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Bibliography (Obesity)
Elmore, S., & Sharma, M. (2014). PREDICTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION BEHAVIORS USING SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY AMONG UPPER ELEMENTARY AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN. Quarterly of Community Health Education, 34(2), 187-197. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/IQ.34.2.f Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Make sure you use APA format. Do not cut and paste. All caps or bold is not APA format
This study examined the extent to which SCT can help predict behaviors in Black upper elementary students. The study involved 56 item valid. This study involved 222 students (African America) in the study and reliable scale was administered. This Vegetables and fruits consumed were predicted using self-efficacy (R2=0.0830). Glasses of water consumed by the participants were predicted by self-efficacy for drinking water and self-control for drinking water (R=0.1230). This study proved that the SCT is useful framework for primary prevention interventions to reduce adolescent overweight in Black community. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: What is SCT?
Evans, A., Ranjit, N. H., & Jovanovic, C. (2016). Impact of school-based vegetable garden and physical activity coordinated health interventions on weight status and weight-related behaviors of ethnically diverse, low-income students: Study design and baseline data of the Texas, Grow! Eat! Go! (TGEG) clu. BMC Public Health, 16(973), 3-16. doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3453-7
The study was to determine the effect of coordinate and multicomponent school-based interventions programs on children health behavior as well as parents. The study was faciliated by the collaboration between texas Agrilife Extension and the univerity of Texas School of Public Health. The impact of school-based intervention was studied for five-years as was assesses based on its impact on physical activity intervention, impact on gardenig behavior, and general nutrition in and out of school. The study involves 28 schools and the outcome of the variables included student weight status, sedentary activities, and sugar sweeted beverage consumption. The parent were assessed from behavior modeling, engagement, and social support of student health activities and behaviors. In total there were 1206 parents and 1369 students. The participants consisted of Africa and Hispanic America and low-income students. The inclusion criteria for the students were below national guideline for vegetable consumption and lack of physical activities. From the study, it was established that this lot of participant has high risk of obesity.
Frenn, M., Kaugars, A., & Garcia, J. (2020). Child Body Fat and Body Mass Index: Which Determinants are Most Important? Western Journal of Nursing Research, 42(8), 593–602. doi:org/10.1177/0193945919879
The aim of the study was to assess the determinants of teen’s body fat percentage along with their BMI. The study involved 135 participants in which 62 percent where female children and the rest male. The study focussed on racial minority groups (Hispanic, Africa America, and the Caucasian). Adolescent aged between 9 and 15 years while the parent BMI was on average 30.1. About 78% of the participating parents were mothers. From the study, children BMI and BF were related to parents concern about overweight. The study by Frenn, Kaugars, and Garcia (2020) reinforce the idea that children of obese or overweight parents are at high risk for being overweight or obese, assessin the concerns of the caregiver is a priority in intervention program.
Haboush, A., Phebus, T., & Ashby, D. T. (2011). Still Unhealthy 2009: Building Community Research to Identify Risk Factors and Health Outcomes in Childhood Obesity. J Community Health, 36, 111–120. doi:10.1007/s10900-010-9288-8
This study track and assess the status of health among some children in Nevada. All the elementary schools which participated in the survey sent survey questions for parent to fill. A total of 3,628 surveys were completed with the required information (BMI). It was found that African America had higher BMI score compared to the rest of minority groups. Participants who has mental health concerns or diabetes report high BMIs compared to children without these concerns. The study offer information which can be used to create programs for children welfare.
Johnson, T., Spurlock, A., & Parrot, J. (2011). A comparison of field methods to assess body fat of minority elementary school children. International Journal of Body Composition Research, 9(4), 141–146.
The study assess the effect of school-based interventions that address children obesity. A sample population of 319 elementary school children from rural and low-income family were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The participants were kindergarten through third grade student and they were African-American. From this study, the correlation of the skinfold to BIA was r=0.8 and the means difference between skinfolds and BIA was -4.1%. This study suggest that family intervention pertaining to life satisfaction was strong mediator to exert influence on weight loss.
Li, Y., Robinson, L., & Carter, W. (2014). Childhood obesity and community food environments in Alabama’s Black Belt region. Child: care, health and development, 668-679. doi:10.1111/cch.12204
These research posit that children eating behavior is influenced by their surrounding food environment. Li, Robinson, and Carter (2014) carried a research whch involved 613 African Amerca in 4 elementary school in Alabama. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between children weight and the community food supply. The result of the study shows that about 42% of the surveyed adolescent were obese or overweight. Full service restaurants, convenience stores and supermarkets contributed the obese state.
Luesse, H. B., Paul, R., Gray, H. L., & Koch, P. (2018). Challenges and Facilitators to Promoting a Healthy Food Environment and Communicating Effectively with Parents to Improve Food. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 22, 958–967. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2472-7
The objectives of this research to (1) investigate the challenges of promoting healthy environment at home and (2) identify the communication preferences to inform after school intervention strategies to promote healthy eating habits among the low-income Africa America families. The study used semi-structured interviews and the number of participants were 16 low-income parents which children in elementary schools. From this study, it was found that the common barrier to parents in providing healthy foods were family opposition and child preferences.
Meaney, K. S., & Melanie A. Hart. (2011). Do You Hear What I Hear? Overweight Children’s Perceptions of Different Physical Activity Settings. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 30, 393-409.
This study demostrate that children will participate in after-school activties if they can related to cognitive, social and physical benefts to their participation. The study involve 67 participant and it involved summer program and after-school activities which targeted the obese African-America children from low-income families. Based on the result, instructional strategies to children should focus on promoting nurturing environment and promote participation.
Robinson, L. W., & Whitt-Glover, M. (2014). Effectiveness of pre-school- and school-based interventions to impact weight-related behaviours in African American children and youth: a literature review. obesity reviews, 15(4), 5–25.
This study assess the effectiveness of both pre-school and school-based obesity prevention programs. Some of the interventions used in the study include the use of physical activties, healthy eaty, and obseity in African American children. The study involves systematic search for English journal articles published between 1980 and March 2013. The inclusion criterial for the study includes articles on research conducted in America that targeted the black children. The search engine generated about 12,270 articles, however, in their study only 17 articles met the inclusion criteria. Out of the 17 articles, 13 articles found that school activities improve nutrition, three article found schools improve physical activities and reduction in obesity in school setup. The article give evidence that schoolbased interventons are effective in promoting healthy nutrition behavior in minority population.
Slusser, W., & M. P. (2011). Challenges to parent nutrition education: a qualitative study of parents of urban children attending low-income schools. Public Health Nutrition:, 14(10), 1833–1841. doi:10.1017/S1368980011000620
The aim of the research was to learn about the role of parents’ knowledge regarding healthy eating, cooking, and other factors associated with buy heathy foods. The study also focused on the barriers and potential promoters of establishing healthy eating behaviors among children, and the interest of parents in nutritional knowledge. The study design employed by the research involve the use of focus group interviews and it targeted the low-income population in Los Angeles. Slusser and Michael (2011) involved 64 parents and 84 percent of them were Hispanic/Latino. This study will be important to justify that the most common barrier of healthy eating were cost of buying healthy food and the access to fast food.
Obesity among Africa America children Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Make sure you use APA format. This includes a title page, running header, page numbers, in-text citations, and reference page
Introduction
The following literature review examine the prevalence of obesity among the African America and reflect on the individual and environmental factors and how they contribute to the children obesity. The review also give an argument for the appropriateness of use of community psychology approach to address the rising cases of obesity.
The state of obesity in the US is worrying. There is high-risk of being obesity among the minority group. In the last 30 years the prevalence of childhood obesity in America has increased with the rates tripling for young adults from 5 percent to 18 percent. By this standard, it is arguable that 17% of children aged 2 and 17 are obese. There are also different terminologies used to describe obesity and this appear to result from recognition by researcher on the stigmatization of the obesity and a lack of consensus of the threshold level of obesity Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Don’t you mean among African Americans? Comment by Haverty, Cristina: When you make claims like this you need to cite them, reference then in text Comment by Haverty, Cristina: I am unclear as to what you are trying to say here
Nearly fifty-five percent of adult Americans are considered obese (citation). However, the number of Africa America, and the other minority groups is higher showing a and this groups shows greater prevalence of overweight and obesity. Among the children, the African Americas are considered to have higher obesity prevalence compared to the other racial groups. The highest obesity for the Blacks is among the African American girls aged between 6 and 16 years present the highest obesity rates among the black population.
Low socio-economic status has the associated with high rate of obesity. There is inverse pattern of decreasing rate of children obesity with increase in level of income and education. This was confirmed by a research study conducted by (Meaney & and Melanie A. Hart, (2011). From the study, it was found that there is inverse relationship between parental income and the obesity among native girls. Since greater percentage of Africa Americans have low income compared to the Whites, this illustrates an explain the additional risk factor of obesity among the racial minority. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Double check on proper style of citation
Haboush, Phebus, and Ashby (2011) did a study to track and assess the status of health among some children in Nevada. All the elementary schools which participated in the survey sent survey questions for parents to fill. A total of 3,628 surveys were completed with the required information (BMI). It was found that African America had higher BMI score compared to the rest of minority groups. Furthermore, Pparticipants in the study withwho has mental health concerns or diabetes report high BMIs compared to children without these concerns. The study offeroffers information which can be used to create programs for children welfare. In summary, this literature shows that poverty, school intervention, and parent education appear to have impact on overweight cases among the African Americans children. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: You really don’t refer to this point in your introduction. You might want to include a short paragraph on it
Income and obesity
The center points to the different studies reviewed emphasize the fact that the poor neighborhoods are characterized by lack of supermarkets where fresh produce are available (citation) . Residents rely on less healthy food. Poor families may lack the means of transport to go to supermarket or buy nutritious items in bulk. While the lack of access to nutritious foods is a factor, it is arguable that some of Africa Americans would simply not afford better foods due to the higher costs (citation). When the cost of healthy living is high, families opt for cheaper unhealthy options. Also, children in poor communities have less access to facilities which promote regular exercise. In places where safety is a concern, as it is the case in many residential areas for the Black community, public facilities such as playgrounds can prove unfit for children use. Structured physical activities such as organized sports are expensive and this exclude children in poor families. Evidence poor the fact that obesity is a result of financial position. The same research shows that obesity levels among the Black teens are linked to high rates of poverty. This support the school-based interventions which tries to deal with nutritional deficiencies. The school-feeding programs serve to end the stigmatization associated with large body size due to issues faced by children such as stressful living conditions, lack of nutrition, and unsafe outdoor environments. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: What center? Comment by Haverty, Cristina: New paragraph Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Doesn’t make sense
Poverty-dense communities are food deserts, meaning these areas have limited supply to fresh food. However, 42 percent of households in income below the poverty line are food insecure. Accordingly, 15 percent of America counties have about 1 in 5 people using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The program correlates with the poverty rates. In poverty-dense cities, people are hungry and unable to access healthy food. The hHunger and poverty is the reason why obesity tracks with poverty. There is evidence of association between poor health, obesity, and premature death. Sedentary teens are less active and prone to obesity and cardiovascular death. The poorest counties have the greatest sedentariness and high levels of obesity. Elmore and Sharma, (2014) posit that understanding the intricacies surrounding obesity help fight the stereotypes of obese teen as poor decision-makers. It is important to investigate obesity as social issues interconnecting class, environmental stress levels, and access of food. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Spell out Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Spell out Comment by Haverty, Cristina: What does this mean? Comment by Haverty, Cristina: This doesn’t make sense Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Citation needed Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Needs a citation
Parenting and obesity
Body mass Index (BMI) and percentage of body fat (BF) are growing issues affecting many adolescents and children. BMI range from obesity, overweight, normal, and underweight in children and this dimension is widely adopted by CDC. On the other hand, BF% range are McCarthy, Cole, Fry, and Prentice. It is argued that high BF% is associated with lower comprehension and low reading fluency in children aged between 6 and 8 years citation needed. As children turn into adulthood, the high BF% pose a risk of poor survivability, stroke, and atrial enlargement. According to Frenn, Kaugars, and Garcia, (2020), children of obese parents have high risk for adiposity. The use of BF% has been recommended as better health index in children compared to the use of BMI. Authoritative parenting is associated with smaller gain in BMI and lower chances of overweight. However, parents who have low income and disenfranchised by racial basis are associated with higher chances of obesity citation . Frenn, Kaugars, & Garcia (2020) conducted a research to study the determinants of teen’s body fat percentage along with their BMI. The study showed that both BMI and BF% present a health risk when elevated, and one in five adolescent in the US are affected. The study involved 135 participants in which 62 percent where female children and the rest male. The study focussed on racial minority groups (Hispanic, Africa America, and the Caucasian). Adolescent aged between 9 and 15 years while the parent BMI was on average 30.1 citation needed. About 78% of the participating parents were mothers citation needed. From the study, children BMI and BF were related to parents concern about overweight. The study by Frenn, Kaugars, and Garcia (2020) reinforce the idea that children of obese or overweight parents are at high risk for being overweight or obese, assessin the concerns of the caregiver is a priority in intervention program. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: ? Comment by Haverty, Cristina: What does this mean? Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Make sure you remain consistent …& or and Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Spell out numbers up to 100
According to Li, Robinson, and Carter (2014), the diets of majority of the Black do not follow the dietary recommendation. The vast majority of the African American children do not meet the recommendations from food groups, with the exception of dairy intake. Childhood obesity is a global challenge and has increased in the recent past more so in the US. In addition to the genetics contribution, education and parental influence on children eating behavior is a contributor to the development of obesity citation. A Sstudy by the Institute of Medicine (year) recommends that parents should promote heathy eating habits and physical exercise among the children. This emphasize the importance of parents’ role in shaping children’s activity practices and dietary. Parental influence is thought to operate through giving opportunities, modeling and observing the earing behaviors. Parents require the knowledge about healthy eating habits, the resources to support their children, and the skills to buy healthy foods. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: I’m unclear as to what you mean here
Slusser and Michael (2011) conducted a research to learn about the role of parents’ knowledge regarding healthy eating, cooking, and other factors associated with buy heathy foods. The study also focused on the barriers and potential promoters of establishing healthy eating behaviors among children, and the interest of parents in nutritional knowledge. The study design employed by the research involve the use of focus group interviews and it targeted the low-income population in Los Angeles. Slusser and Michael (2011) involved 64 parents and 84 percent of them were Hispanic/Latino. According to this study, the most common barrier of healthy eating werewas cost of buying healthy food and the access to fast food. Luckily the participants had the basic knowledge about healthy diet and they received their nutrition education through media. Comment by Haverty, Cristina: How does this study tie to African American? Comment by Haverty, Cristina: Clarify what you mean here
School and obesity
The accounting factors the difference in obesity prevalence among the blacks and the white adolescents in the US are variety of factors, including socioeconomic and cultural; attitude and preference relating the food intake and the targeted advertisement to the African Americas. Minority composition in schools, residential segregation, and neighborhood deprivation have been cited to poor dietary pattern and high chances of obese in the minority groups citations. Considering the residential proximity to food outlets that provide healthy foods such as vegetables and fresh fruits, the Black childrens are less likely, compared to their white counterparts, to live in neighborhoods that support healthy eating patterns. , Majority of the Blacks live in city areas where there isare fast-food outlets. This position is supported by Li, Robinson, and Carter (2014) through the study on the rising cases of obesity in America. According to Li, Robinson, and Carter (2014), the rate of obesity is higher among the low-income members of the socity and the racial minority. These research posit that children eating behavior is influenced by their surrounding food environment. Li, Robinson, and Carter (2014) carried a research whch involved 613 African Amerca in 4 elementary school in Alabama. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between children weight and the community food supply. The result of the study shows that about 42% of the surveyed adolescent were obese or overweight. Full service restaurants, convenience stores and supermarkets contributed the obese state citation . Comment by Haverty, Cristina: This sentence is confusing. Unclear
The affordability of nutritious foods also is concern as the costs of vegetables and fruits have increased compared to the prices of refined starch. According to Frenn, Kaugars, and Garcia (2020), the African Americans families have a lower chances of earning substantial income and this population has little to save for vegetables and fruits compared to the America Whites. Slusser & Michael (2011) posit that obesity is a low-income problemslow-income problem. Socioecological models shows how healthy literacy, friends, family, schools, academic institutions, and societal levels influence nutrition, diet, and obesity in communities. The socioecological model is a framework for understanding the interactive and multifaceted effects of environmental factors that influence people behaviors. At the societal levels, heathy eating areis influenced by federal and state laws and regulations in schools citation . Previous studies have illustrated the magnitude of the effect of income and rate of childhood obesity. There is also reports that suggest African America are vulnerable with the prevalence of obesity. Investigators shows that the differences are attributed to inequities in social and physical environment in which the children are brought up. Schools which Black join are characterized by low-income community, lack of exercise facilities, and recreational programs. As expected, children in these lower-income community schools have lessfewer physical activities, more consumption of fast foods, poorer nutritional food consumption, and spend more time watching television programs (citation). Similarly, Li, Robinson, and Carter (2014) reported that home neighborhood physical activities resources have impact on the time spend on physical activities among the children in Texas.
The roadmap for reducing childhood obesity will be achieved when there is understanding between resource availability and healthy living. Solutions to the issues of obesity and overweight will be effective ifs there is sustainable improvement of parent knowledge about health, offer safe avenues for physical activities, and empower parents financially. According to a study by Robinson Whitt-Glover (2014), from 2009-2010, about 39% of non-Hispanic Black children aged between 2 and 11 years were considered overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity are associated with other healthy challenges such as cardiovascular disease, high risk of developing diabetes, and other heart related problems. Like in the case of obesity, type 2 diabetes is prevalent in Africa American children (citation). The obesity and diabetes among this already disadvantage community have immediate and long-term effects. The increase in obesity cases has been attributed to lifestyle factors such as poor dietary habits, decreased in physical activities, and sedentary behavior.
After-schools program
School and after-school obesity program for the minority children is important to reduce the rising cases of obesity. The prevention program is a behavior education program which is designed to educate parents and the children on health behavior changes in obesity and culturally sensitive interventions (citation). The self-care concept addresses issues around nutrition, knowledge of obesity, and physical activities. The cultural dimension of the intervention address problems of communication, ineffective family coping with obese and overweight, and self-esteem among the affected population (citation). The result on the ongoing problem for the Black American children result in suffering from stress. It is argued that minority children with less education from their families and lower income are likely to be obese. Recent studies showsshow that obesity is characterized by increase social isolation and depression, anxiety and health complications (citations). In fact, Frenn, Kaugars, and Garcia (2020) found that obese children tend to miss school more compared to the general population.
Studies reviewed demonstrate a link between obesity and cultural variable. Slusser and Michael (2011) explains that the majority of risk health conditions experienced by the black teens in the US have behavioral component; thereforetherefore, healthy living should be encouraged. Studies shows that there areis cultural difference between whites and Africa American with respect to eating habits and overweight concerns. This is emphasizeemphasized by Evans, Ranjit, and Jovanovic (2016) who argued that due to poverty and the time used at work by many minority parents, children are not adequately trained on healthy habits and they end up making poor nutritional choices. Luesse, Paul, Gray, and Koch (2018) conducted a research to (1) investigate the challenges of promoting healthy environment at home and (2) identify the communication preferences to inform after school intervention strategies to promote healthy eating habits among the low-income Africa America families. The study used semi-structured interviews and the number of participants were 16 low-income parents which children in elementary schools. From this study, it was found that the common barrier to parents in providing healthy foods were family opposition and child preferences. The analyses of the desired way of communicating about healthy eating habits yielded preference on tailored information and delivering information through different mediums. While the participants in this study expressed desires to live a healthy life, the home setting presented challenges. Multimedia approaches such as use of text messages, workshops, and flyers were considered useful to facilitate the sharing of information.
One study by Luesse, Paul, Gray, and Koch, (2018), showed that sedentary caretaker facilitate more time viewing television and this discoirage physical activities. The same study demonstrate that family centered obesity prevention plan should be devised for adolescents and children. Further the study show that intervention to improve physical activity among the AfricanAmerican may benefit from parental guidance. The obesity program should therefore center on the dietary choices and behavior of parents. Significant weight reduction is evident in children after participating in behavior modification programs with the involment of parents. The greater the numbers of session attended by the parents, the greater their children weight loss. The author indicates clinical interventon that would be used to manage weight and control eating habits (citation).
Elmore and Sharma (2014) found that children raised by parents with higher level of education have low rates of obesity, which further suggest that parent education is important in exercise, diets, and managing the overweight. School based programs have been used to build peer support for lower dietary fat and more physical activities. Schools setting have been the most appropriate for building family role models. Johnson, Spurlock, and Parrot, (2011) conducted a study to assess the effect of school-based interventions that address children obesity. A sample population of 319 elementary school children from rural and low-income family were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The participants were kindergarten through third grade student and they were African-American. From this study, the correlation of the skinfold to BIA was r=0.8 and the means difference between skinfolds and BIA was -4.1%. This study suggest that family intervention pertaining to life satisfaction was strong mediator to exert influence on weight loss. Overall, education of the parent may be effective way of managing obesity and preventing overweight. Because parents have the role model and authority figure in modifying behavior, parent involvement in the program is effective.
Luesse, Paul, Gray, and Koch (2018) emphasize of the communication techniques which shoule be used to educate parents on overweight prevention and obese management. According to their study, the health commmunication should focuss on the multimodal communication efforts, creation of voice of authority, and personalized message. Personalized communication is likely to hold attention. Including tailored messages in communication in websites, text messages, email, and in the social media would encourage the parent to read and share the information (Luesse, Paul, Gray, & Koch, 2018). Parent prefer the use of pictures because of the low literacy levels. Example of useful visual information include healthy cooking habits, recipes for healthy foods, and informaiton on portion sizes. Communication to parent in low-income communities about food and health habits should be done in multiple channels and in serveral platforms. The availble options include use of demostrations, workshops, flyers, posters, and text messaging. However, according to the reviewed study by Slusser and Michael (2011), parents argue that nutrition information should come from a figure outside the family to achive the voice of authority. It is argued that the reception of the messages is determined by the source of the information.
To make differences in teen obesity rate, society must taregt the whole family and involve parents, because parents have contribution on children eating behaviors. Children understanding on what makes a healthy eating is affected by school environment and parent knowledge on nutrition. The Social-Cognitive Theory give a framework to assess the perception of overweight chilldren on physical activities. In a study conducted by Meaney and Melanie A. Hart (2011)children will participate in after-school activties if they can related to cognitive, social and physical benefts to their participation. The study involve 67 participant and it involved summer program and after-school activities which targeted the obese African-America children from low-income families. Based on the result, instructional strategies to children should focus on promoting nurturing environment and promote participation. Schools and family which encourage more exercise tend to have children and students who are active physically. Some of the previous studies have included sociodemographic factors such as parent sex, education level, and race. The efforts to decrease and prevent overweight should be targeted at the society which comprise of family and school.
School-based intervention
Genetic factors affect individual likelihood to gain weight; however, some modification of behaviour, such as by use of environmental and behavioral interventins, are important in prevening the cases of overweight. The evidence-based practice to combat teen overweight include limiting the sugar intake, vegetable consumption, and regulating the amount of food eaten. Nevertheless, majority of Africa American adolescents are inactive in physical activities and they have habits of eating fast foofs. Interventionists have tried to modofy the obese risk factor based on various environmental contexts. The use of school-based intervention is one of the popular venues for implementing childhood obese programs. Over 95 percent of children in America are enrolled in schools, this is a centralized location for reaching a high target number of vulnerable children. Also, schools are located in communities of diverse racial, socieconomic, and ethnic background, this give interventionists access to the population.
According to the research finding by Robinson and Whitt-Glover (2014) which is supported by the finding by Evans, Ranjit, and Jovanovic (2016), it is apparent that more health promorion need to target Africa-America Children. Programs which discourage television viewing and encourage physical acvitiies should be implemented in Africa-America community. Social cognitive theory (SCT) a framework to design such intervention. Elmore and Sharma (2014) conducted a research to examine the extent to which SCT can help predict beviors in Black upper elementary students. The study involved 56 item valid. Emore and Sharma involved 222 students (African America) in the study and reliable scale was administered. Vegetables and fruits consumed were predicted using self-efficacy (R2=0.0830). Glass of water consumed by the participants were predicted by self-efficacy for drinking water and self-control for drinking water (R=0.1230). This study proved that the SCT is useful framework for primary prevention interventions to reduce adolescent overweght in Black community.
Schools give meals service, they directly affect the dietary behaviors of children. The coordinated school health programs (CSPHs) are used to reach both parents and children to change physical activities, attitudes, nutrition, and behaviors. The CSHPs address physical, social, and emotinal health of the community and it has been used in racial minority communities. Robinson and Whitt-Glover (2014)conducted a study to assess the effectiveness of both pre-school and school-based obesity prevention programs. Some of the interventions used in the study include the use of physical activties, healthy eaty, and obseity in African American children. The study involves systematic search for English journal articles published between 1980 and March 2013. The inclusion criterial for the study includes articles on research conducted in America that targeted the black children. The search engine generated about 12,270 articles, however, in their study only 17 articles met the inclusion criteria. Out of the 17 articles, 13 articles found that school activities improve nutrition, three article found schools improve physical activities and reduction in obesity in school setup. According to the research by Robinson and Whitt-Glover (2014), schoolbased interventons are effective in promoting healthy nutrition behavior in minority population.
The research by Robinson & Whitt-Glover (2014) on school-based program to prevent obesity among the black teens is supported by a similar study conducted by Evans, Ranjit, and Jovanovic (2016). The aim of Evans, Ranjit, and Jovanovic (2016) study was to determine the effect of coordinate and multicomponent school-based interventions programs on children health behavior as well as parents. The study was faciliated by the collaboration between texas Agrilife Extension and the univerity of Texas School of Public Health. The impact of school-based intervention was studied for five-years as was assesses based on its impact on physical activity intervention, impact on gardenig behavior, and general nutrition in and out of school. The study involves 28 schools and the outcome of the variables included student weight status, sedentary activities, and sugar sweeted beverage consumption. The parent were assessed from behavior modeling, engagement, and social support of student health activities and behaviors. In total there were 1206 parents and 1369 students. The participants consisted of Africa and Hispanic America and low-income students. The inclusion criteria for the students were below national guideline for vegetable consumption and lack of physical activities. From the study, it was established that this lot of participant has high risk of obesity.
School environment provides children with meals, recess, snacks, and physical education. It is has school were children start becoming independent and start chooisng physical activities to engage in, the kind of food they will consumer, and the friends to associate with. Therefore all the influences children have are subjected to schools environment. Schools are ideal for encouraging healthy lifestyle through regular physical activties and propert diet. School feeding programs can guide future communtity and school interventions. Childhood obesity is a serious heath threat, and schools are important facilities to reach both the families and children to reduce risks and promote health. The finding by Johnson, Spurlock, and Parrot (2011) support policies that provide heather food for children in public schools. The study by Evans, Ranjit, and Jovanovic (2016) is one of the school-based policy intervention study that followed student through middle school. The study analyed the biological and behavioral indicators. The results are compelling and perhaps because of the community-university partnership
The nutritional interventions in schools include ensuring school-based meals meet the federal nutritional criteria, limit the use of food as rewards for good behavior, and adopt campaign to limit the use of sugary drinks. Schools represent an important development context and setting for adolescents and children that have the potential to influence the obesity-related behaviors. Although this research is limited to school diet program and its impact among the adolescent by race, there is evidence that shows that the kind of school which a child attend has direct influence on the energy-balance behavior and obesity. Robinson and Whitt-Glover (2014) using national data on America high school students, found that racial difference in adolescents physical activity engagement where based on where the children went to school. While the native children were found to be more active in school, the White girls has similar level of engagement in physical exercises as their Africa American counterparts when attending lower income schools were the racial minority were many. It is therefore arguable that prevalence of obesity is higher among adolescents who attend economically disadvantaged schools across the Africa American and White racial groups compared to the same racial groups adolescent attending economically empowered schools.
Conclusion
Children needs for growth and development need to factor in the aspect of safety and healthy living. Programs to prevent obesity should therefore consider the different gender, race, and age, Preventing overweight in African America can reduce the risk in the group. According to the study reviewed, behavioral modification is the best for individual child at low cost and the effects are long lasting. Parents need to be engaged at early age and participate in the program. Parent influence in obesity and behavioral modification is critical. Parents who have healthy eating habits and knowledge about diet can positively affect their teen’s health. Social support on dietary intervention from family members involves food preparation, healthy eating, and physical activities. For the recommended treatment for obese child to be achieve interventionists need to focus on parental education and involvement.
References
Elmore, S., & Sharma, M. (2014). PREDICTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION BEHAVIORS USING SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY AMONG UPPER ELEMENTARY AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN. Quarterly of Community Health Education, 34(2), 187-197. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/IQ.34.2.f
Evans, A., Ranjit, N. H., & Jovanovic, C. (2016). Impact of school-based vegetable garden and physical activity coordinated health interventions on weight status and weight-related behaviors of ethnically diverse, low-income students: Study design and baseline data of the Texas, Grow! Eat! Go! (TGEG) clu. BMC Public Health, 16(973), 3-16. doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3453-7
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