bullying among sexual minority high school students, 2009-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Malley Olsen, Emily; Kann, Laura; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana; Kinchen, Steve; McManus, Tim

2014-09-01

School-based victimization has short- and long-term implications for the health and academic lives of sexual minority students. This analysis assessed the prevalence and relative risk of school violence and bullying among sexual minority and heterosexual high school students. Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 10 states and 10 large urban school districts that assessed sexual identity and had weighted data in the 2009 and/or 2011 cycle were combined to create two large population-based data sets, one containing state data and one containing district data. Prevalence of physical fighting, being threatened or injured with a weapon, weapon carrying, and being bullied on school property and not going to school because of safety concerns was calculated. Associations between these behaviors and sexual identity were identified. In the state data, sexual minority male students were at greater risk for being threatened or injured with a weapon, not going to school because of safety concerns and being bullied than heterosexual male students. Sexual minority female students were at greater risk than heterosexual female students for all five behaviors. In the district data, with one exception, sexual minority male and female students were at greater risk for all five behaviors than heterosexual students. Sexual minority students still routinely experience more school victimization than their heterosexual counterparts. The implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based programs and policies has the ability to reduce school violence and bullying, especially among sexual minority students. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Middle school student perceptions of school lunch following revised federal school meal guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

This study assessed student perceptions of school meals under the new federal meal patterns for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Student feedback is instrumental in developing strategies to increase and maintain NSLP participation, satisfaction, and ultimately provide students with a health...

School Related Alienation: Perceptions of Secondary School Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunkel, Richard C.; And Others

Responses to questionnaires administered to 10,000 senior high school students to ascertain their feelings of alienation as related to their schools are presented. The questionnaire items concerned: School as an Institution, The School as Teacher, Authority--Autonomy, and Parental Interest in School. The findings that resulted from the…

Students' approaches to medical school choice: relationship with students' characteristics and motivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wouters, Anouk; Croiset, Gerda; Schripsema, Nienke R; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Spaai, Gerard W G; Hulsman, Robert L; Kusurkar, Rashmi A

2017-06-12

The aim was to examine main reasons for students' medical school choice and their relationship with students' characteristics and motivation during the students' medical study. In this multisite cross-sectional study, all Year-1 and Year-4 students who had participated in a selection procedure in one of the three Dutch medical schools included in the study were invited to complete an online survey comprising personal data, their main reason for medical school choice and standard, validated questionnaires to measure their strength of motivation (Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised) and autonomous and controlled type of motivation (Academic Self-regulation Questionnaire). Four hundred seventy-eight students participated. We performed frequency analyses on the reasons for medical school choice and regression analyses and ANCOVAs to study their associations with students' characteristics and motivation during their medical study. Students indicated 'city' (Year-1: 24.7%, n=75 and Year-4: 36.0%, n=52) and 'selection procedure' (Year-1: 56.9%, n=173 and Year-4: 46.9%, n=68) as the main reasons for their medical school choice. The main reasons were associated with gender, age, being a first-generation university student, ethnic background and medical school, and no significant associations were found between the main reasons and the strength and type of motivation during the students' medical study. Most students had based their medical school choice on the selection procedure. If medical schools desire to achieve a good student-curriculum fit and attract a diverse student population aligning the selection procedure with the curriculum and taking into account various students' different approaches is important.

Hazardous alcohol consumption among university students in Ireland: a cross-sectional study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Davoren, Martin P

2015-01-01

There is considerable evidence of a cultural shift towards heavier alcohol consumption among university students, especially women. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and correlates of hazardous alcohol consumption (HAC) among university students with particular reference to gender and to compare different modes of data collection in this population.

Consumption of alcohol and risk of alcohol addiction among students in Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilczyński, Krzysztof; Witowski, Łukasz; Pawlik, Aleksandra; Krysta, Krzysztof; Krupka-Matuszczyk, Irena

2013-09-01

Alcohol consumption in our society is a known, and a widely discussed problem, due to the proven negative impact of excessive usage of spirits on health. Aim of the study was to evaluate the rate of consumption, and risk of an alcoholic disease among Polish students. Study was carried out using an authors' own questionnaire, made of a queries about amount and frequency of alcohol consumption, risky behaviors and knowledge about alcoholism. Research was conducted through community portals (f.e. facebook.com), and within 3 weeks time (from a 10(th) of January to 31(st) of January 2013) 1300 students from different Polish universities participated in it. Out of them, after removal of inadequate questionnaires, group of 1259 students (822 females, 437 males) was selected for further analysis. Average age equaled to 21.5, with the maximum of 27 and minimum of 18 years. For the statistical analysis StatSoft "Statistica" 10.0 software was used. The study shows that 95.5% of students use alcohol (mostly beer and vodka) and they tend to overuse it. 28.86% of respondents drank excessively more than 3 times during the month preceding research, 46% of subjects also had an alcoholic palimpsest more than once, 12.7% need an alcohol to enjoy a party and 0.83% of respondents can't control the amount of a one-time alcohol consumption. 3.32% of students may be in the group of a high alcoholism risk. Alcohol consumption is a common problem among Polish students. Most of respondents, mostly males, drink excessively and potentially risky for their health. There is a remarkable group of students endangered with alcohol addiction.

Moving Towards Sustainable Food Consumption : Identifying Barriers to Sustainable Student Diets

OpenAIRE

Ede, James; Graine, Sophia; Rhodes, Chris

2011-01-01

Adopting more sustainable consumption habits has been identified as a necessary step in the progression towards a sustainable society. In the area of sustainable consumption, personal food behaviour represents a strong leverage point. University students have been identified as a strategic audience; habits established during this transformative period can track forward into later life. This study seeks to identify the barriers inhibiting students from eating more sustainably. Perceived benefi...

Factors Associated With Unhealthy Snacks Consumption Among Adolescents in Iran’s Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdi Feyzabadi, Vahid; Keshavarz Mohammadi, Nastaran; Omidvar, Nasrin; Karimi-Shahanjarini, Akram; Nedjat, Saharnaz; Rashidian, Arash

2017-01-01

Background: Well-informed interventions are needed if school-based health promotion is to be effective. Among other aims, the Iranian Health Promoting School (IHPS) program that was launched in 2011, has an important aim of promoting dietary behaviors of adolescents. The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate the factors affecting unhealthy snacking of adolescents and provide evidence for a more effective IHPS program. Methods: In a cross-sectional study design, 1320 students from 40 schools in Kerman city were selected using a proportional stratified random sampling method. A modified qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to gather data about unhealthy snacking behavior. Data about intrapersonal and environmental factors were obtained using a validated and reliable questionnaire. A mixed-effects negative-binomial regression model was used to analyze the data. Results: Taste and sensory perception (prevalence rate ratio [PRR]=1.18; 95% CI: 1.09-1.27), being a male (PRR=1.20; 95% CI: 1.05-1.38) and lower nutritional knowledge (PRR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.91-0.99) were associated with higher weekly unhealthy snaking. Perceived self-efficacy (PRR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-1.00) negatively influenced the frequency of unhealthy snaking, with this approaching significance (Ppocket money allowance (PRR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.09-1.34), easy accessibility (PRR=1.06; 95% CI:1.01-1.11), and less perceived parental control (PRR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.92-0.99) all had a role in higher consumption of unhealthy snacks. Interestingly, larger school size was associated with less unhealthy snacking (PRR=0.79; 95% CI: 0.68-0.92). Conclusion: Unhealthy snacking behavior is influenced by individual, socio-cultural and physical-environmental influences, namely by factors relating to poor parenting practices, high SES level, family characteristics, improper social norms pressure, and less knowledge and self-efficacy of students. This evidence can be used to inform a more evidencebased IHPS

Perceptions about interpersonal relationships and school environment among middle school students with asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Hyekyun; McQuillan, Brenda; Chen, Ding-Geng; Atis, Shannska

2017-11-01

To examine interpersonal relationships involving peers and teachers and perceptions about school environment among middle school students with asthma in comparison to their healthy counterparts. The study also assesses asthma prevalence in a large sample of middle school students representing different geographic locations. Cross-sectional data were collected from 1059 middle school students in grades 6-8 enrolled in schools in a northeastern region of the United States. Students reported their chronic health conditions including asthma and completed questionnaires measuring perceptions about their relationships with peers and teachers as well as school environment. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were used to compare students with asthma and their healthy counterparts in the study variables. Asthma was reported by 16.5% of the sample (n = 169). The rate was higher among minority students (23%) than their white counterparts (15%). Greater proportion of urban students (28%) reported asthma than rural (18%) and suburban (14%) students. Students with asthma reported significantly poorer relationships with peers (B = -1.74, p asthma prevalence was substantially higher than the national average of adolescent asthma, particularly those residing in the urban area. Poor perceptions of interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers among students with asthma may indicate compromised quality of life. Suboptimal interpersonal relationships and school environment need to be identified and adequately addressed, given their implications for asthma management at the school setting among middle school students.

[Obesity in Mexican school age children is associated with out-of-home food consumption: in the journey from home to school].

Science.gov (United States)

Shamah-Levy, Teresa; Cuevas-Nasu, Lucia; Méndez-Gómez-Humarán, Ignacio; Jimenez-Aguilar, Alejandra; Mendoza-Ramirez, Alfonso J; Villalpando, Salvador

2011-09-01

The objective of our study was to evaluate the association between consumption of food during the journey from home to school and back, with overweight and obesity, in a nationwide representative sample of school children. We assessed consumption outside the home in 9537 children, with information on availability and consumption of selected groups of food and beverages. Height, weight, total energy consumption, and sociodemographic variables were also obtained. We developed logistic regression models, and tested interactions with sociodemographic variables. The results of our study show that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was positively associated with dairy consumption in girls (OR:1.70; p = 0.01), as well as fried snacks consumption in school children living in Mexico City (OR: 1.68; p = 0.06). Consumption of fruits and vegetables in medium and high socioeconomic levels was negatively associated with the prevalence of overweight and obesity (OR: 0.54; p = 0.01 and 0.59; p = 0.07, respectively). We concluded that children during their stay away from home have a high availability of energy dense foods, which can influence their consumption and contribute to the development of overweight and obesity, so it is important to investigate this association in prospective studies.

Consumption of low-nutrient, energy-dense foods and beverages at school, home, and other locations among school lunch participants and nonparticipants.

Science.gov (United States)

Briefel, Ronette R; Wilson, Ander; Gleason, Philip M

2009-02-01

Access to foods and beverages on school campuses, at home, and other locations affects children's diet quality, energy intake, and risk of obesity. To describe patterns of consumption of "empty calories"--low-nutrient, energy-dense foods, including sugar-sweetened beverages--by eating location among National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participants and nonparticipants. Cross-sectional study using 24-hour dietary recall data from the 2004-2005 third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study. A nationally representative sample of 2,314 children in grades one through 12, including 1,386 NSLP participants. Comparisons, using t tests, of the proportion of children consuming low-nutrient, energy-dense foods and beverages, mean daily energy and energy from low-nutrient, energy-dense foods, and energy density by NSLP participation status. On a typical school day, children consumed 527 "empty calories" during a 24-hour period. Eating at home provided the highest mean amount of energy from low-nutrient, energy-dense foods (276 kcal vs 174 kcal at school and 78 kcal at other locations). NSLP participants consumed less energy from sugar-sweetened beverages at school than nonparticipants (11 kcal vs 39 kcal in elementary schools and 45 kcal vs 61 kcal in secondary schools, Pkcal vs 127 kcal, Plunch participants' consumption at school was less energy-dense than nonparticipants' consumption at school (Pdaily and energy from low-nutrient, energy-dense foods are consumed (especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, chips, and baked goods) is warranted. At schools, consumption of energy from low-nutrient, energy-dense foods may be reduced by limiting access to competitive foods and beverages, enforcing strong school wellness policies, and minimizing the frequency of offering french fries and similar potato products and higher-fat baked goods in school meals or à la carte.

Energy consumption of workstations and external devices in school of business and information technology

OpenAIRE

Koret, Jere

2012-01-01

The purpose of this thesis was to measure energy consumption of workstations and external devices in School of Business and Information Technology and search for possible solutions to reduce electricity consumption. The commissionaire for the thesis was Oulu University of Applied Sciences School of Business and Information Management unit. The reason for the study is that School of Business and Information Management has a environmental plan which is based on ISO standard 14001 and this t...

Schools or Students? Identifying High School Effects on Student Suspensions

Science.gov (United States)

Baker-Smith, E. Christine

2015-01-01

Evidence is clear that discipline in high school is associated with negative outcomes across the life course. Not only are suspensions related to declining academic trajectories during high school in the form of attendance and academic achievement, students suspended once are also more likely to be suspended again and also substantially increase…

Bullying among High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Nursel TÜRKMEN, Delia; Halis DOKGÖZ, Mihai; Semra AKGÖZ, Suzana; Bülent EREN, Bogdan Nicolae; Pınar VURAL, Horatiu; Oğuz POLAT, Horatiu

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: The main aim of this research is to investigate the prevalence of bullying behaviour, its victims and the types of bullying and places of bullying among 14-17 year-old adolescents in a sample of school children in Bursa, Turkey. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey questionnaire was conducted among class 1 and class 2 high school students for identification bullying. Results: Majority (96.7%) of the students were involved in bullying behaviours as aggressors or victims. For a male student, the likelihood of being involved in violent behaviours was detected to be nearly 8.4 times higher when compared with a female student. Conclusion: a multidisciplinary approach involving affected children, their parents, school personnel, media, non-govermental organizations, and security units is required to achieve an effective approach for the prevention of violence targeting children in schools as victims and/or perpetrators. PMID:24371478

Self-control and alcohol consumption among university students in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study explored the relationship between self-control and alcohol consumption among students at the University of Botswana, and was entrenched within the socialcognitive theory of self-regulation. Data were collected from 135 undergraduate students (42.2% female, 57.8% male) with a mean age of 21.22 years (SD ...

[Epidemiological evaluation of soft drinks consumption--students surveys].

Science.gov (United States)

Chłapowska, Joanna; Pawlaczyk-Kamieńska, Tamara

2012-01-01

Non carious lesions, including erosion changes, are becoming increasingly apparent. There are multiple factors involved in the etiology of dental erosion i.a. acids in commercially available drinks. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of soft drink consumption that promote dental erosion among young adults. The 266 subjects were asked to fill in a questionnaire. The questionnaire inquired questions about consumption of drinks favouring tooth erosion. The students declared frequent drinking of isotonic drinks, energetic drinks, fizzy drinks and coca-cola type drinks. On the basis of a survey of Poznań University of Medical Sciences students it can be determined, that they have relatively high risk of dental erosion. To minimize the risk of dental erosion occurrence in young population there is a need to disseminate knowledge about the etiology.

School lunch and snacking patterns among high school students: Associations with school food environment and policies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Story Mary

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives This study examined associations between high school students' lunch patterns and vending machine purchases and the school food environment and policies. Methods A randomly selected sample of 1088 high school students from 20 schools completed surveys about their lunch practices and vending machine purchases. School food policies were assessed by principal and food director surveys. The number of vending machines and their hours of operation were assessed by trained research staff. Results Students at schools with open campus policies during lunchtime were significantly more likely to eat lunch at a fast food restaurant than students at schools with closed campus policies (0.7 days/week vs. 0.2 days/week, p Conclusion School food policies that decrease access to foods high in fats and sugars are associated with less frequent purchase of these items in school among high school students. Schools should examine their food-related policies and decrease access to foods that are low in nutrients and high in fats and sugars.

Sex differences and violence among primary school students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marković Živorad M.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This is the micro research which studied the connection between gender and violence between older primary school students with the goal of discovering exposure of gender members to violence in school context and the ways of reaction to the violence. The researchers from different scientific disciplines have been permanently involved in studying the problem of violence for more than a decade with the goal to lessen the high percentage of violence in schools. In this sense, this research, with its range and character, represents the contribution in discovering characteristics of violence in schools in one specific local area, which could fill in the wholeness of this phenomenon. The research involved students of the final grade of primary school on the territory of the municipality of Svilajnac (which is in central part of Serbia and it was performed in December 2015. 236 students were surveyed. The survey consisted of the following questions a which questioned the social matrix of families in which the students live b which questioned presence and frequency of different types of violence between students in primary schools c which questioned the attitudes of students of both genders about the violence, exposure to violence in school and the ways of reacting to violence. In the frame of quantitative analysis of the data the following was applied: percentual research of frequencies and Pierson's hi-square test (x2 for testing of hyphothesis about the significance of differences. The main results of the research showed: a There is no statistically significant difference in exposure to violence in school between male and female students of primary school age; both genders are exposed to verbal and physical violence and male students (45.7% are more exposed to physical, and female students (38.3% are more exposed to verbal violence. bThere is no statistically significant difference in the readiness of students considering their gender to help another

Greenhouse Schools: How Schools Can Build Cultures Where Teachers and Students Thrive

Science.gov (United States)

TNTP, 2012

2012-01-01

Successful teachers make successful schools. Yet some schools are better than others at accelerating student learning by developing and keeping great teachers, even compared to schools that serve the same population of students and have access to the same resources. These schools are called "greenhouse schools"--schools with carefully…

Tattooing among high school students in southern Taiwan: The prevalence, correlates and associations with risk-taking behaviors and depression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng-Fang Yen

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study aims to examine the prevalence and sociodemographics, family and peer correlates of tattooing among high school students in southern Taiwan, and to examine the associations between tattooing and a variety of adolescent risk-taking behaviors and depression. A total of 9755 high school students (grades 7 to 12 in southern Taiwan were recruited into this study and completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of tattooing among the adolescents was calculated. The responses were analyzed using the logistic regression analysis models. It was found that 1% of high school students in southern Taiwan had 1 or more tattoos on their bodies. The older students who were perceived to have low family monitoring and who had friends who drink regularly, used illicit drugs, had a criminal record or were in a gang were more likely to have a tattoo. Tattooing was also found to be associated with violence, weekly alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, dropping out of school, unprotected sex, suicidal ideation/attempt, and depression. The results indicate that several demographics, family and peer factors are associated with adolescent tattooing. Tattooing may be an indicator of risk-taking behaviors in high school students.

The Contribution of Student Perceptions of School Climate to Understanding the Disproportionate Punishment of African American Students in a Middle School

Science.gov (United States)

Shirley, Erica L. M.; Cornell, Dewey G.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the contribution of student perceptions of school climate to racial differences in school discipline. Four hundred middle school students completed a school climate survey. Compared to Caucasian students, African-American students were referred to the office for discipline three times as frequently and received five times…

Alcohol consumption in relation to residence status and ethnicity in college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Cacciola, Eleanora E T; Nevid, Jeffrey S

2014-12-01

The present study examined the roles of gender, ethnicity, and residence status in an ethnically diverse sample of undergraduate students who completed the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey. Gender, ethnicity, and residential status were associated with likelihood of binge drinking among students who reported consuming alcohol (non-Hispanic). White students were more likely to report using alcohol than Black students and Asian students. Ethnicity moderated the effects of both residence status and gender on alcohol consumption. Living with one's parents was associated with a lower likelihood of reported alcohol use among Hispanic students, but not among (non-Hispanic) White students. Hispanic women were more likely to report using alcohol than were Hispanic men, but no gender difference in likelihood of alcohol consumption was found among (non-Hispanic) White students.

[ASSOCIATION BETWEEN STEVIA SWEETENER CONSUMPTION AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS].

Science.gov (United States)

Durán Agüero, Samuel; Vásquez Leiva, Alejandra; Morales Illanes, Gladys; Schifferli Castro, Ingrid; Sanhueza Espinoza, Claudia; Encina Vega, Claudia; Vivanco Cuevas, Karla; Mena Bolvaran, Rodrigo

2015-07-01

stevia consumption has increased worlwide among the different age groups; however, studies regarding the association between stevia intake and nutritional status in adults are scarce. to evaluate stevia intake in first year university students from five chilean cities (Santiago, Temuco, Viña del Mar, Concepción and Antofagasta) controlling by nutritional status, socioeconomic level, gender and whether their undergraduate program belongs to the health sciences. 486 first year university students belonging to 4 Chilean universities were evaluated. Each student completed a weekly food frequency questionnaire including food and beverages containing stevia. Selfreport of weight and height was requested. 69.8% of the students consumed stevia every week, the liquid form being the main contributor to the dietary stevia intake (81.2%). Only 1.4% of the students went over the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). Normal weight women show a higher stevia intake compared to those obese or overweight (p stevia consumption appears to be positively associated to normal weight in the first model (adjusted) (OR = 0.219; IC 95%: 0.13-0.35; p stevia consumption was positively associated with normal nutritional status in Chilean university students. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Design and evaluation of a campaign to promote the consumption of vegetables and fruits in Mexican school-age children.

Science.gov (United States)

Galván, Marcos; Ríos-Pérez, Fernanda; López-Rodríguez, Guadalupe; Guzmán-Saldaña, Rebeca; Fernández-Cortés, Trinidad Lorena; Camacho-Bernal, Gloria; Robles-Acevedo, Manuel

2016-09-20

In Mexican school-age children the consumption of vegetables and fruits (V&F) is less than 25% of the amount recommended by the World Health Organization. Evaluate the effectiveness of a promotion campaign about the consumption of V&F in urban school children from Hidalgo, Mexico. A non controlled community trial in 226 school-age children from private and public schools was conducted, we designed and distributed printed material for promoting the consumption of V&F among the school population, access to V&F was provided through planning and sales at school stores, and consumption was supervised by the teachers. At the end of the intervention vegetable consumption increased by 50 g and plain water in 100 mL (T-test, p < 0.05); the proportion of school-age children who identified the health benefits of the consumption of V&F increased significantly (68% initial, 87% final) and greater support from parents (61% initial, 92 final%) was achieved. A promotion campaign and improved access to vegetables, fruits and water in the school environment which is supported by parents and teachers can encourage healthier eating at school.

We love our school toilets: involving primary school students in improving their school toilets.

Science.gov (United States)

Senior, Elizabeth

2014-03-01

This article reports on the planning, implementation and evaluation of an intervention to improve school students' experience of using the school toilet in a primary school in Melbourne, Australia. 20 students from grades 2-6 participated in focus groups, to discuss what they valued about the school and raise awareness of issues they were not happy about. A common theme from all of the focus groups was that students reported avoiding use of the school toilets. Using the ideas generated from the focus groups, the student council (with input from staff), developed a self-administered pre- and post-test questionnaire. This was given to 220 students in grades 1-4, aged 6-10 years. Improvements suggested by the students were made to the toilet block, and then a post-test was administered. Independent t tests were conducted. The pre-test indicated that 71% of girls and 65% of boys feared the behaviour of other students in the toilet. Overwhelmingly, the qualitative comments focused on poor student behaviour in the toilets, with lack of privacy due to student misbehaviour mentioned in 90% of the comments. After the toilets were revamped, the greatest gains were made in students' attitudes toward the toilets, with a 37% increase in students who indicated they now liked the toilet facility. Incidents of vandalism also decreased; however, student misconduct in the toilets was still regarded as a problem. Involving students in refurbishing their toilets improved how students viewed the toilets and reduced vandalism; however, a different intervention is required to change inappropriate behaviours in the toilet.

Bullying climate and school engagement in ninth-grade students.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Sharmila B; Cornell, Dewey; Fan, Xitao; Gregory, Anne

2013-01-01

Many authorities agree that bullying has a widespread impact on school climate, affecting bystanders as well as victims. This study tested the contention that a climate of bullying can have a schoolwide impact on student engagement in school. Hierarchical linear modeling assessed the relations between student perception of bullying climate and student engagement at the individual and school level in a statewide sample of 7058 ninth graders randomly selected from 289 schools participating in the Virginia High School Safety Study. Student engagement was assessed by self-report scales measuring commitment to school and involvement in school activities. Individual differences in perception of school climate characterized by bullying were associated with lower commitment to school, but not less involvement in school activities. School-level differences in student perceptions of bullying climate were associated with both lower commitment to school and less involvement in school activities, after controlling for the effects of gender, race, school size, proportion of ethnic minority students in the school, and individual-level perception of bullying climate. Efforts to improve student engagement should consider the schoolwide impact of bullying on all students. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Freshman Year Dropouts: Interactions between Student and School Characteristics and Student Dropout Status

Science.gov (United States)

Zvoch, Keith

2006-01-01

Data from a large school district in the southwestern United States were analyzed to investigate relations between student and school characteristics and high school freshman dropout patterns. Application of a multilevel logistic regression model to student dropout data revealed evidence of school-to-school differences in student dropout rates and…

Breakfast and Other Meal Consumption in Adolescents from Southern Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Ostachowska-Gasior

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of breakfast and other meal consumption by adolescents and to assess the relationship between the first and the last meal consumption and sex, body mass index (BMI, and middle school and high school students’ education level. The study was conducted in 2013–2014 among 3009 students (1658 girls and 1351 boys from middle s and high schools in Krakow and Silesia (Poland. The data was obtained from questionnaires that were analyzed with a logistic regression model for measurable and dichotomous variables. Breakfast consumers were seen to eat other meals (second breakfast, lunch, dessert, supper significantly more often than breakfast skippers. The main meal consumption habits depend on sex and change as adolescents age. Being a girl and a high school student predisposed participants to skip breakfast and supper more often. The BMI of breakfast consumers does not differ significantly from the BMI of breakfast skippers, so BMI might thus not be a sufficient marker of breakfast consumption regularity and dietary habits in an adolescent group. The importance of regularly eaten meals, especially breakfast, together with adequate daily dietary energy intake are beneficial for physical and psychological development and cannot be overestimated in nutritional education and it is necessary to promote healthy eating behavior for well-being in later adult life.

How Students Utilize and Perceive Their School Library

Science.gov (United States)

Bleidt, Shirley A.

2011-01-01

School library usage and middle school students' perceptions of the usefulness of their school library were examined in this study. 1,509 predominately Hispanic students attending rural public schools participated by completing an online survey regarding their school libraries. The vast majority of students surveyed reported that they used their…

Introduction of a school fruit program is associated with reduced frequency of consumption of unhealthy snacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Klepp, Knut-Inge; Bere, Elling

2012-11-01

A diet high in fruit and vegetables (FV) is inversely related to chronic diseases, and some studies suggest that increasing the intake of FV reduces the intake of unhealthy snacks. The objectives were to analyze changes in the frequency of consumption of unhealthy snacks (soda, candy, and potato chips) from 2001 to 2008 in Norwegian children, to assess whether being part of a school fruit program reduces the frequency of unhealthy snack consumption, and to explore differences in sex and socioeconomic status. Within the project Fruits and Vegetables Make the Marks, 1488 sixth- and seventh-grade pupils from 27 Norwegian elementary schools completed a questionnaire in 2001, and 1339 sixth- and seventh-grade pupils from the same schools completed the same questionnaire in 2008. In 2001, none of the schools had any organized school fruit program. In 2008, 15 schools participated in a program and 12 did not participate in any program. From 2001 to 2008, the frequency of unhealthy snack consumption decreased from 6.9 to 4.6 times/wk (P snack consumption in children of parents without higher education (from 7.8 to 4.0 times/wk; P = 0.004). The frequency of unhealthy snack consumption decreased from 2001 to 2008 in schoolchildren in Norway. The decrease was most evident among children at schools participating in the national free school fruit program and in children with a low socioeconomic status.

School health promotion and use of drugs among students in Southern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Paz, Fernanda Marques; Teixeira, Vanessa Andina; Pinto, Raquel Oliveira; Andersen, Cristine Scattolin; Fontoura, Larissa Prado; Castro, Luís César de; Pattussi, Marcos Pascoal; Horta, Rogério Lessa

2018-01-01

To analyze the relationship between the health promotion conditions in schools and the consumption of alcohol and other drugs by students. This is a cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample of 3,464 students aged 12 to 17 from all schools of the cities of Lajeado and Sapiranga, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and 53 managers from the same schools; the data was collected in 2012. Reports of the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs in 2012 were used as outcomes, and the health promotion score in the school environment was used as the exposure of interest. We submitted the data to multilevel analysis. The prevalence of the annual use of tobacco was 9.8% (95%CI 8.8-10.8), alcohol was 46.2% (95%CI 44.5-47.8), and other drugs was 10.9% (95%CI 9.9-12.0). In the crude analysis, only the use of tobacco was associated with less health promoting schools (OR = 1.89, 95%CI 1.16-3.09) when compared to those with better conditions. This association lost statistical significance in the adjusted analysis (OR = 1.27, 95%CI 0.74-2.19). The effects of the school environment on the use of drugs, especially tobacco and alcohol, are manifested mainly by the individual and family conditions of the adolescents.

A cross-cultural investigation of college student alcohol consumption: a classification tree analysis.

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Kitsantas, Panagiota; Kitsantas, Anastasia; Anagnostopoulou, Tanya

2008-01-01

In this cross-cultural study, the authors attempted to identify high-risk subgroups for alcohol consumption among college students. American and Greek students (N = 132) answered questions about alcohol consumption, religious beliefs, attitudes toward drinking, advertisement influences, parental monitoring, and drinking consequences. Heavy drinkers in the American group were younger and less religious than were infrequent drinkers. In the Greek group, heavy drinkers tended to deny the negative results of drinking alcohol and use a permissive attitude to justify it, whereas infrequent drinkers were more likely to be monitored by their parents. These results suggest that parental monitoring and an emphasis on informing students about the negative effects of alcohol on their health and social and academic lives may be effective methods of reducing alcohol consumption. Classification tree analysis revealed that student attitudes toward drinking were important in the classification of American and Greek drinkers, indicating that this is a powerful predictor of alcohol consumption regardless of ethnic background.

Readiness for behavioral change and variation in food consumption among adolescents from a school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias, RJ

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Diana Barbosa Cunha

2015-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of the stage of readiness for changes in food consumption variation among adolescents participating in school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias (RJ, Brazil.METHODS: It is a secondary analysis of a one-year randomized community trial to prevent excessive weight gain in students attending the 5thgrade in 20 public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias. The activities conducted discouraged the consumption of sweetened beverages and cookies and encouraged the consumption of fruits and beans. A food frequency questionnaire was applied at the beginning and at the end of the study. The stages of readiness for behavioral change vary in a scale from (1 "I don't think of changing diet" to (5 "I'm already changing my diet successfully". For the longitudinal analyses, we used generalized linear mixed models.RESULTS: There was a greater change in the consumption of fruit and soft drinks among participants in the intervention group who were in the action stage, compared to participants who did not think about changing their diet.CONCLUSION: The proposed strategy may be used to identify population groups with motivation for changes in dietary behavior.

Readiness for behavioral change and variation in food consumption among adolescents from a school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias, RJ.

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Cunha, Diana Barbosa; de Souza, Bárbara da Silva Nalin; da Veiga, Glória Valéria; Pereira, Rosangela Alves; Sichieri, Rosely

2015-01-01

To investigate the influence of the stage of readiness for changes in food consumption variation among adolescents participating in school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias (RJ), Brazil. It is a secondary analysis of a one-year randomized community trial to prevent excessive weight gain in students attending the 5th grade in 20 public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias. The activities conducted discouraged the consumption of sweetened beverages and cookies and encouraged the consumption of fruits and beans. A food frequency questionnaire was applied at the beginning and at the end of the study. The stages of readiness for behavioral change vary in a scale from (1) "I don't think of changing diet" to (5) "I'm already changing my diet successfully". For the longitudinal analyses, we used generalized linear mixed models. There was a greater change in the consumption of fruit and soft drinks among participants in the intervention group who were in the action stage, compared to participants who did not think about changing their diet. The proposed strategy may be used to identify population groups with motivation for changes in dietary behavior.

Alcohol consumption, sleep, and academic performance among college students.

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Singleton, Royce A; Wolfson, Amy R

2009-05-01

Three independent lines of inquiry have found associations between alcohol use and academic performance, sleep and academic performance, and alcohol use and sleep. The present study bridges this research by examining the links among alcohol use, sleep, and academic performance in college students. Personal interview surveys were conducted with a random sample of 236 students (124 women) at a liberal arts college. The interviews measured alcohol consumption, gender, academic class, weekday and weekend bedtimes and rise times, and daytime sleepiness; 95% of the sample granted permission to obtain grade-point average (GPA) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores from official college records. Ordinary least squares regressions showed that alcohol consumption was a significant predictor of four sleep patterns: the duration of sleep, the timing of sleep, the difference between weekday and weekend nighttime sleep hours (oversleep), and the difference between weekday and weekend bedtimes (bedtime delay). Women and students with late sleep schedules were more apt to report daytime sleepiness. SAT score was the strongest predictor of GPA. However, gender, alcohol consumption, sleep duration, and daytime sleepiness also were significant predictors when other variables were controlled. In addition to alcohol's direct relationship with GPA, mediational analysis indicated that alcohol had indirect effects on sleepiness and GPA, primarily through its effect on sleep schedule. The findings show how alcohol use among college students is related to sleep-wake patterns and further support the connection between alcohol use and grades.

Student Achievement in Title I Schools

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Diaz, Abby T.

2017-01-01

This researcher seeks to answer the following question: How did two elementary Title I schools, identified as "high performing" on the first Smarter Balanced assessment, address elements of Maslow's hierarchy of needs when developing school-wide initiatives to enhance student achievement? Many students in Title I schools face barriers to…

Fruit, Vegatables and Fast Food Consumption among University Students

OpenAIRE

Claudiu Avram; Mihaela Oravitan

2013-01-01

Purpose: To establish the prevalence of fruit, vegetables and fast food consumption among students from Timisoara university center and provide evidence based information for increasing healthy food choices in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Material and Methods: We perform a cross-sectional study on 435 university students from the Timisoara university center, Romania (mean age: 22±4.8 years). The students were recruited using internet and public announcements in the student’s cam...

The relationship of proximal normative beliefs and global subjective norms to college students' alcohol consumption.

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Maddock, Jay; Glanz, Karen

2005-02-01

Heavy drinking among college students is a major concern across the country. Several studies have shown that students tend to overestimate the alcohol consumption of students, in general (global social norms), and of their close friends (proximal normative beliefs). Research has also shown that beliefs about others' alcohol consumption is strongly related to alcohol use. We hypothesized that normative beliefs about important referent individuals would mediate the relationship between campus social norms and alcohol consumption. A survey of alcohol use and related variables was completed by 433 university students. Multiple regression was used to examine the mediational role of normative beliefs on social norms and alcohol consumption. These analyses indicate that normative beliefs are a significant mediator of the relationship between social norms and alcohol consumption. Normative beliefs accounted for 52-62% of the proportion of variance mediated. Normative beliefs are an important construct in understanding the relationship between social norms and alcohol use among college students and may be an important area for future interventions.

Students' adherence to dietary recommendations and their food consumption habits.

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Stroebele-Benschop, Nanette; Dieze, Anastasia; Hilzendegen, Carolin

2018-01-01

Habitual behavior rather than intention has been linked to food intake patterns. The purpose of this study was to examine the adherence to dietary recommendations in university students and to analyze whether habit strength predicts food consumption. A student sample of the University (University of Hohenheim) was recruited ( n = 103; age range 18-30 years). Habit strength for consuming the food groups fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk, meat, convenience foods, sugary and savory snacks, water and sugar-sweetened beverages was measured using a questionnaire. Food intake was measured via a self-administered online food frequency survey two weeks later, which was then compared to dietary recommendations. For associations of habit strength and consumption, Kendall's Tau-c correlation coefficient was calculated. The majority of students failed to meet the recommendations for all food groups except meat, eggs, oil, fat, and water. Only 4.2% of men (15.4% of women) consumed the recommended daily amount of vegetables. Fruit recommendations were met by 20.8% of men (43.6% of women). Habit strength was significantly associated with the consumption of most food groups. Adhering to dietary recommendations appeared to be difficult. Educational efforts should be undertaken to improve students' diet considering habit strength as an important determinant of food intake.

Alcohol consumption among university students: a Sino-German comparison demonstrates a much lower consumption of alcohol in Chinese students.

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Chu, Janet Junqing; Jahn, Heiko J; Khan, Mobarak Hossain; Kraemer, Alexander

2016-08-11

Alcohol use is reported in university students with discrepancy between countries. The study objectives were to assess prevalence and associated factors of alcohol consumption among university students in Germany and China. Data used were from 1853 Chinese and 3306 German university students. Alcohol consumption frequency was measured by a question "How often did you drink alcohol in the last three months?" with six possible responses, which were later collapsed into three categories of "At least once a week", "Less than once a week" and "Never". Problem drinking was measured by the CAGE test and defined as a CAGE score of two or more (four as the maximum). Simple and multivariable logistic regressions were used for association analyses. German students reported more often "At least once a week" drinking (59.8 vs. 9.0 %). Among Germans, women drank less often "At least once a week" (OR = 0.40, 0.30-0.53). Among Chinese, a higher BMI was associated with drinking "At least once a week" (OR = 1.09, 1.02-1.18). Age revealed a positive association with "At least once a week" drinking in Chinese (1.33, 1.21-1.46) but a negative association in Germans (OR = 0.97, 0.94-0.99). Having a father with high educational level was positively related to "At least once a week" drinking in both countries (OR = 4.25, 2.67-6.78 for Chinese; OR = 1.32, 1.01-1.72 for Germans). Doing less than once a week physical exercise was negatively associated with "At least once a week" drinking in Chinese and German students (OR = 0.27, 0.15-0.48 for Chinese; OR = 0.69, 0.49-0.96 for Germans). Among the German students, 20.3 % reported problem drinking. Being a female (OR = 0.32, 0.26-0.40) and performing less than once a week physical activity (OR = 0.73, 0.56-0.95) were negatively associated with problem drinking, while having a father with high educational level (OR = 1.32, 1.09-1.60) and experiencing higher level of perceived stress (OR = 1.08, 1

Relations between the school physical environment and school social capital with student physical activity levels.

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Button, Brenton; Trites, Stephen; Janssen, Ian

2013-12-17

The physical and social environments at schools are related to students' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels. The purpose of this study was to explore the interactive effects of the school physical environment and school social capital on the MVPA of students while at school. Data from 18,875 grade 6-10 students from 331 schools who participated in the 2009/10 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey were analyzed using multi-level regression. Students answered questions on the amount of time they spend in MVPA at school and on their school's social capital. Administrator reports were used to create a physical activity related physical environment score. The school physical environment score was positively associated with student MVPA at school (β = 0.040, p < .005). The association between the school social capital and MVPA was also positive (β = 0.074, p < .001). The difference in physical environments equated to about 20 minutes/week of MVPA for students attending schools with the lowest number of physical environment features and about 40 minutes/week for students attending schools with the lowest school social capital scores by comparison to students attending schools with the highest scores. The findings suggest that school social capital may be a more important factor in increasing students MVPA than the school physical environment. The results of this study may help inform interventions aimed at increasing student physical activity levels.

A New Anomaly Detection System for School Electricity Consumption Data

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Wenqiang Cui

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Anomaly detection has been widely used in a variety of research and application domains, such as network intrusion detection, insurance/credit card fraud detection, health-care informatics, industrial damage detection, image processing and novel topic detection in text mining. In this paper, we focus on remote facilities management that identifies anomalous events in buildings by detecting anomalies in building electricity consumption data. We investigated five models within electricity consumption data from different schools to detect anomalies in the data. Furthermore, we proposed a hybrid model that combines polynomial regression and Gaussian distribution, which detects anomalies in the data with 0 false negative and an average precision higher than 91%. Based on the proposed model, we developed a data detection and visualization system for a facilities management company to detect and visualize anomalies in school electricity consumption data. The system is tested and evaluated by facilities managers. According to the evaluation, our system has improved the efficiency of facilities managers to identify anomalies in the data.

High School Physics Students' Personal Epistemologies and School Science Practice

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Alpaslan, Muhammet Mustafa; Yalvac, Bugrahan; Loving, Cathleen

2017-11-01

This case study explores students' physics-related personal epistemologies in school science practices. The school science practices of nine eleventh grade students in a physics class were audio-taped over 6 weeks. The students were also interviewed to find out their ideas on the nature of scientific knowledge after each activity. Analysis of transcripts yielded several epistemological resources that students activated in their school science practice. The findings show that there is inconsistency between students' definitions of scientific theories and their epistemological judgments. Analysis revealed that students used several epistemological resources to decide on the accuracy of their data including accuracy via following the right procedure and accuracy via what the others find. Traditional, formulation-based, physics instruction might have led students to activate naive epistemological resources that prevent them to participate in the practice of science in ways that are more meaningful. Implications for future studies are presented.

The relationship between alcohol consumption and related harm among young university students.

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Hart, Ellen; Burns, Sharyn

2016-04-01

Issue addressed Research has shown that Australian university students consume alcohol at a higher level than their peers from the general population and are therefore more likely to witness and experience alcohol-related harm. This study measured the prevalence of alcohol consumption among 18-24-year-old university students and the association between alcohol consumption and witnessed and experienced harms. Methods A random cross-sectional sample of university students aged 18-24 years (n=2466) was recruited via the University Survey Office and through random intercept at campus market day. All participants completed an online survey that included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Alcohol Problems Scale and an additional scale measuring witnessed harm. Results Principal Components Analysis revealed three factors within the Alcohol Problems Scale; i.e. Criminal and Aggressive Behaviour, Health and Emotional Harms and Sexual Harms. Students who consume alcohol at high-risk levels were significantly more likely to score highly on each factor, 1.6 times more likely to experience harm and 1.1 times more likely to witness harm than students who consume alcohol at low-risk levels. Conclusions The positive association between alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm supports previous findings. This study adds previous research through the categorisation of harm into factors. So what? Integrated and comprehensive interventions addressing alcohol consumption among young university students that are informed by evidence-based research can be tailored to ensure that they meet the needs of the target group.

School Safety Concerns All Students.

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Henderson, Megan

1999-01-01

Suggests that school safety is an issue that concerns all students. Discusses how the staff of the Rockwood South (Missouri) "RAMpage" covered the shootings at Columbine High School in a 14-page issue and in follow-up issues. Suggests that the student newspaper covered the controversial topic in an appropriate, tasteful manner. (RS)

Middle School Students' Perceptions of the Quality of School Life in Ankara

Science.gov (United States)

Eres, Figen; Bilasa, Pinar

2016-01-01

The aim of this research is to measure the perception of middle school students in Ankara regarding the quality of school life. According to the findings obtained, the students have moderate level perceptions about the quality of school life. Their perceptions about sub-dimensions vary. While the students have the highest perceptions about…

Student Voices in School-Based Assessment

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Tong, Siu Yin Annie; Adamson, Bob

2015-01-01

The value of student voices in dialogues about learning improvement is acknowledged in the literature. This paper examines how the views of students regarding School-based Assessment (SBA), a significant shift in examination policy and practice in secondary schools in Hong Kong, have largely been ignored. The study captures student voices through…

School Uniform Policies: Students' Views of Effectiveness.

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McCarthy, Teresa M.; Moreno, Josephine

2001-01-01

Focus-group interviews of New York City middle-school students about their perceptions of the effectiveness of the school-uniform policy. Finds that students' perceptions of the effects of school-uniform policy on school culture varied considerably with those intended by the principal. (Contains 40 references.) (PKP)

Strategies for Improving Access to Drinking Water in Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014

2014-01-01

Water consumption is important for students' cognition, dental health, and physical health. The availability and promotion of free water during the school day has been shown to increase water consumption and may prevent school children from being overweight. This brief highlights areas where local school wellness policies (i.e., wellness…

UNDERSTANDING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH SCHOOL: A LITERATURE REVIEW

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Viorel ROBU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of literature on student engagement with school. There is a large agreement on the predictive role that individual differences in student engagement with school plays in relation to a wide range of educational outcomes and to general adjustment. Numerous empirical studies have attempted to explain how individual characteristics of students (e.g., gender, academic motivation, school-related self-efficacy etc., family environment (e.g., parent social support, aspirations of parents concerning the adolescents’ school trajectory or quality of adolescent-parents relationship, and the school/classroom climate (e.g., social support from teachers and peers, autonomy granted to students, quality of instructional practices etc. impact student engagement with school and the academic achievement/performance. This paper summarizes the existing literature on antecedents and positive outcomes of student engagement with school. The implications for educational practice and policy makers are discussed.

Proximity of food retailers to schools and rates of overweight ninth grade students: an ecological study in California

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Fulfrost Brian

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The prevalence of obesity and overweight in youth has increased dramatically since the 1980s, and some researchers hypothesize that increased consumption of low-nutrient, energy-dense foods is a key contributor. The potential importance of food retailers near schools has received increasing attention, but public health research and policy has focused primarily on fast food restaurants. Less is known about the relationship between overweight/obesity and other types of retailers. This study aims to investigate the potential associations between nearby 1 fast food restaurants, 2 convenience stores, and 3 supermarkets, and rates of overweight students in California schools. Methods We examined the rate of overweight ninth grade students in public schools in 2007 using linear regression. The percentage of overweight students per school was determined by a state required physical fitness test, with three different options for measuring individual body composition. Our key independent variables were the presence of three different types of retailers within 800 m network buffers of the schools. Additional independent variables included school ethnic, gender and socioeconomic composition, as well as urban/non-urban location. We obtained the data from the California Department of Education and ESRI, Inc. Results The presence of a convenience store within a 10-minute walking distance of a school was associated with a higher rate of overweight students than schools without nearby convenience stores, after controlling for all school-level variables in the regression (1.2%, 95% confidence interval 0.03, 2.36. Nearby fast food restaurants and supermarkets, however, were not associated with school rates of overweight students. Conclusions Public health researchers and policy-makers interested in the food environments outside schools should expand their recent focus on nearby fast food restaurants to include convenience stores, which may also

Developing an Analytical Framework for Argumentation on Energy Consumption Issues

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Jin, Hui; Mehl, Cathy E.; Lan, Deborah H.

2015-01-01

In this study, we aimed to develop a framework for analyzing the argumentation practice of high school students and high school graduates. We developed the framework in a specific context--how energy consumption activities such as changing diet, converting forests into farmlands, and choosing transportation modes affect the carbon cycle. The…

Meal pattern and soft drink consumption among in-school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... soft drinks on a daily basis in the past one week preceding the survey. Conclusion: The study revealed that meal skipping, snacking and soft drink consumption were common among this adolescent population. Public enlightenment campaign and school food policies that promote healthy eating habits are recommended.

Medical Student Perceptions of the Learning Environment in Medical School Change as Students Transition to Clinical Training in Undergraduate Medical School.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunham, Lisette; Dekhtyar, Michael; Gruener, Gregory; CichoskiKelly, Eileen; Deitz, Jennifer; Elliott, Donna; Stuber, Margaret L; Skochelak, Susan E

2017-01-01

Phenomenon: The learning environment is the physical, social, and psychological context in which a student learns. A supportive learning environment contributes to student well-being and enhances student empathy, professionalism, and academic success, whereas an unsupportive learning environment may lead to burnout, exhaustion, and cynicism. Student perceptions of the medical school learning environment may change over time and be associated with students' year of training and may differ significantly depending on the student's gender or race/ethnicity. Understanding the changes in perceptions of the learning environment related to student characteristics and year of training could inform interventions that facilitate positive experiences in undergraduate medical education. The Medical School Learning Environment Survey (MSLES) was administered to 4,262 students who matriculated at one of 23 U.S. and Canadian medical schools in 2010 and 2011. Students completed the survey at the end of each year of medical school as part of a battery of surveys in the Learning Environment Study. A mixed-effects longitudinal model, t tests, Cohen's d effect size, and analysis of variance assessed the relationship between MSLES score, year of training, and demographic variables. After controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, and school, students reported worsening perceptions toward the medical school learning environment, with the worst perceptions in the 3rd year of medical school as students begin their clinical experiences, and some recovery in the 4th year after Match Day. The drop in MSLES scores associated with the transition to the clinical learning environment (-0.26 point drop in addition to yearly change, effect size = 0.52, p effect size = 0.14, p work-life balance and informal student relationships. There was some, but not complete, recovery in perceptions of the medical school learning environment in the 4th year. Insights: Perceptions of the medical school learning

76 FR 12719 - Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Safe Schools/Healthy...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-08

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug- Free Schools; Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84... priorities, requirements, and definitions under the Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) program. Since...

High School Students' Perception of University Students as STEM Representatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Eva Lykkegaard

The Danish government has an ambition to recruit more high school students into STEM edu-cations (science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics). The students’ choice of further education is based on the people and jobs they have knowledge of. Therefore, to recruit more students into STEM....... Some representatives transmit infor-mation and are thereby definers, whereas other representatives illustrates as personal examples and are thereby models. This study focuses on high school students’ views on STEM representatives and the impact these representatives have on the high school students...... studies, it is important to introduce high school students to good STEM representatives to make possible the development of potential STEM identities. A potential identity within a specific subject area relies on at least a situation bound relation-ship to the subject area or the person representing it...

Urban Middle School Students' Perceptions of Bullying, Cyberbullying, and School Safety

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Varjas, Kris; Henrich, Christopher C.; Meyers, Joel

2009-01-01

This study examined 427 urban middle school students' perceptions of bullying, cyberbullying, and school safety utilizing the Student Survey of Bullying Behavior-Revised 2 (Varjas, Meyers, & Hunt, 2006). A unique finding is that cyberbullying may represent a unique modality of victimization and bullying compared with other school-based…

A student manual for promoting mental health among high school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Gigantesco, Antonella; Del Re, Debora; Cascavilla, Isabella

2013-01-01

We describe a school program based on a student manual for promoting mental health and preventing mental illness. A preliminary version of the manual was assessed for face validity by two focus groups. The final version was evaluated for acceptability among 253 students in 10 high schools and 1 middle school in Italy. The manual included 18 chapters (or "units") which address skills for enabling students to cope with their daily lives: communication skills, problem-solving, assertive skills, negotiation, stress management, anger management and conflict resolution. The manual was found to have been acceptable by high school students. The effectiveness of the manual in actually promoting mental health and preventing mental illness is currently being evaluated.

UK Student Alcohol Consumption: A Cluster Analysis of Drinking Behaviour Typologies

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Craigs, Cheryl L.; Bewick, Bridgette M.; Gill, Jan; O'May, Fiona; Radley, Duncan

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess the extent to which university students are following UK Government advice regarding appropriate consumption of alcohol, and to investigate if students can be placed into distinct clusters based on their drinking behaviour. Design: A descriptive questionnaire study. Setting: One hundred and nineteen undergraduate students from…

Achievement and Demographics of Home School Students: 1998

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Lawrence M. Rudner

1999-03-01

Full Text Available This report presents the results of the largest survey and testing program for students in home schools to date. In Spring 1998, 20,760 K-12 home school students in 11,930 families were administered either the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS or the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP, depending on their current grade. The parents responded to a questionnaire requesting background and demographic information. Major findings include: the achievement test scores of this group of home school students are exceptionally high--the median scores were typically in the 70th to 80th percentile; 25% of home school students are enrolled one or more grades above their age-level public and private school peers; this group of home school parents has more formal education than parents in the general population; the median income for home school families is significantly higher than that of all families with children in the United States; and almost all home school students are in married couple families. Because this was not a controlled experiment, the study does not demonstrate that home schooling is superior to public or private schools and the results must be interpreted with caution. The report clearly suggests, however, that home school students do quite well in that educational environment.

Student Media in U.S. Secondary Schools: Associations with School Demographic Characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Bobkowski, Piotr S.; Goodman, Mark; Bowen, Candace Perkins

2012-01-01

This study provides an up-to-date counting of student media in U.S. public high schools. The analysis underscores the importance of school demographic characteristics in predicting whether schools offer student media. The disparities identified here should inform how journalism schools, scholastic journalism organizations, funding agencies, and…

The association between calcium consumption and students body composition

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Przemysław Zając

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The consumption of calcium in the Polish population is insufficient, which may negatively influence the occurrence of osteoporosis, as well as cause overweight and obesity. Aim of the research : To analyse the relationship between calcium consumption and body composition of the participants of this study. Material and methods : The study was carried out on a sample group of 103 nursing students. The study group consisted of 91 (88.3% women and 12 (11.7% men, aged from 19 to 33 years. The participants of the study had their body composition analysed, the body mass index (BMI was calculated, and the authors carried out a survey involving the Dairy Products Frequency Questionnaire (ADOS-Ca as well as their own questionnaire to evaluate the socio-economic status of the subjects. Results : The students who had the lowest calcium consumption also had the lowest BMI (p = 0.0015 and the lowest amount of visceral fat (p = 0.0260. Individuals who consumed the lowest amount of calcium also had the lowest muscle mass (p = 0.007 and bone mass (p = 0.004. However, the authors did not notice a significant statistical difference between the level of calcium consumption and the percentage of adipose tissue (p = 0.5000 as well as body water percentage (p = 0.3200. Conclusions: The results of the research do not confirm the hypothesis that high calcium consumption is associated with a lower probability of the occurrence of excess body mass and adipose tissue.

A photovoice study of school belongingness among high school students in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Lieblein, Vaiva Sunniva Deraas; Warne, Maria; Huot, Suzanne; Laliberte Rudman, Debbie; Raanaas, Ruth Kjærsti

2018-12-01

Although high school graduation is important for living conditions and health throughout life, many students do not complete. In Norway's northern most county, Finnmark, up to 45% of students do not complete high school. Contrary to prior research that has primarily focused on causes for dropout, this study's aim was to deepen understanding of factors that support high school attendance. A strengths-based participatory approach using photovoice addressed attendance factors as perceived by seven participating students from one high school in Finnmark. Qualitative content analysis of data generated through group dialogue about participant-generated photos and individual interviews identified six factors important for students' school attendance: a supportive school environment, a good learning environment, recuperation and recreation, family and friends, goals and ambitions, and place attachment. Related aspects of a supportive environment and belongingness, where school staff made important contributions to promoting a positive environment, were essential.

School climate factors contributing to student and faculty perceptions of safety in select Arizona schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosworth, Kris; Ford, Lysbeth; Hernandaz, Diley

2011-04-01

To ensure that schools are safe places where students can learn, researchers and educators must understand student and faculty safety concerns. This study examines student and teacher perceptions of school safety. Twenty-two focus groups with students and faculty were conducted in 11 secondary schools. Schools were selected from a stratified sample to vary in location, proximity to Indian reservations, size, and type. The data analysis was based on grounded theory. In 9 of 11 schools, neither faculty nor students voiced overwhelming concerns about safety. When asked what makes school safe, students tended to report physical security features. School climate and staff actions also increased feelings of safety. Faculty reported that relationships and climate are key factors in making schools safe. High student performance on standardized tests does not buffer students from unsafe behavior, nor does living in a dangerous neighborhood necessarily lead to more drug use or violence within school walls. School climate seemed to explain the difference between schools in which students and faculty reported higher versus lower levels of violence and alcohol and other drug use. The findings raise provocative questions about school safety and provide insight into elements that lead to perceptions of safety. Some schools have transcended issues of location and neighborhood to provide an environment perceived as safe. Further study of those schools could provide insights for policy makers, program planners, and educational leaders. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Urban Students' Perceptions of the School Environment's Influence on School Violence

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Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom; Burke, Jessica Griffin; Gielen, Andrea Carlson

2012-01-01

This article provides information about aspects of the school environment students perceive to influence the occurrence of school violence. Concept mapping, a mixed-methods methodology, was used with two groups of urban, primarily African American high school students (N = 27) to create conceptual frameworks of their understanding of the school…

Availability of Vending Machines and School Stores in California Schools.

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Cisse-Egbuonye, Nafissatou; Liles, Sandy; Schmitz, Katharine E; Kassem, Nada; Irvin, Veronica L; Hovell, Melbourne F

2016-01-01

This study examined the availability of foods sold in vending machines and school stores in United States public and private schools, and associations of availability with students' food purchases and consumption. Descriptive analyses, chi-square tests, and Spearman product-moment correlations were conducted on data collected from 521 students aged 8 to 15 years recruited from orthodontic offices in California. Vending machines were more common in private schools than in public schools, whereas school stores were common in both private and public schools. The food items most commonly available in both vending machines and school stores in all schools were predominately foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV). Participant report of availability of food items in vending machines and/or school stores was significantly correlated with (1) participant purchase of each item from those sources, except for energy drinks, milk, fruits, and vegetables; and (2) participants' friends' consumption of items at lunch, for 2 categories of FMNV (candy, cookies, or cake; soda or sports drinks). Despite the Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004, FMNV were still available in schools, and may be contributing to unhealthy dietary choices and ultimately to health risks. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Caffeine Consumption Among Naval Aviation Candidates.

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Sather, Thomas E; Williams, Ronald D; Delorey, Donald R; Woolsey, Conrad L

2017-04-01

Education frequently dictates students need to study for prolonged periods of time to adequately prepare for examinations. This is especially true with aviation preflight indoctrination (API) candidates who have to assimilate large volumes of information in a limited amount of time during API training. The purpose of this study was to assess caffeine consumption patterns (frequency, type, and volume) among naval aviation candidates attending API to determine the most frequently consumed caffeinated beverage and to examine if the consumption of a nonenergy drink caffeinated beverage was related to energy drink consumption. Data were collected by means of an anonymous 44-item survey administered and completed by 302 students enrolled in API at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL. Results indicated the most frequently consumed caffeinated beverage consumed by API students was coffee (86.4%), with daily coffee consumption being approximately 28% and the most frequent pattern of consumption being 2 cups per day (85%). The least frequently consumed caffeinated beverages reported were energy drinks (52%) and energy shots (29.1%). The present study also found that the consumption patterns (weekly and daily) of caffeinated beverages (coffee and cola) were positively correlated to energy drink consumption patterns. Naval aviation candidates' consumption of caffeinated beverages is comparable to other college and high school cohorts. This study found that coffee and colas were the beverages of choice, with energy drinks and energy shots being the least frequently reported caffeinated beverages used. Additionally, a relationship between the consumption of caffeinated beverages and energy drinks was identified.Sather TE, Williams RD, Delorey DR, Woolsey CL. Caffeine consumption among naval aviation candidates. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(4):399-405.

Charter Schools and Student Compositions of Traditional Public Schools

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Nevbahar Ertas

2013-06-01

Full Text Available One of the most contentious urban education policy issues in the United States today is the expansion of charter schools and its repercussions. Does the expansion of charter schools affect the racial and socioeconomic composition of traditional public schools in the United States? This study provides empirical evidence on this question by relying on a panel design that uses school-level data from two states that have experimented with charter schools for more than 15 years: Ohio and Texas. Using county-level, spatial, and enrollment-based measures of charter exposure, the changes from pre- to post-charter-legislation stages in the student compositions of public schools that do and do not face competition from charters are examined. The results suggest that charter school presence contributes to aggregate-level changes in the share of non-Hispanic White and free-lunch-eligible students in traditional public schools in both states in different ways.

Are school-level factors associated with primary school students' experience of physical violence from school staff in Uganda?

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Knight, Louise; Nakuti, Janet; Allen, Elizabeth; Gannett, Katherine R; Naker, Dipak; Devries, Karen M

2016-01-01

The nature and structure of the school environment has the potential to shape children's health and well being. Few studies have explored the importance of school-level factors in explaining a child's likelihood of experiencing violence from school staff, particularly in low-resource settings such as Uganda. To quantify to what extent a student's risk of violence is determined by school-level factors we fitted multilevel logistic regression models to investigate associations and present between-school variance partition coefficients. School structural factors, academic and supportive environment are explored. 53% of students reported physical violence from staff. Only 6% of variation in students' experience of violence was due to differences between schools and half the variation was explained by the school-level factors modelled. Schools with a higher proportion of girls are associated with increased odds of physical violence from staff. Students in schools with a high level of student perceptions of school connectedness have a 36% reduced odds of experiencing physical violence from staff, but no other school-level factor was significantly associated. Our findings suggest that physical violence by school staff is widespread across different types of schools in this setting, but interventions that improve students' school connectedness should be considered. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Latino Students' Transition to Middle School: Role of Bilingual Education and School Ethnic Context.

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Hughes, Jan N; Im, MyungHee; Kwok, Oi-Man; Cham, Heining; West, Stephen G

2015-09-01

Participants were 204 academically at-risk Latino students recruited into a study when in first grade and followed for 9 years. Using piecewise latent growth curve analyses, we investigated trajectories of teacher-rated behavioral engagement and student-reported school belonging during elementary school and middle school and the association between trajectories and enrollment in bilingual education classes in elementary school and a change in school ethnic congruence across the transition to middle school. Overall, students experienced a drop in school belonging and behavioral engagement across the transition. A moderating effect of ethnic congruence on bilingual enrollment was found. A decline in ethnic congruence was associated with more positive trajectories for students previously enrolled in bilingual classes but more negative trajectories for non-bilingual students.

Sexual behavior among high school students in Brazil: alcohol consumption and legal and illegal drug use associated with unprotected sex.

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Sanchez, Zila M; Nappo, Solange A; Cruz, Joselaine I; Carlini, Elisaldo A; Carlini, Claudia M; Martins, Silvia S

2013-04-01

Alcohol and other drug use appears to reduce decision-making ability and increase the risk of unsafe sex, leading to possible unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus/HIV transmission, and multiple sexual partners. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that risky sexual behaviors among adolescents are associated with legal and illegal drug use. A national cross-sectional survey of 17,371 high-school students was conducted in 2010. Students were selected from 789 public and private schools in each of the 27 Brazilian state capitals by a multistage probabilistic sampling method and answered a self-report questionnaire. Weighted data were analyzed through basic contingency tables and logistic regressions testing for differences in condom use among adolescents who were sexually active during the past month. Approximately one third of the high school students had engaged in sexual intercourse in the month prior to the survey, and nearly half of these respondents had not used a condom. While overall sexual intercourse was more prevalent among boys, unsafe sexual intercourse was more prevalent among girls. Furthermore, a lower socioeconomic status was directly associated with non-condom use, while binge drinking and illegal drug use were independently associated with unsafe sexual intercourse. Adolescent alcohol and drug use were associated with unsafe sexual practices. School prevention programs must include drug use and sexuality topics simultaneously because both risk-taking behaviors occur simultaneously.

Code Compliant School Buildings Boost Student Achievement

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Ronald B. Lumpkin

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Much of the focus in the literature in raising student achievement has included parental involvement, principal leadership, quality of instruction, students’ socioeconomic status, curriculum, and use of technology. Limited empirical research relates the condition of the school building as a variable that affects student achievement. Furthermore, there is no research that has examined the impact of building codes on achievement outcomes in the state of Florida. This research determined whether academic achievement of 4th-, 8th-, 9th-, and 10th-grade students as measured by the mathematics and reading subtests of the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT increased in new school buildings compliant to the 2000 Florida State Requirements for Educational Facilities. A causal-comparative design determined whether the independent variables, old and new school building influenced student achievement as measured by students’ FCAT mathematics and reading subtest scores. The control group was two cohorts of 4th-, 8th-, 9th-, and 10th-grade students who attended school in old buildings. The experimental group was two cohorts of 4th-, 8th-, 9th-, and 10th-grade students who attended school in new buildings. Transition from an old school into a new school was the treatment. Two hypotheses were formulated for testing and the research question for the inquiry was whether the percentage of students passing the FCAT mathematics and reading subtests increases after transitioning from an old school building into a new 2000 UBC (Uniform Building Code compliant facility.

Negotiating School Conflicts to Prevent Student Delinquency.

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De Cecco, John P.; Roberts, John K.

One of 52 theoretical papers on school crime and its relation to poverty, this chapter presents a model of negotiation as a means to resolve school conflict. The assumption is that school conflict is inevitable, but student delinquency is not. Delinquent behavior results from the way that the school deals with conflict. Students resort to…

School Start Times for Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2011-12 School Year.

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Wheaton, Anne G; Ferro, Gabrielle A; Croft, Janet B

2015-08-07

Adolescents who do not get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight; not engage in daily physical activity; suffer from depressive symptoms; engage in unhealthy risk behaviors such as drinking, smoking tobacco, and using illicit drugs; and perform poorly in school. However, insufficient sleep is common among high school students, with less than one third of U.S. high school students sleeping at least 8 hours on school nights. In a policy statement published in 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urged middle and high schools to modify start times as a means to enable students to get adequate sleep and improve their health, safety, academic performance, and quality of life. AAP recommended that "middle and high schools should aim for a starting time of no earlier than 8:30 a.m.". To assess state-specific distributions of public middle and high school start times and establish a pre-recommendation baseline, CDC and the U.S. Department of Education analyzed data from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). Among an estimated 39,700 public middle, high, and combined schools* in the United States, the average start time was 8:03 a.m. Overall, only 17.7% of these public schools started school at 8:30 a.m. or later. The percentage of schools with 8:30 a.m. or later start times varied greatly by state, ranging from 0% in Hawaii, Mississippi, and Wyoming to more than three quarters of schools in Alaska (76.8%) and North Dakota (78.5%). A school system start time policy of 8:30 a.m. or later provides teenage students the opportunity to achieve the 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep recommended by AAP and the 8-10 hours recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.

Consumption of energy drinks among Québec college students.

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Picard-Masson, Marianne; Loslier, Julie; Paquin, Pierre; Bertrand, Karine

2017-03-01

Consumption of energy drinks (ED) raises concerns because of adverse health effects possibly linked with high levels of caffeine and sugar intake. The study looks at the scope of ED consumption as well as some of the associated characteristics. Thirty-six public colleges in the Canadian province of Québec agreed to participate in a descriptive cross-sectional study (n = 36). In February 2013, participating colleges invited their students to answer an online questionnaire on consumption of ED, alcoholic ED (AED), and ED in combination with other psychotropic drugs. A descriptive and correlational analysis was carried out. Logistic regressions explored associations between ED consumption and associated characteristics. Of the students who successfully completed the questionnaire and participated in the study (n = 10,283), a low proportion consumed ED (9.1%; n = 935) and/or AED (1.1%; n = 109) at least once a week in the previous month. Although low in proportion, a number of participants reported having used ED with other stimulant psychoactive substances (n = 247) and ≥3 ED/day (n = 193) or ≥3 AED/occasion (n = 167), which can pose a risk for serious adverse effects. Weekly ED consumption was associated with consumption of ≥20 cups of coffee/week, smoking, excessive use of alcohol and past use of cannabis, glues or solvents and amphetamines. A majority of respondents are not heavy users of ED, AED, or ED with drugs. Yet, the profiles of ED consumption potentially harmful to health that characterize some participants indicate that the potential health consequences of such behaviour are of concern.

A student manual for promoting mental health among high school students

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Antonella Gigantesco

2013-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES. We describe a school program based on a student manual for promoting mental health and preventing mental illness. METHODS. A preliminary version of the manual was assessed for face validity by two focus groups. The final version was evaluated for acceptability among 253 students in 10 high schools and 1 middle school in Italy. RESULTS. The manual included 18 chapters (or "units" which address skills for enabling students to cope with their daily lives: communication skills, problem-solving, assertive skills, negotiation, stress management, anger management and conflict resolution. The manual was found to have been acceptable by high school students. CONCLUSIONS. The effectiveness of the manual in actually promoting mental health and preventing mental illness is currently being evaluated.

Students? approaches to medical school choice: relationship with students? characteristics and motivation

OpenAIRE

Wouters, Anouk; Croiset, Gerda; Schripsema, Nienke R.; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Spaai, Gerard W.G.; Hulsman, Robert L.; Kusurkar, Rashmi A.

2017-01-01

Objectives The aim was to examine main reasons for students? medical school choice and their relationship with students? characteristics and motivation during the students? medical study. Methods In this multisite cross-sectional study, all Year-1 and Year-4 students who had participated in a selection procedure in one of the three Dutch medical schools included in the study were invited to complete an online survey comprising personal data, their main reason for medical school choice and sta...

Location of food consumption and travelers' diarrhea.

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Tjoa, W S; DuPont, H L; Sullivan, P; Pickering, L K; Holguin, A H; Olarte, J; Evans, D G; Evans, D J

1977-07-01

Daily food histories for one month were obtained in summer, 1975, from students attending a Mexican university to determine the influence of food consumption on the development and etiology of diarrhea. In newly-arrived students from the U.S. who ate half or more of their meals in the school cafeteria and public restaurants there were significant increases in diarrhea (p less than 0.005); shigella infection (p less than 0.05) and toxigenic E. coli infection (p less than 0.025) compared to the students eating a comparable number of meals in private homes. In the summer U.S. students there was also an association of diarrhea and eating from street vendors (p less than 0.05). In full-time U.S. students who had lived in Mexico a year or longer as well as in Latin American students a relationship between location of meals and occurrence of enteric disease was not apparent. High numbers of enteric bacteria were recovered from food from the school's cafeteria, public restaurants, street vendors and small grocery stores. Shigella were isolated from cooked and uncooked hamburger patties from the school cafeteria. Four shigella carriers were found among kitchen personnel at the school. This study demonstrates that food serves as a major vehicle through which travelers' diarrhea occurs.

Factors Associated With Unhealthy Snacks Consumption Among Adolescents in Iran’s Schools

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Vahid Yazdi Feyzabadi

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background Well-informed interventions are needed if school-based health promotion is to be effective. Amongother aims, the Iranian Health Promoting School (IHPS program that was launched in 2011, has an important aimof promoting dietary behaviors of adolescents. The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate the factors affectingunhealthy snacking of adolescents and provide evidence for a more effective IHPS program. Methods In a cross-sectional study design, 1320 students from 40 schools in Kerman city were selected using aproportional stratified random sampling method. A modified qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ wasused to gather data about unhealthy snacking behavior. Data about intrapersonal and environmental factors wereobtained using a validated and reliable questionnaire. A mixed-effects negative-binomial regression model was usedto analyze the data. Results Taste and sensory perception (prevalence rate ratio [PRR] = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.09-1.27, being a male (PRR = 1.20;95% CI: 1.05-1.38 and lower nutritional knowledge (PRR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.91-0.99 were associated with higher weeklyunhealthy snaking. Perceived self-efficacy (PRR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-1.00 negatively influenced the frequency ofunhealthy snaking, with this approaching significance (P< .06. In case of environmental factors, high socio-economicstatus (SES level (PRR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.26-1.67, single-parent family (PRR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.01-1.30, more socialnorms pressure (PRR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.01-1.17, pocket money allowance (PRR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.09-1.34, easyaccessibility (PRR = 1.06; 95% CI:1.01-1.11, and less perceived parental control (PRR= 0.96; 95% CI: 0.92-0.99 all hada role in higher consumption of unhealthy snacks. Interestingly, larger school size was associated with less unhealthysnacking (PRR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68-0.92. Conclusion Unhealthy snacking behavior is influenced by individual, socio-cultural and physical-environmentalinfluences, namely by

Executive Functions as Predictors of School Performance and Social Relationships: Primary and Secondary School Students.

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Zorza, Juan Pablo; Marino, Julián; Acosta Mesas, Alberto

2016-05-12

This study examined the relationship between executive functions (EFs) and school performance in primary and secondary school students aged 8 to 13 years (N = 146, M = 10.4, 45.8% girls). EFs were evaluated using the Trail Making Test (TMT), Verbal Fluency (VF), and the Stroop Test. Students' GPAs and teachers' assessment of academic skills were used to measure school performance. To evaluate the students' social behavior, participants were asked to rate all their classmates' prosocial behavior and nominate three students with whom they preferred to do school activities; teachers also provided evaluations of students' social skills. EF measures explained 41% (p = .003, f 2 = .694) of variability in school performance and 29% (p = .005, f 2 = .401) of variance in social behavior in primary school students. The predictive power of EFs was found to be lower for secondary school students, although the TMT showed significant prediction and explained 13% (p = .004, f 2 = .149) of variance in school performance and 15% (p = .008, f 2 = .176) in peer ratings of prosocial behavior. This paper discusses the relevance of EFs in the school environment and their different predictive power in primary and secondary school students.

Availability of Vending Machines and School Stores in California Schools

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Cisse-Egbuonye, Nafissatou; Liles, Sandy; Schmitz, Katharine E.; Kassem, Nada; Irvin, Veronica L.; Hovell, Melbourne F.

2016-01-01

Background: This study examined the availability of foods sold in vending machines and school stores in United States public and private schools, and associations of availability with students' food purchases and consumption. Methods: Descriptive analyses, chi-square tests, and Spearman product-moment correlations were conducted on data collected…

Public School Uniforms: Effect on Perceptions of Gang Presence, School Climate, and Student Self-Perceptions.

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Wade, Kathleen Kiley; Stafford, Mary E.

2003-01-01

Examined the relationship between public school uniforms and student self-worth and student and staff perceptions of gang presence and school climate. Surveys of middle school students and teachers indicated that although students' perceptions did not vary across uniform policy, teachers from schools with uniform policies perceived lower levels of…

Kelston Beverages Pilot Study: Rationale, design and implementation of a community and school based intervention to reduce sugary drink consumption among children and youth.

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Sundborn, G; Ni Mhurchu, C; Ness, C; Latu, H; Jackson, R

2014-03-01

The Kelston Beverages Study was designed to increase awareness of the sugar content of sugary drinks, the poor health consequences that high intake of these drinks have, and inform on ways to reduce intake of students. The aims of this pilot study were to refine interventions and processes designed to raise awareness of the harms that sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) have on health, and to reduce their consumption among the youth of a small West Auckland suburb. There were three arms to this interventional study, one in schools, another in community organisations (churches, sports clubs and community groups), and the final arm is in the local retail sector. The school arm was the most extensive component and initially involved a survey of children's knowledge and consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) using a brief questionnaire. The study evaluated any SSB policies in schools and for schools that did not have policies, opportunities were scoped to develop and implement them; a canteen AUDIT focussed particularly on beverages was carried out; and finally a student partnered social marketing exercise was undertaken that comprised 2 competitions, one to design a poster, and another to write and perform a rap. Children were re-surveyed at the completion of the intervention (7 months later) to determine change in knowledge and self-reported consumption of SSBs. Both the community organisations and retail arms of this study focussed on raising awareness into the harmful effects of SSBs and establishing healthy beverage policy in the respective organisations. Promising results with regards to acceptability, feasibility, and recruitment as well as valuable learnings with regard to process support the development of a proposal to conduct a cluster randomised trial of the interventions successfully tested in this pilot study.

[Educational program had a positive effect on the intake of fat, fruits and vegetables and physical activity in students attending public elementary schools of Mexico].

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Quizán-Plata, Trinidad; Villarreal Meneses, Liliana; Esparza Romero, Julián; Bolaños Villar, Adriana V; Díaz Zavala, R Giovanni

2014-09-01

Poor diet and lack of physical activity are the most important risk factors of mortality and burden of disease in Mexico and many other countries around the world. The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of an educational intervention on The consumption of fruits, vegetables, fat, physical activity and inactivity in students attending public primary school of Sonora Mexico. The intervention consisted of educational workshops on nutrition and physical activity aimed to the students and educational talks on nutrition and physical activity aimed to parents. Anthropometric, 24 hours recall, nutrition-knowledge, and physical-activity questionnaires pre- and post-intervention were applied in order to evaluate changes in both groups. 126 of the initial 129 students (97.7%) were evaluated at the end of the intervention. the consumption of fruits and vegetables was significantly higher after the intervention (p=0.0032) and the consumption of total fat decreased (p=0.02) in the intervention schools. Moreover, intervention increased physical activity (p=0.04) and decreased sedentary activities (p=0.006). Intervention students obtained higher knowledge in nutrition (p=0.05) at the end of intervention. The intervention had a positive effect on improve fruits, vegetables and fat consumption, physical activity and nutrition knowledge. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

School-based physical therapy services and student functional performance at school.

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Mccoy, Sarah Westcott; Effgen, Susan K; Chiarello, Lisa A; Jeffries, Lynn M; Villasante Tezanos, Alejandro G

2018-03-30

We explored relationships of school-based physical therapy to standardized outcomes of students receiving physical therapy. Using a practice-based evidence research design, School Function Assessment (SFA) outcomes of 296 students with disabilities (mean age 7y 4mo [standard deviation 2y]; 166 males, 130 females), served by 109 physical therapists, were explored. After training, therapists completed 10 SFA scales on students at the beginning and end of the school year. Therapists collected detailed weekly data on services (activities, interventions, types, student participation) using the School-Physical Therapy Interventions for Pediatrics (S-PTIP) system. Stepwise linear regressions were used to investigate S-PTIP predictors of SFA outcomes. Predictors of SFA section outcomes varied in strength, with the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) for each outcome ranging from 0.107 to 0.326. Services that correlated positively with the SFA outcomes included mobility, sensory, motor learning, aerobic/conditioning, functional strengthening, playground access interventions, and higher student participation during therapy (standardized β=0.11-0.26). Services that correlated negatively with the SFA outcomes included providing services within student groups, within school activity, with students not in special education, during recreation activities, and with positioning, hands-on facilitation, sensory integration, orthoses, and equipment interventions (standardized β=-0.14 to -0.22). Consideration of outcomes is prudent to focus services. Overall results suggest we should emphasize active mobility practice by using motor learning interventions and engaging students within therapy sessions. No specific interventions predicted positively on all School Function Assessment (SFA) outcomes. Active movement practice seems related to overall better SFA outcomes. Active mobility practice improved SFA participation, mobility, recreation, and activities of daily living. Engaging

Factors Associated With Unhealthy Snacks Consumption Among Adolescents in Iran's Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdi Feyzabadi, Vahid; Keshavarz Mohammadi, Nastaran; Omidvar, Nasrin; Karimi-Shahanjarini, Akram; Nedjat, Saharnaz; Rashidian, Arash

2017-01-29

Well-informed interventions are needed if school-based health promotion is to be effective. Among other aims, the Iranian Health Promoting School (IHPS) program that was launched in 2011, has an important aim of promoting dietary behaviors of adolescents. The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate the factors affecting unhealthy snacking of adolescents and provide evidence for a more effective IHPS program. In a cross-sectional study design, 1320 students from 40 schools in Kerman city were selected using a proportional stratified random sampling method. A modified qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to gather data about unhealthy snacking behavior. Data about intrapersonal and environmental factors were obtained using a validated and reliable questionnaire. A mixed-effects negative-binomial regression model was used to analyze the data. Taste and sensory perception (prevalence rate ratio [PRR]=1.18; 95% CI: 1.09-1.27), being a male (PRR=1.20; 95% CI: 1.05-1.38) and lower nutritional knowledge (PRR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.91-0.99) were associated with higher weekly unhealthy snaking. Perceived self-efficacy (PRR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-1.00) negatively influenced the frequency of unhealthy snaking, with this approaching significance (Ppocket money allowance (PRR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.09-1.34), easy accessibility (PRR=1.06; 95% CI:1.01-1.11), and less perceived parental control (PRR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.92-0.99) all had a role in higher consumption of unhealthy snacks. Interestingly, larger school size was associated with less unhealthy snacking (PRR=0.79; 95% CI: 0.68-0.92). Unhealthy snacking behavior is influenced by individual, socio-cultural and physical-environmental influences, namely by factors relating to poor parenting practices, high SES level, family characteristics, improper social norms pressure, and less knowledge and self-efficacy of students. This evidence can be used to inform a more evidencebased IHPS program through focusing on supportive

School Mobility and Students' Academic and Behavioral Outcomes

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Han, Seunghee

2014-01-01

The study examined estimated effects of school mobility on students' academic and behaviouiral outcomes. Based on data for 2,560 public schools from the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) 2007-2008, the findings indicate that high schools, urban schools, and schools serving a total student population of more than 50 percent minority…

School Motivation in Secondary Schools: A Survey of LGB and Heterosexual Students in Flanders

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Aerts, Saskia; Van Houtte, Mieke; Dewaele, Alexis; Cox, Nele; Vincke, John

2015-01-01

This study focuses on the school motivation of LGB (lesbian, gay, and bisexual) students in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, a fairly LGB-friendly country. The authors hypothesize that LGB students in Flemish secondary schools are less motivated for school than heterosexual students because they experience less sense of school belonging and…

The personal and contextual contributors to school belongingness among primary school students.

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Sharmila Vaz

Full Text Available School belongingness has gained currency among educators and school health professionals as an important determinant of adolescent health. The current cross-sectional study presents the 15 most significant personal and contextual factors that collectively explain 66.4% (two-thirds of the variability in 12-year old students' perceptions of belongingness in primary school. The study is part of a larger longitudinal study investigating the factors associated with student adjustment in the transition from primary to secondary school. The study found that girls and students with disabilities had higher school belongingness scores than boys, and their typically developing counterparts respectively; and explained 2.5% of the variability in school belongingness. The majority (47.1% out of 66.4% of the variability in school belongingness was explained by student personal factors, such as social acceptance, physical appearance competence, coping skills, and social affiliation motivation; followed by parental expectations (3% out of 66.4%, and school-based factors (13.9% out of 66.4% such as, classroom involvement, task-goal structure, autonomy provision, cultural pluralism, and absence of bullying. Each of the identified contributors of primary school belongingness can be shaped through interventions, system changes, or policy reforms.

Knowledge About HIV/AIDS Among Secondary School Students.

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Gupta, Pratibha; Anjum, Fatima; Bhardwaj, Pankaj; Srivastav, Jp; Zaidi, Zeashan Haider

2013-02-01

HIV/AIDS has emerged as the single most formidable challenge to public health. School children of today are exposed to the risk of HIV/AIDS. The study was conducted to determine the knowledge among secondary school students regarding HIV/AIDS and provide suggestions for HIV/AIDS education in schools. A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of tenth to twelfth standard in the intermediate schools of Lucknow, India, from July to October 2011. A total of 215 students, both boys and girls, were enrolled in the study. In this study, for majority of the students (85%), the source of information about HIV/AIDS was the television. Regarding knowledge about modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS among girl students, 95.1% of them told that it is through unprotected sex. A total of 75.8% students said that it was transmitted from mother to child. It was observed that the knowledge of the school students was quite satisfactory for most of the variables like modes of transmission, including mother-to-child transmission of the disease. However, schools should come forward to design awareness campaigns for the benefit of the students.

School Location, School Section and Students' Gender as Predictors to Secondary School Dropout Rate in Rivers State, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Christian, Mathew

2015-01-01

This study was undertaken to underscore the extent the variables of school location, students' gender and school section can predict the rate of drop out of secondary school students. Ex post facto design was adopted and all data on students' enrollment, retention and completion were collected from available schools' records for two cohorts of…

Student Socioeconomic Status and Gender: Impacts on School Counselors' Ratings of Student Personal Characteristics and School Counselors' Self-Efficacy

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Glance, Dorea E.

2012-01-01

This research focused on how students' socioeconomic status and gender impact school counselors' ratings of student personal characteristics and school counselor self-efficacy. While previous literature focuses on how students' socioeconomic status and gender impact school counselors' ratings of academic characteristics such as…

The Racial School Climate Gap: Within-School Disparities in Students' Experiences of Safety, Support, and Connectedness.

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Voight, Adam; Hanson, Thomas; O'Malley, Meagan; Adekanye, Latifah

2015-12-01

This study used student and teacher survey data from over 400 middle schools in California to examine within-school racial disparities in students' experiences of school climate. It further examined the relationship between a school's racial climate gaps and achievement gaps and other school structures and norms that may help explain why some schools have larger or smaller racial disparities in student reports of climate than others. Multilevel regression results problematized the concept of a "school climate" by showing that, in an average middle school, Black and Hispanic students have less favorable experiences of safety, connectedness, relationships with adults, and opportunities for participation compared to White students. The results also show that certain racial school climate gaps vary in magnitude across middle schools, and in middle schools where these gaps are larger, the racial achievement gap is also larger. Finally, the socioeconomic status of students, student-teacher ratio, and geographic location help explain some cross-school variation in racial climate gaps. These findings have implications for how school climate in conceptualized, measured, and improved.

The association between time perspective and alcohol consumption in university students: cross-sectional study.

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Beenstock, Jane; Adams, Jean; White, Martin

2011-08-01

Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Levels of alcohol consumption among students and young people are particularly high. Time perspective describes the varying value individuals place on outcomes in the present and future. In general, it has been found that individuals prefer to receive a gain today rather than in the future. There is evidence that time perspective is associated with addictive health behaviours, including alcoholism and cigarette smoking, but less evidence of its association with non-addictive, but hazardous, levels of alcohol consumption. The objective was to determine if there is an association between time perspective and hazardous alcohol consumption. A cross-sectional survey using a self-completion questionnaire was administered to willing undergraduate students attending a convenience sample of lectures in two university faculties. Hazardous alcohol consumption was defined as a score of ≥8 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and time perspective was measured using the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFCS). Participants were 322 undergraduate university students in two faculties at a university in Northern England, UK. Hazardous alcohol consumption was reported by 264 (82%) respondents. After controlling for potential confounding by socio-demographic variables, greater consideration of future consequences was associated with lower odds of reporting hazardous drinking [odds ratio = 0.28; 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.54]. Interventions aimed at increasing future orientated time perspective may be effective in decreasing hazardous alcohol consumption in students.

Chefs move to schools. A pilot examination of how chef-created dishes can increase school lunch participation and fruit and vegetable intake.

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Just, David R; Wansink, Brian; Hanks, Andrew S

2014-12-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of introducing a main dish designed by a professional chef in the National School Lunch Program and to document the impact on child participation, a chef was recruited to design pizza to be served in an upstate New York school district. The pizza was designed to meet both the cost and ingredient requirements of the NSLP. High school students were significantly more likely to select the pizza prepared by the chef. While the chef had no significant impact on main dish consumption given selection, more students took a vegetable and vegetable consumption increased by 16.5%. This pilot study demonstrates the plausibility of using chefs to boost participation in the school lunch program, and potentially increase nutrition through side selection, among high school students. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student-Generated Protective Behaviors to Avert Severe Harm Due to High-Risk Alcohol Consumption

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Smith, Sandi W.; LaPlante, Carolyn; Wibert, Wilma Novales; Mayer, Alex; Atkin, Charles K.; Klein, Katherine; Glazer, Edward; Martell, Dennis

2011-01-01

High-risk alcohol consumption is a significant problem on college campuses that many students see as a rite of passage in their development into adulthood. Developing effective prevention campaigns designed to lessen or avert the risks associated with alcohol consumption entails understanding how students perceive harmful consequences as well as…

Uniforms in the Middle School: Student Opinions, Discipline Data, and School Police Data

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Sanchez, Jafeth E.; Yoxsimer, Andrew; Hill, George C.

2012-01-01

This study investigated public middle school students' opinions on the benefits of wearing a school uniform. A review of related literature is provided along with results of the opinions obtained from 604 seventh- and eighth-grade middle school students attending a public school in Nevada that had recently initiated a school uniform policy.…

Comparative Study Of Private And Public Schools Student ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Student perceptions of school engagement (i.e., sense of connection to school, teachers and peers), motivation to learn, self-esteem, and student safety are part of a range of public accountability indicators. This study examined differences between two groups of Senior Secondary three (SS III) students from public school ...

Attitudes of Turkish High School Students toward Mathematics

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Yenilmez, Kursat

2007-01-01

This study examines high school students' attitudes toward mathematics and analyzes whether there were differences in attitude and its source that could be attributed to gender, class level, type of school, mathematics success, whether the students received preschool education, families' income level, and high school student's place of living.…

High School Students' Recommendations to Improve School Food Environments: Insights From a Critical Stakeholder Group.

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Asada, Yuka; Hughes, Alejandro G; Read, Margaret; Schwartz, Marlene B; Chriqui, Jamie F

2017-11-01

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) directed the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise school meal standards. Students are most affected by efforts to improve the school food environment; yet, few studies directly include students. This study examined high school students' experiences of school meal reform to gain insight into implementation recommendations. We conducted 5 focus groups with high school students (N = 15) from high schools across 9 states. We also conducted follow-up interviews to further explore personal experiences. Focus groups and interview transcripts were coded and organized in Atlas.ti v7 by analysts, following principles of constant comparative analysis. Students reported overall positive perceptions of the revised school meal standards and supported continued efforts to improve the food environment. Recommendations to improve the food environment included engaging students, focusing on the quality and palatability of meal items, moving toward scratch-cooking, and addressing cafeteria infrastructure. Students' recommendations point to opportunities where school districts, as well as local, state, and federal organizations can work to improve the school food environment. Their insights are directly relevant to USDA's recently released Local School Wellness Policy final rule, of which school meal standards are one provision. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Start Later, Sleep Later: School Start Times and Adolescent Sleep in Homeschool vs. Public/Private School Students

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Meltzer, Lisa J.; Shaheed, Keisha; Ambler, Devon

2014-01-01

Homeschool students provide a naturalistic comparison group for later/flexible school start times. This study compared sleep patterns and sleep hygiene for homeschool students and public/private school students (grades 6-12). Public/private school students (n=245) and homeschool students (n=162) completed a survey about sleep patterns and sleep hygiene. Significant school group differences were found for weekday bedtime, wake time, and total sleep time, with homeschool students waking later and obtaining more sleep. Homeschool students had later school start times, waking at the same time that public/private school students were starting school. Public/private school students had poorer sleep hygiene practices, reporting more homework and use of technology in the hour before bed. Regardless of school type, technology in the bedroom was associated with shorter sleep duration. Later school start times may be a potential countermeasure for insufficient sleep in adolescents. Future studies should further examine the relationship between school start times and daytime outcomes, including academic performance, mood, and health. PMID:25315902

Bullying victimization and student engagement in elementary, middle, and high schools: Moderating role of school climate.

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Yang, Chunyan; Sharkey, Jill D; Reed, Lauren A; Chen, Chun; Dowdy, Erin

2018-03-01

Bullying is the most common form of school violence and is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including traumatic responses. This study used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the multilevel moderating effects of school climate and school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high schools) on the association between bullying victimization and student engagement. Participants included 25,896 students in 4th to 12th grades from 114 schools. Results indicated that, after controlling for student and school demographic factors, positive school climate was associated with higher behavioral/cognitive and emotional engagement of students across all grades. This highlights the critical and fundamental role of positive school climate in bullying prevention and intervention, among students across all grade levels, including those with frequent bullying victimization experience. Results also showed that negative associations between student-level bullying victimization and engagement were intensified in more positive school climates. This finding suggests that, in comparison with students in schools with less positive school climates, the engagement of bullying victims in schools with a more positive school climate might be more negatively influenced by their victimization experience. Additionally, the relation between student-level bullying victimization and emotional engagement was significantly different across middle and high schools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychoactive Substance Consumption in Recreational Settings among University Students in Colombia

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Barbieri Irene

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS is a public health problem in Colombia andworldwide. The people who consume such substances are becoming younger, and their effectsare potentially harmful and may affect all areas of adjustment of the individual. Although it hasbeen conceived that way, the use of PAS is not always associated with personal problems or highdegrees of stress. There may be other motivations associated. Objective: The objectives of thisarticle are to present: (a the relative frequency of consumption of PAS among college students,(b which are the PAS consumed most by college students and differences in their consumptionby sex and by age, (3 the relationship between the consumption of PAS and contexts of diversion.Materials and methods: This is a descriptive correlational study derived from an Italian researchproject, in which the sample were 226 college students from four undergraduate programs ofa private university in Bogotá DC, selected using a stratified random sampling procedure withproportional allocation. Participants filled out a questionnaire. Results: The PAS with the highestconsumption were alcohol, nicotine and marijuana. Males predominantly showed an increasedconsumption. The results are consistent with the national trend. Conclusion: The consumptionof SPA among college students is high and some recreational contexts are closely associated withthis behaviour.

Energy drinks, caffeine, junk food, breakfast, depression and academic attainment of secondary school students.

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Smith, Andrew P; Richards, Gareth

2018-06-01

Energy drinks are widely consumed, and concerns have been raised about possible negative outcomes. The aim of the present research was to examine associations between consumption of energy drinks, caffeine and junk food, and academic attainment in a sample of UK secondary school students. A total of 3071 students agreed to participate in the study; 2677 completed the survey on one occasion (52.4% female, 47.6% male; approximately 20% of the sample from each school year) and 1660 (49.6% female, 50.4% male) completed the survey a second time, approximately six months later. The academic attainment measure was based on Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 grades for Maths and English. In the cross-sectional analyses, logistic regressions showed that consumption of energy drinks was associated with a greater likelihood of being in the low academic achievement group. This was not found for other sources of caffeine. The effect of energy drinks was still significant when demographic, academic and health/lifestyle variables were covaried. However, inclusion of an unhealthy diet variable (junk food) removed the significant effect of energy drinks. Similar observations were made in the longitudinal study, with the poorer attainment of those who consumed energy drinks reflecting breakfast omission and depression. The present findings indicate that consumption of energy drinks is associated with an increased likelihood of poor academic attainment that reflects energy drink consumption being part of an unhealthy diet or being associated with skipping breakfast rather than a more specific effect, such as being a source of caffeine. Although the current study extends previous research by utilising a longitudinal design, intervention studies are now required to better answer questions relating to causality and direction of effect.

Exploring Strategies to Promote Middle School Student Participation in the School Breakfast Program

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Cullen, Karen Weber; Thompson, Deborah I.; Watson, Kathleen B.

2012-01-01

Purpose/Objective: Providing a school breakfast to students may be a practical intervention that improves energy balance, nutrient intake, and school academic achievement variables. This purpose of this pilot study was to identify the ecological factors influencing middle school student school breakfast participation and possible strategies to…

Student Trust in Teachers and Student Perceptions of Safety: Positive Predictors of Student Identification with School

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Mitchell, Roxanne M.; Kensler, Lisa; Tschannen-Moran, Megan

2018-01-01

This study examined the effects of student trust in teacher and student perceptions of safety on identification with school. Data were collected from one large urban district in an eastern state. Participants included 5441 students in 3rd through 12th grades from 49 schools. Students responded to surveys that assessed student trust in teachers,…

Sexual behavior among high school students in Brazil: alcohol consumption and legal and illegal drug use associated with unprotected sex

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Zila M. Sanchez

2013-04-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Alcohol and other drug use appears to reduce decision-making ability and increase the risk of unsafe sex, leading to possible unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus/HIV transmission, and multiple sexual partners. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that risky sexual behaviors among adolescents are associated with legal and illegal drug use. METHODS: A national cross-sectional survey of 17,371 high-school students was conducted in 2010. Students were selected from 789 public and private schools in each of the 27 Brazilian state capitals by a multistage probabilistic sampling method and answered a self-report questionnaire. Weighted data were analyzed through basic contingency tables and logistic regressions testing for differences in condom use among adolescents who were sexually active during the past month. RESULTS: Approximately one third of the high school students had engaged in sexual intercourse in the month prior to the survey, and nearly half of these respondents had not used a condom. While overall sexual intercourse was more prevalent among boys, unsafe sexual intercourse was more prevalent among girls. Furthermore, a lower socioeconomic status was directly associated with non-condom use, while binge drinking and illegal drug use were independently associated with unsafe sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: Adolescent alcohol and drug use were associated with unsafe sexual practices. School prevention programs must include drug use and sexuality topics simultaneously because both risk-taking behaviors occur simultaneously.

School staff, parent and student perceptions of a Breakfast in the Classroom model during initial implementation.

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Folta, Sara C; Carmichael Djang, Holly; Halmo, Megan; Metayer, Nesly; Blondin, Stacy A; Smith, Kathleen S; Economos, Christina D

2016-06-01

To understand perspectives of stakeholders during initial district-wide implementation of a Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) model of the School Breakfast Program. Qualitative data were collected from twenty-nine focus groups and twenty interviews with stakeholders in a school district early in the process of implementing a BIC model of the School Breakfast Program. Ten elementary schools within a large, urban school district in the USA that served predominantly low-income, racial/ethnic minority students. Purposively selected stakeholders in elementary schools that had implemented BIC for 3-6 months: students (n 85), parents/guardians (n 86), classroom teachers (n 44), cafeteria managers (n 10) and principals (n 10). Four primary themes emerged, which were interpreted based on the Diffusion of Innovations model. School staff had changed their perceptions of both the relative disadvantages and costs related to time and effort of BIC over time; the majority of each stakeholder group expressed an appreciation for BIC; student breakfast consumption varied from day to day, related to compatibility of foods with child preferences; and stakeholders held mixed and various impressions of BIC's potential impacts. The study underscores the importance of engaging school staff and parents in discussions of BIC programming prior to its initiation to pre-emptively address concerns related to cost, relative disadvantages and compatibility with child preferences and school routines/workflow. Effectively communicating with stakeholders about positive impacts and nutritional value of the meals may improve support for BIC. These findings provide new information to policy makers, districts and practitioners that can be used to improve implementation efforts, model delivery and outcomes.

Alcohol consumption among university students in Ireland and the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2014

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davoren, M.P.; Demant, Jakob Johan; Shiely, Frances

2016-01-01

Alcohol is a leading cause of global suffering. Europe reports the uppermost volume of alcohol consumption in the world, with Ireland and the United Kingdom reporting the highest levels of binge drinking and drunkenness. Levels of consumption are elevated among university students. Thus......, this literature review aims to summarise the current research on alcohol consumption among university students in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom....

refractive errors among secondary school students in Isuikwuato

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Eyamba

STUDENTS IN ISUIKWUATO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ... the prevalence and types of refractive errors among secondary school students ... KEYWORDS: Refractive error, Secondary School students, ametropia, .... interviews of the teachers as regards the general performance of those students with obvious visual.

How High School Students Select a College.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmour, Joseph E., Jr.; And Others

The college selection process used by high school students was studied and a paradigm that describes the process was developed, based on marketing theory concerning consumer behavior. Primarily college freshmen and high school seniors were interviewed, and a few high school juniors and upper-level college students were surveyed to determine…

Scientific Literacy of High School Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Keith B.; Tulip, David F.

This investigation was undertaken in order to establish the status of scientific literacy among three groups of secondary school students in four Brisbane, Australia high schools, and to reduce the apparent reticence of science teachers to evaluate students' achievement in the various dimensions of scientific literacy by demonstrating appropriate…

Matching Students to Schools

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Dejan Trifunovic

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present the problem of matching students to schools by using different matching mechanisms. This market is specific since public schools are free and the price mechanism cannot be used to determine the optimal allocation of children in schools. Therefore, it is necessary to use different matching algorithms that mimic the market mechanism and enable us to determine the core of the cooperative game. In this paper, we will determine that it is possible to apply cooperative game theory in matching problems. This review paper is based on illustrative examples aiming to compare matching algorithms in terms of the incentive compatibility, stability and efficiency of the matching. In this paper we will present some specific problems that may occur in matching, such as improving the quality of schools, favoring minority students, the limited length of the list of preferences and generating strict priorities from weak priorities.

Relationships Among Student, Staff, and Administrative Measures of School Climate and Student Health and Academic Outcomes.

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Gase, Lauren N; Gomez, Louis M; Kuo, Tony; Glenn, Beth A; Inkelas, Moira; Ponce, Ninez A

2017-05-01

School climate is an integral part of a comprehensive approach to improving the well-being of students; however, little is known about the relationships between its different domains and measures. We examined the relationships between student, staff, and administrative measures of school climate to understand the extent to which they were related to each other and student outcomes. The sample included 33,572 secondary school students from 121 schools in Los Angeles County during the 2014-2015 academic year. A multilevel regression model was constructed to examine the association between the domains and measures of school climate and 5 outcomes of student well-being: depressive symptoms or suicidal ideation, tobacco use, alcohol use, marijuana use, and grades. Student, staff, and administrative measures of school climate were weakly correlated. Strong associations were found between student outcomes and student reports of engagement and safety, while school staff reports and administrative measures of school climate showed limited associations with student outcomes. As schools seek to measure and implement interventions aimed at improving school climate, consideration should be given to grounding these efforts in a multidimensional conceptualization of climate that values student perspectives and includes elements of both engagement and safety. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Elementary Student Perceptions of School Climate and Associations with Individual and School Factors

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La Salle, Tamika P.; Zabek, Faith; Meyers, Joel

2016-01-01

School climate has increasingly been recognized as an essential component of school improvement owing to the established associations between a positive school climate and academic outcomes for students. Our study examines associations among a brief measure of school climate assessing elementary student perceptions and the College and Career Ready…

Attitudes of High School Students towards Geometry

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Esat Avcı

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this research, attitudes of high school students towards geometry were investigated in terms of gender, grade, types of the field and school. Population of research includes students who were studying at high school in five distincs of Mersin in 2013-2014 academical year. Sample of research includes 935 students from twelve high schools. Attitude scale which was developed by Su-Özenir (2008 was used for data collection. For data analysis, mean, standart deviation, t test and ANOVA were used. A meaningful difference between students’ attitudes towards geometry and variance of gender and grade level wasn’t observed, on the other hand a meaningful difference according to field and school type is observed.Key Words:    Attitudes towards geometry, high school geometry lesson, attitude scale

Greenhouse Schools: How Schools Can Build Cultures Where Teachers and Students Thrive. Executive Summary

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TNTP, 2012

2012-01-01

Successful teachers make successful schools. Yet some schools are better than others at accelerating student learning by developing and keeping great teachers, even compared to schools that serve the same population of students and have access to the same resources. These schools are called "greenhouse schools"--schools with carefully fostered…

Nutritional assessment for primary school children in tehran: an evaluation of dietary pattern with emphasis on snacks and meals consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Amini, Maryam; Dadkhah-Piraghaj, Monireh; Abtahi, Mitra; Abdollahi, Morteza; Houshiarrad, Anahita; Kimiagar, Masoud

2014-05-01

In order to provide better advice for prevention of obesity and eating disorders among children, there is a need to have more knowledge of their dietary patterns. This study examined meal and snacking patterns of primary school children in Tehran. A total of 761 male and female primary school children from all educational areas in Tehran were recruited in a cross-sectional survey. The data was collected by interviewing the students and their mothers or caregivers. Information on food consumption patterns was collected by one 24-h-recall and one snack-oriented food frequency questionnaire which covered a period of 1 month. Means, standard deviations, frequencies, percentages, energy and nutrient analyzes and nutrient densities were reported. All of the students snacked at least once on the day of the survey. Snacks provided 38% of total energy intake by the students. Fruits and sweet snacks were consumed by almost all of the students during a week. Energy and most nutrient intakes from meals were greater than those consumed from snacks. Snacks had a higher density of fiber, carbohydrate, calcium, iron, vitamin C, riboflavin and thiamin and had a lower density of protein, fat and niacin, compared with main meals. Salty snacks such as extruded cheese curls (Cheetos) and chips were not consumed so often. Results provide detailed information about dietary patterns, which in turn enable development of targeted messages and/or interventions to improve nutritional status of school children.

Career orientation of senior secondary school students

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Suryadi Bambang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study is to portray career orientation of Senior High School (SMA and Vocational High School (SMK students and the role that school counselors should play in providing vocational guidance. This study used a survey method involving 278 students from both SMA and SMK di Jakarta. Career Orientation Inventory (COI and Counselor Role in Career Guidance Inventory were used as an instrument of data collection. Descriptive statistics and t-test were conducted to analyze the data. The findings of the study reveal that majority of SMA and SMK students wanted to further their study to university and only small number of them wanted to find out jobs or run their own business. The findings also show that school counselors play a very important role in providing vocational guidance services for senior secondary students. Therefore, in order for students to have a bright career in future, school counselors should improve the quality of vocational guidance services and plan comprehensive vocational guidance programs.

Reliability and validity of the Student Perceptions of School Cohesion Scale in a sample of Salvadoran secondary school students

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Arrivillaga Marcela

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite a growing body of research from the United States and other industrialized countries on the inverse association between supportive social relationships in the school and youth risk behavior engagement, research on the measurement of supportive school social relationships in Central America is limited. We examined the psychometric properties of the Student Perceptions of School Cohesion (SPSC scale, a 10-item scale that asks students to rate with a 5-point Likert-type response scale their perceptions of the school social environment, in a sample of public secondary school students (mean age = 15 years living in central El Salvador. Methods Students (n = 982 completed a self-administered questionnaire that included the SPSC scale along with measures of youth health risk behaviors based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure of the scale, and two internal consistency estimates of reliability were computed. Construct validity was assessed by examining whether students who reported low school cohesion were significantly more likely to report physical fighting and illicit drug use. Results Results indicated that the SPSC scale has three latent factors, which explained 61.6% of the variance: supportive school relationships, student-school connectedness, and student-teacher connectedness. The full scale and three subscales had good internal consistency (rs = .87 and α = .84 for the full scale; rs and α between .71 and .75 for the three subscales. Significant associations were found between the full scale and all three subscales with physical fighting (p ≤ .001 and illicit drug use (p Conclusion Findings provide evidence of reliability and validity of the SPSC for the measurement of supportive school relationships in Latino adolescents living in El Salvador. These findings provide a foundation for further research on

School ethnic diversity and students' interethnic relations.

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Thijs, Jochem; Verkuyten, Maykel

2014-03-01

School ethnic desegregation has been a topic of strong societal and educational concern. Research has examined the effects of ethnic school composition on students' interethnic relations with diverging outcomes and sometimes inconsistent results. In this review paper, we provide an assessment of this literature to explain why and when school desegregation might improve or worsen ethnic relations and to identify important future research directions. We discuss different theoretical perspectives predicting positive versus negative aspects of school ethnic diversity: intergroup contact theory and the perspectives of group threat and power differences. Subsequently, we consider a number of school and educational characteristics that can moderate the impact of ethnic diversity on students' interethnic relations and that could be considered in future research. Furthermore, we discuss the need for studying underlying psychological and social processes as well as the importance of investigating interethnic relations in combination with academic adjustment. School ethnic diversity is not enough to promote interethnic tolerance. It is important to examine diversity in relation to other aspects of the school environment that may influence how students respond to the ethnic diversity within school. Important factors to consider are the presence of multicultural education and inclusive school identities, student-teacher relationships, and peer norms and networks, but also the role of parents and of peer relations outside the school context. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Dietary fiber sources consumption and overweight among Polish male students. A cross-sectional study

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Krusińska, Beata; Wuenstel, Justyna Weronika; Kowalkowska, Joanna; Wądołowska, Lidia; Słowińska, Małgorzata Anna

There has been an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents and young adults, especially in men than women. Many adolescents have a sedentary lifestyle and consume more processed, low-fiber foods. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of fiber intake and its selected dietary source consumption in relation to the overweight among Polish male students. This cross-sectional study involved 1,233 male students aged 13.0-24.9 years from northern, eastern and central Poland. The respondents completed a self-administered Block Screening Questionnaire for Fruit/Vegetable/Fiber Intake and measurements of their body mass and height were performed. The overweight and obesity prevalence was assessed using international standards. The most frequently consumed foods by students included: white bread and potatoes, fruit and fruit or vegetable juices. The odds of overweight (including obesity) were lower from 28% (OR=0.72; 95%CI:0.56-0.93) to 31% (OR=0.69; 95%CI:0.50-0.95) with a daily consumption of white bread compared to non-daily consumption of white bread. Consumption ≥4 times/week of prepared vegetables (cooked, preserved or marinated) was associated with 51% lower odds of overweight (OR=0.49; 95%CI:0.27-0.97) compared to consumption less than 4 times/week of these foods. The odds of overweight for the level of fiber intake was insignificant. This study provides surprising insights regarding high-fiber and low-fiber food consumption and overweight in Polish male students. A lower odds of overweight was associated with a higher frequency consumption of relatively low in fiber foods as white bread and cooked, preserved or marinated vegetables. Most of the students consumed fiber at an unacceptable level, so a beneficial impact of high-fiber foods on overweight prevalence was not shown.

Dual Enrollment for High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Linsey; Hughes, Katherine

2011-01-01

Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to enroll in college courses and potentially earn college credit. The term concurrent enrollment is sometimes used interchangeably with dual enrollment, and sometimes to refer to a particular model of dual enrollment. In some programs, students earn high school and college credit simultaneously;…