Alice E. Smith

Granulomatous Lesions occurring at Site of Injections of Vaccines and Antibiotics.

The authors describe an interesting series of patients who developed granulomas due to Myco. fortuitum at the site of injections of influenza vaccine in most instances, though also following other parenteral medications. The source of contamination could not be found.

Effects of the Start For Life treatment on physical activity in primarily African American preschool children of ages 3–5 years

In US children of ages 2–5 years, combined overweight and obesity has increased to 21%, with African American children of this age range highest at 26%. Lack of physical activity is highly predictive of overweight and obesity in children. Preschools may be a useful point for intervention. An innovative preschool physical activity treatment (Start For Life) was developed based on principles of social cognitive and self-efficacy theory. It incorporated 30 minutes daily of highly structured physical activity with behavioral and self-regulatory skills training (e.g. goal setting, self-monitoring, productive self-talk) interspersed. Data obtained from accelerometry was used to contrast physical activity outputs during the preschool day in the Start For Life condition (n = 202) with a usual-care control condition (n = 136). After controlling for age and sex of the primarily African American participants (M age = 4.7 years), changes over eight weeks in moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous physical activity were significant, and significantly more favorable in the Start For Life group; F(1, 344) = 4.98, p = .026 and F(1, 344) = 3.60, p = .058, respectively. Start For Life was associated with a weekly increase in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of approximately 40 minutes. After sufficient replications that better account for different sample types, parental effects and physical activity outside of the school day, and long-term effects, widespread dissemination may be considered.

Association of Changes in Self-Efficacy, Voluntary Physical Activity, and Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes in a Behavioral Treatment for Obese Preadolescents: A Pilot Study

Childhood obesity is increasing in the United States; thus, physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals seek to refer patients to interventions that will reliably improve physical activity and nutrition behaviors. The present 12-week, two-session-per-week protocol, based on social cognitive theory, was given preliminary testing with 23 obese children (M(age) = 11.7 years) with risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. A significant within-group improvement in number of days per week of 60 or more minutes of voluntary physical activity was reported. Changes in measures of both task self-efficacy (beta = .39) and self-regulatory efficacy (beta = .44) significantly contributed to the significant portion of the variance explained in change in voluntary physical activity (R(2) = .40). Significant improvements in total cholesterol and body mass index (kg/m(2)) were also found. Correlations between changes in physical activity and changes in each physiological factor tested were each in the expected direction but did not reach statistical significance. Results suggest that replications and extensions of this pilot study, with greater experimental power, are warranted.

EFFECTS OF THE YOUTH FIT FOR LIFE PROTOCOL ON PHYSIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS AT YMCA CALGARY AFTER-SCHOOL CARE SITES

Youth inactivity and inappropriately high weight is a problem in the United States, Canada, and much of the industrialized world. Physiological and behavioral changes associated with the Youth Fit For Life protocol, a physical activity and nutrition education treatment based on self-efficacy theory, were assessed in 7- to 12-yr.-olds (N = 43) from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Body Mass Index, strength, and cardiorespiratory endurance significantly improved over a 12-wk. period when contrasted with changes based on normative data. Significant within-group improvements in measures of self-efficacy, vegetable intake, and voluntary moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were also found over 12 wk. Multiple regression analysis indicated that score changes in measures of self-regulatory and task self-efficacy, and general self, accounted for changes in voluntary physical activity. Implications for use of behaviorally based methods for large-scale obesity prevention treatments in preadolescents were discussed.

Reducing high BMI in African American preschoolers: effects of a behavior-based physical activity intervention on caloric expenditure.

Objectives Overweight and obesity in young children are increasing concerns for medical professionals. Lack of sufficient physical activity may be the primary cause; therefore, the development and testing of a theory-based intervention for preschoolers is a priority. Methods A 30-minutes/day preschool-based intervention (Start For Life), with a foundation in social cognitive theory that emphasizes the use of self-regulation skills and feelings of mastery (self-efficacy), was administered for 9 months to 4- and 5-year-old African American children. Results Findings indicated a significant increase in accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous physical activity during the 7-hour school day. Reductions in body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) were significant, with greater effects found in participants with an initially higher BMI. Further analyses indicated that the kilocalories expended through physical activity explained approximately 87% of the weight lost. Participants’ sex did not affect the identified changes in BMI. Conclusions A brief theory-based physical activity intervention (Start For Life) was associated with increased moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous physical activity and reduced overweight/obesity in 4- to 5-year-old preschoolers. Because of its practical format, opportunities for widespread dissemination may be possible.

Cognitive-behavioural physical activity treatment in African-American pre-schoolers: Effects of age, sex, and BMI

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children of 5 years and younger has greatly increased in countries including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA, with African‐Americans most affected in the USA. Low amounts of physical activity may be a primary cause. Interventions intended to increase physical activity during pre‐school have had minimal effects.

Relations of Sex Differences in Initial Body Mass Index and Physical Activity with Observed Changes over 12 Weeks among Children in the Youth Fit for Life After-School Care Intervention

Relations of changes in Body Mass Index and voluntary physical activity, with sex, were assessed in children participating in the Youth Fit For Life after-school care program. Consistent with previous reviews and meta-analyses on children, the present physical activity effect sizes for improvements in Body Mass Index and voluntary moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were greater for girls (n = 75) than for boys (n = 60; overall Mage = 9.8 yr., SD = 0.8). The girls also had significantly higher Body Mass Index and fewer days of physical activity than the boys at baseline. When scores at baseline were controlled, correlations for sex with changes in the preceding measures over 12 wk. were not significant (r12.3 = .06 and .15, respectively). Further study of the implications of childrens sex in the health behavior-change process was suggested.