Friday, December 28, 2007

Examination of counterweight status and dietary behaviors of middle school students within Kentucky

Children and teens who are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight have become a focal health charge concern in the United States. Results from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated that in the order of 16% (over 9 million) of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 years are overweight. Moreover, this proportion has tripled since 1980. Kentucky youth are among the most overweight in the nation. According to the 2004 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 17% of Kentucky middle conservatory students were overweight, and another 20% be at risk for becoming overweight.


Overweight children are more likely to suffer from various chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, soaring blood pressure, early maturation, and orthopedic problems. In calculation, they may have psychological problems and lower self-esteem. Overweight children tend to become obese adults, and self overweight is an important risk factor for nouns of chronic diseases later within life, including diabetes, stroke, arthritis, heart disease, and diverse types of cancer. Furthermore, the economic cost of vigour care for overweight children is increasing. For youth 6 to 17 years of age, annual hospital costs associated near being overweight increased more than threefold, from $35 million (1979 to 1981) to $127 million (1997 to 1999).


Specific dietary factor related to children being overweight include: (a) consumption of high-energy-dense foods, (b) high dietary fleshy content and increased fast-food consumption, (c) high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-sugar food, (d) low fruit and vegetable consumption, (e) voluminous portion sizes, and (f) low breakfast consumption. Weight problems in children enjoy been discussed surrounded by relation to environmental issues, such as food availability, family consumption patterns, and socioeconomic status.


A number of previous studies investigating childhood bulk factors own focused on elementary school children. However, elementary college children have smaller number opportunity to make their own food decision than middle school children who are evolving from set menus in primary institution to cafeteria menu choices in middle university. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between weight status and dietary practices of middle conservatory students in important Kentucky because it is a prime time for developing food-conscious choices and patterns for full-size life. Specifically this study examined the relationship between solidity status and consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk, soft drinks, and breakfast.


The current study analyzed cross-sectional data from a survey of middle university students in a important Kentucky public school district conducted contained by fall 2004. The county academy system was comprised of 12 middle school. The survey instrument used questions from the middle university Youth Risk Behavior Survey designed by CDC to monitor the prevalence of priority health risk behaviors among youth. Seven school administered the survey to all students (sixth to eighth graders) and an optional school administered it to their eighth-grade students for a total survey population of 4,955. In most instances, the survey be administered during a single class period (usually the second).


To unite the objectives of the study, in enclosure to the demographic variables, eight questions from the dietary behavior category be extracted regarding students' self-reported dietary intake of fruits, vegetables, milk, breakfast, and soft drinks during the 7 days preceding the completion of the survey. The present study applied CDC's classification criteria: children near a BMI-for-age below the 5th percentile were classified as underweight; children who be e" 85th percentile but < 95th percentile were classified as at risk of self overweight; and children who were e" 95th percentile be classified as overweight.


Healthy weight was associated next to consuming fruits, vegetables, breakfast, and milk. Underweight and healthy-weight students consumed more fruits than students who were at risk of individual overweight and overweight. Healthy-weight students consumed more "other vegetables" than students who were at risk of man overweight and more "other vegetables" and carrots than overweight students. Underweight students consumed breakfast more regularly than all other students, and healthy-weight students consumed breakfast significantly more frequently than students at risk of self overweight and overweight. Finally, overweight students had a significantly lower consumption of milk than adjectives other students.


The findings of this study suggest that the majority of middle school students within central Kentucky are not ingestion an adequate number of servings of fruits, vegetables, and milk respectively day. In tallying, the results indicate that skipping breakfast was more adjectives in students who be either at risk for self overweight or who were overweight than students who be at healthy immensity. These results are comparable to earlier studies that found that overweight or obese adolescents be more likely to skip breakfast than their ordinary or underweight peers.


In this study of central Kentucky middle university students, healthy-weight students consumed more milk than students who were at risk of individual overweight or who were overweight. This finding is consistent beside previous studies that found a negative association between low dairy product intake and cargo status.


In order to enhance fruit and vegetable consumption among middle academy students, variety and creativity within the appearance, taste, and covering of fruits and vegetables in college foodservice menus are suggested. Educating and encouraging adolescents to consume lower-fat milk is another area for transformation. This can be done by making available and promoting 1% or nonfat milk in school cafeteria, as well as providing information on the different grease percentages of milk and the condition benefits of low-fat milk to both students and parents. Interventions to encourage and assist parents surrounded by promoting fruit, vegetable, milk, and breakfast consumption are needed. Innovative school foodservice programs, such as those that provide conveniently package "grab-n-go" breakfasts have be found to be successful in increasing arts school breakfast participation.


In vista of the alarming number of overweight children and the fact that the diets of several adolescents in the United States spatter short of the recommended dietary standards, efforts to promote healthful mass management and beneficial dietary practices among youth are sorely needed. Research should be aimed at studies that explore ways to increase the consumption of nutrient-dense foods in middle institution students, along with successful strategies for increasing the availability of healthful food choices. Because school have extensive contact near adolescents, creative school foodservice strategies are needed to incite healthful eating behaviour.

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