The Effects of Eating Behaviors and Exercise Patterns on the Processing of Food and Exercise Related Stimuli

The effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for eating disorders has established a link between cognitive processes and unhealthy eating behaviors. However, the relationship between individual differences in unhealthy eating behaviors that are not related to clinical eating disorders, such as overeating and restrained eating, and the processing of food related verbal stimuli remains undetermined. Furthermore, the cognitive processes that promote unhealthy and healthy exercise patterns remain virtually unexplored by previous research. The present study compared individual differences in attitudes and behaviors around eating and exercise to responses to food and exercise-related words using a Lexical Decision Task (LDT). Participants were recruited from Colby (n = 61) and the greater Waterville community (n = 16). The results indicate the following trends in the data: Individuals who scored high in “thin ideal” responded faster to food-related words than individuals with low “thin Ideal” scores did. Regarding the exercise-related data, individuals who engage in more “low intensity exercise” responded faster to exercise-related words than individuals who engage in less “low intensity exercise” did. These findings suggest that cognitive schemata about food and exercise might mediate individual’s eating and exercise patterns.

Social, cultural and environmental influences on child activity and eating in Australian migrant communities

Aim: This study set out to examine the socio-cultural, familial and environmental factors influencing health, eating habits and patterns of physical activity contributing to child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Methods: Semi-structured, community-based interviews were conducted with contrasting key informant three-generation families; and generation by generation focus groups of grandparents, parents and children from four cultural communities in the state of Victoria, Australia. Purposive sampling occurred from Turkish, Greek, Indian and Chinese communities that have migrated to Australia within the last three generations (n = 160, eight families, 47 children aged 5–15 years, 29 parents, 42 grandparents). Results: Evidence of two-way influences on eating and physical activity across three generations was evident, with children reporting the greatest cross-cultural diversity. A range of dietary restrictions was reported across all cultural groups. Efforts to foster healthy eating and lifestyle patterns within communities were evident. Parents, as a generation in particular, felt the need for more access to education and support regarding healthy limits for pre-puberty and puberty stages. Conclusion: There is a dynamic influence of culture on many aspects of family lifestyle across three generations. To achieve successful intervention design, childhood obesity researchers need to collaborate with diverse groups and communities. Considering the role and influence of extended family, a multigenerational, whole-of-community approach beyond that of parent and child populations ought to be considered.

Food and move project, promoting healthy eating & physical activity in a secondary school setting, pat 1: baseline data, interventions and future recommendations

The Food and Move project was a collaborative project with the students, staff and parents from four Warrnambool secondary colleges which focussed on promoting healthy eating and physical activity in secondary schools and built capacity for ongoing health promotion to address overweight/obesity.

The project aimed to:

1. Increase awareness amongst students, parents and staff of the links between regular physical activity and good nutrition to achieve optimal health.
2. Increase awareness amongst students, parents and staff of childhood/adolescent obesity and its implications for future health.
3. Improve the opportunities for students to access healthy food at their school canteen.
4. Improve the opportunities for students to access physical activity at recess and lunchtime.
5. Prepare a resource package of initiatives for use in secondary colleges to support the provision of opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity at Warrnambool secondary colleges.
6. Support the development of appropriate physical activity and nutrition curricula.

Supermarkets as a setting to promote health eating : some lessons learnt in Victoria

Issue addressed: Supermarkets are a potential setting in which to deliver nutrition promotion to the community. A pilot project was able to examine the requirements for health authorities to form partnerships with other sectors and opportunities and limitations of using industry- based communication strategies to promote healthy eating messages. Methods: Pre-intervention interviews helped determine communication strategies. Post-intervention interviews were used to assess content and appropriateness of nutrition resources, collaboration between key participants, satisfaction with training and barriers/promoters to implementation. An intercept survey with consumers measured the impact of the intervention. Results: The survey of more than 1,120 women indicated only limited success. 12% of respondents from the intervention supermarkets had watched demonstrations and 20% had noticed the recipe leaflets, with only 5% able to name the promotion. Supermarket owners, representatives from participating food companies and demonstrators were supportive of the concept and content used in the promotion and qualitative analysis provides indicators for similar promotions. Conclusions: Health authorities considering 'partnerships' with the food/supermarket industry should recognise the diversity of roles and responsibilities of the organisations involved in the supply of food through the retail market and allow for long term planning when working with them. Head office of the supermarket group has a key coordinating role, however, individual supermarkets will be driven by financial returns. So what?: The recognition and trust in the name of health authorities by consumers means that organisations value an association with them.