Roger G. Sargent

The relationship between diet, activity, and other factors, and postpartum weight change by race.

Objective To identify the impact of dietary intake and activity level on postpartum weight change. Methods White (n = 121) and black (n = 224) women, 7–12 months postpartum, participating in the Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children were assessed for dietary intake, activity level, body weight, and other maternal characteristics. Results For both black and white women, the most important variables in predicting postpartum weight loss were pre-pregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, parity, and prenatal exercise. After these factors were controlled, race predicted that black women retained 6.4 lb more than white women. These results may be due to the finding that black women reported significantly higher mean energy intake (2039 versus 1552 kcal, P < .001), higher percent fat in diet (41 versus 38%, P < .001), and significantly lower amounts of prenatal and postpartum activity. Conclusion Higher energy intake and lower activity levels in black postpartum mothers compared with white mothers may contribute to the significantly higher rates of obesity found in black mothers. This study suggests the need for intervention strategies in the prenatal and postpartum periods to help those at risk of retaining weight gained during pregnancy.

Ideal body size beliefs and weight concerns of fourth‐grade children

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess racial and gender differences in perceptions of ideal body size among White and Black fourth-grade children. METHOD A random sample of 817 children (51.4% female, 51.8% White, and mean age 9 years) participated in a body image and weight concern survey. RESULTS Using socioeconomic status (SES), race, and gender as independent variables, Black children selected significantly heavier ideal sizes than White children for self, male child, female child, adult male, and adult female. Although almost one half (46%) of Black females wanted to be thinner than their current size, their body size selections were significantly larger than those of White females. Black and White males differed only in the selections of ideal-female child and adult sizes. Cross-gender comparisons indicated females and Whites experience more body dissatisfaction and weight concern than males and Blacks. DISCUSSION Our study indicates that early in the sociocultural development of children, gender, race, and SES are influential factors in selecting ideal body size and determining body satisfaction.

Factors of Fruit and Vegetable Intake by Race, Gender, and Age among Young Adolescents

OBJECTIVE To explore demographic differences in individual, social, and environmental factors potentially related to fruit and vegetable intake. DESIGN Self-report questionnaires administered to a convenience sample of middle school students during regular classes. PARTICIPANTS Black and white adolescents, 11 to 15 years of age (N = 736). VARIABLES MEASURED Measures included self-efficacy, family dinner frequency, normative beliefs, outcome expectations, modeling, availability, preferences, snack choice, and demographics. ANALYSIS Chi-square, general linear models, and Poisson and linear regressions as appropriate. RESULTS Black participants reported greater social influences than did white participants, whereas white adolescents reported greater family environmental influences on fruit and vegetable intake. The oldest adolescents reported lower self-efficacy, peer modeling, family dinner frequency, and fruit and vegetable preferences compared with younger adolescents. White participants and females reported a higher preference for vegetables than did black participants and males. Regression models for self-efficacy and snack choice explained 41% and 34% of the variance, respectively. Preferences for vegetables and parental modeling were the strongest correlates of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was the strongest correlate of snack choice. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Decreases in several factors with age highlight the importance of intervention for this age group. Future research is needed for a better understanding of the formation and modification of self-efficacy and snack choice.

A Study of Body Weight Concerns and Weight Control Practices of 4th and 7th Grade Adolescents

Objective. The purpose of this study was to assess grade, race, socioeconomic status and gender differences in perceptions of body size, weight concerns, and weight control practices between 4th and 7th grade students in South Carolina. Design. Two random samples, consisting of a total of 1,597 children (53.1% white, 51.97% female, 44.9% 4th graders) participated in two questionnaire surveys. Both surveys included a series of seven female and seven male body size drawings, body image and weight concern questions, and questions pertaining to weight control practices. Responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using chi-square analysis and the General Linear Model. Results. Using socioeconomic status (SES), race, gender, and grade as independent variables, differences in ideal adult body size, opposite gender ideal adult body size, weight concerns, perceptions of family/peer weight concerns, perceptions of own body size and weight control practices were studied. Analyses revealed that 4th grade males select a larger ideal adult body size and opposite gender ideal adult body size when compared to 7th grade males ( p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0078, respectively). Fourth grade females indicated less personal concern about their weight than 7th grade females ( p = 0.0009). Fourth graders also perceived less family/peer concern about weight than 7th graders ( p = 0.0027) and 7th graders described themselves as being more overweight than 4th graders ( p = 0.0039). Blacks selected a significantly larger body size than white children for ideal adult ( p = 0.0287) and ideal opposite gender adult body size ( p < 0.0001 for males, p = 0.0030 for females). Blacks also perceived less personal and family/peer concern about weight when compared to whites ( p = 0.0083). More whites reported that they were trying to lose weight, as compared to blacks ( p = 0.0010). Males also selected significantly larger body size silhouettes than females for ideal adult body size ( p = 0.0012). Males expressed less personal concern about weight ( p < 0.0001), perceived less family/peer concern about weight ( p < 0.0001), and were less likely than females to be engaged in weight loss ( p < 0.0001). Females in the high SES category selected a significantly smaller ideal male adult body size than females in the low SES group ( p = 0.0124) and more females in the high SES category were trying to lose weight when compared to females in the low SES group ( p = 0.0055).) Conclusion. This study indicates that early in a childs sociocultural development, grade level, gender, race, and SES are influential in the perception of ideal adult body size and opposite gender ideal adult body size. These factors are also influential in determining concerns about weight and weight control practices. The findings of this study support the need to begin health and wellness education efforts early in childhood while taking into account racial, gender, age, and SES disparities. This knowledge can also be useful in targeting interventions for both obesity and eating disorders.

Selected Health Behaviors that Influence College Freshman Weight Change.

Objective and Participants: The authors investigated the effect of physical activity (PA), fruit and vegetable intake, and alcohol use on 6-month weight change in 193 college freshmen (78.8% white, 88.2% women, 94.5% on a meal plan). Methods: The authors administered a Web-based survey in fall 2002 (baseline) and spring 2003 (follow-up). Results: There was an overall average weight gain of 2.5 lbs (p < .05), although only 57% reported weight gain (M = 7.1 lbs). Fruit and vegetable intake decreased (p = .034), alcohol use increased (p > .05), and PA was unchanged. Weight gain for students with body mass indexes (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 was nearly twice that of students with BMIs < 25 (p < .05). Students with low-frequency baseline PA were twice as likely to be overweight. Follow-up data showed that students reporting ≥ 4 sessions per week (ie, high frequency) of low-intensity PA were twice as likely to have healthy BMIs as students engaging in low- and moderate-frequency PA. Conclusions: PA interventions should target freshmen with BMIs ≥ 25.

Black—White differences in body size perceptions and weight management practices among adolescent females

OBJECTIVE This study compares body size perceptions and weight management practices of black and white adolescent females. DESIGN Subjects were selected through a statewide, three-stage sampling procedure designed to provide a sample statistically representative of high school students in South Carolina. SUBJECTS Participants included black (n = 1824) and white (n = 2256) females, 14-18 years of age, enrolled in South Carolina public high schools. METHODS Respondents were asked to assess their perceived body size as overweight, underweight, or about right. Self-reported weight management practices included dieting (reducing caloric intake), exercise, and other methods (including diet pills and vomiting). Chisquare analysis was used to assess the differences in body size perception and weight management behaviors. Polychotomous logistic regression was performed to examine association while controlling for socioeconomic status. RESULTS Forty-one percent of the white adolescents and 29% of the black adolescents perceive themselves as overweight (p < 0.005). In the week prior to the survey, 28% of the white adolescents and 13% of the black adolescents reported dieting 34% of the while versus 23% of the black adolescents reported exercising to lose weight; and 45% of the white and 16% of the black students reported both dieting and exercising. Polychotomous logistic regression analysis showed that white adolescent girls were almost twice as likely to perceive themselves as overweight as black adolescent girls. The white students had 6.04 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.77, 20.67] times the odds of using pills and vomiting and 3.76 (95% CI, 2.99, 4.72) times the odds of engaging in dieting and exercising as methods of weight management compared to the black students. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that white adolescents are more likely to perceive themselves as overweight than black adolescents and are more likely to engage in unhealthy weight management practices than black adolescents.

Black and White Adolescent Males' Perceptions of Ideal Body Size.

A stratified random sample of 496 white (n =337) and black (n =159) adolescent males participated in a survey of ideal body size beliefs. Responses to the questionnaire and a series of nine female and male body size drawings were analyzed using the General Linear Model Analysis of Variance and Categorical Modeling. Using SES and race as independent variables and BMI (kg/m2)as a covariate, black males were found to prefer a significantly heavier ideal female body size than whites (p <.0001) and also perceived that their parents, female friends, and male friends would select as ideal a significantly heavier female body size than white subjects. Black subjects were 1.9 times (O.R. = 1.88, 95% C.I. = 1.44, 2.47) more likely to select a larger ideal female hip/buttocks size and 1.7 times (O.R. = 1.72, 95% C.I. = 1.25, 2.37) more likely to choose a larger ideal female thigh size than white subjects. Our findings seem to point toward a greater approval and social acceptance of a larger body size for black females by black males.

Effect of iron supplementation on endurance capacity in iron-depleted female runners

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of oral iron supplementation on endurance performance in initially iron-depleted, nonanemic female distance runners. Eighteen iron-depleted (serum ferritin less than 20 ng.ml-1, hemoglobin greater than or equal to 12 g.dl-1) women (22-39 yr) performed a VO2max test and an endurance run to exhaustion. Subjects were pair-matched on the basis of endurance time and then randomly assigned to an iron supplement or a placebo group. Following supplementation, the iron group had a significantly higher (P = 0.03) mean serum ferritin concentration (23.4 vs 15.7 ng.ml-1) and lower (P = 0.04) mean total iron-binding capacity than the placebo group. Both groups increased their time to exhaustion (25.5% and 22.2% for the iron and placebo groups, respectively) but were not significantly different (P = 0.72) from each other. There were also no differences (P greater than 0.05) between the groups with respect to lactate concentrations and physiological measures taken during the two exercise tests. The results of this study suggest that 8 wk of oral iron supplementation improves iron status in iron-depleted female distance runners, but does not enhance endurance capacity.

Body dissatisfaction among White and African American male and female college students

Body size perception has been shown to be highly influenced by cultural factors including race. This study assessed body size perceptions of a convenience sample of college students (N=630). Included in a paper-and-pencil survey were current height and weight (body mass index (BMI)=wt [kg]/ht(2) [m]), perceived BMI, desired MI and perceptions of BMIs desired by others. Also assessed were perceptions of underweight, acceptable weight and overweight/obesity. African American females were found to have a higher current BMI than Whites (P< or =.001), higher desired BMI (P< or =.001) and higher BMI perceived to be desired by others (P< or =.001). African American and White males did not differ on any of these measures. Most (83%) underweight (BMI<19) African American females perceived themselves as underweight while only about one-half of underweight (56%) White females perceived themselves as underweight. Almost half (43%) of White females and about a fourth (27%) of African American females of acceptable BMI range (BMI=19-25) desired to be in the underweight range. Of those who were overweight (BMI=25-30), 20% of the Whites and only 3.0% of the African Americans chose an underweight silhouette as being desired. While African Americans and White males tended to have similar perceptions that there remains sociocultural influences in African American females regarding acceptance of a large body size.

The Impact of a Required College Health and Physical Education Course on the Health Status of Alumni

The impact of a required college health and physical education course on selected health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of alumni was evaluated. The design was a cross-sectional study (mail out/mail back survey) using a stratified random sample of 2,000 college alumni. The overall response rate was 50%. Results were analyzed by college of graduation (college with a required health/physical education course versus no required course). Alumni who took the course were more likely to know their blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and recommended dietary fat intake than the comparison group were. They also reported that the course positively influenced their attitudes toward exercise, eating, and smoking They were more likely to engage in aerobic exercise and less likely to smoke; and they had lower intakes of dietary fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The results suggested that a required college course enhanced selected health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of alumni.