Psychosocial correlates of healthy beliefs, choices, and behaviors in overweight and obese school-age children: a primary care healthy choices intervention pilot study.

The relationships among weight, mental health, social competence, healthy lifestyle beliefs, choices, and behaviors in overweight and obese school-age children (9 to 12 years) who were participating in a pilot Healthy Choices Intervention Program were examined using a descriptive correlational design. Results indicated that the children's weight negatively correlated with the children's self-concept, social skills, and, most importantly, healthy lifestyle choices. Their healthy lifestyle beliefs demonstrated positive correlations with their intentions to choose a healthy lifestyle. The children's healthy lifestyle beliefs and choices also were associated with increased cooperation and empathy behaviors. A positive self-concept was associated with decreased anxiety and depressive symptomology. These data support the need for health care providers to understand the psychological and social issues that overweight and obese school-age children experience. Cognitive behavior skills building techniques, such as those in the Healthy Choices Intervention Program, may promote healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors.

Jacobson D ，Melnyk BM 《-》

Mental health correlates of healthy lifestyle attitudes, beliefs, choices, and behaviors in overweight adolescents.

Melnyk BM ，Small L ，Morrison-Beedy D ，Strasser A ，Spath L ，Kreipe R ，Crean H ，Jacobson D ，Van Blankenstein S ... -  《Journal of Pediatric Health Care》

A primary care healthy choices intervention program for overweight and obese school-age children and their parents.

The escalating crisis of childhood overweight and obesity creates an urgent demand for evidence-based interventions that can be used by primary care providers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a theory-based Healthy Choices Intervention (HCI) Program with fifteen 9-12 year old overweight and obese children and their parents in a primary care setting. A 1-group, 7-week pre-/posttest study design was used. Outcome measures included: body mass index (BMI) percentile, physical activity and nutrition knowledge, beliefs, choices and behaviors, anxiety, depression, self-concept, and social competence. Children and parents found the HCI to be useful and informative. Positive effects of the HCI for the children included decreased BMI percentile, increased knowledge, beliefs, choices and behaviors, and self-control. Positive effects of the intervention for the parents included increased knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, and decreased anxiety. This study provides evidence to support the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the HCI with overweight and obese school-age children and their parents within a primary care setting.

Jacobson D ，Melnyk BM 《-》

Relationships among factors related to body mass index, healthy lifestyle beliefs and behaviors, and mental health indicators for youth in a title 1 school.

The effect of being overweight in childhood has both physical and psychological implications. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among body mass index (BMI), healthy lifestyle beliefs and behaviors, and mental health indicators for 5th- and 6th-grade children in a Title I school. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design on a convenience sample of youth in an urban school. BMI was calculated. Participants completed surveys that assessed healthy beliefs and behaviors, activity and nutrition knowledge, and mental health indicators. Children with higher BMIs reported difficulty in living a healthy lifestyle. This perceived difficulty affected their ability to make healthy choices. Belief in the ability to live a healthy lifestyle resulted in reported healthier behaviors. Anxiety and depression symptomatology were not significantly related to healthy lifestyle indicators. The results demonstrate that the proposed thinking, feeling, behavior triangle model was supported in this population.

O'Haver J ，Jacobson D ，Kelly S ，Melnyk BM ... -  《-》

Improving the mental health, healthy lifestyle choices, and physical health of Hispanic adolescents: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Melnyk BM ，Jacobson D ，Kelly S ，O'Haver J ，Small L ，Mays MZ ... -  《-》