Biomedical subjects

Kim D Reynolds

Publications and source records attributed to Kim D Reynolds.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Socio-demographic and cultural comparison of overweight and obesity risk and prevalence in adolescents in Southern California and Wuhan, China.

PURPOSE: This study performed parallel analyses on two large samples of seventh graders living in Los Angeles, California and in Wuhan, China to make direct comparisons of overweight and obesity risks in Western and Eastern cultural environments. METHODS: Two representative samples of 1772 and 1896 seventh grade students were randomly selected from the public or parochial middle schools in the greater Los Angeles area of Southern California in the United States, and public schools in Wuhan city of China. Two body mass index (BMI) references recently established by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), respectively, were used to define overweight (85th < or = BMI < 95th percentile) and obesity (BMI > or = 95th percentile). Logistic regressions were conducted to examine relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity risk. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of combined overweight and obesity in Los Angeles and in Wuhan were 43.1% and 12.1%, respectively, by the US-NCHS reference, and 45.8% and 11.9%, respectively, by the IOTF reference. Chinese-American adolescents had higher prevalence rates for overweight and obesity than those from China. SES was positively related to the risk of overweight and obesity in the Chinese sample, whereas a negative association was found in Southern California adolescents. Urbanicity was significantly positively related to higher overweight and obesity prevalence. CONCLUSION: Different overweight and obesity prevalence estimates and SES effects were observed for American and Chinese adolescent samples. Research on the underlying mechanisms is needed to help us to set up a tailored program for obesity prevention in Eastern and Western cultural environments.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

A survey of sun protection policy and education in secondary schools.

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued recommendations for school programs to reduce skin cancer. OBJECTIVE: Personnel at US secondary schools were surveyed to describe sun protection policy and education before the CDC recommendations. METHODS: School principals or other personnel at 484 secondary schools in 27 cities responded to a telephone survey in January and February 2002 (response rate = 31%). RESULTS: A sun protection policy was reported at 10% of the schools, but sun protection education occurred at nearly all schools (96%). Policies were more prevalent in regions with high ultraviolet radiation (P < .0001), but education was not. Many personnel were willing to adopt a policy (41%) and interested in obtaining a sun safety curriculum (96%). LIMITATIONS: Self-report measures, nonresponse, and new schools not in the sampling frame. CONCLUSION: Sun protection was a low policy priority for US schools. Sun safety education was prevalent, but written materials were used infrequently. A substantial proportion of school personnel were receptive to the CDC's advice.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Effects of the Sunny Days, Healthy Ways curriculum on students in grades 6 to 8.

BACKGROUND: There are few effective sun-safety education programs for use in secondary schools. Project aims were to create a sun-safety curriculum for grades 6 to 8, and to test whether exposure to the curriculum would increase children's sun-protection behavior. DESIGN: A pair-matched, group-randomized, pre--post test, controlled trial was performed with middle schools as the unit of randomization. Teachers implemented the six-unit sun-safety curriculum in 2001-2003, and analyses were performed in 2003-2004. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2038 children from 30 middle schools in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported sun-protection behavior using frequency ratings and diary. RESULTS: Compared to control schools, children receiving the curriculum reported more frequent sun protection (p=0.0035), and a greater proportion wore long-sleeved shirts during recess (p<0.0001) and applied sunscreen (p<0.0001). Exposure to the curriculum improved knowledge (p<0.0001), decreased perceived barriers to using sunscreen (p=0.0046), enhanced self-efficacy expectations (p=0.0577) about sun safety, and reduced favorable attitudes toward sun tanning (p=0.0026 to <0.0001). In intent-to-treat analyses, the treatment effect was eliminated only under the most conservative assumptions about dropouts. CONCLUSIONS: Educational approaches to sun safety in middle school may be effective for improving children's sun safety. Potential trial limitations include measuring short-term outcomes, focusing on young adolescents, using active parental consent, and testing in the American Southwest.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Mediation of a middle school skin cancer prevention program.

This study tested potential mediators of a school-based skin cancer prevention intervention for middle school children (6th-8th grades; N = 1,788). Ten variables were tested on 4 criteria to establish mediation, including (a) intervention related to outcome, (b) intervention related to mediators, (c) mediators related to outcome, and (d) mediated effect statistically significant. Sun-safe behaviors (e.g., sunscreen use) and potential mediators were measured with a self-report questionnaire. All criteria were met for Barriers--Sunscreen, Perceived Self-Efficacy, and Knowledge when the mediators were tested separately. In multiple mediator analyses, barriers to sunscreen use and self-efficacy satisfied Criteria 1-3 but were not statistically significant (Criterion 4). Barriers to sunscreen use, perceived self-efficacy for sun-safe behavior, and knowledge may serve as mediators.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Translational research in childhood obesity prevention.

This article explores the state of translational research in childhood obesity prevention. Five phases of translational research and emerging findings from basic science that could be useful in the design of obesity prevention programs are described. Few intervention studies have been published, and these are dominated by Phase 3 trials (efficacy), conducted in school settings, with a limited number of studies finding significant effects on Body Mass Index or adiposity. Cost-benefit analyses are lacking. Research is needed to translate basic science findings into novel interventions (Phases 1 and 2) and to translate programs with known behavior change capability into dissemination trials (Phase 5). Translation can be facilitated by enhanced communication between basic science and prevention science researchers, the development of interventions for underused settings, using novel strategies, support by institutions and funding agencies for translation, and the design of interventions with translation in mind.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Validity of a sun safety diary using UV monitors in middle school children.

This article describes a validity study conducted among middle school students comparing self-reported sun safety behaviors from a diary with readings from ultraviolet (UV) monitors worn on different body sites. The UV monitors are stickers with panels that turn increasingly darker shades of blue in the presence of increasing amounts of UV light. Three schools participated (N = 527). Statistically significant associations were found between self-reported behaviors and the UV monitor measurements, with Kendall's tau b's ranging from 0.400 to 0.823. Multiple regression was performed and indicator variables created separately for arm (R = .12) and leg (R = .49) coverage by protective clothing. The effect of time spent outdoors on the UV monitor measure was attenuated when the students reported having the corresponding body site covered with clothing. Self-reported shade was not a significant predictor of UV monitor change. Overall, the results provide evidence of validity of students' self-reports of time outdoors and protective clothing use.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Contrasting mediating variables in two 5-a-day nutrition intervention programs.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have advocated mediational analysis for behavioral intervention studies to link the supporting theory used in an intervention with the mediating variables and with its ultimate success or failure. Few mediational analyses have been reported for school-based nutrition studies. The conduct of mediational analyses within multi-site studies may provide advantages for the standardization of methods and for the replication and generalizability of findings. METHODS: This study identified mediators of two school-based nutrition interventions for 4th graders. Three variables were tested on the four criteria necessary to establish mediation of intervention effects on changes in fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) in 4th graders (Alabama, N = 1584; Minnesota, N = 522). FVC was measured in children using 24-h dietary recalls. Mediators were assessed using questionnaires completed by children and parents. RESULTS: All criteria were met in Alabama for a single-item measure of knowledge of the 5-a-day daily consumption guideline. Knowledge and parent consumption satisfied one criterion in Minnesota. Knowledge accounted for 9.78% of the total intervention effect in Alabama. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the 5-a-day guideline for fruit and vegetable consumption may mediate intervention effects. Future work should include tests of mediational models in multi-site studies.

Alabama↗

PubMed2002

Testing mediating variables in a school-based nutrition intervention program.

This study identified mediators of a school-based nutrition intervention for 4th graders and their parents. Nine variables were tested for satisfying 4 conclusions necessary to establish mediation of intervention effects on changes in fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) in 4th graders (N = 1,676). FVC was measured in children by the use of 24-hr dietary recalls. Mediators were assessed by the use of questionnaires completed by children and parents. All 4 conclusions were met for positive outcome expectancies. Knowledge, self-efficacy, and parent consumption satisfied the first 3 conclusions for mediation but the mediating effects were not statistically significant (Conclusion 4). Future mediational analyses and the creation of a national database of mediators are crucial for increasing strength and efficiency of school-based nutrition programs.

Child↗