Cheryl B. Anderson

Mediating variable framework in physical activity interventions. How are we doing? How might we do better?

INTRODUCTION Behavioral science provides the foundation for physical activity interventions. The mediating variable framework is used to assess the status of physical activity interventions and the roles that are, or could be played, by behavioral theory. METHODS Twenty-five physical activity intervention studies and 45 physical activity correlational studies were found in the literature, tabulated, and included in the analysis. RESULTS Behavioral interventions for promoting physical activity have worked primarily when participants were motivated enough to volunteer or when a school-based physical education program changed. In most cases, behavioral or psychosocial theory accounted for 30% or less of the variability in physical activity behaviors. Most intervention studies do not measure mediating variables, and when they do, they do not systematically effect changes in all the mediating variables on which they are predicated. DISCUSSION To increase the effectiveness of physical activity interventions, more physical activity research should focus on a better understanding of the predictors of physical activity and toward interventions demonstrated to effect change in these predictors of physical activity. CONCLUSION Changing the focus to basic behavioral and social science and mediator change research should provide a more systematic and cost-effective approach to increasing the effectiveness of physical activity interventions.

A national survey of policies on disclosure of conflicts of interest in biomedical research

BACKGROUND Conflicts of interest pose a threat to the integrity of scientific research. The current regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service and the National Science Foundation require that medical schools and other research institutions report the existence of conflicts of interest to the funding agency but allow the institutions to manage conflicts internally. The regulations do not specify how to do so. METHODS We surveyed all medical schools (127) and other research institutions (170) that received more than

Measuring feeding in low-income African–American and Hispanic parents

5 million in total grants annually from the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation; 48 journals in basic science and clinical medicine; and 17 federal agencies in order to analyze their policies on conflicts of interest. RESULTS Of the 297 institutions, 250 (84 percent) responded by March 2000, as did 47 of the 48 journals and 16 of the 17 federal agencies. Fifteen of the 250 institutions (6 percent)--5 medical schools and 10 other research institutions--reported that they had no policy on conflicts of interest. Among the institutions that had policies, there was marked variation in the definition and management of conflicts. Ninety-one percent had policies that adhered to the federal threshold for disclosure (

The Impact of Child Care Providers' Feeding on Children's Food Consumption

10,000 in annual income or equity in a relevant company or 5 percent ownership), and 9 percent had policies that exceeded the federal guidelines. Only 8 percent had policies requiring disclosure to funding agencies, only 7 percent had such policies regarding journals, and only 1 percent had policies requiring the disclosure of information to the relevant institutional review boards or to research subjects. Twenty journals (43 percent) reported that they had policies requiring disclosure of conflicts of interest. Only four federal agencies had policies that explicitly addressed conflicts of interest in extramural research, and all but one of the agencies relied primarily on institutional discretion. CONCLUSIONS There is substantial variation among policies on conflicts of interest at medical schools and other research institutions. This variation, combined with the fact that many scientific journals and funding agencies do not require disclosure of conflicts of interest, suggests that the current standards may not be adequate to maintain a high level of scientific integrity.

Contribution of Athletic Identity to Child and Adolescent Physical Activity

Current feeding measures have been developed based on the premise that a childs obesity risk is increased when parents exert high levels of control over feeding. Although these measures provide useful ways to assess parental restrictiveness in feeding, they do not capture other important aspects of feeding that describe the behavior of parents not overly concerned about child obesity. Alternative measures are important to develop, especially for minority populations where concerns about child obesity are often not a significant determinant of parental feeding practices. The current study describes a culturally informed method used to develop a broader assessment of parental feeding strategies across two low-income ethnic groups. To be able to accurately measure cultural differences associated with feeding, qualitative and quantitative methods were used to assure conceptual, linguistic, and measurement equivalency across African-American and Hispanic parents. Based on responses from 231 parents, mean differences in feeding strategies were found with Hispanic parents reporting significantly more parent-centered/high control and child-centered feeding strategies compared to African-Americans. Furthermore, the relationship between childrens weight status and parental feeding strategies varied by the two ethnic groups and child gender. Implications of these results for understanding the role of parental socialization in the development of child obesity are discussed.

Combined effects of venlafaxine, nicotine replacement, and brief counseling on smoking cessation.

Background: In young children, the eating environment is an important social context within which eating behaviors develop. Among many low-income young children, the responsibility for feeding may have shifted from family members to child care providers because these children spend the majority of their day in child care settings. Methods: To examine the influence of feeding among low-income children in child care settings, feeding behaviors of child care providers in Head Start were observed and food consumption was assessed. Head Start, a comprehensive child development program that serves children from ages 3 to 5, was chosen because of the large percentage of minorities, the low-income status of the families, and the age of the children. Fifty child care providers (25 African-American; 25 Hispanic) randomly selected from Head Start centers in a large, urban southwestern city were observed on three mealtime occasions and self-reported feeding styles were assessed. Observed feeding behaviors were categorized into four feeding patterns based on their conceptual similarity to a general parenting typology (i.e., authoritarian, authoritative, indulgent, and uninvolved). Measures of food consumption were assessed on 549 children sitting with the child care providers during lunch at the Head Start centers. Results: Indulgent feeding behaviors were positively related to children’s consumption of vegetables, dairy, entrée, and starch; authoritative feeding behaviors were positively related to dairy consumption. Conclusion: This research highlights the important influence that child care providers have in the development of healthy and unhealthy eating behaviors in minority children. Implications for intervention training for child care providers to promote healthy eating among Head Start children are discussed.

Ethnic differences among correlates of physical activity in women.

BACKGROUND Identity theorists maintain that domain-specific self-concepts help explain the differential investment of peoples time and effort in various activities. PURPOSE This study examined the contribution of athletic identity and three key demographic variables to physical activity and sports team participation. METHODS Students in Grades 4-5 (n=391, mean age 9.9 years, range 8-13 years, collected in 2003) and Grades 7-8 (n=948, mean age 13.6 years, range 11-15 years, collected in 2002 and 2006) completed the 40-item Athletic Identity Questionnaire, which measures self-perceptions of athletic appearance; competence; importance of physical activity and sports; and encouragement for activity from parents, teachers, and friends. Hierarchic multiple regression analyses in 2008 assessed the effects of athletic identity, race/ethnicity group, gender, and overweight status on 7-day moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and organized sport team participation in each age group. RESULTS In children and adolescents, the global score of athletic identity was independently, positively related to MVPA (p<0.0001, p<0.0001, respectively) and team participation (p<0.0001, p<0.0001, respectively), after controlling for demographic variables. More variance in MVPA was explained in children (23%) than in adolescents (5%), in contrast to team sports (5% in children, 15% in adolescents). In the subscale analyses, positive relationships for appearance, competence, importance, and parental encouragement persisted independent of demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS Results support the role of athletic self-concept in promoting physical activity and organized sport participation in children and adolescents.

Tobacco withdrawal signs and symptoms among women with and without a history of depression.

In this study, 147 smokers were randomly assigned to receive either venlafaxine or placebo in conjunction with behavioral counseling (9 weekly sessions) and transdermal nicotine replacement therapy (22 mg/day). Patients began medication 2 weeks before quitting and continued for 18 weeks after quitting, with the daily dose titrated from 150 to 225 mg. in response to symptoms of negative affect and relapse. The results showed no main effect of treatment on abstinence. Post hoc analysis revealed that both at the end of treatment and at the 1-year follow-up smokers consuming less than a pack of cigarettes a day benefited from the addition of venlafaxine to the treatment regimen. Venlafaxine also reduced negative affect for all smokers for up to 6 weeks postcessation. The findings suggest that venlafaxine could have some role to play in the treatment of lighter smokers, in addition to the expected benefits of nicotine replacement therapy and behavioral counseling.

Behavioral and pharmacologic approaches to smoking cessation.

Purpose. This study investigated differences between two ethnic minority groups on five hypothesized correlates of physical activity (beliefs about the value of physical activity, normative modeling, perceived barriers, outcome expectations, and self-efficacy). Design. A cross-sectional sample consisting of 246 African American and Hispanic women 40 to 70 years of age was used. Multivariate analysis of covariance including interactions with education and income was used. Results. A three-way interaction (ethnicity by education by income) was significant for perceived barriers. In addition, a two-way interaction (education by income) was significant for normative modeling. Conclusions. Ethnic differences by education and income were associated with some correlates of physical activity; therefore, it is important to consider this diversity when designing physical-activity interventions for minority women.

Race/ethnicity, smoking status, and self-generated expected outcomes from smoking among adolescents.

A past history of depression is associated with a decreased likelihood of quitting smoking. Tobacco withdrawal may be a mechanism through which depression history impedes smoking cessation. This research examined the influence of depression history on unmedicated tobacco withdrawal signs (polysomnographic measures of sleep) and symptoms (self-reported urge, negative affect, hunger, and sleep) among women (N= 13). Depression history was associated with differential withdrawal-induced changes in several REM sleep parameters. Self-report and other polysomnography (sleep fragmentation, slow-wave sleep) measures displayed statistically significant withdrawal effects but did not discriminate between depression history groups. These results suggest that REM sleep parameters may be sensitive to differential tobacco withdrawal responses that are not readily apparent through self-reported symptoms.