Doris A. Abood

Nutrition education worksite intervention for university staff: application of the health belief model.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of an 8-week worksite nutrition education intervention for university staff using the Health Belief Model (HBM) to promote healthful dietary behaviors that reduce risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer. DESIGN 2 3 2 repeated measures baseline/posttest ex post facto research design. PARTICIPANTS Staff employees were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 28) and control groups (n = 25). INTERVENTION The intervention focused on specific health beliefs, nutrition knowledge, and dietary practices to demonstrate treatment effect. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Dependent variables were specific health beliefs, nutrition knowledge, and dietary behaviors. Independent variables were demographic characteristics and group assignment. ANALYSES Tests of parametric assumptions, power analyses, analysis of variance, and Kuder-Richardson and Pearson product-moment coefficients were computed and specificity of treatment effects was assessed. RESULTS Perceived benefits of healthy nutrition practices and nutrition knowledge related to cardiovascular disease and cancer significantly improved among the treatment participants, P <.001. Treatment group participants also significantly reduced total calories, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake (each P <.001). CONCLUSIONS The intervention appears to be related to treatment effects and significantly increased nutrition knowledge and decreased energy, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol intake to levels consistent with national recommendations.

Nutrition Education Intervention for College Female Athletes

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of a nutrition education intervention for college female athletes to improve nutrition knowledge, build self-efficacy with respect to making healthful dietary choices, and improve dietary intake. DESIGN A pretest-posttest control group design was implemented. PARTICIPANTS A womens soccer team (n =15) and a womens swim team (n = 15) were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, respectively. INTERVENTION The intervention focused on nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy in making healthful dietary choices, and dietary practices to demonstrate treatment effect. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Dependent variables were nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, and dietary practices. Independent variables were group assignment. ANALYSES The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the results between groups, and the Fisher exact probability test was used to detect differences between groups in the number of positive dietary changes. RESULTS Treatment participants significantly improved nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy (P <.05), and the overall number of positive dietary changes (P <.03). CONCLUSIONS This study reduces the paucity of nutrition education intervention research among athletes and demonstrates the ability to increase not only nutrition knowledge, which is typically reported, but also self-efficacy and improvement in overall positive dietary changes during an 8-week intervention.

Self-efficacy improves weight loss in overweight/obese postmenopausal women during a 6-month weight loss intervention.

The objective was to examine the relationship between self-efficacy and subsequent weight loss during a 6-month weight loss intervention in 90 white early postmenopausal healthy women. We hypothesized that participants with higher self-efficacy scores, either at baseline or follow-up, would lose more weight than those with lower scores. Each participant received a balanced meal plan with reduced energy intake. Nutritional and behavioral sessions were provided every 2 weeks during the first 3 months. Weight and height were measured at baseline, every 2 weeks in the first 3 months, and at month 6. Three-day dietary and physical activity records and Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire were completed at the same intervals. At month 6, participants lost 3.6 ± 4.1 kg or 4.4% (mean ± SD) and decreased in weight from 82.2 ± 11.1 kg to 77.6 ± 11.4 kg (P < .001). When participants were divided into groups based on weight loss success (<5% or ≥5% of initial weight), logistic regression (controlling for age, energy intake, physical activity, attendance at group sessions, and previous weight loss attempts) demonstrated that higher self-efficacy for the Availability of Food subscale of Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire (95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.17) and total self-efficacy (95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.04) were associated with a greater likelihood of losing 5% or more of initial weight. Overall, participants who had higher total self-efficacy and self-efficacy to resist eating when food was available were able to lose more weight. Therefore, cognitive-behavioral efforts promoting self-efficacy may be useful for bolstering individuals confidence to resist eating under various conditions and thereby improve weight loss outcomes.

Effects of Resistance Training and Chiropractic Treatment in Women with Fibromyalgia

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate resistance training (RES) and RES combined with chiropractic treatment (RES-C) on fibromyalgia (FM) impact and functionality in women with FM. DESIGN The design of the study was a randomized control trial. SETTING Testing and training were completed at the university and chiropractic treatment was completed at chiropractic clinics. PARTICIPANTS Participants (48 +/- 9 years; mean +/- standard deviation) were randomly assigned to RES (n = 10) or RES-C (n = 11). INTERVENTION Both groups completed 16 weeks of RES consisting of 10 exercises performed two times per week. RES-C received RES plus chiropractic treatment two times per week. OUTCOME MEASURES Strength was assessed using one repetition maximum for the chest press and leg extension. FM impact was measured using the FM impact questionnaire, myalgic score, and the number of active tender points. Functionality was assessed using the 10-item Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance test. Analyses of variance with repeated measures compared groups before and after the intervention. RESULTS Six (6) participants discontinued the study: 5 from RES and 1 from RES-C. Adherence to training was significantly higher in RES-C (92.0 +/- 7.5%) than in RES (82.8 +/- 7.5%). Both groups increased (p < or = 0.05) upper and lower body strength. There were similar improvements in FM impact in both groups. There were no group interactions for the functionality measures. Both groups improved in the strength domains; however, only RES-C significantly improved in the pre- to postfunctional domains of flexibility, balance and coordination, and endurance. CONCLUSIONS In women with FM, resistance training improves strength, FM impact, and strength domains of functionality. The addition of chiropractic treatment improved adherence and dropout rates to the resistance training and facilitated greater improvements in the domains of functionality.

Levels of cigarette and alcohol use related to eating-disorder attitudes.

OBJECTIVE To examine levels of cigarette and alcohol use relative to body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness in 206 black and white college women. METHOD Anonymous, paper-and-pencil, self-report questionnaires were administered. RESULTS Frequency of both cigarette and alcohol use were significantly and linearly related to body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. Regression analyses indicated that negative-affect reduction motivations for use of these substances were more strongly related to eating-disorder attitudes than were levels of use. CONCLUSIONS Cigarette and alcohol use, independent of race and other demographic variables, increased along a continuum with eating-disorder attitudes.

Evaluation of a School-based Teen Obesity Prevention Minimal Intervention

OBJECTIVE A school-based nutrition education minimal intervention (MI) was evaluated. DESIGN The design was experimental, with random assignment at the school level. SETTING Seven schools were randomly assigned as experimental, and 7 as delayed-treatment. PARTICIPANTS The experimental group included 551 teens, and the delayed treatment group included 329 teens. INTERVENTION The minimal intervention was Present and Prevent, a commercially available PowerPoint program presented in two 30-minute time slots over 1 week. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The dependent variables were nutrition knowledge, attitudes, peer and family influences, behavioral intentions, and program satisfaction. The independent variable was group assignment. ANALYSES A matched-pairs and 2-sample t test were used respectively to assess within-group and between-group changes. RESULTS Significant experimental posttest improvements occurred in the following: knowledge (P < .001); intention to maintain a healthy body weight because of importance to friends (P < .001); and intention to eat fewer fried foods, eat fewer sweets, look more at food labels, and limit TV watching (all P < .001). Program satisfaction measures were significantly associated with each of the healthy weight maintenance behavioral intentions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The MI teen obesity prevention program made an impact on nutrition knowledge and positive behavioral intentions in only 2 classroom sessions and was well received by participants.

Racial Differences in Eating Disorder Attitudes, Cigarette, and Alcohol Use.

OBJECTIVE To compare eating disorder attitudes, cigarette, and alcohol use between black and white college women. METHOD Four validated, self-report questionnaires were administered. RESULTS Black women reported significantly less substance use. However, substance use, regardless of race, was significantly related to eating disorder symptoms, and women at highest risk for an eating disorder reported the highest levels of substance use. Also significantly related to eating disorder symptoms were negative affect reduction and weight control as reasons for substance use. CONCLUSIONS Black and white women at highest risk for an eating disorder also exhibit the greatest potential for substance use.