The news on health behavior: coverage of diet, activity, and tobacco in local newspapers.

News media are an important and influential part of the social environment, calling attention to certain issues by the amount and nature of their coverage. To better understand how health behaviors are covered, we examined more than 80,000 stories in 1,354 newspaper issues from four midsize Missouri communities. Health behavior stories were rare. Of 1,373 stories (1.7%) that addressed diet, physical activity, or tobacco, few were prominently located in the paper, and only half had a primary prevention focus. A large majority had no local angle, local quotes, or call to action for individuals or the community, and only 10% were generated by local reporters. Because the local newspaper can be especially influential in smaller communities, strategies are needed to help reporters and editors in these settings provide more and better coverage of health behavior-related stories.     

The portrayal of mental health in Australian daily newspapers

Objective: To examine how mental health is portrayed as a holistic construct in three major Australian daily newspapers. Methods: Using an unobtrusive, mixed methods approach incorporating content and thematic analyses, data were collected from hard copies of The Age, The Australian and Herald Sun newspapers and their weekend counterparts over 12 weeks in 2012. Results: Newspaper coverage of mental health favoured stories about illness over wellbeing. While the issue was typically reported responsibly, psychotic disorders were overrepresented in discussions of illness and were often discussed in relation to deviance. Conclusions: Our analysis suggested that positive mental health messages are commonly presented, particularly in tabloid coverage, which appears to place greater emphasis on wellbeing. However, improvements in the representation of psychotic disorders appear to be less progressive than other disorders. This suggests mental health professionals and organisations need to continue building relationships with and providing education to journalists to ensure responsible representations continue to dominate. Implications: This study provides an updated and holistic examination of the media's portrayal of mental health within the Australian context. As this is the first study to examine the portrayal of wellbeing and illness, it may provide insight into how media representations of mental health affect society beyond those affected by illness.     

Self reported physical activity, public health, and perceived environment: results from a comparative European study

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The focus of physical activity promotion is moving from methods for increasing health enhancing physical activity on the individual level to higher level strategies including environmental and policy approaches. Scientific inquiry, traditionally related to individual-based strategies, requires adaptation and refinement when environmental and policy changes become more relevant. The objective of this study is to investigate the significance for behaviour and health of community-based environments that encourage physical activity. DESIGN AND SETTING: The article presents data and results from a cross sectional comparative survey of the general population in six European countries (Belgium, Finland, Germany (East and West), Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland). Specifically, the relation between perceived community-based opportunities for physical activity, self reported physical activity, and self rated health status is investigated. PARTICIPANTS: Representative samples of general populations (adults 18 years or older). Overall response rate: 53.5%. Sample sizes realised: Belgium: n = 389; Finland: n = 400; Germany (East): n = 913; Germany (West): n = 489; Netherlands: n = 366; Spain: n = 380; Switzerland: n =406. MAIN RESULTS: Analyses show that best opportunities are reported by people who are lightly to moderately physically active. People's self rated health is moderately, but significantly associated with both perceived opportunities, and physical activity itself. These predictors interact in that especially for women, the health impact of physical activity is more pronounced in case of good opportunities. CONCLUSIONS: The paper shows the potential of opportunities within residential and community environments with regard to physical activity, both for behaviour and health. Opportunities may enable the population, especially women, to develop an active lifestyle, and thus improve their health. Future studies with objective indicators for physical activity related environments should test the findings that are based on perceptions.     

Australian print news media coverage of sweet, non-alcoholic drinks sends mixed health messages

Objective: This study aimed to analyse the contribution of Australian print news coverage to the public profile of sweet, non‐alcoholic beverages. News media portrayal of health contributes to individuals’ decision‐making. The focus on sugar‐sweetened beverages reflects their contribution to excessive energy intake. Methods: One year's coverage of sweet, non‐alcoholic beverages by major Australian newspapers was analysed using content and frame analysis. Research questions addressed which sweet drinks are most prominently covered, what makes sweet drinks newsworthy and how are the health aspects of sweet drinks framed? Results: Fruit juice was the most widely covered sweet drink, closely followed by carbonated, sugar‐sweetened soft drinks. Overall coverage was positively oriented towards sweet drinks, with fruit juice primarily portrayed as having health benefits. Some coverage mentioned risks of sweet drinks, such as obesity, tooth decay, metabolic syndrome and heart attack. Conclusions: Sweet drinks often enjoy positive coverage, with their health benefits and harms central to their ability to attract journalists’ attention. However, the mix of coverage may be contributing to consumer confusion about whether it is safe and/or healthy to consume sweet non‐alcoholic drinks. Implications: Framing of sweet drinks as healthy may undermine efforts to encourage individuals to avoid excess consumption of energy‐dense drinks which offer few or minimal health benefits.     

The impact of state physical education requirements on youth physical activity and overweight

To combat childhood overweight in the US, which has risen dramatically in the past three decades, many medical and public health organizations have called for students to spend more time in physical education (PE) classes. This paper is the first to examine the impact of state PE requirements on student PE exercise time. It also exploits variation in state laws as quasi-natural experiments in order to estimate the causal impact of PE on overall student physical activity and weight. We study nationwide data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System for 1999, 2001, and 2003 merged with data on state minimum PE requirements from the 2001 Shape of the Nation Report.We find that high school students with a binding PE requirement report an average of 31 additional minutes per week spent physically active in PE class. Our results also indicate that additional PE time raises the number of days per week that girls report having exercised vigorously or having engaged in strength-building activity. We find no evidence that PE lowers BMI or the probability that a student is overweight.We conclude that raising PE credit requirements may make girls more physically active overall but there is not yet the scientific base to declare raising PE requirements an anti-obesity initiative for either boys or girls.     

Trends in vigorous physical activity and TV watching of adolescents from 1986 to 2002 in seven European Countries

BACKGROUND: The aim is to study trends in physical activity and TV viewing in seven European countries in the period 1985-2002. METHODS: The data are collected through questionnaires in the survey 'Health Behaviour in School-aged Children. A WHO Cross-national study', using nationally representative samples of 11-, 13-, and 15-year-olds. Between 1985/86 and 2001/02, a standard set of items was used to measure vigorous physical activity and TV watching in the study. Austria, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, and Wales used these measures in all surveys. RESULTS: Between 1985/86 and 2001/02, there was a slight increase in Finland in the proportions reporting vigorous physical activity 4 or more times a week, whereas as pattern of stability was observed for the other countries. Across all surveys and countries boys were more likely to report regular vigorous physical activity than girls. No clear pattern emerges when examining trends over time in TV watching. Boys reported spending more time watching TV than girls in all countries. The correlation between the two behaviours at the 1986 and 1998 measurement points was non-significant. CONCLUSION: The finding that boys were more likely to report regular vigorous physical activity and TV watching confirms results of previous studies. The present study of seven European countries generally indicates stability or a small increase in physical activity of boys and girls aged 11-15 from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s.     

Governmental interventions and youth physical activity in France

Data from a representative sample of 2474 French youth show that, despite a 7-year French Ministry of Health strategy for nutrition and physical activities, adolescents' motivation to practise sports and physical activities decreased significantly between 2001 and 2008. While this paper focuses on the context of physical activity in France, the general discussion may be applicable to other countries concerned with the obesity pandemic.     

艾滋病/性病/安全性行为同伴教育项目评价设计

  目的  探讨饮食知识健康教育和运动干预方式对中国城市初中生体质指数（BMI）和肥胖水平的干预效果,为青少年肥胖控制提供科学依据。  方法  于2015年9月,在天津、内江、大连抽取初一和初二1 491名学生作为研究对象,随机分为干预组（720人）和对照组（771人）,对干预组进行综合干预（健康教育和运动干预）,对照组进行普通干预（发放健康手册和知识讲座）,为期10月,干预前后分别进行问卷调查和体格测量。  结果  干预组肥胖学生BMI由干预前的30.1 kg/m² 下降为28.9 kg/m²,对照组肥胖学生BMI由干预前的29.9 kg/m² 下降为29.4 kg/m²,干预组肥胖学生BMI下降显著高于对照组。其中,干预组肥胖男生BMI由干预前的30.0 kg/m² 下降为28.6 kg/m²,对照组肥胖男生BMI由干预前的29.5 kg/m² 下降为28.9 kg/m²,干预组肥胖男生BMI下降显著高于对照组（P < 0.05）;在肥胖女生中干预不显著（P > 0.05）。干预组学生工作日久坐行为时间由干预前的4.2 h下降为4.1 h,对照组学生干预前后均为4.4 h;干预组学生每周吃水果蔬菜天数由干预前的4.5 d增加为5.1 d,对照组学生干预前后均为4.8 d,2组比较差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。  结论  健康教育和运动干预相结合有助于提高学生体力活动水平,明显降低肥胖学生尤其是男生肥胖水平,但干预效果仍存在性别差异。     

Dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviour among Australian secondary students in 2005

The aim of this study was to provide a current assessment of Australian secondary students' self-reported dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviour. This study also examined the relationship between television viewing and students' dietary behaviour. Data are from a cross-sectional survey of 18 486 secondary students in 2005 from all Australian states except Western Australia. Participants reported their usual daily consumption (number of serves) of vegetables and fruit; their weekly consumption of unhealthy/non-core foods including fast food meals, snack foods and high-energy drinks; their engagement in moderate-vigorous physical activity over the previous week; and hours spent using electronic media for entertainment and doing homework on school days. The study found that 20% of students were meeting the daily requirement of four serves of vegetables, whereas 39% were eating the recommended three daily serves of fruit. Consumption of unhealthy/non-core foods was high, with 46% of students having fast food meals at least twice a week, 51% eating snack foods four or more times per week and 44% having high-energy drinks four or more times per week. Fourteen per cent of students engaged in recommended levels of physical activity and 29% engaged in recommended levels of sedentary behaviour. Age and gender differences occurred for most measures, and there were some socio-economic status differences. Heavier television use was associated with lower consumption of fruit and higher consumption of unhealthy/non-core foods. On the basis of the results of this study, it appears that a significant proportion of Australian secondary students fall short of current, national dietary and physical activity recommendations for teenagers. Continual monitoring of these behaviours is essential to help inform research and policy and identify where future efforts should be directed.     

Acculturation,physical activity,and obesity among Hispanic adolescents

Objective. Little is known about how acculturation may influence participation in leisure-time physical activity and obesity among adolescents. The objective of this study was to examine these associations among Hispanic adolescents.

Design. Data were drawn from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health, restricted to Hispanic adolescents aged 10–17 (n=4704). Acculturation was assessed by proxy measures (generation status and language spoken at home). Adolescents who were not reported to engage in physical activity lasting at least 20 minutes, that was vigorous enough to cause sweating and hard breathing, for at least three days per week were defined as failing to meet physical activity requirements. Obesity was defined as gender and age-specific body mass index values at or above the 95th percentile of the reference population. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to adjust for confounders.

Results. Of the Hispanic adolescents studied, 25.2%, 43.8%, and 31.1% were first, second, and third generation or more, respectively. English was the primary language in the home for 42.8% of these adolescents. Compared with adolescents in the third generation, adolescents from immigrant families had higher odds for not obtaining recommended physical activity (first generation: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.50, 95% conference intervals [CI]: 1.09, 2.05; second generation: AOR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.69). Living in homes where English was not the primary language, vs. English-speaking homes, was also associated with not obtaining recommended physical activity (AOR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.75). The unadjusted prevalence of obesity was higher in homes where English was not the primary language (22.5% vs. 16.1%; p<0.01), but this difference disappeared after adjusting for family socioeconomic status. Generational status was not a significant correlate of obesity.

Conclusions. Findings suggest that future public health interventions that aim to increasing physical activity among Hispanic adolescents should be tailored based on generational status and English-language use.     

Trends in news coverage about skin cancer prevention, 1993-2006: increasingly mixed messages for the public

Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of trends in news coverage about sun protection issues in an Australian setting over a 14‐year period. Methods: A content analysis was performed on all relevant articles (N=547) published in two major daily newspapers, The Age and the Herald Sun, from 1993 to 2006. Articles were coded for article type, prominence, theme, spokesperson, topic slant and opinion slant. Results: The most frequent themes were the health effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure (24% of articles), education/prevention (14%) and product issues (12%). Themes that became more dominant over time were vitamin D issues, solaria issues and fake tans. Sixty per cent of articles included a pro‐sun protection spokesperson and 12% an anti‐sun protection spokesperson, with the profile of anti‐sun protection spokespeople increasing over time. Half the articles reported on topics positive for sun protection, whereas 18% reported on negative topics; however, this difference narrowed considerably from 2001 onwards. In opinionated articles, the opinions expressed by authors were mainly positive (57%) rather than negative (7%) for sun protection. Conclusions and implications: The findings suggest that the mix of sun protection issues covered and views of sun protection have changed over time, resulting in greater coverage of controversies and issues not necessarily positive for sun protection objectives. These findings imply that evaluation of paid skin cancer prevention public education campaigns may need to take account of the changing news media environment in which they take place.     

An assessment of Australian school physical activity and nutrition policies

Objective: This study's objective was to identify and assess existing physical activity and nutrition policies for Australian schools. Methods: Policies were identified through a search of the websites of national and state/territory education departments and school associations, and were subsequently assessed against specific criteria. Results: Policies were identified for government schools, but only for one non‐government school association. Physical activity policies were identified at the national level and for six of eight state/territories. The national policy was mandated, and most state/territory physical activity policies were mandated and consistent with the national policy. Several physical activity policies did not meet expert recommendations for time and instructor qualifications. Nutrition policies were identified at the national level and all eight states/territories. The national policy was not mandated, but all state/territory nutrition policies were mandated and consistent with the national policy and relevant guidelines. Most physical activity and nutrition policies lacked information about implementation monitoring. Conclusions: To improve school practices, policies are needed that are mandated and consistent with expert recommendations, use clear language, and specify monitoring and accountability mechanisms. Implications for public health: Improvements in school policies can promote physical activity and healthy eating behaviours to positively influence student outcomes across Australia.     

久坐时间及体力活动与儿童超重肥胖的联合关系研究

目的 探明久坐时间(ST)、体力活动(PA)与儿童超重肥胖的联合关系,为从身体活动角度制定儿童超重肥胖的防控策略提供依据。方法 本研究采用分层整群随机抽样方法,于2017年3-6月共抽取3 936名广州市7~12岁儿童。采用信效度良好的问卷评估儿童的ST和PA水平,儿童超重肥胖依据中国肥胖工作组制定的标准进行判定。每天进行课后ST≥2 h/d视为高ST,每天参加中高等强度PA≥60 min/d视为高PA;高、低ST和PA两两交叉分组后形成四组别。结果 广州市7~12岁儿童总体的超重肥胖率为21.5%。低ST高PA、低ST低PA、高ST高PA、高ST低PA四组别儿童的超重肥胖率分别为18.9%,17.8%,23.1%和22.3%。在控制了混杂因素后,与低ST高PA组儿童相比较,高ST高PA组儿童的超重肥胖风险是其1.286倍(95%CI:1.078~1.724),高ST低PA组儿童的超重肥胖风险是其1.219倍(95%CI:1.059~1.641)。结论 ST、PA与儿童超重肥胖间存在联合关系,有关部门从身体活动角度防控儿童超重肥胖时,除了考虑增加儿童中高等强度PA水平,也应多关注减少课后ST。     

Prevention of overweight and obesity from a public health perspective

International organizations have raised awareness of the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity worldwide and the impact on morbidity, mortality, quality of life, and cost of healthcare. The development and implementation of obesity prevention strategies requires the identification and understanding of determinant factors that can be influenced by effective large-scale action plans over time. Strategies aimed at the primary prevention of obesity in a population should be multifaceted and designed to actively involve stakeholders and other major parties concerned; in addition, multiple settings for implementation should be considered. In this paper, an overview is presented of the strategies currently in place for obesity prevention, particularly in Spain.     

Participation in physical activity among normal- and overweight Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between weight status and participation in physical activity (PA) among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white (NHW) adolescent boys and girls. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, height and weight were measured and a modified 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey was administered to 1,302 Hispanic and NHW adolescents, aged 14-17 years, attending high school in Nueces County, Texas. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the relation between weight status (normal weight or "at risk for overweight and overweight" [AR&O]) and PA, including moderate PA, vigorous PA, strength training, participation in team sports, and TV viewing, according to gender and ethnicity. RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent of adolescents were AR&O, including 32% and 48% of Hispanic girls and boys, respectively, and 22% and 35% of NHW girls and boys, respectively. As expected, boys reported participating in more PAs than girls. Compared with NHW girls, both normal weight and AR&O Hispanic girls reported significantly fewer bouts of moderate activity, less involvement in team sports, and more time watching TV. Normal weight boys reported participating in significantly more vigorous activity than those who were AR&O. Hispanic boys reported more strength training than NHWs; however, they watched significantly more hours of TV than NHW boys. CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic and NHW high school students reported participation in different PAs; this information may be useful for planning health and physical education curriculum.