Hongjun Yu, Yiling Song, Xiao-xuan Wang, Xiaolu Feng, Yangyang Wang, Mingzhong Zhou, X. Z. Wen, Chen Fan
{"title":"The impact of COVID-19 on sedentary behavior among Chinese university students:a retrospectively matched cohort study","authors":"Hongjun Yu, Yiling Song, Xiao-xuan Wang, Xiaolu Feng, Yangyang Wang, Mingzhong Zhou, X. Z. Wen, Chen Fan","doi":"10.51250/jheal.v2i3.48","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v2i3.48","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study was to estimate the impact of COVID-19 on sedentary behavior for Chinese university students during the pandemic period, as well as explore how sedentary behavior changed as a function of gender. \u0000Methods: We conducted an online questionnaire (the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire) on 1487 (947 males & 513 females; Age 19.72± 1.32yr., BMI = 21.12 ± 4.50) students from one university in China during the pandemic period and students retrospectively recalled pre-pandemic physical activity levels (March 29- April 15, 2020). Sedentary behavior was measured using the short version of the Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ). Sedentary behavior of social isolation in a typical week during the COVID-19 pandemic period and before the COVID-19 pandemic were measured based on SBQ. The data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test. Chi-square tests were to compare categorical variables. \u0000Results: Before the COVID-19, on weekdays, survey participants averaged engaged in 11.41 (SD =3.93) hours of SB, 10.97 (SD = 3.85) hours of SB in males, 12.25 (SD =3.94) hours of SB in females; on weekends, survey participants averaged engaged in 13.18 (SD =4.06) hours of SB, 12.74 (SD = 3.96) hours of SB in males, 14.04 (SD =4.11) hours of SB in females. During the COVID-19, on weekdays, survey participants averaged engaged in 13.34 (SD =3.78) hours of SB, 12.90 (SD = 3.67) hours of SB in males, 14.19 (SD =3.83) hours of SB in females; on weekends, survey participants averaged engaged in 14.48 (SD =3.93) hours of SB, 14.10 (SD = 3.81) hours of SB in males, 15.22 (SD =4.04) hours of SB in females. Overall, on weekdays, COVID-19 on average appeared to increase SB by 1.93 (16.91%↑, 95% CI = 1.74, 2.12) hours, an increase in daily total SB by 1.92 (17.50%↑, 95% CI = 1.92, 2.15) hours for males, and an increase 1.94 (15.84%↑, 95% CI = 1.62, 2.27) hours in females. On weekends, COVID-19 on average appeared to increase SB by 1.30 (9.86%↑, 95% CI = 1.12, 1.48) hours, an increase in daily total SB by 1.36 (10.68%↑, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.58) hours for males, and an increase 1.18 (8.40%↑, 95% CI = 0.87, 1.50) hours in females. \u0000Conclusions: The COVID-19 led to an increase in sedentary behavior of Chinese university students. The total sedentary time of female students per week was higher than that of male students. Public policy action might be urgently needed to decrease the sedentary behavior of Chinese university students.","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43232695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Kuhn, Hannah R Thompson, Collin A Webster, C. Burgeson, J. Chriqui, Tevin Okutoyi, E. Hager
{"title":"Physical Education Teachers’ Perceived Effectiveness in Association with Student Attendance, Teacher Adaptability, External Educational Supports, and Teaching Format During the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"A. Kuhn, Hannah R Thompson, Collin A Webster, C. Burgeson, J. Chriqui, Tevin Okutoyi, E. Hager","doi":"10.51250/jheal.v2i3.50","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v2i3.50","url":null,"abstract":"Spring 2020 pandemic-control policies included an abrupt shift to remote teaching, which may have affected physical education (PE) teachers’ perceived effectiveness. This study examined K-12 PE teachers’ perceived effectiveness in association with student attendance, teacher adaptability, PE supports, teaching format (in-person, remote synchronous, remote asynchronous, etc.), and teacher- and school-level demographics at three time points (pre-pandemic 2019–early 2020, Spring 2020, 2020–2021 school year). An electronic survey was developed by an expert panel and distributed to U.S. public school PE teachers (convenience sampling via school health-related organizations). For analyses, teacher perceived effectiveness was dichotomized (very/extremely effective= “1”; not at all/slightly/moderately effective= “0”). Logistic regression models assessed associations between perceived effectiveness and independent variables (student attendance, teacher adaptability, PE supports, teaching format, and demographic variables) at each time point. Respondents (n=134; M age=46) were mostly female (62%), general PE teachers (82%, versus adapted), had a graduate degree (66%), had >11 years of teaching experience (63%), and from 26 states. Perception of being very/extremely effective was highest pre-pandemic 2019–early 2020 (93%), lowest in Spring 2020 (12%), and recovered somewhat in 2020–2021 (45%). During the 2020–2021 school year, teachers had greater odds of perceiving they were more effective if they reported having higher student attendance (OR 1.06 [CI:1.02–1.09], p>.001) and higher adaptability (OR 1.22 [CI: 1.09–1.37], p>.001), adjusting for gender, education level, years of experience, grade level taught, and Title I status. Professional development opportunities are needed for remote teaching of PE to enhance teachers’ adaptability and perceived effectiveness during potential future school closures.","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 1","pages":"97 - 112"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42903322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Renée, U. Meyer, T. Prochnow, K. Ylitalo, L. Gómez, Joseph R. Sharkey
{"title":"Beyond Walking: An Assessment and Description of Streets as Potential Physical Activity Places in Low-Income Communities","authors":"M. Renée, U. Meyer, T. Prochnow, K. Ylitalo, L. Gómez, Joseph R. Sharkey","doi":"10.51250/jheal.v2i3.41","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v2i3.41","url":null,"abstract":"Low-income communities often have fewer quality community-level physical activity places (PAPs) or resources (e.g., parks, playgrounds). When present, barriers like traffic, distance, and crime often prevent access. Creative solutions and better understanding of current and potential realistic PAPs are necessary for children and families to be active. Streets are rarely considered potential PAPs despite their ubiquity and accessibility. This article describes street segments as potential PAPs in two low-income Mexican-heritage colonias communities along the Texas-Mexico border. Promotora-researchers conducted PAP assessments of all street segments (n=867) in the two communities to describe the availability and quality of their physical activity features (e.g., basketball hoops, bicycles), amenities (e.g., paved driveways, yard space), and incivilities (e.g., vandalism, loose dogs). Streets in these communities did contain features and amenities associated with physical activity promotion. On average, street segments had 6.10 (SD=7.20) physical activity-promoting features, 27.65 (SD=27.30) physical activity-promoting amenities, and both were assessed as good-to-fair quality. Future physical activity programming should consider incorporating streets as potential PAPs to enhance physical activity and active play. Further, evaluating streets as PAPs in this way may provide insight into locations for temporary place-based programs such as Play Streets. Future research should also examine residents’ perceptions of their streets as PAPs for safe physical activity and active play, not just as places to walk, and which PAP characteristics matter for safe physical activity and active play to occur on streets.","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 1","pages":"126 - 141"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47132718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kathleen Trejo Tello, S. M. Hughey, S. Porto, Molly Hart, Anna Benson
{"title":"Interventions to Improve Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety in Latin America: a Systematic Review and Metasummary","authors":"Kathleen Trejo Tello, S. M. Hughey, S. Porto, Molly Hart, Anna Benson","doi":"10.51250/jheal.v2i2.45","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v2i2.45","url":null,"abstract":"Road user fatalities account for a leading cause of preventable death in Latin America with pedestrians and bicyclists at higher risk for more extensive injuries as compared to other road users. Despite these vulnerable road user (VRU) risks, encouraging individuals to walk and cycle is an important public health strategy for addressing the region’s obesity epidemic through promoting physical activity via active transportation (AT). However, in order to promote AT as a viable source of physical activity, safety of the VRU must be considered. The purpose of this systematic review and metasummary is to describe the effectiveness of interventions that have been implemented in Latin America to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety. A systematic search of public health, policy, and engineering databases was completed using terms generated through the PICO method. The PRISMA framework was used for article screening. Eight articles detailing nine interventions across four countries were included for final synthesis and organized according to the Three E’s Model of Injury Prevention, including three education-based interventions, two engineering, three enforcements, and one utilizing all Three E’s. VRU outcomes assessed ranged from attitudes and behaviors to fatal injuries, with only enforcement-based interventions reporting on the latter. No interventions reported on non-fatal injury outcomes. Interventions rooted in each arm of the Three E’s demonstrated limited ability to improve VRU outcomes, with enforcement-based interventions providing the strongest body of evidence. Findings demonstrate the limited research on VRU safety in Latin America, and further efforts should be of urgent public health priority.","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 1","pages":"45 - 59"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49029185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah G. Geller, B. Clark, Lizzy Pope, M. Niles, E. Belarmino
{"title":"Investigating Knowledge on Calcium and Preferences for Dairy vs. Plant-Based Alternatives","authors":"Sarah G. Geller, B. Clark, Lizzy Pope, M. Niles, E. Belarmino","doi":"10.51250/jheal.v2i2.42","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v2i2.42","url":null,"abstract":"Calcium is a nutrient of public health concern and commonly associated with dairy foods. In recent years, plant-based alternatives to dairy products have grown in popularity. This study examines public understanding of dietary calcium in dairy products and plant-based alternatives and explores whether knowledge is associated with product preference. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) solicited comments on the labeling of plant-based dairy alternatives (FDA-2018-N-3522), including input on consumer understanding of the nutritional content of dairy foods and plant-based products. All 11,906 submissions were obtained and 8,052 were retained after duplicate and near-duplicate comments were removed. Comments were coded for major nutrition themes and those that mentioned calcium and were analyzed for three calcium-specific themes: knowledge and beliefs about calcium content, calcium bioavailability, and health outcomes associated with intake. Submissions were examined in relation to each commenter’s preference for dairy products or plant-based alternatives. 244 unique submissions (3.0%) mentioned calcium. Over half (51.2%) of commenters who mentioned calcium preferred plant-based alternatives. Comments mentioning calcium often reflected preference. Most commenters had an accurate understanding of calcium content in dairy and plant-based products. However, several commenters—especially those who preferred plant-based alternatives—misunderstood calcium metabolism and health outcomes related to calcium. Given declining consumption of fluid dairy milk—a key source of dietary calcium—and increasing consumption of plant-based alternatives, addressing gaps in nutrition knowledge and misunderstanding related to dairy and calcium intake is critical and has implications for nutrition education and policy.","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 1","pages":"60 - 72"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47279117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Fox, Teresa Penbrooke, Reza Farzaneh, Mariya Rahman, T. Ramani, J. Zietsman
{"title":"Pilot study and cumulative risk framework to advance long-haul driver health","authors":"M. Fox, Teresa Penbrooke, Reza Farzaneh, Mariya Rahman, T. Ramani, J. Zietsman","doi":"10.51250/jheal.v2i2.43","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v2i2.43","url":null,"abstract":"Commercial drivers are essential to the economic recovery, yet their work exposes them to many health and safety hazards. Research to improve driver health should be designed with an understanding of both the complex occupational environment and the risk management context. We present results from a small pilot study of driver health concerns and behaviors to illustrate concepts and frameworks from human health risk assessment and management that may assist in the design and translation of driver and other worker health research. The pilot study surveyed 18 long-haul truck drivers at a truck stop using an instrument adapted from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and a transient community needs assessment developed for the US Antarctic Program Recreation and Wellness Survey. Respondents’ characteristics and health concerns reflect existing literature: mostly male of older age with musculoskeletal and chronic health conditions. The two most common barriers to physical activity were lack of time and physical limitations. Applying cumulative risk assessment and risk-based decision-making frameworks, we suggest that preventive health management opportunities can be improved for these transient workers through actions of employers, truck stop owners and their communities. Considering lessons learned in implementing the pilot, cumulative risk assessment, and risk-based decision making in research design can facilitate holistic research considering co-exposures, risk factors and mitigators across multiple domains of health to inform worker protection.","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 1","pages":"88 - 96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44552089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kathleen Trejo Tello, Sarah M Hughey, Sarah C Porto, Molly Hart, Anna Benson
{"title":"Interventions to Improve Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety in Latin America: a Systematic Review and Metasummary.","authors":"Kathleen Trejo Tello, Sarah M Hughey, Sarah C Porto, Molly Hart, Anna Benson","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Road user fatalities account for a leading cause of preventable death in Latin America with pedestrians and bicyclists at higher risk for more extensive injuries as compared to other road users. Despite these vulnerable road user (VRU) risks, encouraging individuals to walk and cycle is an important public health strategy for addressing the region's obesity epidemic through promoting physical activity via active transportation (AT). However, in order to promote AT as a viable source of physical activity, safety of the VRU must be considered. The purpose of this systematic review and metasummary is to describe the effectiveness of interventions that have been implemented in Latin America to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety. A systematic search of public health, policy, and engineering databases was completed using terms generated through the PICO method. The PRISMA framework was used for article screening. Eight articles detailing nine interventions across four countries were included for final synthesis and organized according to the Three E's Model of Injury Prevention, including three education-based interventions, two engineering, three enforcements, and one utilizing all Three E's. VRU outcomes assessed ranged from attitudes and behaviors to fatal injuries, with only enforcement-based interventions reporting on the latter. No interventions reported on non-fatal injury outcomes. Interventions rooted in each arm of the Three E's demonstrated limited ability to improve VRU outcomes, with enforcement-based interventions providing the strongest body of evidence. Findings demonstrate the limited research on VRU safety in Latin America, and further efforts should be of urgent public health priority.</p>","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 2","pages":"45-59"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/5c/7e/jheal-2-2-45.PMC10521994.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41158107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah G Geller, Bridget E Clark, Lizzy Pope, Meredith T Niles, Emily H Belarmino
{"title":"Investigating Knowledge on Calcium and Preferences for Dairy vs. Plant-Based Alternatives.","authors":"Sarah G Geller, Bridget E Clark, Lizzy Pope, Meredith T Niles, Emily H Belarmino","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Calcium is a nutrient of public health concern and commonly associated with dairy foods. In recent years, plant-based alternatives to dairy products have grown in popularity. This study examines public understanding of dietary calcium in dairy products and plant-based alternatives and explores whether knowledge is associated with product preference. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) solicited comments on the labeling of plant-based dairy alternatives (FDA-2018-N-3522), including input on consumer understanding of the nutritional content of dairy foods and plant-based products. All 11,906 submissions were obtained and 8,052 were retained after duplicate and near-duplicate comments were removed. Comments were coded for major nutrition themes and those that mentioned calcium and were analyzed for three calcium-specific themes: knowledge and beliefs about calcium content, calcium bioavailability, and health outcomes associated with intake. Submissions were examined in relation to each commenter's preference for dairy products or plant-based alternatives. 244 unique submissions (3.0%) mentioned calcium. Over half (51.2%) of commenters who mentioned calcium preferred plant-based alternatives. Comments mentioning calcium often reflected preference. Most commenters had an accurate understanding of calcium content in dairy and plant-based products. However, several commenters-especially those who preferred plant-based alternatives-misunderstood calcium metabolism and health outcomes related to calcium. Given declining consumption of fluid dairy milk-a key source of dietary calcium-and increasing consumption of plant-based alternatives, addressing gaps in nutrition knowledge and misunderstanding related to dairy and calcium intake is critical and has implications for nutrition education and policy.</p>","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 2","pages":"60-72"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/c6/3e/jheal-2-2-60.PMC10521993.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41157227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mary A Fox, Teresa L Penbrooke, Reza Farzaneh, Mariya Rahman, Tara Ramani, Josias Zietsman
{"title":"Pilot study and cumulative risk framework to advance long-haul driver health.","authors":"Mary A Fox, Teresa L Penbrooke, Reza Farzaneh, Mariya Rahman, Tara Ramani, Josias Zietsman","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Commercial drivers are essential to the economic recovery, yet their work exposes them to many health and safety hazards. Research to improve driver health should be designed with an understanding of both the complex occupational environment and the risk management context. We present results from a small pilot study of driver health concerns and behaviors to illustrate concepts and frameworks from human health risk assessment and management that may assist in the design and translation of driver and other worker health research. The pilot study surveyed 18 long-haul truck drivers at a truck stop using an instrument adapted from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and a transient community needs assessment developed for the US Antarctic Program Recreation and Wellness Survey. Respondents' characteristics and health concerns reflect existing literature: mostly male of older age with musculoskeletal and chronic health conditions. The two most common barriers to physical activity were lack of time and physical limitations. Applying cumulative risk assessment and risk-based decision-making frameworks, we suggest that preventive health management opportunities can be improved for these transient workers through actions of employers, truck stop owners and their communities. Considering lessons learned in implementing the pilot, cumulative risk assessment, and risk-based decision making in research design can facilitate holistic research considering co-exposures, risk factors and mitigators across multiple domains of health to inform worker protection.</p>","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 2","pages":"88-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/3b/7d/jheal-2-2-88.PMC10521991.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41156174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Halfacre, D. Buys, M. Holmes, E. King, J. Roach
{"title":"Barriers to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in the Mississippi Delta","authors":"K. Halfacre, D. Buys, M. Holmes, E. King, J. Roach","doi":"10.51250/jheal.v2i1.36","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.51250/jheal.v2i1.36","url":null,"abstract":"Rural regions in the United States are home to approximately 15–20% of the country’s population. These regions are often characterized by low access to medical care and high rates of disease and death. The literature has detailed the heterogeneous nature of rural health disparities, calling for research detailing regional factors that influence individual-level risk factors such as diet and physical activity. Approximately 54% of Mississippi residents live in rural areas. The Mississippi Delta population is largely characterized by high obesity rates, poor diet, and low levels of physical activity. This study presents detailed observations of the community-level barriers and facilitators to healthy eating and physical activity within Mississippi Delta communities, contextualizing the findings of a survey of 352 individuals across 25 communities to provide implications and direction for future activities aimed at reducing obesity in the Mississippi Delta. Study participants reported a high prevalence of overweight (22.9%) and obese (62.1%) body mass index classifications. Chi-square analyses revealed significant relationships between body mass index, age, and health conditions. Community food and physical activity environments and rural characteristics were largely implicated as barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Next steps involve using qualitative research techniques to guide the development of programmatic strategies for reducing obesity through diet and physical activity in these communities and other rural regions in the United States.","PeriodicalId":73774,"journal":{"name":"Journal of healthy eating and active living","volume":"2 1","pages":"32 - 44"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46980897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}