The impact of a rapid economic growth on the patterns and trends of overweight and obesity is profound. Obesity is closely linked to lifestyle choices and the risk behaviours that lead to obesity-related morbidities in young adults can be traced to the acceptable norms from childhood through to adulthood. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity using the World Health Organization classification and to investigate the influence of perceptions/beliefs and health-risk behaviours and their association with overweight and obesity among female university students of the United Arab Emirates University. A cross-sectional survey of the lifestyle choices, risk behaviours and perceptions of obesity with the Body Mass Index (BMI) status of 321 young adult women aged 18-30 years was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. The female students responded to questions about their diet and physical activity patterns. They reported their height/weight, and weight-related measurements were taken to calculate the BMI. Overall, 20.2% of the students were overweight while 8.40% were obese. The likelihood of being overweight or obese was higher among students who were older, married and had a family history of obesity. Faculty of study (p=0.018) was significantly associated with prevalence of overweight and obesity. Many of the students did not consume fruits and vegetables or eat breakfast daily. Students who spent long hours on sedentary activities were more likely to be obese, with lack of time reported as a major reason for physical inactivity. Respondents wanted to lose weight most commonly for better health and well-being and because of problems with clothes sizes. In view of the high number of health risk behaviours and prevalence of overweight and obesity, prompt action is needed to initiate and sustain interventions and preventive measures that could change the health-compromising behaviours associated with excess weight.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, August 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Health literacy affects caregivers' ability to engage in preventive health care behaviors for themselves and their children. Studies suggest that health literacy among low income families needs improvement, and this possibly contributes to disparities in preventive health care rates. Additionally, parents and caregivers may not be able to provide or seek preventive health care for their children because of lack of knowledge and skills to do so effectively. This study designed and piloted an intervention that delivered to parents of young children, 1) health literacy information in an experiential manner, and 2) practical skills to engage their families in healthy lifestyle choices, with the decisions for healthy lifestyle choices being based on the health knowledge provided in the intervention. Specifically, the intervention focused on diet/nutrition, physical activity, sleep hygiene, parenting skills, and mental wellness. The intervention was successful at improving diet/nutrition knowledge at least one month post-intervention and more immediate changes were found for participants' overall beliefs about diet/nutrition, children's vegetable consumption, and parents' fruits and vegetable consumption. Immediate improvements were also found for factual knowledge about physical activity, sleep, and the relationship between mental health and stress. Additionally, the intervention was successful at improving general knowledge and beliefs about sleep, knowledge about the relationship between sleep and health, and knowledge about common childhood sleep problems at least one month post-intervention. The intervention also reduced participants' bedtime interactions with children that are indicative of sleep problems at least one month post-intervention. Future research should conceptualize the intervention as a multiple health behavior intervention and reflect this in the evaluation.

Research examining the relationship between psychological distress and health behaviors is limited, as most of these studies examine one type of psychological distress and relate it to one type of health behavior. To address this limitation, an exploratory study was conducted that included online self-report measures of a wide range of positive health behaviors (Health Behavior Checklist; HBC) and a wide range of different types of psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory; BSI). Participants were 762 undergraduate students from the University of Central Florida (55% female). Results revealed that the total BSI score showed statistically significant negative correlations with the HBC total score and all four HBC subscales. Thus, participants reporting more overall psychological distress reported that they engaged in fewer positive health behaviors, across all health behavior subtypes. Stepwise regressions that examined the nine BSI subscales and their relationship with the HBC total score revealed that the Hostility subscale of the BSI was the strongest and most consistent predictor of positive health behaviors (in a negative direction). Stepwise regressions also revealed additional relationships of the BSI subscales of Depression and Phobia to particular HBC subscales. The results of this exploratory study provide an initial model on the relationships of particular types of psychological distress that are related to particular types of health behaviors, which will inform future studies on this important topic area.

Increasingly adolescents are making unhealthy choices concerning their lifestyle. Behaviour patterns develop which are often carried into adulthood and become an established lifestyle pattern. Examples of these are the abuse of drugs, smoking, alcohol, irresponsible and hazardous sexual behaviour and so forth. It is also reported that young people increasingly contemplate and attempt suicide. It is important to find the reasons for such behaviours. During the last century, spirituality was not regarded as being important in the everyday lives of people. There are however many voices today calling for a reintegration of spirituality into education, health and various other areas of life. The movement of Health Promoting Schools could serve as a basis for reintegrating spirituality into the curriculum. Spirituality can be described as providing primarily meaning, relationship with God and people, a feeling of transcendence and the acquisition of values. These facets of life, neglected and considered unscientific in the positivistic modem era, are now seen as necessary within our post-modem society. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible correlation between the lifestyle choices adolescents make and their spiritual well-being. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used to investigate the above mentioned correlation. Quantitative results indicated a significant positive correlation between measures of spiritual well-being and risk behaviours. The qualitative analysis indicated that adolescents believe that spiritual values are important when considering meaning in life as well as lifestyle choices. It was concluded that the construct spirituality remains salient in the lives of most adolescents. A possible rationale for integrating spirituality into the practice of Health Promoting Schools was proposed. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Increasingly adolescents are making unhealthy choices concerning their lifestyle. Behaviour patterns develop which are often carried into adulthood and become an established lifestyle pattern. Examples of these are the abuse of drugs, smoking, alcohol, irresponsible and hazardous sexual behaviour and so forth. It is also reported that young people increasingly contemplate and attempt suicide. It is important to find the reasons for such behaviours. During the last century, spirituality was not regarded as being important in the everyday lives of people. There are however many voices today calling for a reintegration of spirituality into education, health and various other areas of life. The movement of Health Promoting Schools could serve as a basis for reintegrating spirituality into the curriculum. Spirituality can be described as providing primarily meaning, relationship with God and people, a feeling of transcendence and the acquisition of values. These facets of life, neglected and considered unscientific in the positivistic modem era, are now seen as necessary within our post-modem society. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible correlation between the lifestyle choices adolescents make and their spiritual well-being. Both quantitative and qualitative measures were used to investigate the above mentioned correlation. Quantitative results indicated a significant positive correlation between measures of spiritual well-being and risk behaviours. The qualitative analysis indicated that adolescents believe that spiritual values are important when considering meaning in life as well as lifestyle choices. It was concluded that the construct spirituality remains salient in the lives of most adolescents. A possible rationale for integrating spirituality into the practice of Health Promoting Schools was proposed. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

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