Physical Activity and BMI: Evidence From the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the association between amount of physical activity and body mass index (BMI) percentile among middle and high school children. Total daily physical activity needs to include both in and out of school physical activity. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was performed on 1306 children drawn from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement (CDS III, 2007). The dependent variable in this study was BMI percentile, while the independent variable was physical activity. The multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the associations between physical activity and BMI percentile controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, parental income, and neighborhood safety. RESULTS: Children who engaged in low daily physical activity levels had 1.8 times the odds of being obese versus normal weight than those who engaged in moderate levels [odds ratio (OR) = 1.80, confidence interval (CI) = 1.31, 2.48]. African‐American children had 1.6 times the odds of being obese than normal weight (OR = 1.55, CI = 0.99, 2.43) and Hispanic children had approximately 1.8 times the odds of being obese than normal weight in comparison to non‐Hispanic white children (OR = 1.79, CI = 1.00, 3.21). Females had about 1.5 times the odds of being overweight than normal weight than males (OR = 1.49, CI = 1.04, 2.13). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the accumulation of 30 minutes or more of daily physical activity may be effective in decreasing obesity prevalence among middle and high school‐aged children.     

Patient-provider communication with HIV-positive women about abnormal Pap test results

In this article, the authors examine communication between women living with human immunodeficiency virus (WLH) and health care providers (HCPs) regarding abnormal Pap tests. During the period of March 2011 through April 2012, 145 WLH were recruited from Ryan White funded clinics and community-based AIDS service organizations located in the southeastern United States. WLH who had an abnormal Pap test (69%, n = 100/145) were asked if their HCP shared and explained information about abnormal Pap tests. The authors performed chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses using Stata I/C 13. HCPs shared information about abnormal Pap tests with 60% of participants, and explained the information they shared to 78% of those. Health literate participants were more than three times as likely to have read the information received about abnormal Pap tests (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19–10.23), and almost five times as likely to have understood the cancer information they read (aOR = 4.70, 95% CI 1.55–14.24). Knowing other women who had had an abnormal Pap test was not significantly associated with cancer information seeking or processing after controlling for confounding factors. The present findings underscore the need to increase WLH’s health literacy as an intermediate step to improving patient–provider communication among WLH. Lay sources of cancer information for WLH warrant further study.     

Living in Limbo: Latinas' Assessment of Lower Rio Grande Valley Colonias Communities

Community asset mapping (CAM) is the collective process of identifying local assets and strategizing processes to address public health issues and concerns and improve quality of life. Prior to implementing a community‐based physical activity intervention with Latinas in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley, promotoras [community health workers] conducted 16 interactive sessions in 8 colonias. The analysis of the transcribed CAM recordings and on‐site observational data resulted in the construction of Living in Limbo as the thematic representation of these Latinas' social isolation and marginalization associated with pervasive poverty, undocumented immigration status or lack of citizenship, their fears emanating from threats to physical and emotional safety, and the barriers created by lack of availability and access to resources.     

Peer Group Self-Identification as a Predictor of Relational and Physical Aggression Among High School Students

BACKGROUND: Adolescent peer group self-identification refers to adolescents' affiliation with reputation-based peer groups such as “Goths” or “Jocks.” These groups tend to vary on normative characteristics, including the group members' attitudes and behaviors. This article examined whether adolescents' baseline peer group self-identification predicted their self-reported relational and physical aggression 1 year later. METHODS: Self-report data were collected from 1614 students from 9 regular and 9 continuation (alternative) high schools in Southern California, at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Subjects' mean baseline age was 15.21 years (SD = 1.18) and 51.6% of the subjects were female. RESULTS: Findings indicated that compared with self-identified “Regular” or “Normal” students, adolescents who identified with high-risk peer groups (eg, “Druggies,”“Goths”) tended to report higher relational and physical aggression 1 year later, controlling for baseline aggression and demographic variables. In addition, adolescents' self-identification with high-status peer groups (eg, “Jocks,”“Populars”) was predictive of higher relational aggression 1 year later. Gender and school type (ie, regular vs continuation) were not found to moderate these effects. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that peer group self-identification is a salient predictor of physical and relational aggression across gender and school type. Adolescents who identify with high-risk peer groups tend to report higher levels of physical as well as relational aggression in the future. In addition, adolescents who affiliate with elite groups tend to become more relationally aggressive over time. School-based prevention programs targeting aggression may benefit from addressing the impacts of peer group self-identification on adolescents' aggressive behavior.     

Longitudinal Trajectory of the Relationship Between Self‐Esteem and Substance Use From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

BACKGROUND

We examined the longitudinal trajectory of substance use (binge drinking, marijuana use, and cocaine use) in relation to self‐esteem from adolescence to young adulthood.

METHODS

Generalized estimating equation models were fit using SAS to investigate changes in the relation between self‐esteem and each substance use (binge drinking, marijuana use, and cocaine use) from adolescence to young adulthood. Data were drawn from the 3 waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative sample of middle and high school students in the United States (N = 6504).

RESULTS

Self‐esteem was a significant predictor for the use of all 3 substances at 15 years of age (ps < .001). However, at age 21, self‐esteem no longer predicted binge drinking and marijuana use in the controlled model.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that self‐esteem loses its protective role against substance use except cocaine use as adolescents transition to young adulthood.