Master of Science / Department of Human Nutrition / Tandalayo Kidd / Objective: The aims of this study were to test the effectiveness of a 15-month intervention in reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption among college students and to assess fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity habits and their relationship to SSB consumption in order to improve health outcomes. Design: Randomized, controlled study. Participants: One hundred and fifty-six college students (18-24 y) from a Midwestern university, primarily female (72%), white (89%) and freshmen (51%). Intervention: Participants were randomized to control and intervention groups. Participants in the control group received no information on healthful behaviors. The intervention occurred in two stages: 1) Participants received three stage-tailored messages on healthful behaviors weekly for 10 weeks; 2) After the 3-month physical assessment, participants received 3 stage-tailored messages monthly and one email encouraging them to visit the portal page. Main Outcome Measure(s): Stages of Change for physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake; self-reported physical activity scores, self-reported fruit and vegetable intake and SSB consumption habits. Analysis: Changes in SSB consumption patterns were determined using generalized linear mixed models and linear regression models tested associations between fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity and SSB consumption. Linear mixed models were used to explore relationship between stage of change and fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity. Results: The 15-month intervention did not significantly reduce SSB consumption in the intervention group (p > 0.05). Participants recorded low fruit and vegetable intake and moderate physical activity scores. Conclusions and Implications: The high SSB consumption and low fruit and vegetable intake observed could increase students’ risk for weight gain and obesity-related conditions. Thus, college campuses can help student maintain physical activity behavior while helping them to improve their eating habits.

Purpose: The Brigham Young University General Education Wellness Program has three options available to students to fulfill the programs requirement. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of these three wellness options. Specifically we wanted to know; does the university wellness requirement affect student nutrition and physical activity behaviors and do the various options available differ in their abilities to impact student nutrition and physical activity behaviors? Methods: A three-group pretest/posttest design was used and a survey was administered, at both the beginning and end of the semester, to all students enrolled in HEPE 129, live and online, and all 100 level Physical Education activity classes. The final study design included 303 student responses from HEPE live, 551 responses from HEPE online and 270 responses from the activity classes. Data analysis of between and within group differences was conducted for each nutrition and physical activity behavior. Results: HEPE online students had small but significant improvements in estimated VO2 max, and in the percentage of students who ate bran or whole grain cereal once/day or more. The activity classes increased significantly for almost all of the physical activity behaviors including estimated VO2 max, days/week of moderate activity, and the percent of students getting 30 minutes/day of vigorous activity, but only one of the nutrition behaviors, whole wheat food intake. HEPE live students increased for every variable, some more significantly than others. Conclusion: These findings suggest that of the three wellness options offered at Brigham Young University, the HEPE live class had the largest impact on improving nutrition and physical activity behaviors across a one semester time period, the activity classes had the next largest impact, and HEPE online had the least impact.

<p>Tidigare forskning behandlar vad och hur mycket barn äter samt hur mycket och på vilket sätt barn är fysiskt aktiva. Syftet med studien var därför att beskriva förskolepersonals syn på små barns rörelse- och matvanor samt på hur de kan stötta föräldrar till att skapa hälsosamma vanor för sina barn. Sex semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med personer som arbetat inom förskola i minst 15 år. Intervjuerna spelades in med hjälp av diktafon vartefter de transkriberades och analyserades. Resultatet kunde delas in i tre kategorier: <em>Små barns rörelse- och matvanor på och utanför förskola</em>, <em>Faktorer som påverkar små barns rörelse- och matvanor</em> samt <em>Kommunikation som stöd till föräldrar</em>. Informanterna ansåg att små barn främst rör på sig genom organiserade aktiviteter utanför förskola. Informanterna ansåg att små barn äter mer på förskola än utanför, vilket kan förklaras av bekanta rutiner i kombination med en positiv och social kontext. Informanterna ansåg att de kan stötta föräldrar till att skapa hälsosamma vanor för sina barn genom kommunikation, samtidigt som de försöker få föräldrar att känna sig självständiga i sin föräldraroll genom att inte påpeka vad de anser är rätt eller fel. Då det framkom att informanterna upplever att många föräldrar är osäkra i sin roll och att de anser att det påverkar små barns rörelse- och matvanor, så vore det intressant att intervjua föräldrar om deras uppfattning av hur de kan stärkas i sin föräldraroll.</p> / <p>Previous studies have focused on what and how much children eat and also how much and in what way children are physical active. Therefore the aim of this study was to describe preschool teachers’ view of young children’s physical activity and eating habits and of how they can support parents to create healthy habits for their children. Six semi structured interviews were conducted with persons that have been working within preschool for at least 15 years. The interviews were recorded with a dictating machine and then transcribed and analyzed. The results were divided into three categories: <em>Young children’s physical activity and eating habits in and outside of preschool</em>, <em>Factors that affects young children’s physical activity and eating habits</em> and <em>Communication as support to parents</em>. The informant’s believed that young children are mainly physical active through organized activities outside of preschool. The informant’s believed that young children eat more at preschool because of familiar routines and a positive and social context. The informant’s try to support parents to create healthy habits for their children by communicating with them, and at the same time they try to make parents feel independent in their role as parents by not pointing out right from wrong. Since the study showed that the informants believed that many parents are insecure in their role as parents and that it affects young children’s physical activity and eating habits, it would be interesting to interview parents about how they believe that they can be strengthened in their role as parents.</p>

Tidigare forskning behandlar vad och hur mycket barn äter samt hur mycket och på vilket sätt barn är fysiskt aktiva. Syftet med studien var därför att beskriva förskolepersonals syn på små barns rörelse- och matvanor samt på hur de kan stötta föräldrar till att skapa hälsosamma vanor för sina barn. Sex semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med personer som arbetat inom förskola i minst 15 år. Intervjuerna spelades in med hjälp av diktafon vartefter de transkriberades och analyserades. Resultatet kunde delas in i tre kategorier: Små barns rörelse- och matvanor på och utanför förskola, Faktorer som påverkar små barns rörelse- och matvanor samt Kommunikation som stöd till föräldrar. Informanterna ansåg att små barn främst rör på sig genom organiserade aktiviteter utanför förskola. Informanterna ansåg att små barn äter mer på förskola än utanför, vilket kan förklaras av bekanta rutiner i kombination med en positiv och social kontext. Informanterna ansåg att de kan stötta föräldrar till att skapa hälsosamma vanor för sina barn genom kommunikation, samtidigt som de försöker få föräldrar att känna sig självständiga i sin föräldraroll genom att inte påpeka vad de anser är rätt eller fel. Då det framkom att informanterna upplever att många föräldrar är osäkra i sin roll och att de anser att det påverkar små barns rörelse- och matvanor, så vore det intressant att intervjua föräldrar om deras uppfattning av hur de kan stärkas i sin föräldraroll. / Previous studies have focused on what and how much children eat and also how much and in what way children are physical active. Therefore the aim of this study was to describe preschool teachers’ view of young children’s physical activity and eating habits and of how they can support parents to create healthy habits for their children. Six semi structured interviews were conducted with persons that have been working within preschool for at least 15 years. The interviews were recorded with a dictating machine and then transcribed and analyzed. The results were divided into three categories: Young children’s physical activity and eating habits in and outside of preschool, Factors that affects young children’s physical activity and eating habits and Communication as support to parents. The informant’s believed that young children are mainly physical active through organized activities outside of preschool. The informant’s believed that young children eat more at preschool because of familiar routines and a positive and social context. The informant’s try to support parents to create healthy habits for their children by communicating with them, and at the same time they try to make parents feel independent in their role as parents by not pointing out right from wrong. Since the study showed that the informants believed that many parents are insecure in their role as parents and that it affects young children’s physical activity and eating habits, it would be interesting to interview parents about how they believe that they can be strengthened in their role as parents.