Amy A. Hackney

Change in Percentages of Adults With Overweight or Obesity Trying to Lose Weight, 1988-2014

Socially acceptable body weight is increasing.1 If more individuals who are overweight or obese are satisfied with their weight, fewer might be motivated to lose unhealthy weight. This study assessed the trend in the percentage of adults who were overweight or obese and trying to lose weight during 3 periods from 1988 through 2014. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), an ongoing, stratified, multistage probability sample of the US noninstitutionalized population designed to represent the health and nutritional status of the general population. A strength of NHANES is that the sampling approaches, interviews, and physical examination methods are standardized across surveys and have been published extensively elsewhere.2 NHANES protocol was approved by the National Center for Health Statistics institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained.2 The current analysis was categorized as exempt by the Georgia Southern University institutional review board.

Being a Black Man: Development of the Masculinity Inventory Scale (MIS) for Black Men

This article describes how a culturally sensitive masculinity scale was developed for Black men using qualitative data. Data came from in-depth interviews (N = 13) and focus groups (n = 4) with 46 undergraduate Black males at two universities (Historically Black College and University and Predominately White Institution) in the Southeastern United States. The resulting Masculinity Inventory Scale (MIS) items were developed using direct quotes from the data. The scale was completed by 164 participants as one part of a self-administered survey. Factor analysis showed that five subscales of masculinity exist for Black men: Mainstream society, Black masculinity, Primary group, Mainstream society/Black masculinity, and Primary/peer group. Implications for future research in the area of masculinity and Black men are discussed.

The Influence of Masculinity on Coping in Undergraduate Black Men

This study examined the influence of masculinity on the coping mechanisms of undergraduate Black men. Black male college students were recruited from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and a Predominately White Institution (PWI) and asked to complete a survey. Survey results (N = 162) showed most Black college men identify with mainstream society or Black masculinity. Results also showed that the type of masculinity identified does determine whether a positive or negative relationship exists with the type of coping method used. In addition, the type of masculinity identified with was determined by the campus (HBCU, PWI) participants attended. Future research directions are discussed.

Understanding Masculinity in Undergraduate African American Men A Qualitative Study

This study reports findings on views of masculinity with undergraduate Black men, which included interviews and focus groups (N = 46) with participants ranging in age from 18 to 22 years. Specifically, this study explored how Black men define being a man and being a Black man. Undergraduate Black males at a historically Black college and university (N = 25) and a predominately White institution (N = 21) in the Southeastern United States were recruited to participate in this study. Through the use of thematic analysis, findings indicated that three levels of masculinity exist for Black men: what it means to be a man, what it means to be a Black man, and who influences male development. Implications and recommendations for future research and practice are discussed.

Preschool Children's Self-Reports of Fruit and Vegetable Knowledge, Preference, and Messages Encouraging Consumption

BACKGROUND Fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Only one third of children aged 4-8years consume the recommended 5 servings a day. Studies involving school-aged children (6-11 years) demonstrate that positive outcome expectancies can mediate FVC. There is a lack of similar studies involving preschool-aged (<5 years) children. The purpose of this study was to assess preschool childrens knowledge and preference of fruits and vegetables, messages they recall hearing related to FVC, and how they perceive these messages. METHODS Children (N = 192) were individually interviewed with a play-based picture card game followed by a mealtime environment reenactment open-ended interview. Fruit and vegetable messages were operationalized using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Descriptive statistics and associations are reported. RESULTS Each child recalled an average of 2.27 messages associated with FVC. Positive outcome expectancies, negative outcome expectancies, and prompts were most frequently recalled. Statistically significant differences in knowledge, preference, and messages were observed based on income. CONCLUSIONS Children as young as age 4 years understand positive outcome expectancies. Experimental trials are warranted to determine if tailored expectancy messages mediate FVC among preschool children.